Shauit at Festival International Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal!
We’re still in Montreal, seeking vibes. Here’s a hit: Shauit is a reggae/dancehall singer/songwriter we encountered during a show at the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique de Montréal. He sings in French, English, and Innu and both our French and Innu (especially Innu!) are far too weak to offer a translation, but the general vibe shines […]
My Graveyard Jaw @ the (ISO 12,800) Hi Ho Lounge!
My Graveyard Jaw is Michael James (aka Stix Duh Clown) on guitar, banjo, vocals, and boot stompin’, Denis Bonis on violin, Scott Potts on bass (and bass climbing), and Alleyn Evans on cello. Forget the genre-stuffing–it’s blues, country, growlin’, bass strings howling for mercy, soaring violin, gorgeous cello, guitar and banjo strumming madness. The song […]
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue @ Lafayette Square
YLC Presents: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue! Trombone Shorty has come a long way, as if that needs saying. We remember him as a tiny kid, blowing trombone like he was seven feet tall, but now he’s not only grown up, but has played with Lenny Kravitz, U2, Green Day, and others. His current band is […]
Local Ska: Local Skank
Montreal, one of our other favorite cities, has an amazing ska scene. New Orleans, not so much. We’re not complaining–there’s brass, funk, soul, garage, Russian mafia stuff, all kinds of jams…but we’re thin on ska. But hope prevails: We have The Local Skank, an all girl (oops…one guy) band blending ska with punk attitude, created […]
Debauche and Slow Burn Burlesque “do” the Hi Ho Lounge!
A dark night club on St. Claude. We spit on flash (as we are wont to do) and crank up ISO way past safe. Debauche, the Russian Mafia band and Slow Burn Burlesque, on a single stage? Yes! Yegor Romantsov pouring a devious pepper vodka mixture with fresh ginger slices (free = danger!), people dancing like fire […]
Margie Perez @ d.b.a.!
Margie Perez is from DC, but she’s ours now and you can’t have her back. Margie and her band, joined for a bit by Lady Tambourine (Rosalie Ashton-Washington) played one of the funkiest sets in recent history @ d.b.a. Singer, songwriter, master of polymer, funky chick, and so sweet! Check out her CD on Amazon.com: […]
Lightnin’ Malcolm and Cameron Kimbrough Kill d.b.a.
Exhausted by the blues! But in a most pleasant way. Following Cedric Burnside’s recent show at d.b.a., here comes Lightnin’ Malcolm, playing with the grandson, Cameron Kimbrough, of yet another blues legend! This time we firmly planted our soon-to-be-dancing asses close to the stage and dared to approach ISO 10000 to nail a few shots before the urge […]
Super Sunday 2011
The New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians are an enigma even for New Orleans natives–and we can believe how inexplicable they may seem to non-natives. There are about 40 Mardi Gras Indian tribes, organized into Uptown and Downtown styles (their costumes, called “suits”, differing in construction materials and technique). Born of affinity between African Americans and Native Americans […]
Gentilly Groovemasters @ Ogden After Hours
Ogden After Hours recently featured Brian Seeger (guitar), Gerald French (drums), Casandra Faulconer (electric bass), and Brent Rose (tenor sax), aka the Gentilly Groovemasters, for a show and interview (with Seeger). The players are legend in New Orleans–Seeger has played with everyone from Aaron Neville to Zachary Richard and was part of a great jazz group […]
Sweet Street Symphony
Sweet Street Symphony, a band shrouded in mystery. Where are they? There they are! And why does the skirt look so fetching on the banjo player? Definitely a band to check out when you’re walking the streets of the Quarter or the Marigny. Folk meets relatively still caberet, like a miniature Unsettlers.
Strange Roux’s Show at Blue Nile Upstairs
Strange Roux’s “brand” is swamp rock, but more than anything, they’re freakin’ haul ass, tear it down rock-n-roll. We were out on Frenchmen to catch a CD release party at d.b.a. when our friend Leigh suggested that we stop by the Blue Nile. Not quite sure what to expect… WHOA! With a mossy, darkly lit (thanks guys, really–we shot a […]
BIG FREEDIA w/ Lil Dee, Plane Jane, Know One
In March 2011, Big Freedia, the Queen Diva, played a show at Maison with Lil Dee, Plane Jane, and Know One, showcasing bounce, some old school hip hop, and, not to be missed, “azz everywhere”. Big Freedia has been at it for over 15 years, releasing several CDs including Queen Diva, and recently collaborating […]
Voodoo Ballerina 2011!
Pics are finally up! An outrageous costume party with great live music and tasty cocktails set in a wild warehouse artscape? Yes, please! This event was one of the highlights of the entire Mardi Gras season. Walter Wolfman Washington made the night, looking fine and sounding better than ever. Actually – not sure how this […]
Mardi Gras 2011
Mardi Gras 2011 in New Orleans!
Planet D Nonet
Scatterjazz brought the Planet D Nonet to town and they played gigs at both Snug Harbor and Zeitgeist–we caught up with the them at the latter. The Planet D Nonet was formed in 2007 in Detroit and celebebrates the music of Sun Ra, who entered another plane in 1993. The members of Planet D have […]
Sebastian Weston at Ogden After Hours
Sebastian Weston recently brought his mellow, funky sound to Ogden After Hours. Backed by a thumb-slappin’ bass, rasta-tinged drums and keyboards, his music “challenged” us to alternatively dance or grab another cold Restoration Ale and chill. Check him out.
Fess Fest 2010!
It’s hard to write anything new about Professor Longhair (aka Henry Roeland Byrd aka “Fess”). He’s a New Orleans icon (see?), his piano playing style is unique and yet has tinged the work of virtually every piano player who plays “New Orleans music” (whatever that is). There are performers who can clearly capture his vibe (Jon Cleary […]
Dealin’ with the Devil…
We’re on vacation, so no pictures (unless you want pics of the fish)…just a pointer to a great album. I’ve always loved Sonny Boy Williamson’s version of Dealin’ with the Devil–it’s one of my favorite blues tunes. But there’s an alternate version that’s worthy and you get to hear Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, and James […]
HIGH ISO Music invades Teddy’s Juke Joint!
We visited Teddy’s Juke Joint in Zachary, LA to catch The Pack’s show. Teddy’s was overflowing, people were dancing, The Pack was rippin’ up the joint…ISO 6400+ in the house!
Debauche et al @ Bacchanal
St. Andrew’s Festival @ Bacchanal featured Debauche, a Russian Mafia Band who are purveyors of “Russian Hooligan Songs”. We want more! Never has ISO 8000 been more necessary, since the band was essentially lit with Christmas lights. Check it out: and check out their website and visit their Facebook page.
Mirliton Festival 2010!
Mirliton Festival featured, in addition to some rocking’ food (dig those mirlton fries, which we made for Thanksgiving!), R. Scully’s Rough 7, with Rob Cambre on lead guitar, Ryan Scully on lead vocals and rythym guitar, CJ Floyd on bass, Mike Andrepont on drums, Ratty Scurvics on keys, and Meschiya Lake/Erika Lewis on vocals, the […]
Simon Berz and Dave Easley @ Zeitgeist
Simon Berz (circuit bending and percussion madness) and Dave Easley (pedal steel guitar) carry on the collaboration between Berz and Koenig that turned junk from the streets of New Orleans into music. The performance at Zeitgeist was spectacular and we managed to snap a few shots (damn that loud shutter on the D700) when the […]