Time for a Real Health Care Discussion?
The week ahead includes shows by Antibalas, Dee-1 and the Gretna Heritage Fest, as well as benefits for Mike Mayeux and Sheik Richardson.
Among this week's highlights are two benefits for musicians with serious medical bills.
Friday: We Heart Mike, 8 p.m., House of Blues: Engineer, guitarist and Beatin Path band member Mike Mayeux is facing six-figure medical bills due a pre-existing heart condition that left him uninsurable. Friends including Papa Grows Funk, Susan Cowsill, The Creole String Beans, Paul Sanchez, Bonerama and more will perform Friday as part of a fundraiser to help with his medical bills. (tickets)
Also on Friday: Panther Burns, 8:30 p.m., Ogden Museum of Southern Art; Menomena, KG Accidental, 10 p.m., One Eyed Jacks (tickets); Papa Mali, Strange Roux, 10 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets)
Saturday: Chef Menteur, Whom Do You Work For?, 10 p.m., Circle Bar: Chef Menteur graciously provides the theme music for the My Spilt Milk podcasts (and they were the subject of one of the first), and they don't play very often, which makes the show by New Orleans' space rock band a rare pleasure.
Sunday: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, G-String Orchestra., 9 p.m., Tipitina's: In previous seasons, a show up against a Saints night game would be a bad bet, but since there's little joy in watching our defense, this show should do fine. It helps that the Canadian post-rock band is selling its first new album in 10 years, ALLELUJAH! DON'T BEND! ASCEND!, at its shows before its official release October 16. (tickets)
Monday: Heartless Bastards, Wussy, 10 p.m., One Eyed Jacks: Erika Wennerstrom's the heart of Heartless Bastards, and her voice lyrics give the Americana-lite arrangements a reason to live. (tickets)
Also on Monday: R. Stevie Moore, Birthstone, 10 p.m., Circle Bar; GZA Playing Liquid Swords, Killer Mike, Bear Hands, 9 p.m., Tipitina's (tickets)
Tuesday: Antibalas, Free Agents Brass Band, 9 p.m., Tipitina's: It's appropriate that the politically engaged Brooklyn-based Afrobeat band is on tour during an election season. Songs like "Dirty Money" from this year's self-titled album provide a hint as to where they're at. (tickets)
Wednesday: Gotye, GIVERS, Jonti, 7 p.m., UNO Lakefront Arena: In 2011, Australian Gotye blew up on the strength of the unavoidable "Somebody That I Used to Know," but he's been around for more than a decade. (tickets)
Also on Wednesday: The Vibrators, Die Rotzz, Mea Culpa, Snot Rag, 9 p.m., Siberia
Thursday: Moon Duo, Maria Miner, Sir Stephen, DJ Perpetual Care, 10 p.m., Siberia: This San Francisco-based duo plays an austere, often abrasive version of old-school electronic garage psychedelia, as their new album, Circles, will attest.
Also on Thursday, Alexandra Scott & the Grapefruits, 7 p.m., d.b.a.
OTHER STUFF
It's that time again when we try to figure out how many original members of classic bands still travel under famous bands' names because the Gretna Heritage Festival takes place this weekend. Currently there is one original member of Foreigner (guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones), two original Spinners (but not the defining lead singer, Philippe "Soul" Wynne), no original Temptations (though Dennis Edwards became the front man starting in 1968), and one original Leon Russell (Leon Russell, who was great opening for Bob Dylan last time he was in town).
Saturday is Art for Art's Sake. In recent years, White Linen Night has stolen some of Art for Art's Sake's thunder, but autumnal nights are far more pleasant for a walking art party. I hope I catch the "All Dead Artists Zombie Crawl" - a zombie art apocalypse with undead art greats staggering to The Big Top.
Dee-1 has completed a new mixtape, The Focus Tape. It will be available for download Tuesday, and on Wednesday he'll host and perform at a mixtape release party at The Republic.
Recently, trumpet player Sheik Richardson suffered a heart attack while visiting Switzerland, and he has more than $6,000 in medical bills that won't be covered by Medicare. On Thursday, Dr. Michael White, Charlie Miller, Mark Brooks, Paky Saavedra, Ben Smith, Ed Freiburg, Nicolas Gilliet (Switzerland), Klaus Lumma (Germany), Sugar Pie and the Candymen, from Italy, Patrice Fisher, Carlos Valladares will play a benefit for Richardson at Irish House starting at 7 p.m.
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