Twelfth Night, Common, The Battle of the Bands, FKA twigs and Sleepy Labeef
Our highlights for the week ahead in New Orleans include rockabilly survivors, the latest flavors, Kevin Gates, Hunter Hayes, Marc Broussard, and Fozzy.
Our highlights for the week ahead in New Orleans include rockabilly survivors, the latest flavors, Kevin Gates, Hunter Hayes, Marc Broussard, and Fozzy.
Friday: Luke Winslow King, Sam Doores, 10 p.m., d.b.a.: Two New Orleans Americana artists who’ve graduated to big indies—King with Chicago’s Bloodshot Records, and Doores and The Deslondes have signed to New West Records. Also on Friday: Crushed Out, Jordan Prince and the Fifth Men, 10 p.m., Gasa Gasa (tickets); Marc Broussard, Baby Bee, 8 p.m., Southport Hall (tickets)
Saturday: FKA twigs, Boots, 9 p.m., The Republic: FKA twigs made her reputation as a dancer, but she uses that background to make smaller, more reserved physical and musical gestures mean more in her own shows. (tickets) Also on Saturday: Kevin Gates, 9 p.m., The Howlin’ Wolf (tickets); Cedric Burnside Project feat. Garry Burnside, Gravy, 10 p.m., Tipitina’s (tickets); Webbie, Wankaego, 11 p.m., House of Blues (tickets); James Hall, 10 p.m., The Circle Bar; Tab Benoit, Sleepy Labeef, 9 p.m., Rock ’n’ Bowl
Sunday: Sleepy Labeef, 8 p.m., Chickie Wah Wah: Rockabilly singer Sleepy Labeef has been playing since the late 1950s, but he’s better known as a survivor who stayed true to old school values than for his classic material. Presented by American Routes’ Nick Spitzer.
Tuesday: Kat Dahlia, 8 p.m., House of Blues: R&B/hip-hop/pop singer Kat Dahlia was one of Rolling Stone’s Ten Artists to Watch in June. It’s hard to write about her without dropping the names of other pop singers, but the fun in a show like this is the possibility that you’re seeing either the start of something or Dahlia’s best moment. (tickets)
Wednesday: Common, Jay Electronica, Fly Union, 10 p.m., The Howlin’ Wolf: Common’s one of the most soulful rappers in hip-hop, and he’s joined on tour by New Orleans’ Jay Electronica. (tickets) Also on Wednesday: Alanna Royale, Berkshire Hounds, Jake & Mark, 8 p.m., Gasa Gasa (tickets)
Thursday: Fozzy, Texas Hippie Coalition, Shaman’s Harvest, Crowned by Fire, 7 p.m., House of Blues: A night of commercial hard rock topped by Fozzy, which is credibly fronted by wrestler Chris Jericho. (tickets) Also on Thursday: David Shaw and Friends, 9 p.m., Tipitina’s (tickets); Antiserum, Luminox, Buck 10, DXXXY, SFAM, 10 p.m., The Republic (tickets)
Other Stuff
For me, the highlight of The Bayou Classic is the halftime show, and on Friday night in the Superdome, The Battle of the Bands and Greek Show delivers a lot of that fun. The bands only march to their stands where they perform—no on-field performances—but there’s still a lot of showmanship and musical invention. The Battle of the Bands is the climax of the show; most of the night is an entertaining stepping competition by Southern and Grambling State fraternities and sororities. (tickets)
The NOLA Project offers contemporary drama all year around, but its productions of Shakespeare’s works in and around the New Orleans Museum of Art have been among its most popular productions. On Monday, it will debut its production of Twelfth Night in NOMA’s Great Hall. It will also show on Tuesday and December 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18 and 21 at &;30 p.m. each night. (tickets)
Hunter Hayes was introduced to audiences—probably prematurely—as a young Cajun accordion phenom. He moved to Nashville, paid some dues, worked as a songwriter and launched his solo career as an opening act for Taylor Swift. He has become a Grammy-nominated teen heartthrob, and he plays the UNO Lakefront Arena Thursday night. (tickets)
