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Duran Duran delivered a shiny showcase of durable pop at New Orleans' Smoothie King Center

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
9 hrs ago

In the early 1980s, Duran Duran and MTV fueled one another’s early success. Pinup worthy singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist A…

Looking for live music in New Orleans this weekend? See Keith Spera's guide

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 8, 2023

This weekend in New Orleans, you can experience a “traveling outdoor concert series,” an Americana singer-songwriter and an all-Black orchestra from Atlanta.

New Orleans rapper Juvenile added to 2023 Essence Festival roster after criticizing it

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 7, 2023

New Orleans rapper Juvenile was not happy to not be included in the roster of the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture.

Trumpeter Wendell Brunious named the first musical director in Preservation Hall history

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 7, 2023

Preservation Hall has named esteemed New Orleans jazz trumpeter Wendell Brunious as its first-ever musical director.

Re:SET mini-fest brings Boygenius, LCD Soundsystem, Steve Lacy to City Park this weekend

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 6, 2023

Even if the Voodoo Music + Arts Experience doesn’t resurrect itself this fall — and there is absolutely no indication it will — the City Park Festival Grounds will nonetheless host a multi-day…

New Orleans saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. recovering from heart attack in Hawaii

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 5, 2023

On June 1, shortly after his arrival in Hawaii, New Orleans jazz saxophonist and educator Donald Harrison Jr. took to Facebook to praise the “glorious, relaxing experience” that was the Big Is…

Disney taps big-name New Orleans musical talent for remade Splash Mountain ride

BY MIKE SCOTT | Contributing writer
Jun 1, 2023

Both polished their musical chops as children growing up in New Orleans. Both have since won multiple Grammy Awards. Both regularly play to audiences around the world.

Duran Duran, Mary Chapin Carpenter and more music in New Orleans for June 1-7, 2023

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Jun 1, 2023

Options for live music in New Orleans the first week of June include a band of '80s hitmakers, a Brother Martin High School band benefit and a country singer-songwriter.

NOLA Zydeco Fest will feature music, dancing and good food

BY CHRISTINA FERRARI | Staff writer
May 31, 2023

The NOLA Zydeco Festival comes back buzzing for its third year in a row with zydeco beats, dancing and plenty of local eats. Whether you're looking to break out of your comfort zone and take a…

Pierce the Veil's excellent New Orleans adventure

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Updated May 30, 2023

In front of 2,400 sweaty, jam-packed, crowd-surfing and slam-dancing fans at the Fillmore New Orleans recently, Pierce the Veil singer/guitarist Vic Fuentes and bassist Jaime Preciado engaged …

WWOZ wanted to move to St. Charles Ave. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation said no.

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 27, 2023

Staffers at WWOZ 90.7 FM thought they had finally found their forever home.

Marty Gras to benefit Brother Martin's Hardy arts scholarship

BY VICTOR ANDREWS | Staff writer
May 26, 2023

A special night of music will benefit the Arthur Hardy Fine Arts Scholarship at Brother Martin High School Thursday at Tipitina's, Uptown.

'Free Fridays' at Tipitina's returns with Water Seed, plus more music for May 25-31, 2023

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 25, 2023

While there are no arena-level concerts in New Orleans during the last week in May, the clubs are busy and a popular free music series returns.

Who holds the Smoothie King Center concert attendance record? As of Saturday, Zach Bryan

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Updated May 23, 2023

Four years ago, Navy aviation ordnance man Zach Bryan recorded himself on an iPhone outside his barracks singing and strumming “Heading South.” He'd written it out of frustration with an officer.

2023 Bayou Boogaloo update: rained-out Juvenile rescheduled for Sunday afternoon

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Updated May 21, 2023

Homegrown rap star Juvenile's scheduled Saturday set at the 2023 Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo was canceled because of rain.

Born again: Louisiana’s Lauren Daigle reboots her life and career with self-titled album

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 18, 2023

Lauren Daigle feared New Orleans had turned against her.

Bayou Boogaloo, Zach Bryan, the Soul Rebels: music in New Orleans for May 18-24, 2023

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 18, 2023

It’s a busy late-spring weekend of live music in New Orleans with a three-day festival and lots of local favorites.

For an Elvis tribute artist, meeting adoring fans is worth all the time and money involved

BY TED LEWIS | Contributing writer
Updated May 25, 2023

The stage is lit, and the unmistakable introductory strains of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” begin.

2023 Essence Festival of Culture reveals nightly roster, puts single-night tickets on sale

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 16, 2023

It's time to start planning your nightly itinerary for the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture.

Jon Batiste charms and encourages at Loyola University commencement

BY DOUG MACCASH | Staff writer
May 13, 2023

Go ahead and add outstanding inspirational speaker to Jon Batiste’s list of talents. Fresh from a triumphant performance at the recent New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the renowned mu…

2023 New Orleans Jazz Fest attendance dropped slightly from last year, organizers say

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 11, 2023

More than 460,000 people passed through the gates of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the festival's producers announced Thursday.

The Cure opened its 2023 tour in New Orleans with an epic Goth-pop showcase of 29 songs

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
Updated May 11, 2023

Four songs into the Cure’s tour de force of a tour kickoff at a full Smoothie King Center, Robert Smith relished his secret.

Alter Bridge, Hunter Hayes, a Rush tribute: music in New Orleans for May 11-17, 2023

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 11, 2023

The 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is finished, but the music plays on. Here are highlights of the live music options for May 11-17:

Grammy winner Jon Batiste to speak at Loyola's commencement ceremony

By GABBY JIMENEZ and MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writers
May 10, 2023

Grammy Award-winning musician and New Orleans native Jon Batiste will be the keynote speaker for Loyola University New Orleans’ commencement ceremony.

Local Rush tribute band Driven to play benefit for neuroscience research

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 10, 2023

For local drummer Matt Beeson, Rush was more than just a band, and Neil Peart was more than just a drummer.

The Cure in New Orleans: tour rehearsals, lobbying the legislature, enjoying Jazz Fest

BY KEITH SPERA | Staff writer
May 9, 2023

The Cure and frontman Robert Smith went to great lengths to prevent tickets for the band’s upcoming 2023 Shows of a Lost World North American tour from being scalped.

A 7th Ward cradle of jazz is now one of the country's 11 most endangered historic sites

BY DOUG MACCASH | Staff writer
May 9, 2023

Back in August, word spread that an old, pale-blue church building on North Villere Street had finally given up the ghost and collapsed during a summer downpour. The structure was once a socia…

Expect new twists, true love in New Orleans Ballet Theatre's 'Romeo and Juliet

BY DEAN M. SHAPIRO | Contributing writer
Updated May 9, 2023

New Orleans Ballet Theatre wraps up its 2022-23 season with three performances this weekend of Sergei Prokofiev’s classic ballet version of “Romeo + Juliet” at the Orpheum Theater in downtown …