In case you're looking for a way to celebrate Mardi Gras in NYC: NOLAFUNK!
Each year around this time, I get a ton of email asking variations of the same question..."Cajun Boy...where should I go to celebrate Mardi Gras in New York?" And now, with Who Dat fever sweeping the nation, it seems like EVERYBODY wants to be in that number, so I feel obligated to make a couple of suggestions.
Now, normally, I don't really have any good recommendations because really, it's an event that's almost possible to replicate. But this year NolaFunk, a project to "bring the music and spirit of New Orleans to NYC," is putting on a couple of events that should be pretty damn fun. Basically they bring familiar bands and artists up from Louisiana that you typically find playing venues all over South Louisiana, and they're bringing up some of the big guns for Mardi Gras.
Anyway, on Saturday they're throwing a Mardi Gras ball featuring Bonerama (pictured above), Big Sam's Funky Nation and Tab Benoit. It's going down at Le Poisson Rouge on Bleecker street. And next Tuesday, Mardi Gras day, they're throwing another event at BB King's Blues Club on 42nd street featuring Leo Nocentelli and George Porter Jr. of the Meters with special guests Henry Butler and Adam Deitch with Brother Joscephus. Both events should be a blast.
For more info you can go to the Nolafunk website, the Facebook page and their Twitter page.
And be sure to go to Mara's Homemade on East 6th for dinner. Get the crawfish etoufee or the catfish New Orleans. Oh, and they have boiled crawfish every day right now.
You're welcome.
8 comments:
Very jealous! We caught Big Sam's Funky Nation in NOLA way back in 2003. Fantastic. Horn-o-rama!
Crawfish!!!! I haven't had good crawfish since I left New Orleans. I'm totally checking out Mara's this weekend. Thanks for the tip!
I second the recommendation for Big Sam's Funky Nation. Fantastic performer, especially with a high energy crowd. He gives it right back.
The Great Jones is usually a pretty good bet, & not just for Mardi Gras, either.
Dr. John and the Neville Brothers are playing at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ on Saturday night. I will be there on the Mezzanine with a glass of libation!
Tab Benoit flat out rocks. To you New Yorkers reading this, Check him out, you won't regret it.
Cajun, thanks for the skinny on Mara's, I did not even know about this place. Will go for some Gator Bites and Crawfish. That's what I ate at Jazzfest under the tents, heavenly!!!! Hopefully there will be some gracious southern gentlemen there who won't ask to see my tits or throw up on me & my girlfriends.
Minnesota Girl In The City
ha ha, last time I saw George Porter was at Tip's after riding in a car filled with friends blazed on acid there from Lafayette on a week night. Got there to find a ton of kids on ketamine. Terrible, terrible idea.
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