Closed since Katrina, the landmark Saenger Theater on Canal Street has announced its re-opening on September 28. Tickets have already gone on sale for the re-opening night performances by Jerry Seinfeld, who’ll be doing two shows. An official opening gala starring Kristin Chenoweth & the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will follow on October 5. But we’ll admit we’re most excited about Diana Ross, a legend who doesn’t hit town everyday; she’s booked for October 30 (tickets not on sale yet). Tickets for most of the Fall 2013 shows go on sale next Friday, June 28.

Canal Street's landmark theatre will finally re-open after nearly eight years in September, 2013.

The Saenger’s line-up is otherwise diverse, with more comedy and vintage soul alongside classic rock and not one, but two Beatles tribute bands on different nights. Managed by the same company handling the Mahalia Jackson Theater, theatre-goers can take in several Broadway and off-Broadway runs as well. Show details and tickets can be found at the theatre website here.

The full confirmed fall line-up is below:

Jerry Seinfeld:  Saturday, September 28

Men of Soul with Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson and Howard Hewett: Sunday, September 29

Band Together: A free community concert with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra: Wednesday, October 2

D.L. Hughley & Eddie Griffin : Friday, October 4

Saenger Opening Gala starring Kristin Chenoweth & the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra : Saturday, October 5

Brian Regan : Thursday, October 10

A Prairie Home Companion, starring Garrison Keillor: Saturday, October 12

Wynton Marsalis & The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, performing the Abyssinian Mass : Sunday, October 13

The Book of Mormon : October 15 – 27

Diana Ross : Wednesday, October 30

1964 The Tribute (Beatles Tribute): Saturday, November 9

Bill Maher : Saturday, November 16

Celtic Thunder : Sunday, November 17

Ghost The Musical:  November 19 – 24

Joe Bonamassa :  Tuesday, November 26

The Irish Tenors Christmas:  Tuesday, December 3

Bonnie Raitt:  Friday, December 6

Sister Act:  December 17 – 22

Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker:  Thursday, December 26

The Fresh Beat Band:  Friday, January 10

Rain: January 17 – 19

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: February 4 – 9

Memphis:  March 11 – 16

War Horse:  May 13 – 18

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Re-Opening, Fall 2013 Tickets
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The post Look-Ka Py Py Podcast (ep 42):
Ben Sandmel and Ernie K-Doe’s
Next Big Hit appeared first on OffBeat.com
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The American Italian Cultural Center of New Orleans is presenting a rare opportunity on Friday, June 21 at the Civic Theatre to hear the unmatched sound of a “Grand Stradivarius” violin, played by soloist Matteo Fedeli. There are only five or six “Grand Stradivarius” violins in existence, making it the rarest of instruments.

Matteo Fedeli presents AICC concert Friday with rare Stradivarius violin.

Fedeli will choose the program to showcase the Stradivarius’ unique timbre and acoustic versatility. He has performed in many of the Italy’s prestigious concert halls, such as La Scala (Milan) and La Fenice (Venice), and its most elegant churches and basilicas. Fedeli’s project, “A Stradivarius for the People,” aims to share these rare and remarkable instruments to the world, and New Orleans is his southernmost stop on his twelve-city North American tour. He will punctuate the repertoire with insights on the program and the history of this priceless violin.

Tickets for the concert range from $25-$125 (VIP tickets include entry to a post-concert reception held in the musician’s honor at the AICC and Museum, located at 537 S. Peters St.) and may be purchased here; via e-mail to ami@americanitalianculturalcenter.com; or by calling (504) 522-7294. Student rush tickets for $10 will be available 10 minutes prior to the performance.

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The SoundCLASH – New Orleans premiere beat battle, hip hop showcase, and networking event – returns to the Hi Ho Lounge this Thursday, June 20. In addition to a beat battle judged by Zone Gang artist, Lil Dee God’s Gift and Jet Life producer, Monsta Beatz, the event will feature performances by Lil Dee and Dee Low. Local MC/producer Wes Beez and resident DJ RQ AWAY will host the evening’s proceedings, which begin at 8 pm.

Lil Dee God's Gift judges beat battle and takes the stage at June 20 soundCLASH.

In Thursday night’s beat battle, producers will go head to head in three rounds. In the first round, producers will each play one one-minute clip of an original beat for the audience and judges; then two clips in the second round and three in the third. Lil Dee and Monsta Beatz will judge the beats based on crowd appeal, originality, and execution. Producers who wish to compete must register for the battle at the soundCLASH website for a fee of $25.00 (www.soundclash.com).

The winner of the battle will receive $150 cash, a soundCLASH trophy, 2 hours of studio time from Inner Recess, and more. The second place winner will receive $50.   Lil Dee God’s Gift and Dee Low will both perform after the beat battle. Lil Dee has released three mixtapes in as many years, and his new single “Lay It Down,” featuring Baton Rouge phenom Kevin Gates, has earned him growing acclaim. Dee Low is another young MC who’s steadily made a name for himself through collaborations with Curren$y and other local rap royalty since his debut in 2010.

New Orleans artist Dee Low judges Thursday night's beat battle and also performs alongside Lil Dee.

The post Lil Dee and Dee Low Judge Monster Beats at June soundCLASH appeared first on OffBeat.com
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Local funk-hoppers Jealous Monk will release their sophomore album on Saturday, June 22. The album I Love, I Hustle, features the retro-soul inspired single “HeatWave,” which is now available for a name-your-price download at the group’s bandcamp page.  With its live horn and string arrangements and enticingly brief two minute running time, “HeatWave” shows off Jealous Monk’s infectious funk/hip-hop fusion.

Jealous Monk | Photo: Greg Rhoades

Jealous Monk formed in 2005 when MC/DJ/Producer Jermaine Quiz and freestyler Intelligence decided to take a more organic approach to New Orleans hip-hop. Their 2009 debut, Sun Up to Moon Down, features a live trio of bass, drums, and guitar that responds naturally to the MC’s as they trade bars over the band’s airtight instrumentals. The album won some strong reviews, and their fame began to grow regionally. For those who haven’t heard it yet, Sun Up to Moon Down is also available for download at the Jealous Monk bandcamp page.

With the group on the brink of crossover success, I Love, I Hustle could be the album that puts Jealous Monk on the national map.

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In the OffBeat Club

This year’s Excellence in Journalism Awards presented by the Press Club of New Orleans takes place on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at the Harrah’s Casino Theater and OffBeat will be up for several awards. During an announcement ceremony on June 18, OffBeat received a total of 14 nominations in a range of categories.  They are:

OffBeat Magazine Nominated for 14 Press Club 2013 Awards

Still Photography Feature

Elsa Hahne

Pinettes Brass Band: Brass-Pop – Original Pinettes Style

Golden G. Richard III

Do Clothes Make the Man?: Bo Dollis and Monk Boudreaux

Still Photography Portrait

Elsa Hahne

Ingrid Lucia: Life after Death

Elsa Hahne

Theresa Andersson: All By Myself

Cover

Elsa Hahne

December 2012

Editorial Illustration

Molly McGuire

Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans 50th Anniversary

L. Steve Williams

Neil Young: A Horse with a Name

Infographics – Print

Elsa Hahne

George Porter, Jr.’s Musical Career

Elsa Hahne

Full Coverage: 25 Years of OffBeat Magazine, December 2012

Entertainment – Print

John Swenson

A Tale of New Orleans: Spencer Bohren tells his own story

Critical Review – Print

John Swenson

Tom McDermott and Meschiya Lake: Live at Chickie Wah Wah

Column

Jan Ramsey

Mojo Mouth

Email Updates

OffBeat’s Weekly Beat

Affiliated Social Media – Individual

Joseph Irrera’s Twitter

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Think back to a time when rock music was dominated by acts like Tool, Hoobastank, Nickelback, and Linkin Park. Mash them up together and you get the Puerto Rican hard rockers Message To Venus, who are bringing their heavy, melodic sound uptown on June 26 at the Hangar, sharing the bill with New Jersey’s Dead Fish Handshake.

Puerto Rican rockers, Message To Venus debut in NOLA on Wednesday, June 26.

Striving to make it as an independent group, Message To Venus moved from Puerto Rico to Miami to have access to plentiful touring opportunities in the States. Nearly funded entirely by their IndieGoGo crowd-funding campaign, the band is about to embark on a thirty venue tour, traveling through nineteen states along the southern circuit and the midwest to promote their EP, The Envelope, along with some new material.

The band sports a huge sound and catchy guitar riffs. Not to mention a booming kick drum that leaves a lump in the throat, a six string bass player who kicks and turns across the stage as if he’s in Earth, Wind and Fire, and a powerful, rugged lead singer complete with headband and big sunglasses.

CONCERT TICKET GIVE-AWAY CONTEST

OffBeat is giving away [2] pairs of tickets to this show! Simply fill out the online form below to enter. Winners will be notified via Email by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25 with ticket claim instructions.

Good Luck!

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The post New Orleans Concert Picks of the Week: June 20 – 26, 2013 appeared first on OffBeat.com
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Last Friday (June 14) New Orleans’ Grammy winners the Rebirth Brass Band brought their Big Easy bustle to the Big Apple and brought down the house at B.B. King’s Blues Club and Grill in Manhattan. Funk-tastic photographer Dino Perrucci caught the show and snapped these spirited shots down on the corner in Times Square… Check ‘em out!
 

The Rebirth Brass Band funkin' it up at B.B. Kings in Times Square on 6/14/13 (Photo: Dino Perrucci)

 

All photos courtesy of Dino Perrucci. For more photos from the New Orleans music scene visit OffBeat’s Flickr page.

 

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Jazzman and entrepreneur Irvin Mayfield will perform at the Joy Theater this Friday night, in a show dedicated to “the music of New Orleans Jazz Masters.” Mayfield’s New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will unveil newly-written arrangements of classic material by Ellis Marsalis, Harold Battiste and James Black. Marsalis will be present as special guest, as will artist George Rodrigue, creator of the beloved Blue Dog. The show will feature the “Rodrigue Steinway,” a piano handpainted by the artist.

The Rodrigue Steinway makes an appearance at Jazz Masters tribute concert.

The patriarch of the Marsalis jazz dynasty, pianist/composer Ellis Marsalis is also a mentor to an entire generation of jazz players including Harry Connick Jr., Terence Blanchard and Nicholas Payton. While the late ‘60s found him playing frequently at local jazz clubs, he began teaching at Xavier University in 1967 and has since taught at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and in 1989 inaugurated the Chair of Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans.  Since his retirement in 2001 he’s won numerous awards including the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Masters award. He still makes recordings (2012’s Pure Pleasure for the Piano, with the Makoto Ozone Trio, is the latest) and performs most Fridays at Snug Harbor.

Composer/arranger Harold Battiste was behind a slew of great records starting with Sam Cooke’s soul classic “You Send Me” which he arranged in 1957. In 1961 he founded the first black musician-owned record label, AFO, which released now-classic b-sides by Barbara George and Prince La La. After that ended in 1963  he continued working with Mac Rebennack; for a time the two shared a lucrative gig arranging and producing Sonny & Cher records (yes, including “I Got You Babe”), which wound up financing the first Dr. John albums. As a jazzman, Battiste played with Ornette Coleman and all the Marsalises; more recently he’s taught at jazz studies at UNO. His memoir, Unfinished Blues…Memories of a New Orleans Music Man was published in 2010.

A cornerstone drummer of New Orleans funk, James Black is perhaps best known for the spare and slinky intro to Eddie Bo’s classic “Hook & Sling.” As Bo told OffBeat years later, “James was one of the most talented drummers I ever worked with and James was way out there. Not many folks could play that many rhythms at one time. And then he was spaced out and he would go further with his drums. James never did stay on this planet.” One of his early bands, the Knicknacks, included Charles Neville and James Booker. Also a superb jazz composer, Black wrote with Nat and Cannonball Adderly, and later contributed “Monkey Puzzle” and “Magnolia Triangle” to Ellis Marsalis’ repertoire. He drummed with Marsalis and a young Harry Connick Jr. until his death in 1988.

Along with this music, the night will include a raffle for a limited Rodrigue print. Proceeds will benefit the educational programs of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and the Rodrigue Foundation.

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