Chickie Wah Wah will reopen on Wednesday, October 6.
The music club has been shuttered since the pandemic began. Just as venues were beginning to reopen earlier this year, owner/operator Dale Triguero died on July 8, leaving the future of the business in limbo. In an effort to continue Triguero’s vision and legacy of Chickie Wah Wah being a “sacred place” for music and a premier listening room, and with the permission of his estate, his longtime friend and collaborator, Jacques Ferland, and bandleader/vocalist Meschiya Lake will reopen the venue. Tom McDermott and Lake, who held a weekly performance there for a decade, will be kicking it all off at 7 p.m. There will also be a celebration of life for Triguero at Chickie Wah Wah from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 5.
Jacques Ferland and Meschiya Lake reopen Chickie Wah Wah.
Said Lake, “There’s no place to play right now. We were waiting on someone who was interested in buying and operating the place from the estate, but that fell through. So we [Ferland and Lake] decided to reopen the venue, because Dale’s estate gave us the go ahead. It’s a great room with a great sound system. We think it’s a vital part of the New Orleans live music community, and it’s almost been a community effort to reopen Chickie Wah Wah.” Lake will be scheduling music: “I’ve been handling and scheduling music for 20 years, and have had a regular gig at Chickie Wah Wah for a long time; Jacques has been there at the bar every night for the past 10 years, so we both know the room,” she said. Ferland and Lake will be handling the bar as well. “We also have people who are volunteering to handle the door and to help us with the bar,” she said. “It’s a community effort to open up a space back up for musicians and the people who want to hear them.”
“Music will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, with maybe some higher energy shows on weekends, with some shows at 9 p.m. We’re going to be flexible, though, based on the needs of musicians.” Chickie Wah Wah will also have a pop-up restaurant featuring Emmylou’s BBQ (currently in the St. Roch Market), Tuesday through Friday. “We’re looking for a pop-up for Saturday, too.” said Lake.
The venue will be dark on Sundays and Mondays.
Chickie Wah Wah is on the streetcar line at 2828 Canal Street, (504) 304-4714.
