Three years ago, Red Bull energy drink’s international program that scouts unique, localized culture to highlight under the banner of competition challenged New Orleans brass bands to the ultimate battle of the bands: a second line contest. Without a doubt, there is no where else in the world where you could host such a battle, for the tradition of second lining (as we know it today) is native to the Big Easy. So when Red Bull hosted the first “Street Kings” event on on Saturday, October 23, 2010 under the famous Claiborne Avenue bridge in the Treme neighborhood, New Orleans’ everyday (or, every Sunday) street culture not only made it into the eyes and ears of music enthusiasts worldwide, it also infused contemporary brass bands with a rush of energy to take their incomparable skill and style to the next level.
The Stooges Brass Band take the first ever Red Bull Street Kings championship in 2010.
Though the Claiborne bridge is often crowded between between Iberville and Esplanade on any given Sunday for the second line of the week, those that were there on the Saturday of October 23, 2010 will recall the massive scene that shut down traffic for the afternoon as the four “Street Kings” 2010 brass band finalists (vetted via initial rounds of local music authority nominations, band applications and auditions) marched their way through the masses to their pop-up stages under the bridge. Hosted by the “Prince of Treme,” Glen David Andrews and judged by Crescent City music heavyweights like Mannie Fresh and Q93 FM’s DJ Slab1, “Red Bull Street Kings v.I” saw the Soul Rebels, Free Agents, To Be Continued (TBC) and Stooges brass bands give us quite possibly the biggest show we’ve seen from each band.
The Stooges Brass Band came out on top as the reigning champions of “Street Kings I,” and as part of their winners package were flown out to the Red Bull Recording Studios in Los Angeles to lay down a project with New Orleans hip-hop king, Mannie Fresh.
Mannie Fresh and The Stooges Brass Band record at Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles (2012).
Unlike many underground second lines, this giant was captured on (professional) film by Red Bull Studios and the process of creating such an event released as the Red Bull documentary, Red Bull Street Kings this year. In anticipation of the “Red Bull Street Kings II” brass band battle, taking place on October 25 also this year, Red Bull is hosting a free screening of the Red Bull Street Kings I doc at uptown’s Prytania Theatre on Thursday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. A Q&A immediately follows the screening with Glen David Andrews and several of the creators and participants in the Red Bull Street Kings program. The screening is free and open to the public, but seats are first-come, first-serve so early arrival is suggested.
“Red Bull Street Kings” Documentary Film Screening and TalkThursday, October 3
7:30 p.m.
Prytania Theatre
5339 Prytania Street (map)
Neighborhood: Uptown
Admission: FREE // RSVP Suggested (@RedBull504)
More Info: www.redbull.com/streetkings ***
STREET KINGS II: BRASS BAND BATTLE
Featuring: TBC Brass Band, New Breed Brass Band, New Creation Brass Band and The Pinettes Brass Band
Saturday, October 26, 2013
12pm – 5pm
Location: Under the Claiborne Avenue Overpass Bridge (map)
FREE
All Ages
More Info: www.redbull.com/streetkings
