Tipitina's. Photo by Infrogmation of New Orleans.

Tipitina’s announces jam-packed Free Fridays lineup

The Tipitina’s Foundation has unveiled the lineup for its annual Free Fridays concert series, which will once again take place at the venue that is its namesake. With a start date of May 12, it looks like the festivities are slated to begin a month earlier than usual.

Much like previous years, the iconic Uptown music venue will host a variety of artists every Friday throughout the summer. The shows will be free of charge, but proceeds from drink and merchandise sales will go to the Tipitina’s Foundation. Fans must be 21 or older to attend.

Free Fridays will kick off with sets from Caddywhompus, Vox and the Hound and Sexy Dex and The Fresh on May 12. The next four months will feature performances by an array of local talents, including Papa Mali, Honey Island Swamp Band, Mike dillon Band, Billy Iuso & Restless Natives, Gravity A, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, Rory Danger & The Danger Dangers, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, New Orleans Suspects and many more. In keeping with tradition, the Fridays will also celebrate the Grateful Dead with its annual Iko Allstars show on August 4, just a few days after what would have been Jerry Garcia’s 75th birthday.

Take a look at the full schedule:

May 12 –  Caddywhompus + Vox and the Hound + Sexy Dex and The Fresh

May 19  – Papa Mali + Colin Lake

May 26 –  Honey Island Swamp Band + Darcy Malone and The Tangle

June 2 –  Billy Iuso & Restless Natives + Noisewater

June 9 – The Mike Dillon Band

June 16 – Good Enough For Good Times & Funk Monkey

June 23 – Naughty Professor + The Crooked Vines

June 30 –  Maggie Koerner & Travers Geoffray + Cha Wa

July 7 – New Orleans Suspects

July 14 – Brass-A-Holics + Motel Radio

July 21 – Walter Wolfman Washington + The Fortifiers

July 28 – Rory Danger & the Danger Dangers + Khris Royal & Dark Matter

August 4 – Iko Allstars

August 11 – Gravity A + The N’awlins Johnnys

August 18 – Johnny Sketch and The Dirty Notes + Sonic Bloom

August 25 – John Papa Gros + Sexual Thunder!

September 1 – Big Sam’s Funky Nation + Miss Mojo