Gambit Digital Edition: January 15th, 2024 by Gambit New Orleans

January 15-21 2024 Volume 45 Number 3

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Look this way

Les Fous du Carnaval

The Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus parades Jan. 20 | by Jake Clapp THE OVERLORDS OF THE INTERGALACTIC KREWE OF CHEWBACCHUS would like

you to forget about the spectacle in the street. Don’t believe your eyes: That really wasn’t a legion of costumed people parading down Elysian Fields, pulling contraptions emitting lights and sounds. no, that wasn’t a massive bison float. If you just look into the tip of this flashing neuralyzer, they’ll give you the real story. It was all just the moon reflecting off swamp gas. Even their theme this year — “nothing to See Here” — is designed to reassure you that everything happening has a perfectly reasonable explanation. But for those of us who are “all out of bubble gum,” well, you’ll see the thousands of people making up more than 110 subkrewes dedicated to sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, conspiracies and other nerd fandoms marching Saturday, Jan. 20. A nod to the “Men in Black” franchise and the general government cover-up of uFOs and the unexplained, the theme “nothing to See Here” came about because the krewe wanted to elevate from the ranks of its longtime members for this year’s royalty rather than seek out an actor as they’ve done in the past. The krewe chose Elden “Agent El” Spear, the captain of the Men, Women and Aliens in Black subkrewe. “We wanted to reward our krewe members for their devotion to the Sacred Drunken Wookiee,” the group at the heart of the krewe, says richard riggs, one of the krewe’s three Overlords. “And the first person that came to mind was Elden Spear. He’s been captain of the Men, Women and Aliens in Black for 10 years now, and he’s just one of those guys that when you’re on the parade route, if you haven’t gotten a picture with Elden, you haven’t completed your Chewbacchus experience.” “It’s also kind of poking fun at the fact that it’s such an incredible spectacle,” adds Overlord Simonette Berry. “There’s just nothing to see here.” now on its 13th parade, Chewbacchus has grown to include more than 3,000 members, and this year’s parade will feature more than 110 subkrewes, passing out handmade throws and many riding or pulling team-built contraptions (what Chewbacchus calls minifloats). At the center of the krewe is The Cult of the Sacred Drunken Wookiee, which parades with a multi-armed Bacchusmeets-Wookiee statue as well as Bar2-D2 and the Space Farce, a uFO hovering over a diorama of downtown

The parade features the krewes of Goddesses, Hellarious Wingnuts, and Flora and Fauna, as well as the dancing Legendary Order of the Casket Girls and brass bands. The route circles through Marigny and ends at Jackson Square. At 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. Visit kreweofgoddesses.com for information.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

new Orleans. Themes stretch from Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who to Ghostbusters, “Alien” Xenomorphs and numerous references to cryptids, conspiracy theories and pop culture. “People are constantly coming up with new ideas and things that they want to roll with and try and costumes they want to build,” Berry says. “And new fandoms [come up] as well as TV shows and movies and book series come out. People want to pay tribute to those things.” Among the returning subkrewes is the Space Vikings, a large group decked out in horned helmets, white and metallic colors and fur and parading with a cosmic bison (read more on page 23). The Krewe of really Awesome Parodies (K.r.A.P.) is putting its pink-infused spin on all things Barbie. Also look for the return of Intergalactic realtors Association Conference (read more on pg. 17), the Afro-futuristic Women of Wakanda, the acrobatics-focused krewes Aerial Space Squad and Galactic AcroBats, and the Mystick Krewe of People for the Inclusion of unicorns, Elves & Whinebots in Chewbacchus (or PuEWC). The Vampiric Council of new Orleans, which debuted in 2023, has grown a lot over the last year and will be handing out throws referencing the horror-comedy “What We Do in the Shadows” and hotel-style keychains that read “I survived the new Orleans vampire orgy of 2024.” The krewe also has been filming its own mockumentary-style videos.

A giant pink wookiee walks in the Chewbacchus parade. PHOTO BY GABRIELLE KOREIN / GAMBIT

A number of krewes make their debut this year. The French Ship is a French-speaking krewe blending the Francophonie with sci-fi. The Legendary Order of the Casket Girls pays homage to the 18th century women and their legends. From Gaza to the Black Planet is described as a “liberated intergalactic nebula of futuristic solidarity stars.” The Witchin’ Bitches of nOLA will parade their witchy side. And there are new krewes themed after Studio Ghibli anime, the “Good Omens” book and TV show and the Guardians of the Galaxy series. “I think the commitment that some of our krewes have to not only costuming and the artistic side but also the performance art side is so inspiring,” Berry says. “That’s not something you always see, as far as staying in character in Mardi Gras. you see royalty up on floats, but when people are really acting in the streets, it brings it to a new level.” The parade begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at St. Claude and Franklin avenues. It turns onto Elysian Fields to Decatur Street and proceeds across the French Quarter to St. Louis Street. The Chewbacchanal follows at 9 p.m. at The Fillmore with music by Wuki, urban Heat and Topaz. Tickets for non-krewe members are $20 at the door and at chewbacchus.org.

Dan Deacon

In the period between his fourth and fifth solo albums, electronic musician Dan Deacon dove into a number of new collaborations — and into meditation to help him stay centered. His mindfulness practice inspired his exciting, interesting, synth pop-fueled 2020 album, “Mystic Familiar.” recently, Deacon’s attentions have been more on film scores, including for Adam Sandler’s “Hustle,” “Wedding Season” and the documentary “King of Clones.” Deacon returns to new Orleans at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, for a show at Siberia. STEEF opens. Tickets are $24.80 via dice.fm.

Teaser Fest

The four-day Teaser Fest celebrates burlesque with nightly themed showcases featuring performers from around the country and from new Orleans. The lineup includes Frankie Fictitious, raquel reed, Jeez Loueez, The no ring Circus, Medianoche, redBone, Kitten n’ Lou, P no noire, Coco Lectric and many others at events at the Hotel St. Vincent and the Orpheum Theater. Teaser Fest events run Thursday, Jan. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 21. Weekend passes start at $130 for general admission, and tickets to individual showcases are available. Find more information and the schedule at teaserfest.com. PAGE 37

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The Roots of Music has won a $500,000 Accelerator Award from The Lewis Prize for Music, which supports the work of programs and people who use music to educate and uplift youth in their community. The roots of Music, which was founded in 2007 by drummer Derrick Tabb, teaches young new Orleanians how to play instruments and about music history and theory.

THE NUMBER OF TULIP BULBS RECENTLY PLANTED IN NEW ORLEANS CITY PARK.

A traveler checks-in at TSA, presumably without a sack of crystal meth. PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

The New Orleans Jazz Museum will use a $5 million capital matching grant from the Herb Alpert Foundation to complete its educational wing as well as make upgrades and renovations to the museum and grounds. The Herb Alpert Foundation Education Wing will house recording facilities and lab spaces for music business and apprenticeship programs.

River District officials bypassed new Orleans City Council to approve a 35-year agreement setting the terms for operations and public subsidies for the $1 billion development near the Ernest n. Morial Convention Center, Verite news first reported. In early December, the new Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority Economic Growth & Development District and the river District neighborhood Investors Subdistrict — both state-created entities — quietly amended the contract to remove the city as a party, then approved the agreement.

Gardeners planted the bulbs over the course of three days starting Jan. 9 in an effort to transform the south bank of the park’s Big Lake. The horticulture team and a group of volunteers have been doing this for about a decade, and the blooming period is expected in late February. The tulips will last for a colorful few weeks.

Bag of meth inside crawfish boil seasoning at MSY among the TSA’s top catches of 2023

A BAG OF METH FOUND HIDDEN INSIDE A BOTTLE OF ZATARAIN’S PRO BOIL seasoning at the new Orleans

airport made the TSA’s list of top catches of 2023. TSA officers undoubtedly encounter all kinds of strange items in travelers’ luggage, and the annual list celebrates the wildest — and often most dangerous — things people attempt to haul onto airplanes each year. This year’s list includes several explosives, marijuana hidden in a diaper, and lots of knives, including one that was stuffed into a loaf of keto bread and another that was discretely tucked away in a prosthetic leg. new Orleans was the only city to make the list twice this year. ranking high at no. 4 is a large firearm and 163 rounds of ammo that TSA officers confiscated from a passenger at the Louis Armstrong new Orleans International Airport. But nothing on the list quite screams “new Orleans” like meth inside crawfish boil seasoning, which took seventh place on the list. TSA’s full top 10 list • Inert IED hidden in an energy drink can — Tulsa International Airport

• Marijuana in a diaper — LaGuardia Airport • IED in a CO2 cartridge — Sacramento International Airport • Firearm and 163 rounds of ammo — new Orleans International Airport • Knife hidden inside a prosthetic leg — Anchorage Airport • 35mm projectile bomb — Charlotte Douglas International Airport • Bag of meth inside crawfish boil seasoning — new Orleans International Airport • Knife stuffed in a loaf of keto bread — Seattle-Tacoma International Airport • replica rockets in checked luggage — MinneapolisSt. Paul International Airport • naruto throwing knives in a carry-on bag — Boston Logan International Airport “you could say #7 was a spicy find,” TSA wrote about the MSy catch, “but not quite a well-seasoned plan.” — Kasey Bubnash / The Times-Picayune

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Landry poised for a Kingfish-style power grab

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Governor Jeff Landry GOV. JEFF LANDRY’S 14-ITEM AGENDA FOR HIS FIRST SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION calls to mind the rapacious

power grabs of Huey Long, the tyrannical, bombastic “Kingfish” who ruled the state with an iron fist nearly a century ago. That’s not hyperbole. Even a cursory read of Landry’s official call for the special session that begins Tuesday reveals his desire to usurp power from — and then dominate — both other branches of state government. Which is exactly what Long did, and more. Wielding power with a speed and ferocity that the new york Times described as having “mechanical precision,” Long combined his constitutional authority to call special sessions with his dictatorial control of the Legislature to fulfill his ambitions and punish his enemies. If today’s state lawmakers do as Landry asks during the special session, he will pull off a power grab unlike anything Louisiana has seen since Long’s heyday. In fairness, a special session is needed — but only for a single, narrow purpose: to redraw Louisiana’s six congressional districts in a manner that creates a second majority-Black district. That’s what u.S. District Judge Shelly Dick has ordered, with a Jan. 30 deadline — and it’s a difficult enough task by itself. Lawmakers spent months in 2022 crafting district maps that maintained the GOP’s 5-to-1 hold on the state’s six u.S. House seats, with only one majority-Black district. That plan was challenged in federal court, which led to Dick’s order.

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Landry appears willing to honor that order, but his call for the nineday special session includes a lot more than that. For starters, the governor also wants lawmakers to reconstitute the Louisiana Supreme Court in a week or less. His official session agenda includes drawing new Supreme Court districts, changing the court’s composition, changing the number and method of electing justices, and changing the method of selecting the Chief Justice. Why? Because, again for starters, Landry has a political grudge against Chief Justice John Weimer, who had the audacity to win re-election in 2022. That came after Weimer allies thwarted then-AG Landry’s attempt to get u.S. District Judge John deGravelles to postpone Weimer’s scheduled election for two years — until november of this year — by which time Weimer will have reached the judicial retirement age of 70 and become ineligible to run again. Instead, Weimer won re-election without opposition and can now serve a full 10-year term — through 2032, a year past Landry’s gubernatorial “best by” date — unless Landry can push him out of office or sideline him via a constitutional rewrite. If he succeeds, Landry also could elect allies to a reconstituted high court and try to bring to heel incumbent justices who want his backing to keep their jobs. PAGE 11

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Could Landry really do all that, when constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote of both legislative chambers and voter approval in a statewide referendum? yes, if he can convince the GOP supermajority in both the House and Senate to pass this part of his agenda with Huey Long-style mechanical precision — and schedule the referendum on the same day that Donald Trump’s name appears on the ballot. That would guarantee a lopsided republican (read: proLandry) turnout. If you think this scenario is farfetched, think again. Landry also aspires to bend the Legislature to his will, by ending Louisiana’s jungle primary system and reverting to separate, or “closed” party primaries. A closed primary system effectively disenfranchises folks who are not registered Democrat or republican. In Louisiana, that’s nearly 822,000 voters — 27.6% of the electorate. Worse, it would facilitate Landry threatening to “primary” any lawmaker who even thinks about disobeying his orders. It’s what Trump does to browbeat GOP House and Senate members in Washington — and why so many of them blindly kowtow to Trump.

Shane Guidry PHOTO BY MAX MECHERER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Could Landry actually follow through on such a threat? Absolutely, thanks to his “G-men” — Guidry, Grigsby and Gurvich — the three power brokers who engineered Landry’s victory in the governor’s race. Shane Guidry, CEO of Harvey Gulf International Marine, is a big-time political player, GOP financier and trusted Landry advisor. Guidry also

Lane Grigsby PHOTO BY BILL FEIG / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

paid Landry for serving as an “independent board member” of one of his companies while Landry served as attorney general. Lane Grigsby is a Baton rouge contractor, arch-conservative GOP financier and self-proclaimed “kingmaker” who recently helped elect some of the most right-wing members of the Legislature and state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Like Guidry, Grigsby isn’t shy about spending money to advance his political goals. Lou Gurvich doesn’t have the cash or the cachet of Guidry and Grigsby, but he does chair the Louisiana republican Party — and he uses that bully pulpit to promote all things Landry. He’s also among the most ardent supporters of the closed primary system, which, if adopted, would make him a bit of a kingmaker in his own right. What’s to stop Landry and the G-men from ramming a closed-primary bill through the special session? Two things: first, Louisiana voters overwhelmingly oppose the idea; and second, lawmakers just got elected (or re-elected) under the jungle primary system — and scrapping it would turn them into political eunuchs. Does Landry really think they’re that credulous? On top of all that, Landry wants lawmakers to consider unspecified changes to the state’s election code and campaign finance laws — the political equivalent of mystery meat. History has a scary way of repeating itself, mostly because too few people learn from it. We’ll know soon enough if Landry can pull off his own Kingfishstyle power grab.

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1903 Jefferson Avenue New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 899-5641 newmanschool.org For more information visit newmanschool.org/admissions

BEN FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

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ATONEMENT LUTHERAN

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CHRIST EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

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ARDEN CAHILL ACADEMY

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1601 Leonidas St, New Orleans, LA 70118 5951 Patton St, New Orleans, LA 70115 1607 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118 504.620.5500 lfno.org Pre-K through 12th grade Open House Dates: Pre-K, Kindergarten, Elementary: Saturday, Jan 20th 10:30 am to 11:30 am

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BL AKE PONTCHARTR AIN™ @GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake,

I came across a postcard from the 1960s for something called the Rendezvous Room in the Roosevelt Hotel. I’ve been to the hotel and know the Blue Room and Sazerac Bar and some of the other rooms, but where was the Rendezvous Room?

Dear reader,

LIKE THE ROOSEVELT HOTEL ITSELF, THE ROOM YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT

has gone through some name changes since the hotel opened in 1893 as the Hotel Grunewald. Adjacent to the Sazerac Bar, the rendezvous room got its name in July 1966, when hotel management renamed what had been known as the Fountain Lounge. The Fountain Lounge was less formal than the hotel’s Blue room supper club. For many years, it was a place to dance to the music of bandleader Peter Toma and his orchestra. During the years when the lounge featured Latin dancing, it was a favorite of Chris Owens and her husband Sol Owens. They would frequent the club, where Chris would turn heads on the dance floor, a few years before opening her own club on Bourbon Street. “Enjoy cocktails in a jewel-like setting,” boasted a new Orleans States-Item newspaper ad for the premiere of the rendezvous room in July 1966. “The deep red and brilliant gold decor create a romantic atmosphere for elegant dining. Dancing to the enchanting music of Ken Harris will make it an unforgettable evening of dining and dancing.”

Ken Harris and his orchestra performed frequently at the Rendezvous Room at the Roosevelt Hotel. ARCHIVE PHOTO BY THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Designed by Barbara Dorn Associates, Inc., of San Francisco and new york, the room was gold and red with black accents. “Walls will be red on red velvet stripes with gold finished stylized palm trees,” explained one newspaper ad. “A new red velvet draped bandstand will be featured along with black iron and crystal chandeliers over the dance floor area.” The room was open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. for dinner and dancing. In addition to Ken Harris and his orchestra, entertainment was provided by other dance bands over the years. The rendezvous room closed in 1972 and both it and the adjacent Plantation room were converted into the Sazerac restaurant. After renovations, the roosevelt reopened the space in 2013, returning the Fountain Lounge name.

BLAKEVIEW THIS MONTH MARKS THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OPENING OF THE DRYADES MARKET, one of the many public markets where new Orleanians shopped for

groceries in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Located at the intersection of Dryades and Melpomene streets in Central City (now Oretha Castle Haley and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards), the Dryades Market opened in January 1849. It became one of the busiest and biggest of the markets operating in the city. The French Market is the best known, but by World War I there were 32 public markets operating all across the city. Sellers offered fresh fruits and vegetables alongside butchers, seafood and poultry vendors. As society changed and supermarkets came into being, the city gave up control of the market in 1946. For a time it was used by the uSO and as a Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Induction Center. In recent years, buildings that were part of the market found new life as the Southern Food and Beverage Museum and new Orleans Jazz Market. A few blocks away, the former Myrtle Banks Elementary School was renovated and reopened as the Dryades Public Market in 2016. It closed in 2019.

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P H O T O P R O V I D E D B Y E M I LY M A C K E N Z I E

OF THE

THIRD KIND

THE INTERGALACTIC REALTORS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

CONVERGES ON CARNIVAL BY W I L L COV I EL LO

OF ALL THE SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE OUT IN THE UNIVERSE, the Intergalactic Realtors Association Conference (IGRAC) might not be the brightest star. By their own account, they’re not the best realty company in the galaxy. But they also note, Earth isn’t the best planet. “It’s a tear down,” says realtor Hæÿmtêęvħë. For the past few years, though, they’ve been one of the best new groups in Carnival. And now IGRAC is expanding its universe, with

engagements at concerts, the Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival and a forthcoming mockumentary. This week, they’re bringing their mobile office and apocalypse bunker out to roll with the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus parade on Saturday, Jan. 20. The Intergalactic Realtors first caught attention in the Chewbacchus parade in 2022. IGRAC was in town for a real estate conference, the story goes. However, they were grounded when they left their spaceship parked PAGE 18

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The Intergalactic Realtors gather at their office in director Emily MacKenzie’s mockumentary.

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OF THE THIRD KIND

PAGE 17

on Frenchmen Street and someone stole its catalytic converter. The stranded agents joined the parade hoping to drum up some sales of off-planet properties in order to make enough money to repair the ship. They’re still here. But IGRAC has adapted well to its new home, opening a local office, finding living spaces and mingling with locals. They’ve easily fit into a lifestyle of hitting happy hour early, overindulging and constantly looking for the next deal. Last year, the group tried to move some Earth property in the Chewbacchus parade. They rolled with a mobile office hooked up with computers and land lines, and signs promised buyers “zero gravity loans.” They handed out house keys and invoices as throws. The realtors come from different planets and backgrounds. “Some of us were hatched from an egg, some were born from a spore,” says Ġÿfťşħøp. “Some of us have like 6,000 children. I am on the run from the Intergalactic Council for sleeping with someone’s wife. I joined the office to escape a bounty hunter.” Ġÿfťşħøp is an enthusiastic seller. A quick look at the IGRAC Instagram page, @igrac_nola, leads to some home walk-throughs. With his green skin, pointed ears, outrageous mustache and vanilla latte in hand, Ġÿfťşħøp shows one Marigny home. “This is a smart home, but it needs some updates,” he says. “This place does come with central oxygen… There’s a cappuccino maker built into every room… I think we take it down to the studs.” The IGRAC office is busy if not entirely productive. Häšħbåt has the highest sales in the office, but spends time working up side schemes with Ŵöțțėřbħęď, who would rather be any-

ABOVE: IGRAC members sing with Korn at the Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival. PROVIDED PHOTO B Y E M I LY M A C K E N Z I E

RIGHT: IGRAC members join Big Freedia for the Pride parade at the Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival. PROVIDED PHOTO BY IGR AC

where else. The chief financial officer, Ňėpțħůņämęłt, has a gambling problem, and Ņǒx Żïmă is obsessed with influencer culture. But the group is into 1980s power-suit looks and sales. It has some self-promotional merch on igrac.bigcartel. com. When not selling real estate, the group has hawked Jell-O shots on the streets and tried to work other deals. The band LSD Clownsystem brought the aliens onstage during a concert at the Joy Theater, and the realtors tried to sell the theater itself. They claim they auctioned it off for a can of Vienna sausages. Their biggest sales effort brought them to Bonnaroo

Music + Arts Festival in Tennessee in June. A dozen IGRAC members were hired to take over the Giddy Up western saloon and karaoke bar on festival grounds. While they enjoyed the saloon, where they groupsang songs like “Country Roads,” their mission was to sell the Earth and get off the planet, and they roamed the festival grounds. While at Bonnaroo, they joined Big Freedia for a festival Pride parade. They also connected with the band Korn, who they believed were creators of crop circles. Korn recorded a video trailer of meeting and singing “Freak on a Leash” with IGRAC, and it was released on Hulu.

The Bonnaroo venture was part of a larger film project. New Orleans filmmaker Emily MacKenzie, who recently released “Carpet Cowboys,” is making a mockumentary about the group called “IGRAC: Please Hold (My Cigarette) a Mockumentary.” In the film, Jimbo, the drag star from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is Jimbo the alien clown boss of IGRAC. Jimbo sends them to Bonnaroo to sell Earth, or he’ll revoke their realtor licenses and blow up the planet if they don’t succeed. THE ALIENS ARE ACTUALLY BASED IN A FRIEND GROUP, and some had marched in a Star Wars-re-

19 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J A n u A ry 1 5 - 2 1 > 2 0 2 4

Ġÿfťşħøp (left) and Ņœva ķħäîņę (right) work the phones during the Chewbacchus parade in 2023. L E F T P H O T O B Y G A B R I E L L E KO R E I N RIGHT PHOTO PROVIDED BY IGR AC

IGRAC members try to sell the Joy Theater during an LSD Clownsystem show at the Joy Theater. PHOTO PROVIDED BY IGR AC

lated Chewbacchus subkrewe before. But the idea of alien realtors spilled out around a dinner table one night, says Jordan Padilla. “We started messing around with (costume) prosthetics, and there had been this conversation about starting a group,” Padilla says. “I started riffing about this alien realtor thing, and we all latched onto that idea and created an insane humor culture in our friend group.” There is a core group of about 15 aliens, but other friends can stretch an event to include more than 20. Some of them had specific skills to bring to the table. Cate Swan, who is a drag performer, had honed makeup skills. As they’ve

worked on the full head and body looks of IGRAC, the whole group has refined their skills. By the time they went to Bonnaroo, they were ready to spend 12 hours in full special effects makeup. That makes gearing up quite an effort, but they do have some makeup sponsorships, Swan says. Their looks have been good enough to keep some friends from recognizing them on the streets. The group employs classic alien looks, with some sporting bald heads, pointy ears or horn-like protrusions. They’re sometimes green-skinned, though that varies. If one has a cone like PAGE 21

“WE SOLD THE JOY THEATER FOR A PACKAGE OF VIENNA SAUSAGES.” — IGRAC

Ġÿfťşħøp prepares for Pride at the Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival. PROVIDED PHOTO BY LEONE JULIT TE

G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J A n u A ry 1 5 - 2 1 > 2 0 2 4

at the Katherine Johnson campus

at franklin

21 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J A n u A ry 1 5 - 2 1 > 2 0 2 4

“EARTH IS A TEAR DOWN,”

IGRAC members gather in director Emily MacKenzie’s mockumentary. P H O T O P R O V I D E D B Y E M I LY M A C K E N Z I E

SAYS INTERGALACTIC REALTOR ASSOCIATE HÆŸMTÊĘVĦË

PAGE 19

ABOVE: Ðř Şpöřķbłöřğ at Bonnarroo. LEFT: Čłöæķå explores a conspiracy theory in Emily MacKenzie’s mockumentary. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY E M I LY M A C K E N Z I E

OF THE THIRD KIND

the Coneheads from “Saturday Night Live,” or they seem to try to fit in like that group of aliens, its coincidence, not intentional. “We weren’t making references,” Padilla says. “It was just brain vomit of what could we say that was funnier than what the last person said? We’ve become aware of these things through the years, but they weren’t part of the original idea.” IGRAC’s group persona about loving happy hour, campiness and tabloid-esque dramas and gentle mockery of office professionalism stems more from the friends’ lifestyles and humor. “Where we thrive is doing what we do,” says Christopher Jacob. “We inhabit spaces and make entrances. We’re a vibe, and it’s unhinged and inclusive and playful and curious.” But as hustling aliens or humans, they’re happy to exploit the opportunities that arise. They’re going to try to sell the planet at Chewbacchus on Saturday. But this time, it’s a fire sale. “This year, it’s the Chewpocalypse,” Padilla says. “For the last three years, we’ve been trying to tell you to get off this shithole planet. The time has come.” But they’ll also appear at more Carnival events. As they’ve established their presence, more doors are opening for IGRAC.

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GETTING INTO BY S A R A H R AV I T S

The Val-Carre practices with light sabers at Audubon Park in January 2024. PHOTO BY BRENNAN STEELE

I MET THE VAL-CARRE DANCE TROUPE WITH MY FRIEND ERICA TORIELLO for the first time in October. It was a small group of women gathered on a chilly Saturday morning in a parking lot just off the Lafitte Greenway, clad in leggings, fleece jackets and beanies. Over the course of the next hour, we introduced ourselves, stretched, and began to learn the choreography to a routine our spunky captains had recently invented, which they called “Sassy.” As the name might hint, it involved a lot of shimmying and booty-shaking. I started to work up a sweat, despite the weather. Soon, another group gathered nearby — a bulldog rescue group, to be exact — and they started to cheer us on, dogs in tow, as we circled around the parking lot. That was really all it took for me to get hooked on dancing again: being in a group, cheered on by friendly neighbors, all while we strutted around a lot, in a newfound if not initially clumsy unison. As a former longtime dancer in another marching group, I hadn’t been a part of a Car-

nival organization since just before the Covid pandemic in 2020. But Erica had texted me the night before that practice to tell me the Space Vikings, one of the biggest krewes in the Chewbacchus parade, were in the process of forming a new dance team, led by our longtime friend and the ValCarre’s co-captain Rylee Moritz. “Come be in Chewbacchus with me!!” Erica’s text read. “Rylee has a small dance troupe as part of Space Vikings,” adding, “It’s easy peasy moves and one parade only.” I’ve always loved dancing, though I am by no means a professional. I simply like to do it for fun, and being in New Orleans has always provided both the opportunity and the spirit of camaraderie, both from fellow dancers and spectators along the parade route. And that is the matching, underlying attitude of pretty much everyone on the brand-new dance team. We’ll be making our debut with Chewbacchus Jan. 20, when our fleece jackets are replaced by white leotards bedazzled with silver sequins; our beanies replaced by feathery, light-up,

The captains of the Space Vikings’ ValCarre dance troupe, Rylee Moritz and Meghan Kaiser PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYLEE MORITZ

Viking-inspired headpieces. We’ll also be using light sabers as batons. You can catch us dancing behind a giant, litup space bison named Titan, who has become a symbol of the Space Vikings. The rowdy Space Vikings have always been, in the words of founder Brennan Steele, “more focused on pillaging and partying” along the Chewbacchus route. The requirements to join the Space Vikings are loose, membership is open year-round, and being in the krewe PAGE 25

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PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / T H E T I M E S - P I C AY U N E

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PAGE 23

doesn’t require building floats unlike a lot of the other local Carnival groups. “I try to keep the expectations low,” Steele says. The new dance team, meanwhile, aims to complement that raucous spirit of the Space Vikings, albeit in a more choreographed fashion. It was also easy to join, inclusive and welcoming (much like the krewe itself). “We don’t require dancing experience. Our dances are approachable for any age, anybody who wants to join,” Moritz says. “We want to inspire people and we really just want to have fun.” Indeed, most of the dancers have been drawn in by the fact that it’s non-intimidating and the time that goes into it has been manageable with our hectic schedules.

I showed up to our first practice in the fall, wondering if I was still even capable of memorizing choreography after such a long break from being in a dance troupe. But three months later, we’ve honed six different routines. The Val-Carre dance group started as a spark of an idea between the two friends who were already members of the Space Vikings. Moritz had a lot of experience dancing throughout her life, but she’d tabled the hobby for the past 15 years. Kaiser, meanwhile, had dabbled in other marching groups, including as a member of the Sassyracs dance team, though she wasn’t in a leadership position. “We just started talking about fun it would be for the Space Vikings to have a dance team,” Moritz says. PAGE 27

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GETTING INTO

The Space Vikings march in the Chewbacchus parade.

WE DON’T HIDE OUR OUFITS

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You can still join the krewe for parade day, though you’ll have to wait till next year to join the dance team. Visit spacevikings.org for more information.

Scan to learn more!

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MISSED AN ISSUE? VISIT BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM/

CURRENT

CHEWBACCHUS PARADE ROUTE

TO READ THE LATEST ISSUES

subject to change

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START

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Founded in 1903, Isidore Newman School oﬀers a challenging, comprehensive, and developmentally appropriate curriculum from Pre-K through 12th grade, with Green Trees Early Childhood Village enrolling children ages six weeks to four years.

VE . IN A

Editor’s note: Gambit takes no responsibility for any last minute changes to the route due to NOPD shaking down organizers for more cash.

For more information, call 504.896.6323 or visit newmanschool.org/admissions. Newman seeks to enroll qualified students without regard to race, religion, color, gender, national and ethnic origin, physical handicap, or sexual orientation. Need-based financial aid is available.

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She and Kaiser admit they were a little uncertain about starting a dance team from scratch. “I was a little hesitant at first because I didn’t have experience leading or creating dances, but then I was like, ‘Let’s just go for it. Why not? Let’s try it,’ ” Kaiser says. They put out a call on social media, promising each other that if there was interest, they’d move forward. “We were like, let’s just see if we can get 10 people,” Kaiser says. “If people are interested, we’re just gonna go for it.” More people kept showing up, and now we have about 24 members. Our moves are a blend of “sassy, fierce and groovy,” steps, soundtracked by a blend of ’80s and ’90s pop, bounce and upbeat dance and synth music. “It’s just been great meeting new people and having a new little community,” Kaiser says. Lauren Southern, who has marched with the Space Vikings before, says joining the dance team has given her a confidence boost. “It’s definitely something that’s been out of my comfort zone,” she says. “I love to dance, but dancing with choreographed steps with a group is a new experience.” Another member, Tessa Izdepski, says she had always wanted to dance but never had the right opportunity until now. She marched with the Space Vikings before and seized the chance to join the dance team. “I’ve always been super active and played tons of sports growing up, and still,” she says. “But having three older brothers, I mainly did what they did because that’s who I had to look up to. Dance was not something they did, so it wasn’t something I did.” The parade also falls three days after a milestone birthday, her 40th. “I’m stoked to perform my first routine of my life,” she says. “It really is never too late to learn something new.”

GETTING INTO

PAGE 25

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| by Beth D’Addono

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

OF COURSE, JOLIE NEEDS A ROSE GOLD DISCO BALL , a perfect accent for the

new lounge and restaurant on Julia Street. The notion of a shiny orb shimmering over an eclectic array of live performances fits perfectly with the high concept vibe. The spectacle is pushed to new heights with circus arts performers appearing on some nights. Add in original cocktails and the menu of sharable “pan-French” fare and the tone is set for a dynamic dining experience. The idea for Jolie came from British expat and new Orleans resident Andrew Duncan, former owner of the Gravier Street Social club who also has restaurants in Montreal. He partnered with his friends and fellow Brits Chris and Mark Beardon of SBBC Hospitum, a hospitality group with a portfolio of eight bars, clubs and restaurants in Texas. Also in the mix is Crescent Hospitality Krewe, which includes Jonathan Brisbi of the Evangeline Lounge in Mid-City and Hog Alley Lounge in Old Metairie. The plan is to open another Jolie in Dallas’ Westlake neighborhood. Day to day, general manager Kiah Darion is leading the charge. Darion, 36, is a native of Mandeville and a trained dietician with extensive experience in the front and back of the house. She collaborates with chef de cuisine Adrian Martinez, formerly of Sylvain; sous chef Indigo Martin, with his penchant for plant-based cuisine; and beverage director Will Lester, last of Dovetail Bar. Their menus run the gamut from classic to modern and playful items. The soaring space is fashioned by 75 Degree Design from Texas. Informed by industrial bones and mood lighting, there is a backlit bar with a tasseled chandelier. Details and extra touches abound, from cut crystal glassware to velvet banquettes and pop art portraits. The place is designed to impress, “but we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” Duncan says. The bar offers cocktails priced like many swank spots, between $15 and $20, with names like Smoke, fueled

St. Taceaux

THE REVIVAL OF ST. ROCH MARKET — AFTER THIS MODERN FOOD HALL NEARLY CLOSED over the summer — has

by mezcal with a crisp finish. Fire blends Cocchi Americano rosa with fresh tropical juices and bubbles. The Scotch-based Air, a cousin to a whiskey sour, is topped with a lemony, salted foam. Pop rocks accompany the house French 75, adding crackle and pop to the fizz. An expresso martini is made with Grey Goose, Galliano, coffee and smoked salt. The dining menu is inspired by French standards with some global flair. Foie gras toast is sour dough toast topped with a layer of whipped foie gras and pickled figs. Deviled eggs are finished with chili oil and bowfin caviar. Shareable plates include vegan options like a warm root vegetable salad with cashew crema. Martin’s oyster mushroom “steak” is meaty and satisfying, with nori crumble and a Green Goddess drizzle. Escargot swaps curry, mint and cilantro for the usual garlic butter. Sizzling bone marrow in its natural serving vessel is seasoned with herbs de Provence, fried capers and lemon zest. Louisiana frog legs are tempura fried and served with fennel-apple slaw and buttermilk ranch dressing.

Jolie chefs Adrian Martinez (left) and Indigo Martin with beverage director William Lester and GM Kiah Darion PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

There’s a wagyu beef burger and steak frites for the carnivores in the house. Darion, who left home to attend Florida State, led restaurants in Florida and Tennessee. She came back to new Orleans to save some money for another move but has stayed. Most recently, she has been a manager at Bar Marilou, Seaworthy and Hotel St. Vincent. Duncan worked in kitchens when he was in law school, later hopscotching between investment banking and television production. He found his niche in hospitality and in new Orleans, where he’s lived for the past decade. “A series of bad but lucky decisions got me to new Orleans,” he says. Jolie speaks to the city’s French influences, but with plenty of moody and modern touches thrown in for good measure. “We wanted to offer something different, and Jolie does that,” Duncan says.

? WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

Jolie

324 Julia St., (504) 766-7233; jolie-nola.com

Dinner Wed.-Mon.

Dine-in

A new upscale lounge and restaurant in the Warehouse district

been busy as a new operator steers its course. The latest vendor to emerge is one that’s already familiar from the new Orleans food truck scene. Taceaux Loceaux started out as a taco truck when the modern trend was new in new Orleans, and then a restaurant in uptown followed in 2019. That restaurant closed last fall, after reopening briefly from a long pandemic hiatus. now there’s a new Taceaux Loceaux stand at St. roch Market, where co-founder Alex Del Castillo has added tacos, nachos and quesadillas to the increasingly diverse mix of food here. The addition of Taceaux Loceaux brings the food hall up to 10 vendors. The same playfully creative tacos that made the food truck a hit are in rotation here. That includes “Messin’ with Texas,” made with brisket, the aptly named “Chubster,” a crunchy-shell taco with ground beef and queso, and the “Seoul man,” made with Korean bulgogi-style chicken.

Nachos loaded with green sauce and guacamole from Taceaux Loceaux at the St. Roch Market PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

There’s also now a pair of breakfast tacos. One called “Woke up in Oaxaca” has potatoes and crema-enriched eggs under crumbled cheese. The other (still to be named) folds eggs and roasted poblano sauce around a griddled flour tortilla, like a smaller breakfast quesadilla. These are served at lunch and dinner during the week and at weekend brunch. This new chapter for Taceaux Loceaux comes as the food hall itself is in flux. PAGE 30

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“This is a great place because a lot of the hard stuff about running a restaurant is taken care of,” Del Castillo says, referring to utilities, dish washing and other logistics handled by the food hall. “That means I get to give more attention to being creative in the kitchen.” To wit: Look for calas, the traditional Creole rice fritters now slowly making a comeback, to join this menu. He has one with cafe au lait glaze and another with a king cake creme anglaise. “Everyone who’s here wants everyone else to do well because that means more people coming through,” Del Castillo says. “you might not want a taco every day but you have options here, so you see groups come in and split up.” The mix of vendors at St. roch now represents newcomers to the restaurant business making a first go of it (like Aritza’s Kitchen for Cuban food) and experienced restaurant operators who shifted back to the food hall model (like Slow & Pho, with its blend of Vietnamese dishes and American barbecue). St. roch Market is a historic building that started as part of a network of public markets. After a long decline, it sat idle for years after Hurricane Katrina before returning as a food hall in 2015. It was on the verge of closing last summer until one of the original food hall vendors, Kevin Pedeaux of Cr Coffee, took over as operator. The market has lost some vendors since, but today with Taceaux Loceaux and other new additions, its slate of vendors offer a diverse mix of food options. During Carnival season, the market also is a retail point for nonna randazzo Bakery king cakes. And a new special brunch (Friday through Sunday) offers a $5 bloody mary or mimosa at the bar when you buy food from one of the vendors. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Bar feast

THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TIME TO ENJOY KING CAKE BEFORE FAT TUESDAY brings

the curtain down, especially with this season’s early Mardi Gras. So it’s good news that a roving event called King Cake Fe(a)st is back this year. It brings the chance to sample from among dozens of different cakes by the slice, with the contours of a selfguided king cake tasting party. King Cake Fe(a)st is held at a local bar each Thursday over the next several weeks. It gathers more than 30 vendors selling king cake by the slice or whole cake as well as king cake-inspired goodies (cookies, pie, macarons, etc.).

There is also a wide spectrum of king cake-themed creations, like jewelry, home decor and costumes pieces. “Anything you can think of, there’s a king cake version of it,” says co-founder Jillian Duran, of the local pop-up rahm Haus Ice Cream, which will have its own range of king cake-inspired treats on hand. Some king cake producers have become household names around the new Orleans area. But King Cake Fe(a)st takes a different approach to its roster. The list of vendors is impressive, especially the deep dive it gives into the world of independent local bakers.

NEW YEAR, NEW HOURS!

Open for Lunch & Dinner Tuesday - Saturday: 11:30am - 9pm

Whipped panna cotta fills a king cake from Rahm Haus Ice Cream at King Cake Fe(a)st.

PascalsManaleRestaurant.com by Dickie Brennan & Co.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY RAHM HAUX ICE CREAM

Duran worked with Chelsea nauratan-Burgos of Sticky Fingers Dough Co. to create King Cake Fe(a)st last Carnival season. This year, they’ve rounded up a diverse range of vendors composed of pop-ups and many home-based bakers. “People bring bags or Tupperware to bring slices home,” Duran says. “I saw people filling lasagna trays to bring home slices and have their own party with friends.” There’s live music at each edition. Here are the upcoming dates for King Cake Fe(a)st: • At Bayou Wine Garden/Bayou Beer Garden (326 n. norman C. Francis Parkway) from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. • At The Rabbit Hole (1228 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.) from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. • At Bayou Wine Garden/Bayou Beer Garden from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. Duran started her rahm Haus Ice Cream brand during the pandemic. She stepped away from it last year as she became pastry chef at Garrison Kitchen + Cocktails. She’s since left that Metairie restaurant and rahm Haus is back full time. For information, visit @kingcakefeast on Instagram. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Uptown 8140 Oak Street L.G.D. 2018 Magazine Street Mid-City 4724 S. Carrollton Ave. C.B.D. 515 Baronne Street

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PAGE 29

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Crystal Lachney and Brady Chiasson Chefs

by Will Coviello CHEFS BRADY CHIASSON AND CRYSTAL LACHNEY WENT TO CULINARY SCHOOL

together at the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute (CJFCI) in Thibodaux, work as food stylists for film and TV, and last year started a sourdough pizza pop-up, Fire & Slice. They’ll be in residence at Zony Mash Beer Project through spring, serving pizza, pasta and more Wednesday through Sunday. Starting in February, they’ll have weekend crawfish boils. For a menu and more information, visit @fireandslicepizzanola on Instagram.

How did you get interested in cooking? BRADY CHIASSON: I went into cooking because I was into the Food network as a kid. Being from Thibodaux, Louisiana, I am a little bayou Cajun and I was really obsessed with Emeril Lagasse. He was my childhood hero. It’s really cool because Crystal and I both work for him as his food stylists for a couple of shows on the roku channel. CRYSTAL LACHNEY: Igrew up in Alexandria. I worked in my family friend’s meat market starting at 13 years old. It was a butcher shop. I was making boudin and stuffing chickens and all that stuff. I got into that at a young age, and it made me want to get into the food industry. Then I did John Folse (Culinary Institute), and we did that together for four years. While I was there, I helped open a restaurant called Cinclare. I was the executive chef by the time I was 20 years old. People were older than me in the kitchen, but they respected me. I did an externship when I was a sophomore in new york City for Marc Forgione, who had one Michelin star at the time. When I was a senior, I got selected to go to France. CJFCI has a sister program with Institute Paul Bocuse, where they’ll send students over the summer for a four-month program. It’s classical French. We covered everything from bread-making and pastry to butchery. I didn’t even realize it until graduation, but they were like, you placed at the top of your class. BC: We met at CJFCI at nicholls State university in Thibodaux. We stayed friends ever since.

OF THE

WEEK

What is working in the film industry like?

CL: I came back (to new Orleans) two years ago because of Covid. I wanted to get out of restaurants, because they were draining the life out of me. My cousin works in film here, and she put me onto the food styling aspect. you can still do your chef thing and make really good money doing it. It’s fun, you get to do different stuff every day. BC: It’s all about color theory and design and eating aesthetically, which is a large part of cooking to begin with. We had a lot of that fundamental stuff locked down already. With cooking shows, you want to present a real recipe as authentically as possible. The object of a cooking show is to present a recipe to an audience that will attempt the recipe. It is our job to make this recipe look aesthetically pleasing using only the ingredients you give to the audience. On Emeril’s show “Emeril Cooks,” I was featured as a guest on the crawfish episode. I developed a crawfish boil recipe and presented it on camera with Emeril, and we served it to his guests on camera.

How did you start Fire & Slice?

BC: There was a massive writer and film strike, and we pivoted back into our old stomping grounds of restaurants. But it wasn’t cutting the mustard anymore, so we were like, we’ve got to do something. We saw these really cool ovens, these Gozneys that roll at 1,000 degrees. We decided we were going to do a pizza pop-up: neapolitan style crispy pizzas in these really cool ovens. CL: Brady and I did externships in new york at the same time, and I swear we ate pizza every day for lunch. We have good pizza here, but not enough. BC: Sourdough pizza is pretty rare in new Orleans. It’s really crispy, airy, and it has a little bit of tang to it. We play off that with all of our ingredients.

Brady Chiasson and Crystal Lachney started Fire & Slice Pizza pop-up. PHOTO BY WUNDERBLUME VISIONS/ PROVIDED BY FIRE & SLICE PIZZA

We’re doing everything from scratch in front of the guests. They see us hand-stretching the dough and applying fresh ingredients. We partnered with St. James Cheese Co., and a cured meats purveyor out of Berkeley, California, called Fra’Mani. It’s been amazing. We do all Louisiana seafood. We go to the Westwego Shrimp Lot. We’re doing pizzas and cheesy breads. There are staples. We’ll always have the margherita pizza. The Cure pizza will always be there. People can always get a classic pepperoni or cheese. We have a few special pizzas like the spinach and artichoke dip with local shrimp. We have a trailer (at Zony Mash) that will let us do more than we were doing before. We’re adding pasta dishes. We have a full catering menu for events at Zony Mash. A few of the items from that menu might appear as specials. There will be special pizzas and pastas. We might do some cold apps, like pesto with toasted pinenuts and sourdough crostini or some bruschetta with sourdough. With this, we love that we get to be really involved in new Orleans nightlife. We get to meet a lot of people. We get to say hi and hand them pizza and see a smile on their face. As a restaurant, one of your biggest hurdles is to get people in the door. When we’re out there on Magazine Street, you get people walking by and they see twirling pizzas, and they smell it and they see you make a pizza fresh in front of them. It becomes part of the story of their night. That’s really special to us.

Daou Rosé

This Rosé presents a pretty pale flamingo hue with scintillating aromas of fresh strawberry, guava, crème brûlée and honeysuckle. Subtle hyacinth and ginger notes are accompanied by cranberry, rhubarb, cherry blossom and lemon meringue. The palate is exquisitely balanced, displaying a lush, crisp juiciness with flavors of ripe strawberry, papaya, nectarine and mandarin orange. Hints of spiced peach, mango and watermelon are complemented by red delicious apple, kiwi, apricot and honeydew melon, all cascading into a clean, refreshing finish. DISTRIBUTED BY

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C O M P L E T E L I S T I n G S AT W W W. B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M

Out 2 Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. unless noted, addresses are for new Orleans and all accept credit cards. updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106. 8 Fresh Food Assassin — 1900 N. Claiborne Ave., (504) 224-2628; Instagram, @8freshfoodassassin — Chef Manny January’s serves lamb chops, T-bone steaks, salmon, crab cakes, deep fried ribs, fried chicken and seafood-loaded oysters. no reservations. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Acorn — Louisiana Children’s Museum, 12 Henry Thomas Drive, (504) 218-5413; acornnola.com — Blackened shrimp tacos are topped with arugula, radish, pineapple-mango salsa and cilantro-lime sauce. no reservations. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ice, cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and more. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant.com — Gulf Drum yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom.com — Jimmy Cho’s Thai dishes include smoked pork belly and pork meatballs in lemon grass broth with egg, green onion, cilantro and garlic. reservations accepted for large parties except weekends. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. Outdoor seating available. no reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$ Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — rainbow trout amandine is served with tasso and corn macque choux and Creole meuniere sauce. reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. no reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. no reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes char-grilled oysters topped with Parmesan and herbs. reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar and dishes like redfish with lemon buerre blanc. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Down the Hatch — 817 St. Louis St., (504) 766-6007; 1921 Sophie Wright Place, (504) 220-7071; downthehatchnola.com — The Texan burger features a half-pound patty topped with caramelized onions, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. no reservations. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$ Dragonfly Cafe — 530 Jackson Ave., (504) 544-9530; dragonflynola.com — The casual cafe offers breakfast plates, waffles, salads, coffee drinks and more. Delivery available. reservations accepted. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sat. $$ El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas and sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. no reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar — 739 Iberville St., (504) 522-4440; 7400 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 304-4125; felixs.com — The menu includes raw and char-grilled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys and more. no reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Frey Smoked Meat Co. — 4141 Bienville St., Suite 110, (504) 488-7427; freysmokedmeat. com — The barbecue spot serves pulled pork, ribs, brisket, sausages and and items like fried pork belly tossed in pepperjelly glaze. no reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Froot Orleans — 2438 Bell St., Suite B, (504) 233-3346; frootorleans.com — There are fresh fruit platters and smoothie bowls such as a strawberry shortcake and more using pineapple, berries, citrus and more. no reservations. Outdoor seating available. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. Outdoor seating available. no reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The eclectic menu includes a Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, cheese and pickles. Delivery available. reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$

Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The bar menu includes sandwiches, salads and flatbreads, including one topped with peach, prosciutto, stracciatella cheese, arugula and pecans. no reservations. Dinner Wed.-Sat. $$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and a nOLA Style Grits Bowl topped with bacon, cheddar and a poached egg. reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes filets mignons and bone-in rib-eyes, as well as burgers, salads and seafood dishes. reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Cajun Sunshine Beignets are stuffed with eggs, bacon, cheese and hot sauce. no reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$ Martin Wine & Spirits — 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, (504) 896-7350; 3827 Baronne St., (504) 894-7444; martinwine.com — The deli serves sandwiches and salads such as the Sena, with chicken, raisins, blue cheese, pecans and Tabasco pepperjelly vinaigrette. no reservations. Lunch daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande and baked oysters Mosca. reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Delivery available. no reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as seafood platters, po-boys, grilled oysters, salads and more. no reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$ Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese. The menu also includes wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, seafood pasta and more. no reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ The Original Italian Pie — 3629 Prytania St., (504) 766-8912; theoriginalitalianpieuptown. com — The Italian Pie combo includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and house-made tomato sauce. no reservations. Dinner and late-night Tue.-Sat. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar’s menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$

Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 523-1661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$ Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill. com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — Black lentil vadouvan curry comes with roasted tomatoes, mushrooms and basmati rice. reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ PrimoHoagies — 8228 Oak St., (504) 3151335; primohoagies.com — The menu of hot and cold sandwiches includes a classic Italian hoagie with prosciutto, salami, hot capicola, provolone, lettuce, tomato and onion. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. no reservations. Dinner daily. $$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available. reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 8271651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, and dishes like redfish St. Charles with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 1433 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1342; 5015 Magazine St., (504) 267-7612; titoscevichepisco.com — Peruvian lomo saltado features sauteed beef, onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and pisco, served with potatoes and rice. Outdoor seating available on Magazine Street. Delivery available. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — The menu includes beignets, flatbreads and a veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. no reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Zhang Bistro — 1141 Decatur St., (504) 826-8888; zhangbistronola.com — The menu of Chinese and Thai dishes includes a Szechuan Hot Wok with a choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu with onions, peppers, cauliflower, jalapenos and spicy sauce. reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

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A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T PAGE 5

Compania Nacional de Danza

The Spanish dance company draws on its repertoire for a program of new and classic works featuring different styles of modern dance. Former new york City Ballet principal dancer Joaquin De Luz choreographed the recent work “Passengers Within,” a work reflecting on dependence on technology and set to a score by composer Philip Glass. “Sad Case” is a satirical piece set to vibrant music driven by a Mexican mambo rhythm. “White Darkness” is a modern ballet by former company artistic director nacho Duato. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Tickets $35-$189 via nobadance.com.

nOLA Motorsports Park. Admission starts at $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Find tickets and information at nolamotor.com/events/ the-balloon-glow-laser-show.

Ocie Elliott

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, the indie folk duo of guitarist Jon Middleton and vocalist Sierra Lundy won greater recognition with a Canadian Juno Award for Breakthrough Artists of the year in 2022. They released the EP “Know the night” in november. Their u.S. tour includes a stop in new Orleans at the Parish at the House of Blues at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20. Joshua Hyslop opens. Find tickets via ocieelliott.com.

‘Valerie Sassyfras: Nobody May Come’

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Cigar Box Guitar Festival

Inspired by home-made guitars and stringed instruments, the Cigar Box Guitar Festival features three days of shows and events at the new Orleans Jazz Museum. The lineup includes Lil’ Jimmy reed, Erin Coburn, Jonathon Long, Ghalia Volt, Cigar Box Serenaders, Mahmoud Chouki, Janky, Memphis Lightning, John Mary Go round, Steve Arvey Band and more. There’s also a symposium on Thursday, Jan. 18, featuring folk artist Charles Gillam interviewing Chris Thomas King about his work, including his book “The Blues: The Authentic narrative of My Music and Culture.” Visit neworleanscbg. com for schedule and information. Tickets $19-$49 for single day admission, $149 for a festival pass via eventbrite.com.

Balloon Glow & Laser Show Littlle Tropical Isle 435 BOUR RBON Tropical Isle Original 600 BOURBON Tropical Isle’s Bayou Club 610 BOURBON Tropical Isle 721 BOURBON Honky Tonk 727 Bourbon

The event features hot air balloon rides and shows after dark featuring balloon glows and laser lights. There also is live music, games, a kids zone, bounce houses, food and craft vendors and more. Balloon activities begin at 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 20, at

Filmmakers Ella Hatamian and Stiven Luka spent time with singular New Orleans musician Valerie Sassyfras, conducting intimate interviews and following her to gigs, for the documentary “nobody May Come.” The film won Best Cinematography at the 2020 new Orleans Film Festival and took home Best Documentary at the Toronto Arthouse Film Festival. The Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge hosts two local screenings and performances by Valerie Sassyfras at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21 and Monday, Jan. 22. Tickets are $20 per show. Find more info at zeitgeistnola.org.

Voodoo Glow Skulls and Mustard Plug

Two ska punk heavyweight bands, Voodoo Glow Skulls and Mustard Plug, are touring the South together this month and stop at Southport Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 16, for a show with Bite Me Bambi and new Orleans’ Joystick. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $23 advance and $25 at the door. Find more info at southporthall.com.

James Singleton’s Malabar

Bassist James Singleton’s prolific career has included his work with contemporary jazz group Astral Project, nolatet, 3 now 4 and musicians like James Booker, Ellis Marsalis, Chet Baker and many others. He’s also led his own ensembles, and in 2022, brought together Mike Dillon, Justin Peake, rex Gregory, Brad Walker and Jonathan Freilich to record the

album “Malabar.” Singleton and his band will perform pieces from that project at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. Tickets are $10 via jazzandheritage.org.

Father Ron and Friends

Father Ron Clingenpeel finds inspiration in the 20th century folk music of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Odetta Holmes. With accompanying musicians, Father ron sets include many of his own originals as well as singalongs to folk and Americana classics. Father ron and Friends perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at Buffa’s Back room. Tickets are $10 via buffasbar.com or at the door.

Desert Nudes

Drummer and keys player Andre Bohren, bassist David Pomerleau and guitarist John Paul Carmody join forces as the Desert nudes and mix up an old-school country-meets-classic rock sound. The Desert nudes plays at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at Maple Leaf. Tickets are $15 advance via mapleleafbar.com and $20 at the door.

Esther Rose

After a number of years in New Orleans, singer-songwriter Esther Rose moved out west amid the pandemic to Santa Fe, where she wrote her latest country record, “Safe to run.” The album was released last spring, and earlier this month, rose released a short EP of strippeddown tunes from “Safe to run.” rose returns to her old stomping grounds for a show with Video Age at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at BJ’s in Bywater. Find more info on Instagram, @bjslounge.

Across the Pond Guitar Fest

The Across the Pond Guitar Fest’s lineup includes Italian Gavino Loche, Canadian Adrian raso and new Orleanian Jimmy robinson at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets are $20 advance via chickiewahwah.com and $25 at the door.

Adonis Rose & NOJO 7

Drummer Adonis Rose leads a sixpiece jazz band drawn from the new Orleans Jazz Orchestra with guest vocalist Erica Falls for a program infused with new Orleans funk, soul and hip-hop. At 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $30 via snugjazz.com.

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MUSIC FO r CO M P L E T E M u S I C L I ST I n G S A n D M O r E E V E n T S TA K I n G P L A C E In THE nEW OrLEAnS ArEA, VISIT C A L E N D A R . G A M B I T W E E K LY. C O M

To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

MONDAY 15 BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — red Beans and Blues, 9 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Matinee All Star Band, 1:30 pm; Lee Floyd And Thunderbolt Trio, 5 pm; richard Scott and Friends, 8 pm THE GOAT — Backslide, Wiltwither, FITH, 9 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Jenavieve Cooke and the Winding Boys, 2 pm; Dominick Gillo and the Frenchmen Street All-Stars, 6 pm; Michael Watsonc and the A lchemy, 9:30 pm

TUESDAY 16 FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Colin Myers Band, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 8 pm ORPHEUM THEATER — Elvis Costello & the Imposters with Charlie Sexton, 5 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; The Little Big Horns, 6 pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 9:30 pm

WEDNESDAY 17 BLUE NILE — new Breed Brass Band, 9:30 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — Dylan Leblanc, 7 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Bourbon Street Stars, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin ray Clark, 8 pm ONLINE — Mia Borders, 6 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin’ It up with Big Sam , 7:30 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Shotgun Jazz Band, 6 pm; Martin Peters and the Party, 9:30 pm

THURSDAY 18 BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, 9 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — LPO Happy Hour Session, 5 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Doyle Cooper Band, 2:30 pm; John

Saavedra Band, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin ray Clark, 8 pm OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART — Blind Texas Marlin, 6 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with robin Barnes and Pat Casey , 8 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Victor Campbell Carnival Jazz Jam, 6:30 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band, 10 pm

FRIDAY 19 BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers, 8 pm; Kermit ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Trumpet Slim & Brass Flavor, 10 pm BULLET’S SPORTS BAR — new Groove Brass Band, 9 pm CARROLLTON STATION — James Jordan and the Situation, Sweet Magnolia Brass Band, 9 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — Beausoleil, 7 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott, 12:30 pm; Sam Friend, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band W/Kevin ray Clark, 9 pm GEORGE AND JOYCE WEIN JAZZ & HERITAGE CENTER — James Singleton Malabar, 8 pm HOLY DIVER NOLA — That1Guy, 9 pm SANTOS — Hotel Burgundy and Crowe Boys, 9 pm

TIPITINA’S — Brass-A-Holics, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Trixie Minx’s Burlesque Ballroom feat. romy Kaye, 7 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Paradise Jazz Band, 2 pm; new Orleans Cottonmouth Kings, 6 pm

SATURDAY 20 BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — Video Age with Esther rose and the Tangle, 9 pm BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm; The Marigny Street Brass Band, 10 pm; The Soul rebels, 11 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — Across The Pond Guitar Fest Ft. Gavino Loche, Adrian raso, Jimmy robinson, 6 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — richard “Piano” Scott , 12:30 pm; S teve Detroy Band, 2:30 pm; Lee Floyd and Thunderbolt Trio, 6 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Jamil Sharif, 9 pm GEORGE AND JOYCE WEIN JAZZ & HERITAGE CENTER — roland Guerin, 8 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — Ghalia Volt, 7 pm OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS AND BOOKS — Frenchie Moe Acoustic Blues Trio, 5 pm RIVERSHACK TAVERN — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The nayo Jones Experience , 7:30 & 9 pm THE PARISH AT HOUSE OF BLUES — Ocie Elliott, 8 pm

Brass-A-Holics plays Tipitina’s Thursday the 18th PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

THE RABBIT HOLE — Very Cherry, 9 pm; up To no Good Chewbacchus Afterparty, 11 pm TIPITINA’S— DJ rQ Away Presents: Lagniappe and Dominic Scott, 10 pm

SUNDAY 21 BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — Big Jon and the Excellos, 8 pm BLUE NILE — The Baked Potatoes, 8 pm; Street Legends Brass Band, 10:30 pm BULLET’S SPORTS BAR — Soulfoul Vibrations, 7 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special with Kirk Joseph, Terence Higgins and Brian Coogan, 8 pm FRITZEL’S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB — Marty Peters Band, 1:30 pm; Lee Floyd & Thunderbolt Trio, 5 pm; Fritzels All Star Band w/Mike Fulton, 8 pm THE SPOTTED CAT MUSIC CLUB — Jelly roll Stompers, 2 pm; Pat Casey and the new Sounds, 9 pm

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MS. TEE ON DJ JIMI, CHANGES IN BOUNCE AND ADVICE FOR NEW ARTISTS BY JAKE CLAPP

TRISHELL “MS. TEE” WILLIAMS STARTED PERFORMING as a young

teenager, sneaking into new Orleans clubs in the early ’90s with fellow bounce artist Cheeky Blakk. Quickly, though, Ms. Tee’s voice caught the attention of ronald “Slim” Williams and Bryan “Baby” Williams, and she became the first female artist signed to Cash Money records at just 14 years old. Ms. Tee blended an r&B vocal style with rap and bounce, and her releases on Cash Money, including the albums “Having Thangs” and “Female Balla,” took off in new Orleans and across the South. In the late-’90s, Ms. Tee parted ways with Cash Money and released her third album, “That’s a Hot Girl,” in 1997, and continued to score memorable hits, like the 1999 single “Why you Acting Funny” with Partners-n-Crime. Today, Ms. Tee has seven albums and EPs in her catalogue, and she’s also written two books, the memoir “I Am Stronger and Wiser now,” which is accompanied by an album, and “Morning Affirmations and

Ms. Tee performing on the Congo Square Stage during Jazz Fest 2010.

o d o t t a h w

o g o t e r whe e e s o t o h w

Make a plan ts n e v e r u o h t wi calendar at

PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Inspiration for the Soul.” Find more about her at legendarymstee.com.

CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

This interview is part of a series reflecting on New Orleans’ role in hip-hop as it turns 50. Read more at gambitweekly.com. What was your introduction to hip-hop? Ms Tee: The song that really got me into wanting to do new Orleans music — I had DJ Jimi’s whole album (“It’s Jimi”) and “Where They At” just blew me away. Because at this time, I was a young girl, but I was sneaking in the clubs, right? So I was hearing the new bounce sounds that they had. I think Mia X was on at that time, DJ Jimi, ruthless Juveniles, Females in Charge, Silky Slim, Ju’C “Eat the Cat.” Gregory D

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Liver Fibrosis

RESEARCH STUDY

was maybe the biggest one at that time. It was him and Mannie Fresh, and they had a song called “Buck Jump Time.” So that music really, really influenced me. What was it about what Jimi was doing or that sound that really attracted you? Ms Tee: It was our sound. When I was younger, hip-hop was heavily in new york. So at this time, we didn’t really have anything. Then all the different artists start popping up. Listening to DJ Jimi kinda influenced me that you could do this, too. Then he had Juvenile on there. That whole CD, I promise ya, it gave me my life. When I tell you that was my favorite album!

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2024

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How did you feel bounce changed over the ’90s as people started to put their own spin on it? Ms Tee: I kind of think it changed in the Millennium. 10th Ward Buck had a song called [“Fasta”], that sped the beat up. When it got to the youngsters, they sped the bounce up and they put their own little swing in it. And not saying there’s anything wrong with it — I think that’s good because you have this side of bounce, the old bounce, and you got the new bounce. But what I like is the big celebrities, they like the old bounce, like Beyonce did “Church Girls” (which sampled DJ Jimi). That was the type of music I do. You mentioned some of these early women in New Orleans hip-hop. What was the scene like for women working in bounce in the early ’90s? Ms Tee: When I first started, I thought it was fun. I was brought up in music. I was in church choirs. I used to be a dancer. I was a cheerleader. So I was always in entertainment. But it’s different when you just like the music and you’re not worrying about the business. When it’s time for the business, that’s what makes it hard for a female, because you might not get the same [compensation]. you’re doing the same job, but you might not get what the guys are getting.

I have a lot of songs that I can perform that a lot of people like, but they’ll book a [male] artist that’s got one song and pay them $15,000, and I’m struggling to get $1,500 or $2,000. That’s what makes it so hard in the industry, and I dealt with that a lot. That’s the only thing I don’t like when it comes to the business: that women get treated different. What would you tell a younger artist today? What’s something that you’ve learned that you’d want to pass on? Ms Tee: I would tell them, if they don’t have the funding or a deal, go get them a job and start paying for their own shit. Don’t fuck with none of these dudes to get on. That’s the worst decision. It’ll fuck up your reputation. They’re gonna lose respect for you, and then they’ll think they can talk to you any type of way. So my advice to young girls, if you don’t have a deal right now, invest in yourself. Invest in yourself. If you starting off local, just take your time. Get you a little job and start paying for your own stuff. What has been New Orleans’ biggest contribution to hip-hop? Ms Tee: Our sound and style and swag. One thing that I like when the Hot Boys came, they just kind of like changed the game. They had everybody wearing white T-shirts. Pull up your solja rag. Everybody wanted to be a hot boy. Even when no Limit did no Limit soldiers, everybody wanted to be a soldier. So we kind of brought flavor, and we brought our own style and our own language to the game. We brought something fresh, different and new. It was hood. It was ghetto. But it was different. And that’s why Juvie’s still performing to this day, because he had classic records. People still try to mimic his style on “Back that Azz up.” “you workin’ with some ass, yeah.” I’ve heard a lot of national artists trying to use that same flow. not the same words, but that same little melody. We definitely brought a lot to hiphop. We got Megan Thee Stallion saying she a hot girl. Where she get that from?

GREAT CONDO GREAT CONDOLIVING LIVING ON CHARLESAVENUE!!! AVENUE!!! ON ST. CHARLES

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2BR, 2BA 1008 Sq Ft. Freshly Painted throughout. New Flooring. Bathrooms have New Vanities. Gorgeous Crtyd w/ Pool & multiple smaller patio areas. 24 Hour Security. Covered Parking Spot in Lot. Many Long Term Owners provides a lovely community with a Strong Condo Association. $325,000

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60 “It could be” 61 Make a phone call to 62 Film directors Joel and Ethan 63 Hour div. 64 He played Jesse Pinkman on “Breaking Bad” 66 “Rocket Man” singer 72 Poem type 73 Light bulb power units 76 Tot’s injury 77 Adopt 82 Stuck in mud 83 Tolkien’s hole-dwellers 84 He played Lieutenant Starbuck on “Battlestar Galactica” 86 Snips

87 — -fi film 88 British china 89 Oran native 91 “Be —!” (“C’mon, help me out!”) 92 “Rebecca” actress Diana 95 Civil rights activist with the comedy album “In Living Black and White” 98 Best Supporting Actress winner for “The Fighter” 104 Woman of the future? 105 Resting atop 106 Threat ender 108 “Boo- —!” 109 Phased-out character on “The Simpsons” 112 Pre-book documents 114 “Who’s Sorry Now?” singer 119 Cyclone’s kin 120 Totally unknown by 121 Get together with alumni 122 Increase the slope of 123 Elk relative 124 10 featured last names in this puzzle are also the names of these DOWN 1 Magic charm 2 He played Obi-Wan multiple times 3 Raggedy — (classic dolls) 4 Born, to Yves 5 Funnywoman Ullman 6 Suspect foul play 7 Vote down 8 — par with 9 — Ho Lee (name in 2000 news) 10 Sonata end 11 Smart — 12 French capital, in song 13 Elf 14 Chinese exercise system 15 City reg. 16 Angler’s boot 17 Improvise 18 Actress Davis 19 Ruhr city 24 Rich soil 29 Sounds of small bells 31 “Citizen Kane” studio

32 Cereal husk 33 Fla.’s ocean 34 Grow wider 36 Join 37 Marriott rival 38 Portugal’s peninsula 39 Sharer of top billing 40 Floss fiber 44 Woeful things 45 Dec. 31 47 Yank’s foe 48 Bristol beer 49 “— a pity!” 50 Outer: Prefix 52 Make — for it 53 “What if ...” 55 Fail to put in 56 Futuristic tiny machine 58 Slo- — fuse 59 Note after fa 62 Billiards stick 63 FC Dallas’ sports org. 65 Yemeni port 66 Takeoff abbr. 67 Wealthy Brits 68 Occupation 69 San Luis — 70 Stolen ride 71 In a meddling way 73 Actress Kristen 74 Bowed 75 Shape-fitting game

77 Mag workers 78 Imbibe slowly 79 Virtuoso 80 Assented to 81 App-ordered rides 82 Cato’s 1,550 83 Desirous of 85 Aerie bird 86 Torte or baba 90 Drink cooler 91 Dept. of Justice chiefs 93 Tristan’s love 94 Actress Greer 96 Posterior 97 Musical note equivalent to F 98 Necessities 99 Orlando theme park 100 Peter of “M” 101 Combined 102 Actor Dana 103 “— Mio” 107 City WNW of Tulsa 109 “Can I borrow — of sugar?” 110 Cone-bearing tree 111 Wields 113 Racing circuit 115 Actor Beatty 116 Suffix with hero 117 French for “summer” 118 — -noir film

ANSWERS FOR LAST ISSUE’S PUZZLE: P 42

PUZZLES

35 Country singer with the hit “Blue Ain’t Your Color” 37 “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer 41 No, in Nuremberg 42 Ending for peek or bug 43 Making a comeback 46 Super angry 51 Month, in Mexico 52 Strong — ox 54 She won gold in the 200-meter dash at the 2012 Olympics 57 French term for unrefined works, as by untrained painters 59 Furry wrap

MARIGNY INVESTMENT PACKAGE

ABR, CRS, GRI, SFR, SRS

PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Stood for 6 Mountain peak topper 13 Place to keep cargo 20 Proprietor 21 Seat of Nassau County, New York 22 Holiday marches 23 1970 Best Actress nominee for “The Great White Hope” 25 Enigmas 26 Walk- — (tiny roles) 27 Rank above maj. 28 — acid (vinegar component) 30 Ruhr article 31 Desperately, informally

43 G A M B I T > B E S T O F N E W O R L E A N S . C O M > J A n u A ry 1 5 - 2 1 > 2 0 2 4

SPECTACULAR RENOVATION ON DEEP LOT!

Lot 490: Joseph A. Wilhelm (Louisiana, 19232003), “Liberty Ship Meteor,” oil on canvas, Est. $800-$1,200 Lot 456: American Carved Rosewood Armoire, mid 19th c., Est. $700-$1,200

IMPORTANT JANUARY ESTATES AUCTIONS Friday, January 19 @ 10am Lots 1-375 Saturday, January 20 @ 10am Lots 376-787

Selection of Weapons, including several Japanese Samurai Swords, guns and other war memorabilia

Lot 391: French Provincial Style Cherrywood Buffet a Deux Corps, 20th c., Est. $600-$900

Lot 276: Pair of Reproduction Spanish Dueling Pistols, 20th c., .44 caliber, presented in a rosewood case with a lock and key, with accessories, Est. $1,000-$2,000

Lot 479: Jim Blanchard (American/Louisiana, b. 1955), “St. Mary’s Hall, Dominican College,” 1992, watercolor on paper, Est. $2,000-$4,000. Selection of Ladies Rings, and other items

Full color catalog available at:

www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com WATCH AND BID LIVE ONLINE FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME!

Selection of fine bronzes, including by Carl Brose, and Jules Moigniez

Selection of Couture Purses, including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, and Gucci

Lot 406: Eight Piece Louis XV Style Carved Walnut Needlepoint Parlor Set, 20th c., including a long settee and seven arm chairs, Est. $800-$1,200 Lot 474: George Viavant (American/ Louisiana, 1872-1925), “Swamp Scene with Herons,” watercolor and gouache on cardboard, Est. $3,000-$5,000 Lot 601: Niek van der Plas (Dutch, b. 1954), “Beach Scene,” oil on wood panel, Est. $3,000-$5,000 Lot 403: Four Piece Burled Walnut Bedroom Suite, mid 19th c., Est. $1,000-$2,000.

Lot 519: French Empire Marble Top Bronze Mounted Mahogany Commode, c. 1840, Est. $600-$1,200

Lot 475: Noel Rockmore (American/ Louisiana, 1928-1995), “Kaja,” 1960, oil on canvas, Est. $1,000-$2,000

Lot 407: French Louis XV Cherrywood Commode, Est. $800-$1,2000

Lot 480: Sarah Ashley Longshore (Louisiana/ Alabama, b. 1975), “You Do Not Look Fat, You Look Crazy,” acrylic and mixed media with resin on gallery-wrapped canvas, Est. $5,000-$7,000 Lot 555: Alexander Mark Rossi (British, 1840-1916), “The Private View,” 1881, oil on linen, Est. $4,000-$8,000

Lot 493: George Ohr (Mississippi, 1857-1918), Unglazed Pottery Bowl, early 20th c., Est. $1,500-$2,500

Lot 455: Carved Blackamoor on Stand, Est. $1,500-$2,500

Crescent City Auction Gallery, LLC 1330 St.Charles Ave, New Orleans, La 70130 504-529-5057 • fax 504-529-6057 info@crescentcityauctiongallery.com 25% Buyers Premium For a complete catalog, visit our website at: www.crescentcityauctiongallery.com LA Auc Lic AB-411, 1354, 1529 Lot 701: Man’s 18K Yellow Gold and Steel 36mm Rolex Datejust Wrist Watch, Est. $3,000-$5,000

Lot 457: American Victorian Carved Mahogany Full Tester Bed, 19th c., for the Southern market, possibly New Orleans, Est. $1,000-$2,000

Lot 482: Rhoda Brady Stokes (Louisiana/Mississippi, 1902-1988), “Scrapping Cotton The Old Way,” 1976, oil on board, Est. $1,200-$1,800

Lot 453: Pair of Polychromed Bronze Female Blackamoor Figures, 20th c., each with a leopard skin wrap and a clinging putto, on an ebonized composition base, Est. $1,200-$1,800