Gambit Digital Edition: February 12, 2024

February 12-18, 2024 | Volume 45 | Number 7

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CONTENTS

Valentine

FEB. 12 — FEB. 18, 2024 VOLUME 45 || NUMBER 7

NEWS

YOU CAN BE!

Opening Gambit ............... 7

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Happy Hour. Live Music. Oyster Bar. Tuesday – Friday, 4pm-6pm

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A moment like this

Healing your inner child at the Big Gay Baby show

Film.............................. 26 Puzzles ......................... 27 C OV E R P H O TO BY S A M U E L AG U I R R E- K E L LY C OV E R D E S I G N BY D O R A S I S O N

@The_Gambit @gambitneworleans

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5

Ali Wong

Year of the Dragon

Comedian and actress Ali Wong just won an Outstanding Lead Actress emmy in a haul of eight trophies for “Beef,” a dark comedy series on Netflix. In the breakout series about a feud between unhappy people, she plays a small business owner who married into a rich family and is stressed out about everything. In recent years, she’s released several Netflix comedy specials featuring her refreshingly candid stand-up, including 2022’s “Ali Wong: Don Wong,” and published a best-selling memoir.

She’s also currently producing an animated series in which she’s working with Lucy Liu. She performs stand-up at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Mahalia Jackson Theater. Find tickets via mahaliajacksontheater.com.

New Orleanians celebrate Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year | by Thuc Nguyen FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED ADS for everything

from dog gear to food items to luxury goods featuring dragon symbolism. It’s as if “put a dragon on it” is the 2024 mantra for every brand under the sun.

This isn’t without reason. It’s nearly the year of the Dragon, a fresh wind that harkens a sea change for the spirit of Asian people and the various Asian diasporas globally, as well as appreciators of these cultures.

Lunar New year falls just three days shy of Mardi Gras Day this year. Indeed, many krewes that ride the uptown routes have included dragon floats. This is a happy coincidence. The two seasons of Mardi Gras and Lunar New year are similar — people get together and eat lots of good food and grown-ups give children presents and items to bring joy.

For Asian people, New year gifts are usually cash in small red envelopes for wishes of prosperity and abundance for the coming year.

For Asian cultures, including the Vietnamese community that’s well represented in New Orleans, the year of the Dragon begins Feb. 10. It only comes around once every twelve years.

Vietnamese Lunar New year is called Tết Nguyên Đán, marking the start of spring in Vietnam.

The dragon is the most auspicious and formidable of all of the zodiac animals and is often used to depict royalty, a la the Nguyen Dynasty. Vietnam itself is called the “Land of Nine Dragons” referring to the nine sons of the Dragon King. I come from a line of dragons, being born in the year of the Dragon, like my mother. I’m a Fire Dragon and she is a Water Dragon. Famous dragons in American popular culture you may have heard of include Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee, Sandra Bullock (a New Orleanian in her own right) and her friend Keanu reeves.

The biggest local Lunar New year, or Tet, celebration is hosted by New Orleans east’s Mary Queen of Vietnam Church on Friday, Feb. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 18. This free festival draws people of all backgrounds to watch lion dances, enjoy Vietnamese food and music and explore a multitude of informational displays about Vietnamese ways. In addition, there will be children’s activities, performances around the clock and even fireworks to kick off the year of the Wood Dragon.

Singers, dancers and musicians will be coming from as near as the West

Bank and as far as neighboring Texas and California. Part of the reason why Mary Queen of Vietnam’s celebration is a week after the actual Lunar New year is because Houston’s massive kick-off happens Feb. 10 and Giuseppe Anthony Tran, who heads up activities for the church, wants to stagger the New Orleans fest so that people who want to attend both don’t have to choose one or the other.

As you enter the festival at Mary Queen of Vietnam, you’ll see a cultural exhibit about the three regions of Vietnam with costumes from the three parts of the country, along with the various customs of each. Walk along the concourses and aisles on the church’s massive grounds to find local food vendors offering things you may not even see in all Vietnamese restaurants like sugar cane juice, specialty teas and boba drinks and more.

A Louisiana-raised food expert tells us what else to expect at the fest’s culinary scene. One of New Orleans’ famed residents, LSu Tiger and chef Nini Nguyen, who you may know from Bravo Network’s “Top Chef: All-Stars,” will be wearing “red and jade” each day her family has activities for Lunar New year. When she’s gone to the festivities at Mary Queen of Vietnam, her go-to foods have included meats grilled on sticks, fried bananas, and game meat salads, so be on the lookout for her personal recommendations. This year,

Crowds gather for Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in 2023.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Nguyen will be making Vietnamese food with her mother. The chef’s other plans include “cleaning the house from top to bottom and I am hoping to have a dragon dance with fireworks to warn off bad spirits. every year my family makes a bunch of lucky foods to eat to ensure we have a good year. I also visit all of my relatives and bring them gifts wrapped in red paper.”

Like Nguyen, Wren Lee Keasler, a Los Angeles transplant and student at Tulane university, knows about Lunar New year traditions like “eating noodles for a long life, sweeping and cleaning the house to release the old energy, bringing food to share and hanging all the decorations,” she says. There are many commonalities in the Lunar New year celebrations between the Vietnamese and Chinese traditions, as there are many genetic and cultural links between the two cultures.

Keasler’s mother, Shannon Lee, also went to Tulane. They have two dragons in their family — Keasler’s grandfather, Bruce Lee, and uncle, Brandon Lee, martial artists, philosophers and actors, whose spirits they keep alive with the Bruce Lee Foundation. Keasler PAGE 20

PHOTO PROVIDED

BY ALI WONG

Mardi Paws

Costumed canines have one more chance to parade this season in the 30th annual Mardi Paws parade in downtown Covington on Sunday, Feb. 18. The theme is Bark ’N’ roll, and human escorts and rolling contraptions are welcome. Neuty the Nutria is the grand marshal. The krewe throws cups, doubloons, beads and glittery rubber dog poop. Proceeds benefit Scott’s Wish. The parade starts at 2 p.m. at 212 e. Kirkland St. register to parade or find information at mardipaws.com.

Eagles with Steely Dan

The Eagles announced the Long Goodbye Tour in 2023, and it rolled through fall and into the new year, adding more dates, more countries (Canada!) and then continents (european dates recently added). The band’s greatest hits album is one of PAGE 23

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Louisiana-born musicians made a strong showing at the 2024 Grammy Awards. New Orleanians PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard won Grammys for Best Traditional r&B Performance and Best Opera recording, respectively. Bobby rush won the Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album, while Lainey Wilson took home the award for Best Country Album.

And the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and Lost Bayou ramblers shared the award for Best regional roots Music Album with Buckwheat Zydeco Jr.

THE AVERAGE PRICE, IN DOLLARS, FOR A POUND OF LIVE CRAWFISH IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA That’s according to prices tracked by the Crawfish App, which keeps tabs on local vendors. By comparison, that is roughly twice what crawfish cost per pound last year. A lack of rain and soaring temperatures have made conditions unfavorable for mudbug production in Louisiana, the largest u.S. producer of crawfish.

Gov. Jeff Landry at the start of the redistricting special session.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams, the co-founders of Cash Money records, were given the Keys to the City of New Orleans last week by Mayor LaToya Cantrell in recognition of the brothers’ contributions not only to New Orleans music but also to the hip-hop industry at large.

The Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s office wants to charge a man $18,000 to obtain public records related to the death of his son, WWL-TV reported, citing a lawsuit filed by the man with help from Tulane’s law clinic. robert Arthur is seeking details about the death of his son, Shawn Arthur, who died in 2017 as the result of being drugged and robbed, a judge ruled. robert Arthur’s lawsuit argues the DA’s high price tag violates the Louisiana Public records Act.

Louisiana attorney general seeks communications from journalists, activists in lawsuit against EPA LOUISIANA GOV. JEFF LANDRY‘S ADMINISTRATION IS PURSUING a

federal lawsuit demanding the u.S. environmental Protection Agency turn over three years of its communications with journalists and activist groups, a highly unusual move that has provoked concern among press freedom advocates.

The lawsuit appears related to attempts by the state Attorney General’s Office to argue that environmental activists have wielded undue influence in the ePA’s bid to reduce pollution in industrialized areas of Louisiana, particularly the stretch along the Mississippi river some have labeled “Cancer Alley.”

As for the agency’s communications with journalists, the Attorney General’s Office has signaled it wants to find out whether aspects of the ePA’s initiatives in Louisiana were prematurely leaked to reporters, including details of secret negotiations.

The state’s demand, initially filed

by Landry when he was attorney

general and now taken over by his ally and successor Liz Murrill, raises serious questions over whether his administration is seeking to dampen reporting and activism related to Louisiana’s long history of petrochemical pollution.

Landry, a right-wing supporter of Donald Trump, has filed numerous suits against the federal government during President Joe Biden’s tenure.

He has strongly defended Louisiana’s energy and petrochemical industries, including by appointing cabinet members with industry ties.

“The Freedom of Information Act is intended as a tool for Americans to obtain information about what government is up to, not for governments to obtain information about what reporters are up to,” said Seth Stern, director of advocacy with the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit that defends First Amendment rights.

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The state’s decision to use the act in that way “seems to be highly problematic,” he said.

David Cuillier, director of the Freedom of Information Project at the university of Florida, said the greater effect may be felt by local activists – “people in communities who are trying to find out what’s going on, who already feel they have no power.”

Neither Murrill nor Landry responded to requests for comment.

Journalists named in the suit include reporters working for The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, The Washington Post, local NPr affiliate WWNO, MSNBC, the Associated Press, The Guardian and WGNO-TV. Activist groups named include rISe St. James, the Deep South Center for environmental Justice, the Coalition

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan speaks during a press conference in LaPlace, with the Denka Performance Elastomers chemical plant behind him, on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

STAFF PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Against Death Alley, Concerned Citizens of St. John, the Sierra Club, Stop the Wallace Grain Terminal, Inclusive Louisiana, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and the Tulane environmental Law Clinic. ePA has released 965 pages of requested information to the state in three packets since the lawsuit was filed, and said it would release a fourth batch on Friday.

‘Fixated on race’

The Dec. 19 suit attempts to enforce a June 29 federal Freedom of Information Act request filed by the state for the information, after ePA officials said it would take at least a year to comply with the request.

The information requested is aimed at helping the state prosecute a separate lawsuit it filed on May 24. It asks a federal judge to declare unconstitutional ePA’s attempts to force chemical plants to reduce pollution more aggressively in areas of the state with higher minority and low-income populations than in majority-White areas.

That suit targets ePA’s challenge of state Department of environmental Quality permit approvals for air emissions at Denka Performance elastomers in St. John the Baptist Parish, and at Formosa Plastics’ proposed facility in St. James Parish.

It also targets ePA’s investigations of DeQ and the Louisiana Department of Health over allegations that they discriminated against minority and low-income communities. ePA’s civil rights complaints focused in part on the state agencies’ efforts to deal with emissions of chloroprene, a chemical designated as likely cancer-causing, from Denka’s plant in reserve. They also highlighted increased emissions of carcinogenic ethylene oxide that would result from the proposed Formosa facility in St. James Parish.

In its lawsuit challenging ePA, the state said the agency is improperly combining Title VI of the Civil rights Act of 1964 with a theory called “disparate impact,” which would require the state to prohibit practices that have a discriminatory effect, even if not intentional.

“Along the way, ePA officials have lost sight of the agency’s actual environmental mission, and instead decided to moonlight as a social justice warrior fixated on race ,” Louisiana’s lawsuit said.

The state lawsuit also charged that ePA Administrator Michael regan had allowed his agency to be steered by activist groups, including the Sierra Club, Concerned Citizens of St. John, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, Stop the Wallace Grain Terminal, Inclusive Louisiana and rISe St. James.

It cited ePA’s decision to consider a time extension recommended by the environmental groups to negotiate agreements with DeQ and the state health department over the civil rights concerns. It also cited the agency’s sharing of various draft agreements with the groups, saying that violated federal law.

On Jan. 23, u.S. District Judge James Cain temporarily blocked ePA from enforcing the disparate impact rules in Louisiana. It’s unclear when final rulings will be issued in the case. Cain,

Louisiana Attorney General-elect Liz Murrill says her office has hired the law firm WilmerHale to help it handle a U.S. Justice Department investigation into Louisiana State Police.

PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

who is also hearing the FOIA lawsuit, was appointed to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump.

“This is a terrible waste of time and of taxpayer resources,” said Anne rolfes, executive director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, one of the organizations whose records were requested. “The (Landry) administration should be focused on the homeowners’ insurance crisis caused by climate change rather than on reading other people’s emails.”

Beverly Wright, executive director of the Deep South Center for environmental Justice, sent Landry a note offering to brief him on the organization’s actions after hearing about the request for records involving her group.

“I can share with you the work we do to make Louisiana a better place for families and future generations to live, work, and thrive,” she wrote.

Investigation closed

The state lawsuit challenging the ePA rules was filed about a month after President Joe Biden issued an executive order directing federal agencies to focus on “environmental justice” and “disproportionate impacts” in disadvantaged communities.

It followed two visits to Louisiana by regan, in 2021 and 2023, in which he said the agency would seek redress for disproportionate impacts

on disadvantaged communities by petrochemical facilities.

In June 2023, after the state lawsuit challenging ePA was filed, the ePA abruptly announced that it was ending its civil rights investigations of DeQ and the health department. In doing so, the ePA said its own regulatory actions involving chemical plants in the state were already achieving desired results.

An Aug. 4 letter to ePA officials by state Deputy Solicitor General Joseph St. John complained about the lack of speed in responding to the state’s request, but also went further in charging ePA with colluding with reporters.

“It has become apparent to the state from highly specific press inquiries that ePA has been prodigiously leaking information to the press, including details of non-public negotiations,” St. John wrote.

The documents released so far include a number of pages where information has been deleted, citing exemption provisions included in the federal FOIA law. In some cases, it was clear the exemptions resulted in the removal of early copies of an internal ePA newsletter meant to inform employees about regan’s trips.

The final copy of that newsletter, which was sent to ePA employees, was included. — Mark Schleifstein / The Times-Picayune

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NEW ORLEANS LOST ONE OF ITS POLITICAL LEGENDS THIS WEEK.

Former City Council Member eddie Sapir, who led the council through the uncharted aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and was a fixture in local politics for five decades, died on Feb. 6 after a brief illness.

He was 86.

The late Mayor Moon Landrieu, a close friend and ally, once called Sapir “one of the best retail politicians I’ve ever seen.”

Sapir actually had two distinct council careers — the first from 1967 to 1974 representing District B, and again from 1998 to 2006 as an at-large member.

He served with two generations of politicians and brought a unique perspective to the council. In the 24 years between his council stints, he served as a Municipal Court judge.

A lifelong Democrat and tireless “people person,” Sapir began his public career as a long-haired, pro-civil rights state lawmaker representing several of uptown’s racially mixed neighborhoods in the mid-1960s. He loved engaging with people from all walks of life, which earned him a loyal following among Black and white residents at a time when race frequently divided voters.

In his first council career, Sapir persuaded his colleagues to remove the Confederate battle flag from the Council Chamber — after first removing it himself when no one was looking.

A few years later, he convinced them to enact {span}a law banning racial discrimination in public places{/span}.

He also led the charge against a proposed new Mississippi river Bridge at Napoleon Avenue, and he broke from his friend and ally, Landrieu, in opposing a proposed a riverfront expressway that preservationists said would have ruined the French Quarter.

As an at-large council member a quarter-century later, Sapir was both a senior statesman and a masterful coalition builder. He became a trusted ally of Mayor Marc Morial and then a prescient critic of Morial’s successor, ray Nagin.

Most impactful of all, Sapir led the council through a minefield of legal and

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Pianist Ronnie Kole, City Councilman Eddie Sapir and Mayor Marc Morial at the parade for Al Hirt on Bourbon Street, Sept. 28, 2001.

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political challenges presented

by Katrina.

Working behind the scenes with then-entergy New Orleans (eNO) president Dan Packer — who died a week before Sapir passed — and a small core of council and entergy consultants, Sapir quarterbacked the effort to bring eNO out of bankruptcy, in part by quietly convincing key members of Congress to allocate millions of dollars to eNO’s recovery.

His efforts got the local utility back on its feet and financially stabilized — with only a 7% rate increase — at a time when many “experts” predicted ratepayers would see their monthly bills double.

“He was unflappable,” recalled rod West, who led eNO’s efforts to restore power after Katrina and later became CeO of the utility. “eddie was a beacon of light in the middle of Katrina’s darkness, because it was never about him,” West added.

“He was one of the few politicians I’ve known who didn’t need a poll to determine what was the right thing to do — and his word was his bond. For eddie, the whole point of public service was about helping people, and after Katrina, it was always about getting the city back up and running.”

Sapir’s political base included labor unions, ministers, small business owners, politicos and cab drivers (many cabbies sported “eddie’s ready” bumper stickers even if Sapir ultimately didn’t enter whatever race came next).

PAGE 10

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Eddie Sapir in 2001 As a city judge, Sapir could keep his law practice on the side — and he excelled as an agent for celebrities and sports figures. His clients included local television anchors as well as New york yankees manager Billy Martin.

When Sapir left Municipal Court in 1998 and returned to the council as an at-large member, he initially found himself in the council’s minority bloc.

By the end of 2000, however, he led a 5-2 majority that worked closely with then-Mayor Marc Morial.

Morial, who now leads the National urban League, praised Sapir for his “unflinching partnership with Black New Orleans before it was popular … eddie stood out because of his ability to make friends easily and his conviction to the cause of equality.”

District e Council Member Oliver Thomas, who served on the council with Sapir from 1998-2006, often found himself on the short end of Sapir’s 5-2 majority. Thomas nonetheless learned some valuable lessons from Sapir, saying, “eddie was to New Orleans what edwin edwards was to Louisiana.”

One of the secrets of Sapir’s popularity was his personal approach to politicking. “every month, he’d visit barber shops and beauty salons,” Thomas

PHOTO BY ELIOT KAMENITZ / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

recalled. “He’d tell folks, ‘If you know somebody who needs help, call me.

I’ll do what I can.’ And folks knew he meant it. That made such an impression on me that I’ve incorporated that into my own politicking.” even amid the muted pace of Municipal Court, Sapir retained his sense of flair. His fundraisers were not-tobe-missed political galas that typically packed close to 1,000 people in the old Fair Grounds clubhouse (before the track burned to the ground in 1993).

Those events featured notable musicians — including Fats Domino — as well as lavish spreads of food and drink, and of course celebrity guests.

Sapir would work the crowd like he owned the place, which, on those nights, he pretty much did.

In five decades, eddie Sapir never lost a race. More importantly, he never forgot the importance of helping ordinary folks whose only access to the levers of power were his occasional visits to their favorite barber shop or beauty salon. rest in power, eddie. you are already missed.

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THE HANDSOME ITALIANATE-STYLE BUILDING at Webster and Perrier

Street opened in 1901 as LaSalle elementary School.

A 1951 Times-Picayune article touted LaSalle as “the first school in the city to organize a domestic science class,” which in later years would be called home economics. A February 1911 article explained that classes were “intended to interest the young girls in things that will help to make the home happier and keep them there.”

LaSalle operated until 1974. When it closed at the end of the school year, it was chosen as the home for the fledgling New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, which had opened in January of the same year. NOCCA initially held afternoon classes for high school students on the university of New Orleans campus and at the New Orleans Museum of Art. While the LaSalle site offered NOCCA the chance to expand its

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Exterior of old NOCCA building at 6048 Perrier St. in 2010.

PHOTO BY ELIOT KAMENITZ / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

course offerings, the aging building did have its shortcomings.

“As picturesque and fun as it was, it was totally inadequate for the school’s needs,” said NOCCA’s first principal Thomas Tews in a 2000 TimesPicayune article.

“A 1901 elementary school was never meant to house an arts facility,” added John Otis, who took over as principal in 1985.

Despite the challenges, NOCCA remained at the Perrier Street location until 2000 before opening its $23 million Faubourg Marigny campus.

In 2009, the Louisiana Landmarks Society added the dilapidated LaSalle building to its list of New Orleans’ Nine Most endangered Sites. In 2011, developer Jim MacPhaille, a former LaSalle student, purchased the property from the Orleans Parish School Board at auction for $2.45 million.

He converted the building into luxury condominiums. Construction was completed in 2014.

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BLAKEVIEW THIS WEEK, AS WE CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS, we also travel back 75 years to remem-

ber one of Carnival’s first and biggest celebrity monarchs — Louis Armstrong, who reigned as King Zulu 1949.

A native New Orleanian, Armstrong had fond memories of watching the Zulu parade as a young boy. In the 1930s, he became an honorary member of the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. According to Mardi Gras Guide founder Arthur Hardy, Armstrong and his vocalist Velma Middleton rode in the 1946 Zulu parade as guests on the king’s float.

Three years later, Armstrong would be back in his hometown as King Zulu himself. His selection as king would earn him a spot on the cover of Time magazine. In the accompanying feature, Armstrong said, “There’s a thing I have dreamed of all my life, and I’ll be damned if it don’t look like it’s about to come true — to be King of the Zulu parade. After that, I’ll be ready to die.”

Two days before the parade, Satchmo performed at the club’s coronation ball at the Booker T. Washington High School Auditorium on South roman Street. On Fat Tuesday, March 1, Armstrong and his royal entourage arrived on the New Basin Canal, following Zulu tradition, then boarded his mule-drawn king’s float.

On Mardi Gras night, Armstrong performed a concert at the Coliseum arena on North roman and Conti. The next day, he was bound for Jackson, Mississippi, the start of a multi-city concert tour.

This Fat Tuesday, look for a special float by Kern Studios in this year’s Zulu parade, honoring the 75th anniversary of Satchmo’s reign.

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@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Your article about NOCCA’s 50th anniversary (Jan. 22) mentioned its former location Uptown on Perrier Street. I know the building is now condos, but when was it built and what was its history before NOCCA?

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I H T E K LI

aby The Big Gay B are a space variety shows ner child to heal your in

B Y K AY L

EE POCHE

LAST SPRING, NEW ORLEANS DRAG ARTIST MAXWELL went to the

Louisiana State Capitol in their signature blue-faced, platinum-blonde drag look to speak out against the anti-LGBTQ bills that legislators were passing.

“Speaking before you is a 27-yearold drag artist who works every day to secure kindness, validation, love and acceptance for the wounded child who still feels closeted inside me,” they said. “We must protect queer kids and acknowledge them for who they are because they exist and they are special.”

It was a powerful moment for Maxwell, who is trans. But there was some shock afterward when they “went viral on the wrong side of Twitter,” they say. Today, if you Google “Big Gay Baby,” articles from right-wing sites like Fox News and

The Daily Caller pop up.

“I was simultaneously doing something that I’ve never been more proud of and also receiving hate in a way that I never could imagine,” Maxwell says.

While that’s how many people online were hearing about Big Gay Baby for the first time, there was already a close-knit community in New Orleans familiar with the words as the title of the joyous monthly queer variety shows Maxwell has been hosting since 2022.

Big Gay Baby shows have been a place where drag and burlesque newbies can perform in front of an encouraging and welcoming audience — and possibly transform something inside of themselves along the way.

“People come to Big Gay Baby to be together and witness someone

April May performs in May 2023.

PHOTO BY SAMUEL AGUIRRE-KELLY

living out their inner-child dreams on stage, and then maybe even having the inspiration to come back and do it themselves,” Maxwell says.

After the internet backlash last year, Maxwell took to the stage as their drag persona April May at the next Big Gay Baby show to perform a mashup of emotional, nostalgic songs, including Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” and the crescendo of “Defying Gravity” from the musical “Wicked.”

The crescendo synched with an epic costume change as she ripped off her black gown to reveal a pink tulle dress underneath. Everyone scream-sang along.

As April May ended her performance, a trans flag with the words “PROTECT TRANS KIDS” projected onto the screen behind her, and she put her fist in the air.

“The screams in that room reached maximum decibel level,” she says.

“I just started crying ... I think that honestly was the inner child coming out and feeling and being healed in that moment.”

A fan of drag competition shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula,” Maxwell had long dreamed of performing in drag. They loved singing in their bedroom as a child in New Jersey and did musical theater in their youth, but they hadn’t found the right outlet to get back on stage as an adult.

“I needed to have a stage and have an outlet for all the performing I did in my bedroom as a young closeted queer kid,” they say. “I needed a place to live that out now that I’m an adult and I can do what I want, and I can grow and be the healer of that inner child.”

Maxwell loved going to professional drag and burlesque shows around New Orleans but wanted a space where novices could dip their toes into performing — without stepping on any toes.

“New Orleans is, I very quickly realized, a place where you can really do what you want here,” they say. “It’s kind of like the playground, where

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if you want to have a show, you can create it.”

After talking with people at parties, Maxwell quickly learned they weren’t the only one itching to get on stage.

Before they knew it, they had nine people lined up to form Big Gay Baby’s first cast and secured Hi-Ho Lounge as a venue.

But their March 2022 debut show almost didn’t happen. Maxwell nearly had to call the event off due to severe weather. But the skies cleared up just in time, and the show went on.

“I literally think that that had something to do with the magic of the evening because everyone just came out,” they say. “We were kind of wet, the storm was over and there was just this like electric energy happening.”

In that show, April May lip-synched to Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This,” specifically the version Clarkson sang after she was crowned the first winner of “American Idol” in 2002.

Hosting that show was the first time Maxwell had ever performed in drag. “It was just like something brand new was born inside of me,” they say. “I felt like this tiny little Kelly Clarkson who was just being introduced to the world.”

But then again, it was actually all of the performers’ first times doing drag or burlesque on stage, a fact Maxwell only revealed to the audience at the end of the show.

“I was like, ‘We’re all first timers.

We’re all literally big gay babies,’” they say. “Everyone screamed, and it was this sick moment.”

Novella Strange, who performed that night, also felt transformed by the experience. They say their favorite quote by author Annie Dillard encapsulates how they felt: “‘I had been my whole life a bell, and I never knew it until at that moment, I was lifted and struck.”

“On that stage, I felt like a bell,” Novella Strange says. “I was going off, and I never knew I had that inside of me.”

Looking back, she laughs at how meaningful the moment was, even though the performance itself was a “Ratatouille”-themed number to Rihanna’s “Disturbia.”

“But I think that’s what drag does best,” Novella Strange says. “It feels profound and ferocious at the same time that it feels silly and liberating.”

Following the success of the first show, Big Gay Baby started a monthly residency at Hi-Ho, their home until they moved to Cafe Istanbul last fall.

Over the nearly two years of shows, Maxwell and the other dozens of Big Gay Baby artists have gotten to hone their skills as performers and play around with production, lighting, costuming, design and character development. Because of the DIY nature of Big Gay Baby, it’s a crash course where performers are also choreographers, costume designers, audio editors and an endless number of creative titles all at once.

But the shows have also been a chance for performers to grow on a personal level. “[For] me personally, performing is a way of staying alive, a way of affirming that I’m here and I’m seizing my own life and my talents, and I am letting go,” Novella Strange says. “It’s catharsis for a lot of us.”

For many, the Big Gay Baby shows are a way to reconnect with their inner child, a recurring theme they talk about a lot together.

“Honestly, almost every performance I do is a song that I already know word for word because it’s something that I was obsessed with when I was like 11,” Maxwell says. “So it’s almost like every single performance is me healing that inner child.”

Novella Strange says when they perform they feel like their younger self is in the audience watching them proudly, an experience she wishes all queer people could have.

“I feel her there, and she’s looking at me and I’m looking at her,” she says. “Drag feels like a way for me to make eye contact through time to this child that wanted so badly to live in the imagination.”

Indeed, Duali-Tease, already a concert dancer, started doing drag and burlesque at Big Gay Baby and was immediately hooked because of the interactive and playful nature of the artforms. Besides performing and co-producing at Big Gay Baby, they now do shows at the AllWays Lounge & Cabaret and Oz.

a moment like this

The first Big Gay Baby show was Y2K themed, and performers naturally gravitate toward Halloween- and Christmas-themed acts during the holidays.

For their Halloween performance, Novella Strange put on long claw gloves and unzipped a tent to then burst out of it, soundtracked to Kesha’s “Cannibal.” At the show last December, performers did a group number that began with a nativity scene and ended with a recreation of the “Jingle Bell Rock” performance in “Mean Girls.” Plus, there were two Grinch burlesque acts.

Maxwell originally thought they’d do a theme each month, but quickly realized they preferred to let people do whatever they wanted — with few questions asked.

There’s a sign-up form on the Big Gay Baby Instagram (@biggaaybaby) where as long as prospective performers agree to a mission statement and set of values, they can join the show.

“A lot of times I’m meeting performers for the first time at the show when we’re all getting ready,” Maxwell says. “I’m like, ‘OK, what’s your name? Oh, you’re Slick Dick Daddy? I’m so happy to meet you.’”

For each Big Gay Baby show, there’s a group chat where performers can share makeup tips, communicate about call times and lineups, and also ask to borrow pants or whatever else they may need.

Just as Maxwell and their friends envisioned, they’ve created a place where anyone who wants to perform drag and/ or burlesque can easily access a stage

Duali-Tease PHOTO BY CAMERON LADNER

with a built-in supportive community and audience.

“For first time performers, you need permission, just the permission to try in a space where there is no such thing as failure, and there is no such thing as polished, and there is no such thing as the elitism that sometimes can come with seasoned performers that have been doing this for a decade,” Novella Strange says. “All of that is erased and becomes this universal space of permission.”

That’s why Maxwell says they’re happy with Big Gay Baby just as it is. But performance-wise, April May has two goals for 2024: sing live in Big Gay Baby and create and star in her own full-length show, incorporating singing, storytelling and comedy.

“I feel like all that inner child work that I’m talking about is ready to graduate up,” she says.

Reconnecting with their inner child has also made Maxwell want to model that for young people, which is why they went to the Louisiana Capitol last year. They say they didn’t know any gay people growing up, so they know how much it would have meant to them as a child to see a drag queen at the State Capitol.

Knowing that gave them the courage to stand in front lawmakers and talk about life as a trans person.

“Just like my performances in Big Gay Baby, my activism is for my inner child to heal and also to be a public-facing queer person for other kids to see me, because I never saw anyone like me as a kid,” they say. “I never met a single gay person until I was like 18, so when I go to the Capitol and testify in drag, I know that kids are watching me. There were trans kids there looking at a drag queen and being so amazed.”

The next Big Gay Baby show is Thursday, March 7 at Cafe Istanbul. There is a $10-20 suggested donation at the door.

Novella Strange PHOTO PROVIDED BY NOVELLA STRANGE

April May PHOTO BY SCARLET RAVEN PHOTOGRAPHY

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 > F e B r u A ry 1 2 - 1 8 > 2 0 2 4

“Dressing up in over-the-top costumes, dancing around on stage, whether exploring more goofy comedic elements, exploring more of the drama and angst, it very much has that spirit of when you’re a little kid and you’re with your friends,” he says. “You’re playing dress-up and you’re standing up on top of the table, and you’re just like, ‘Everyone witness me!’ And everyone’s like, ‘We’re witnessing you!’ It very much has that spirit of unabashed play.”

Safe spaces for self-expression and creative freedom are especially precious for LGBTQ people as they deal with attacks on their rights not only in Louisiana but across the country.

Having the shows once a month carves out a regular space for fun and happiness, despite what’s going on in their lives or in the world.

“There’s so much work that’s needing to be done,” Duali-Tease says. “So having that set aside time where it’s like, OK, we’re gonna come together as family and have some time for joy and celebration in the midst of everything else that’s happening has just been such a grounding point and such a beautiful place and opportunity to really embrace that queer joy.”

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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 > F e B r u A ry 1 2 - 1 8 > 2 0 2 4

16

E AT + D R I N K

Catching on

Porgy’s Seafood Market is designed to support local fishermen | by Beth D’Addono WHEN IT COMES TO “LOCAL” LOUISIANA SEAFOOD SOLD IN GROCERY STORES

and touted on restaurant menus, redfish is not in that number.

“There haven’t been any redfish commercial fisheries in Louisiana since Paul Prudhomme’s blackened redfish collapsed the fisheries in the late ’80s,” says chef Marcus Jacobs. “Most of what you see is farm-raised in Texas.”

And despite the Gulf’s bounty, speckled trout in many places most likely comes from the Carolinas, and flounder from the east Coast.

Jacobs is one of four partners in Porgy’s Seafood Market, which has a different vision for local seafood.

Jacobs and his partner Caitlin Carney recently closed their two restaurants, Seafood Sally’s and Marjie’s Grill. They started the new market with Christina and Dana Honn, who run Carmo in the Warehouse District.

A project 18 months in the works, Porgy’s is in part shoring up local fishermen by buying less commonly seen Gulf species and other smaller fish that don’t often make it to local markets.

“I’m excited that Porgy’s can be a place where people can come see and taste the difference we are talking about,” Jacobs says. “It’s not like this amazing fish hasn’t been there forever, but we have dumbed down our view of what the Gulf is about. At Porgy’s, we are trying to change that.”

They also work directly with shrimpers like Dino Pertuit from Plaquemines Parish, giving him the opportunity to set his own price, as opposed to being bound to prices at the seafood dock.

That’s become especially important as the abundance of cheap, imported shrimp devastates Louisiana shrimpers.

“The prices they are offered are not sustainable,” Jacobs says. “(Fishermen) may be offered 60 cents a pound, maybe $1.50 a pound. Most folks don’t have the bandwidth to distribute their own seafood. It’s a vicious circle.”

Large seafood operations seem intent on putting the little guy out of business with imports, Jacobs adds. Porgy’s pays the shrimpers around $5 a pound for shrimp, and they retail for $7.50.

FORK + CENTER Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Birds of a feather

I WAS DRIVING UP JEFFERSON HIGHWAY TRACKING DOWN A HOT TIP on spicy fried

Porgy’s is located on Carrollton Avenue in the spot that used to be Bevi Seafood Market. It is set up like an old-fashioned fishmonger and offers a wide variety of fish like sheepshead, almaco jack, pompano and drum, for between $13.50 and $20 a pound. All locally caught, the fish arrive whole and are broken down by staff in house. Porgy’s also usually has several varieties of oysters, clams, whole smaller fish and fillets.

Porgy’s also offers a menu of dine-in options sourced from the Gulf and local waters. Besides boiled crabs, shrimp and soon, crawfish, there is an outstanding gumbo, a seafood-topped salad, fried or blacked seafood po-boys and a traditional hot sausage sandwich with American cheese on a Dong Phuong bun. One option is to order a case-to-plate sandwich, which features six ounces of any of the daily catches, grilled, blackened or fried.

“One of the reasons we are doing this is accessibility — to remind people how delicious all this local fish is,” Jacobs says.

There also is an outstanding muffuletta on a fresh, seeded bun baked at Carmo and stuffed with Gulf tuna conserva, which is fish poached in olive oil. The seafood muffuletta is dressed with olives, giardiniera salad and anchovy aioli. raw preparations,

Christin Honn (left), Dana Honn, Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney opened Porgy’s Seafood Market.

PHOTO BY CHERYL GERBER / GAMBIT

like shrimp ceviche and Sicilian-style ceviche, round out the menu.

While Jacobs mans the day-to-day of the business, assisted by Carney in the front of the house, Dana Honn is behind the scenes, less connected with the retail operations and more focused on a curatorial and educational perspective.

One of the initiatives Honn is most excited about is creating a sushi grade designation for local fish. Iki jime is the traditional Japanese harvesting method for fish earmarked for raw consumption. Iki jime euthanizes the fish before it suffocates, which limits the accumulation of stress hormones and lactic acid that will start to break down the meat. Long a proponent of sustainable seafood practices, Honn is getting certified to teach iki jime.

“If fishers agree to harvest this way, they stand to earn about 17-20% more for their fish at the dock,” he says.

Building revenue for the fishermen is the end game, Honn says.

“We don’t want to do anything that doesn’t improve their revenue,” he says. “If we don’t do that, we are all in the same sinking boat. They won’t survive.”

?

WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

Porgy’s Seafood Market

236 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 429-3474; porgysseafood.com

Market: 10 a.m.7 p.m. daily; kitchen 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

dine-in

A market and kitchen focused on local seafood

chicken, one that would quickly catapult to the upper reaches of my favorite fried chicken around New Orleans.

All the signs were good as I approached Highway Fried. It was just minutes past the 11 a.m. opening time, and already vans were crowding the parking lot and a few big rigs had sidled up to an empty lot next door. People were planning around this chicken.

Stepping inside revealed a cramped space with an air of controlled chaos, with loud voices on either side of the service counter as customers and staff made themselves heard over the roar of fryers.

This was also a good sign. The prospect of a bargain does something to people, like panic buying even amid abundance. This chicken was indeed a bargain and proved precisely the type I was after.

A 12-piece order of spicy fried chicken from Highway Fried in Jefferson.

PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Fried chicken is always an obsession in New Orleans, but its role is never more important than during Carnival. From parties to the parade routes to the floats themselves, fried chicken greases a lot of the wheels of this celebration.

It calls for a specific chicken type, too.

Some of the greatest chicken around is what I call the restaurant variety, done to perfection in places like Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe and High Hat Cafe, Dooky Chase’s restaurant and Fiorella’s Cafe, to name just a few.

But the fried chicken that comes to the forefront for Mardi Gras is inexpensive takeout chicken. Any chicken can be appealing hot from the fryer. you want chicken that keeps its allure for hours and is good cold from the fridge the next day.

17

FORK & CENTER

McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’s

I know New Orleans families who use McHardy’s chicken as a reward, a bargaining chip, even a tool to mediate disputes. everyone I introduce to this shop at 1458 N. Broad Street loves it.

The chicken is highly seasoned without being spicy, always fresh and surprisingly lean, thanks to the way it’s trimmed. It holds up remarkably well for later-day and even second-day eating, the best I’ve ever had in that category. Cold McHardy’s chicken is still better than a lot of hot chicken from other places.

The shop gets an early start as Mardi Gras comes to its peak, opening at 8 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday and at 6 a.m. on Fat Tuesday for parade-bound customers. Price example: 10-piece mixed meat for $15.50.

Highway Fried

All those people parking their trucks and vans at 4150 Jefferson Highway know what’s up. This is great chicken, especially if you like yours spicy.

The surface is crunchy, the chicken is juicy and the spice is the kind that can sneak up on you, registering after a few bites to leave your mouth glowing.

That heat gives it a spark even when cold, too. The biscuits also are excellent. Price example: 12-piece dark meat for $20.99 ($24.99 mixed meat), with biscuits and two sides.

Chubbie’s Fried Chicken

Chubbie’s looks a bit like a chain, with traces of its boulder façade and a drivethru window at 4850 Gen. Meyer Ave. But it is indeed local and has long been a mainstay in Algiers for excellent, bargain fried chicken.

The chicken has a crisp outer shell and a significant hit of pepper across it. Price example: Nine-piece chicken for $18.29 (that’s chicken only; it rises to $25.49 if you want a side and biscuits, and yes, you want these buttery biscuits).

McKenzie’s Chicken-In-A-Box

This fried chicken counter in the back of an empty bake shop at 3829 Frenchmen St. is a vestige of the past.

The location was the first expansion shop for the long-gone McKenzie’s bakery brand back in 1948.

Today, you walk past empty bake shop shelves to find the chicken, which comes out with a thick skin that’s dark, audibly crunchy, liberally

peppered and, of course, served in a box. Price example: 10-piece mixed meat for $18.49.

Relax on our

TROPICAL COURTYARD OR SIDEWALK SEATING

Red Bird

This one is newer to the party, and it took top honors last fall at the National Fried Chicken Festival on the New Orleans lakefront against an impressive field of contenders. By then, it had already made an impression with its locations at 70437 La. Highway 21 in Covington and 911 Harrison Ave. in Lakeview.

This chicken gives a little crackle when you bite in. That’s the wet batter, fried to a gleaming shell. underneath, the chicken is very moist and mildly seasoned, the result of an approach focused more on the marinade than on spice. red Bird is a counter service restaurant, with lots of seating and a bar. Price example: 10-piece dark for $20.75; or mixed for $28.75.

— Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

with a fresh cocktail, wine or dinner!

Little Korea to close

A KOREAN BARBECUE RESTAURANT ANNOUNCED IT WILL CLOSE the day

before Mardi Gras, and a new restaurant will soon take its place.

OPEN THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 4PM - 10PM 720 ORLEANS AVE. • 504.523.1930 • WWW.ORLEANSGRAPEVINE.COM

LOV E T HE

WATERFRONT LIFE? PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

The last day of service at Little Korea BBQ is Monday, Feb. 12, according to a message the restaurant posted on Instagram.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we extend the deepest gratitude to all of you who’ve walked through our doors,” the message says.

Little Korean BBQ moved to its Magazine Street location in 2016, four years after leaving its Claiborne Avenue location.

Owner Joyce Park took over the restaurant in 2015 when her parents decided they wanted to retire.

The restaurant is known for its tabletop grills where diners cook their own meat as well as its kimchi fried rice and Jjamppong, a noodle soup.

The post also said a new Korean restaurant will fill the space after its closure and will assume Little Korea BBQ’s social media accounts.

— Chelsea Shannon / The Times-Picayune

Your dream of living on the water is closer than you imagine. Fish from your backyard or in Lake Salvador, just 20 minutes away by boat. All while being an easy 15 minute drive from downtown New Orleans. Lots in our private, Caribbean influenced community start at just $75k.

Owner financing is available with just 5% down. Contact us for more details.

pelicanslandingbayou.com | info@buildimperium.com | 504-571-9898

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Below are five takeout fried chicken spots that should be on your list for Carnival, tailgating, house parties or whatever occasion puts you in need. I include price examples for family-sized servings, but these places can field smaller and much larger orders. All of these are small indie operators.

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WINE OF THE

WEEK

3 COURSE INTERVIEW

Peter Finney Jr. Writer

by Will Coviello IN HIS CAREER AS A JOURNALIST, PETER FINNEY JR. HAS WRITTEN for united

Press International, the New york Post and New york Daily News. In 1993, he returned to his hometown and became editor of the Clarion Herald.

Pelican Publishing just released his book “Drago’s: An American Journey,” about Drago and Klara Cvitanovich, their immigration stories and settling in New Orleans and founding their family seafood restaurant. Both were from Croatia, which was part of yugoslavia.

They had family in South Louisiana, and eventually settled here. Their son Tommy Cvitanovich invented the now classic charbroiled oysters and built the business to its current size with seven locations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

What’s the story of Drago and Klara Cvitanovich?

Troublemaker Red

The nose is bursting with jammy boysenberry and blackberry, along with a fresh hint of raspberry. These fruit aromas carry through to the palate and are accentuated by underlying tones of peppercorns, dried tobacco and roasted coffee. Velvety tannins and balancing acidity bring out the vibrant fruit character of this complex blend.

DISTRIBUTED BY

PETER FINNEY JR.: I interviewed Klara extensively. She has incredible stories about growing up in Croatia and how she met Drago. It is a love story between two people who did not know each other in Croatia and somehow ended up in New Orleans in 1958 for Mardi Gras, and 40 days later they married. Her wedding ring comes from Schwegmann’s on Gentilly road.

That original wedding ring is still on her finger.

It’s a story of love and hard work to put their kids through school. If there was a safety net, it was the Croatian community in South Louisiana, which is tightknit, but really they were on their own.

(In communist yugoslavia) Drago lived through some tough times where he was snooped on and imprisoned and always thought about getting out and getting to freedom.

Klara was a straight-A student in high school. Her father had been imprisoned and wanted her to get out.

She was 19 when they got married.

He was older. There was a story in their culture that men were expected to be a little older. you plant olive trees, and if your olive trees are growing, that means you’ve worked hard to produce them. you’re a solid man. Now you’re ready to be married.

They got married and went back to Canada and the Scottish lumber camp where they lived in a trailer. They had two kids in this small thing. Drago had tried to get an American visa. He had given up hope, and all of a sudden it arrives, and it says you have eight days

to get to the united States.

They sold their car and everything and they went by rail with their kids and suitcases. They knew some people here, which helped them get started. Klara became a travel agent which provided a steady income in case the restaurant business didn’t pan out.

Drago’s first job was at his sister Gloria’s restaurant, which was the original Drago’s.

His long-term dream was to take over that restaurant and run it himself. It just never happened. It was one of the biggest disappointments and for Klara, motivating factors in their lives. That initial rejection fueled a passion for them to do it on their own.

How did their restaurant thrive?

F: Drago had tremendous patience. He thought his hard work was paying off. The idea of freedom can sound so hokey these days, but he had lived under oppression (in yugoslavia). He felt he was living the American dream.

He was a hard worker, and he had a gift of talking to people and finding out who they were. Klara and Drago were there every night, so people could see them.

Tommy told me that when plates would come back into the kitchen, Drago would look at what was not being eaten. That would give him an idea we’re not doing something exactly right. He was always thinking, “What more can I do?”

They raised two sons in the restaurant. Tommy was there every day. He was there standing on a milk crate peeling shrimp in the early days.

Gerry was working at the restaurant as a teenager and in college, but he branched out and went to medical school. They all learned how to get along with people, and how do you make it good for the customer. They were always thinking, “How can we do it better?” They were not afraid to take risks.

In the 1980s, when things were going better, the raw oyster scare hit.

They had to make changes. It was the impetus that led to the creation of the charbroiled oyster. It became a star.

Once they got established, Klara and Drago were the financial resources that sustained the restaurant. Tommy became the idea guy. He was always saying “what if” and “what can we do to grow the restaurant?” especially when he comes to them with the idea

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLARION HERALD

of let’s take this beautiful oyster on the half-shell and put it on the grill. But then they ate it and said this is fantastic. He gained their respect, especially because he was there every day. He’s been the driving force in recent times.

Tommy modernized all the procedures. They’re in a great food town.

To last in New Orleans as a restaurant, you’ve got to be on your game.

Besides the charbroiled oyster, what is the Cvitanovich family and restaurant’s legacy?

F: One of the biggest themes in the book is what they did for other people, especially after Hurricane Katrina.

They served 77,000 free meals, both in Metairie and in New Orleans. In New Orleans in early October, it was in front of St. Dominic Church, where they went. It was near the original Drago’s.

It was like a full circle story.

The thing about New Orleans is that people have such long memories and they will never forget. The Cvitanoviches didn’t take a penny for any meal. They did it with a network of other restaurateurs. Tommy said, “We weren’t the entire train, but we were driving the train.” People won’t ever forget that.

The Katrina aftermath crystallizes who they are as a family. They did it because people were hungry. People respond to that. People respond to people who are generous.

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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. $$ NiceGuysBar&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. $$$ The Original Italian Pie — 3629 Prytania St., (504) 766-8912; theoriginalitalianpieuptown.com — The Italian Pie combo includes pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, black olives, mozzarella and house-made tomato sauce. No reservations. Dinner and latenight Tue.-Sat. $$ 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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often works with her mother and explains that their foundation “does youth programming and exhibits worldwide” to which we can all look forward. Another thing to put on your calendar for this year of the Dragon that Keasler shares: “My mom will be releasing a special podcast episode about dragons and their part in Bruce Lee’s legacy on Feb. 8. And we will be celebrating many dragon-themed releases throughout this year of the dragon as well.”

Jane Chaisson, owner of Golden File Nail Spas around the city, is due to give birth to her own little dragon in mid-to-late February.

Chaisson grew up in Vietnam and came to New Orleans during high school.

It’s an exciting time as her family not only prepares for Tết, but also for baby number two, the new little sister to Chaisson’s elder daughter. Though not sure if they can attend this year, Chaisson has fond memories and looks forward to taking her children in the future. “We absolutely love attending the Vietnamese festival at Mary Queen of Vietnam,” she says. “It’s not only a way for us to show our support for the Vietnamese community, but everyone in the Golden File family looks forward to it as well. The Tết festival holds a special place in our hearts because of the incredible Vietnamese food, the enchanting music, and the sheer joy that radiates from the attendees. As self-proclaimed foodies, my husband and I relish the opportunity to indulge in the delicious Vietnamese cuisine available at the festival. It truly is a time of happiness and celebration for all.” you may recognize Thanh Truong from seeing him cover breaking news events on WWL-TV news. you can now listen to his insightful podcasts about our city with the Thanh report and his true crime story New Orleans unsolved. Truong recalls his first experiences with Lunar New year here. “When I came to New Orleans in the early 2000s, I was impressed with the size of the Tết celebration at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans east,” he says. “Coming from my small town in upstate New york, I always figured that other Vietnamese communities were as small as mine

at home. But the Tết celebration in the east was packed with so many Vietnamese families and people from all across the city. I thought to myself how great it must have been to grow up in a region where our culture and customs could be expressed and shared with so many others.”

Jim Tran has been going to the Tết Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam for years and plans to go to this upcoming one. It reminds him of growing up in Vietnam. He started the “Vietnamese in New Orleans and Surrounding Areas” Facebook group in 2010, and it’s now over 3,000 people strong.

Tran was born in Hanoi (Hà Nội), Vietnam, and moved to Hawaii for his last year of high school. Afterwards, he went to Louisiana Tech and then settled down in New Orleans. Tran says, “Tết is very special to us in many ways. I suppose my favorite part about the fair is nothing in particular, yet everything that’s reminiscent of what I used to have in the homeland. It’s a feeling. I miss it dearly.”

The year of the Dragon is special, because dragons are so integral to the Vietnamese cultural identity. Dragons are part of the land and the fantastical genealogy of the Vietnamese people.

One geographical reference to this is Cửu Long Giang, which means Cửu Long river, in southern Vietnam. It has nine small branches (tributaries) heading out to the sea. Another part of Vietnam’s mythical history that deals with dragons is Vịnh Hạ Long.

This is the Vietnamese name for Hạ Long Bay in Quảng Ninh province.

The name Vịnh Hạ Long translates into “Descending Dragon Bay.” A local

Members of the Versailles Lion Dance Team perform at Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church.

STAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

legend says that a family of dragons helped the Vietnamese fend off invaders by spitting out jewels and jade that turned into various islands, say my parents.

My mother and father, Danh and Ti Nguyen, are scholars and teachers from Vietnam, who taught letters and history and biology, respectively. They attended Lunar New year festivities in New Orleans at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church last year. They shared further information about the upcoming year of the Dragon and the philosophical ideas that arise from it. “Vietnamese dragons have been part of our country’s history for over a thousand years and have been closely connected with feudal dynasties,” my father says. “There are still a lot of well-preserved art pieces that depict this splendid creature from all over Vietnam. The variety of dragon art and artifacts have helped researchers figure out mysterious parts of Vietnamese history.”

“The year of the Dragon is a year to celebrate the spirit of the dragon that permeates Asian culture, to marvel in its beauty and wisdom, and to learn from its strengths. Vietnam has a strong connection to the dragon, which is the key animal in the folklore of the whole country. According to an ancient origin myth, the Vietnamese people are descended from a dragon and a fairy. The dragon represents power, nobility, honor, luck, and

success for our people and is associated with emperors and empresses,” my mother says.

I recently took a DNA test and found out that I’m 90% Vietnamese and 10% Chinese, mostly Dai Chinese of the Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture, in the southwestern part of the country. Having been born in the year of the Dragon, I know what animal I am, but then my parents reminded me that I’m also “part fairy.”

My parents relayed this following origin tale to me. “The Dragon and the Fairy’s Children” is a Vietnamese legend about the beginning of the Vietnamese people. According to legend, the Vietnamese people are descendants of Lạc Long Quân, a mythical being of the Dragon lineage, and Âu Cơ, a leader of the Fairy lineage. The two gave birth to a bundle of children with horns, raising a 100 dragon people. After that, Lạc Long led 50 children down to the sea, Âu Cơ took 50 children up the mountain. The eldest son who followed Âu Cơ was dubbed the Dragon King, took the title Hùng Vương, and named the country Văn Lang. These words mean “land of the tattooed.” Vietnamese people who live on and work in the water tattooed their whole bodies to look like scales and eyes of water creatures (including dragons), so they could blend in with them and feel safe.

Being proud of this noble lineage, we Vietnamese call ourselves the “descendants of the dragon and fairy people.”

Vietnam is one of the rare Asian countries that Genghis Khan and his troops did not conquer. His grandson, Kublai Khan, tried three times to take over Vietnam, but failed. Chinese and French colonization of Vietnam both also eventually failed. Vietnam’s culture has survived because of our commanding and determined dragon ways.

No matter what your zodiac animal is, and no matter your ethnic background, the year of the Dragon is a grand gift for everyone. you can go shake a dragon tail or fiery fin and demonstrate your voracity at the Lunar New year festivities in New Orleans east. The three-day fair at Mary Queen of Vietnam Catholic Church is the dominant Lunar New year Festival in the New Orleans area, but you also can make time to check out the Buddhist temples and their year of the Dragon activities, too.

Mary Queen of Vietnam Tet Celebration 6-11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Feb.17; 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 18, at 14001 Dwyer Blvd.

Free admission. Find more information via maryqueenvn.org.

Young women perform on drums to welcome in the Lunar New Year at Tet Festival.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEMOCKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Drummers perform as crowds celebrate Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church.

Father Thien Nguyen grills during Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church.

PHOTO BY SHAWN FINK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER,/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Fireworks welcome in the Lunar New Year.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL DEMOCKER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Theresa Van and Kelly Van, of Mississippi, share a bowl of soup during Tet Fest at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church.

Alvin Nguyen works his dragon puppet at Tet Fest.

FILE PHOTO

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER,/ THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Young members of New Orleans’ Vietnamese community rehearse a traditional fan dance before a performance at Mary Queen of Vietnam Church’s annual Tet Fest.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY GLEN PITRE

My Nyguen makes bahn mi during Tet Festival PHOTO BY EMILY KASK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

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the bestselling records of all time, and Don Henley, Joe Walsh and, currently, Deacon Frey, son of deceased founder Glen Frey, are keeping old fans happy with peaceful, easy feelings. The deacons of Southern California soft rock made it a dad rock double header by adding 1970s breakout jazz rockers Steely Dan. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, the Smoothie King Center.

Find tickets via ticketmaster.com.

Portugal. The Man

Indie rock band Portugal. The Man hit a major breakout moment in 2017 with their psych-pop album “Woodstock” and the song “Feel It Still,” which went on to win a Grammy.

It put a lot of new fans on to the band — and their already deep catalogue. PTM this year closes in on 20 years of music, and last year released their ninth studio album, “Chris Black Changed My Life.”

They play at 9 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, at the Civic. Tickets start at $49.50 via civicnola.com.

Matt Rife

Comedian Matt Rife had a busy 2023, re-releasing his special “Only Fans,” releasing three new specials, including “Matthew Steven rife,” “Walking red Flag” and “Natural Selection.”

Not everyone laughed at the third one, which delved into who he finds attractive and who he doesn’t, but he led a wave of comics onto TikTok after his clips drew him millions of followers. He’s also a veteran of Nick Cannon’s sketch comedy and rap show “Wild ’n Out.” He does two shows at Saenger Theatre, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 17. Find information via saengernola.com.

LPO: Classical Mystery Tour

The Beatles aren’t exactly classic rock, but their compositions and arrangements are friendly to classical music accompaniment. The Classical Mystery Tour features a quartet of musicians with backgrounds in rock — and Beatlemania veterans — performing with symphony orchestras.

They also toss in lookalike hairdos and costumes. The group joins the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at Orpheum Theater. Find tickets via lpomusic.com.

Fleetmac Wood

PROVIDED PHOTO BY MACLAY HERIOT

Juice

DJs Roxanne Roll and Alex Oxley take the music of Fleetwood Mac and lovingly reshape it with electronic remixes into a unique rave event. The duo are on an international tour and play New Orleans at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the rabbit Hole. Tickets are $20 via rabbitholenola.com.

There’s a lot going on in the sonic swirl made by Brooklyn six-piece Juice.

There’s indie pop, some psychedelia, r&B and funk in the mix, but it’s all smooth, breezy and fun. The band just released a new eP, “Nothing Like a Dream,” and are on the road. Juice plays at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Toulouse Theatre. Tickets are $15 via toulousetheatre.com.

Freewater’s Lundi Gras

Robert Jon and the Wreck

Night of 1,000 Jokes: Valentine’s Day Edition

Though the band is from Southern California, robert Jon and the Wreck aim for a much more raucous Southern rock sound, combining blues and contemporary country strains as well. The group released the hard rocking album “ride into the Light” last year. At 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets $25 in advance via chickiewahwah.com.

New Orleans creative platform Freewater takes over the Joy Theater for its sixth Lundi Gras party with an appearance by rapper Flo Milli and DJ sets by QBaby Worldwide and Spinelli. The party starts at 10 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 12. Tickets are $45 via thejoytheater.com.

Don’t give up your sense of humor for Lent or Valentine’s Day. A couple dozen local comics each do 90 seconds of their best Valentine’s Day material in the fast-paced show at Comedy House, and there’s a prize for the best joke. At 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Tickets $20 at comedy.house.

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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 12 BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Greazy Alice, J.J. Adams, The Whip Appeal, 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Soul rebels, 11 pm BOURBON O BAR — The Villians, 4 pm; Kid Merv, 8 pm D.B.A. NEW ORLEANS — Mia Borders Trio, 2:30 pm HOLY DIVER NOLA — Teenage Bottlerocket w/ Broadway Calls, 9 pm JOY THEATER — Freewater Lundi Gras Party, 9 pm MAPLE LEAF — George Porter Trio, 8 pm; New Orleans Suspects, 11 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Le Freak ft.

Paurro, 10 pm TIPITINA'S — The Iceman Special, 11 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Quintron & Miss Pussycat , 9 pm

TUESDAY 13 BLUE NILE — The Fessters, 5 pm; George Brown's Mardi G Party, 8 pm BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM — Strange roux, 4 pm BOURBON O BAR — Brian Wingard, 4 pm; Triple Threat Band, 8 pm; Ingrid Lucia, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF — TBC Brass Band, 9 pm TIPITINA'S — Big Chief Juan Pardo and The Golden Comanches, 5:15 am

WEDNESDAY 14 BLUE NILE — New Breed Brass Band, 9:30 pm BOURBON O BAR — Gary Brown, 4 pm; Serabee, 8 pm JEAN LAFITTE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK VISITOR CENTER, NEW ORLEANS JAZZ NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK — Silverbook with Saskia Walker and Oscar rossignoli, 2 pm MAPLE LEAF — Carter Wilkinson Band, 9 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin' It up with Big Sam , 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 15 BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Sally Baby's Silver Dollars, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Where y'at Brass Band, 9 pm BOURBON O BAR — Terrance and The Fortress Band, 8 pm

HOLY DIVER — Don Wayne, 9 pm MAPLE LEAF — Davis rogan, 6 pm; Johnny Vidacovich Trio, 8 pm PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT — Da Lovebirds with robin Barnes and Pat Casey , 8 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — Horace Trahan & Ossun express, 8 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm

FRIDAY 16 BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Hunter Hicks, Slow Motion Cowboys, JoJo Pepp, 9 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers, 8 pm; Kermit ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, 11 pm BOURBON O BAR — ellen Smith & April Spain, 4 pm; Street Lyfe Band, 8 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — eva LoVullo, Maddy Kirgo and Diarosa, 9 pm HOLY DIVER — Dark Lounge Ministries, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF — Ari Teitel with Ivan Neville, Nick Daniel and Terence Higgins, 10:30 pm PUBLIC BELT AT HILTON NEW ORLEANS RIVERSIDE — Phil Melancon, 8 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — The rouge Krewe, 8:30 pm

THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Trixie Minx's Burlesque Ballroom feat. romy Kaye, 9 pm

SATURDAY 17 BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — ram de Haiti, 9 pm BLUE NILE — George Brown Band, 8 pm BOURBON O BAR — Brian Wingard, 4 pm; The Blues Masters, 8 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — Zack Feinberg feat. erik Vogel, rob Kellner, David Shirley with Kristin Diable, 7 pm MAPLE LEAF — Hash Cabbage, 8 pm; The GuitArmy feat Mahmoud Chouki, Sam Dickey, Danny Abel, raja Kassis, Chris Adkins, Lex Warshawsky and Jamison ross, 11 pm NOLA BREWING TAPROOM — Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Martini Happy Hour, 7 pm PUBLIC BELT AT HILTON NEW ORLEANS RIVERSIDE — Phil Melancon, 8 pm RABBIT HOLE — Fleetmac Wood, 9 pm ROCK 'N' BOWL — The Topcats, 8:30 pm SAENGER THEATER — Matt rife, 7 & 10 pm SANTOS — The Thing, 9 pm SMOOTHIE KING CENTER — eagles: The Long Goodbye, 7:30 pm THE GOAT — The Cult of Chunk, Ded Debbie, Code Black, 9 pm

Quintron and Miss Pussycat play Toulouse Theatre on Feb. 12.

PHOTO BY KATHLEEN FLYNN / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — The Nayo Jones experience , 7:30 & 9 pm TOULOUSE THEATRE — Juice, 7 pm

SUNDAY 18 BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER — Big Jon and the excellos, 8 pm; DJ Big Nick and the Kingpin Sound System, 9:30 pm BLUE NILE — Street Legends Brass Band, 10:30 pm; The Baked Potatoes, 8 pm BOURBON O BAR — Marc Stone, 4 pm; Kenny Brown & the KB express, 8 pm BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm CHICKIE WAHWAH — robert Jon and the Train Wreck, 7 pm LAFON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER — Sons of Serendip, 7:30 pm MAPLE LEAF — Joe Krown w/Papi Mai, Casandra Faulconer and eric Bolivar, 9 pm THE JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — richard 'Piano' Scott, 7:30 pm

SCAN FOR THE COMPLETE GAMBIT CALENDAR

25

Breakfast & Lunch Served All Day

Building bridges

by Jake Clapp

ROLAND GUERIN’S “PROG:FUNK” EP is

a bridge between the past and a new chapter for the New Orleans-based bassist, singer and songwriter.

Guerin’s career has led him to learn from many of the greats of New Orleans music, like saxophonist Alvin Batiste, who taught Guerin at Southern university, and a long association with Allen Toussaint. He also played with Dr. John and became the pianist’s musical director in 2017.

That experience can be heard in the songwriting and storytelling on the brief, three-song eP, which is out Feb. 16. It’s bubbling under the surface of the kinetic mix of prog rock and funk, a unique style that Guerin is developing with a full-length album on the horizon.

“I’ve been writing songs hinting at this for a while, but this is more of a mature form of it,” Guerin says from Toronto, Ontario. Guerin is currently on tour with drummer Brian Blade and his Fellowship Band, a group Guerin has regularly performed with in recent years.

Guerin’s albums over the years have included a wide range of musical interests and styles, from jazz to r&B, funk and Americana. His latest album, 2019’s “Grass roots,” blended many of those genres, and he included homages to Toussaint, Dr. John and his family’s Creole history.

When the pandemic hit, Guerin shifted quickly to working at home, writing more and focusing on production, he says — alongside taking care of a newborn child. He began to develop a newer playing technique in his right hand, which drew him to approach songwriting differently. And he was listening to a lot of new music, including more progressive rock and metal by bands like Intervals and guitarists such as Paul Gilbert and Olly Steele.

The music “just really hit home,” Guerin says. “you listen to something and you like it, but when you pick up your instrument and play, then you start drawing from your own experiences and your background and your influences.

So, I just immediately started writing from my influences — from Allen Toussaint, from Dr. John, from Alvin Batiste, then Peter Gabriel, from Sting and Prince.”

The new music started flowing out, he says. The sound is forward looking while still being rooted in history. Lyrically, the three songs on “PrOG:FuNK” also seem to speak to the early chaos of the pandemic.

The bass riff-heavy “I Propose” touches on those months’ competition

481 GIROD STREET, NEW ORLEANS | 504-265-1972 New Orleans bassist, singer and songwriter Roland Guerin PROVIDED PHOTO BY ROLAND GUERIN

for digital attention, while wishing people would be more drawn to cooperation and community. “Crunch Time” is a patient, dreamy track about growing older and realizing the preciousness of time and the moments shared with others. On the eP’s catchy closer, “Bridge to Open Waters” — which gives the name to the upcoming full-length — Guerin urges listeners to open their minds to changes that push society forward.

During the pandemic, Guerin also wrote the song “28 Days,” which won a songwriting contest hosted by Burl Audio. The newly won equipment helped Guerin produce his eP in his home studio. He also plays every part on the new tracks, except for drumming

by John Jones on the song “I Propose.”

After his tour with Blade’s Fellowship Band, Guerin returns to New Orleans for a couple of weeks, when he hopes to set up camp and begin recording his full-length. He then heads to Finland for shows in March with trumpeter Jukka eskola and saxophonist Timo Lassy, who in 2022 had traveled to New Orleans to record with Guerin, Herlin riley, Delfeayo Marsalis and others.

Guerin will be back in New Orleans in time for Jazz Fest, and he hopes to release his album later this year.

“I don’t want to wait or lag on it,” he says with a laugh. “I have enough music for like 20 more albums.”

Find Guerin’s music at rolandguerin.com

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Best Director for the wildly successful “Barbie,” are annual rites of the Academy Awards season. But plenty of nominated films don’t get enough attention, including most short films.

Thankfully, in recent years, the slates of short live action, animated and documentary nominees have hit theaters in advance of the awards ceremony, scheduled March 10 this year. Locally the Prytania Theatre screens all three showcases at its uptown location, and live action and animated at Canal Place, starting Feb. 15.

The animated films include the five nominees plus two that were shortlisted but not finalists, “Wild Summon” and “I’m Hip.” There are impressive and diverse original visual styles across the group.

Israeli director Tal Kantor’s film-festival-award-winning “Letter to a Pig” is a stark film, done mostly in high-contrast black and white with minimalist drawings of its handful of characters, at times inserting photos or video clips. In it, an older Holocaust survivor recounts the horrors of escaping persecution by seeking refuge in a farmer’s pigsty.

Though he always observed religious prohibitions against pork and associated the animals with filth, he turns the slaughterhouse imagery on its head.

The man shares his letter with young teens, but most are removed in age and time from his experiences and mostly wrapped up in petty social affairs with classmates. But one young girl tries to find a way to relate to his compassion.

In Jared and Jerusha Hess’s “NinetyFive Senses,” a kindly narrator fondly recalls the sensory perceptions of his young life in another film revolving around surprisingly couched reflections. He savors the smell of vanilla candles meant to mask the singed hair during his grandmother’s beauty salon visits. He frets about children losing normal eyesight by spending so much time staring at tiny screens. He relishes taste and his favorite foods.

The visual style mixes bright, sharply drawn images of the past and a more faded, watercolor-like present. But the man’s excitement becomes bittersweet as the arc of his life comes into view.

‘Letter to a Pig’ PHOTO PROVIDED BY MAGNOLIA PICTURES

Iranian filmmaker yegane Moghaddam’s “Our uniform” is visually creative, featuring childlike drawings animated on fabric backgrounds. The commentary on the greater constraints Iranian society enforces through the hijab is clear. And the girl knows none of these rules apply when her family travels outside the country. Her small hidden flourishes, like a child’s irreverent and illicit drawings in a notebook, propel the film’s creativity and its distinct voice.

“Pachyderme,” from French director Stephanie Clement, is another reflection on youth that features a gorgeous illustration style. In it, a woman named Louise remembers summers spent with her grandparents in the countryside, as she indulged her imagination about natural sights and sounds and slowly became aware of her grandfather’s aging.

Also nominated is “War is Over!

Inspired by the Music of John and yoko,” in which soldiers on opposite sides during World War II play a remote game of chess, using pigeons to communicate their moves.

Karni Arieli and Saul Freed’s mixed-media short “Wild Summon” uses plenty of stunning video footage of Icelandic waterways in a film about the incredible odyssey of salmon returning to distinct spots to spawn. The salmon are not represented as fish, and the ominous treatment is done with computer animation. It’s a candid approach to illustrate the problems with environmental degradation.

Also in the slate is the four-minute short “I’m Hip,” about a cat as a jazzy hipster. All other films are between 7 and 17 minutes long. The group of nominees demonstrates how well animation can be deployed for brief but moving and serious storytelling.

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