ALYSSA H AUPTMAN N ( 504 ) 483 -1123 [alyssa.hauptmann@gambitweekly.com]
Sales and Marketing C oordinator
C LA R E B R IE RR E [clare.brierre@gambitweekly.com]
LIONEL NOSA C KA [lionel.nosacka@gambitweekly.com]
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Potent scripts
New Orleans actor Dave Davis brings ‘Hazard’ to Zeitgeist Theatre
IN “HAZARD,” NEW ORLEANS ACTOR DAVE
DAVIS PLAYS JOHN LANG, a cop in a small town in Appalachia. He’s talking with his childhood friend Will (Alex Roe) in a park where they played sports together as kids. The field is in disrepair, and all the trees and bushes around it are covered in a heavy blanket of kudzu vines.
“It’s an invasive species,” Lang says, breaking a moment of silence. “It’s taking over.”
He asked Will to join him because the town is being overrun, and he’s reaching out for help. The real invasion is opioid addiction. He knows Will has struggled with pills, and he’s desperate to find a way to stop the supply of drugs that’s suffocating the town.
Davis and writer, director and producer Eddie Mensore bring the film to Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge for a one-week run, and they’ll attend the screening and do a Q&A on opening night, Friday, March 14.
In “Hazard,” Will is flailing in many ways, both addicted to opioids and dependent on selling them for an income. He chose not to work in the mines, which left his father physically broken.
He’s also trying to get back together with Sara, played by Sosie Bacon, daughter of Kevin Bacon.
Sara has recovered from addiction and is reluctant to trust Will, especially because he’s been mostly undependable to both her and their young son. But the promise of Will having enough money to move them away from the town is a strong draw.
“It paints the picture of someone losing their family, losing their livelihood, losing their ability to cope with pain,” Davis says, “and an incredible picture of hope, resilience and love.”
John is trying to find the source of free-flowing illicit prescriptions when a young woman from a nearby town dies from an overdose. Besides knowing Will from childhood, John is Sara’s brother. John believes Will can lead him to the source of the drugs. It’s a small world, and it’s closing in on all of them.
While the girl’s death ups the pressure, the story is not a crime thriller. The drama is about a couple of characters trying to regain control of their lives, one way or another.
The portrait of addiction is complex. Will defends supplying pills to an addict who turned to pain killers because of ongoing domestic assaults. In his account, he’s not the source of her problems but a source of relief.
by Will Coviello |
The drugs are not the only problem in the region, and, as they were intended, they dulled the pain for a while. But for many, the relief was short lived, and dealing with the effects of withdrawal is an ordeal.
“Hazard” was written by Mensore 20 years ago. He took the script to Hollywood, but it didn’t attract interest at the time, well before the opioid crisis drew wider attention.
Mensore worked at a major studio for years but left to focus on independent filmmaking. He has made several films about Appalachia, including “Mine 9,” about a coal mine collapse.
As an independent producer, he writes, directs, edits and releases his own films. He often releases them in Kentucky and West Virginia first, and then follows his own rollout plan, both to reach his audience directly and to recoup his investment before going to wider outlets, such as streaming platforms. Davis met Mensore when he was cast for the film. They became close during filming in Benham, Kentucky. Davis’ contributions also earned him an executive producer credit.
Though born in New Jersey, Davis grew up in New Orleans. Following Hurricane Katrina, he finished high school in New Jersey, and again returned, this time to Tulane University.
“I wrote my college essay about the healing power of Mardi Gras,” he says. “Tulane was happy to have me.”
St. Patrick’s parades
There are Irish marching groups, floats, beads and cabbages and more at local St. Patrick’s Day parades. The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day parade starts on Magazine Street at Felicity Street at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 15. Its route circles the Garden District on Jackson Avenue, St. Charles Avenue and Louisiana Avenue before returning on Magazine Street. See irishchannelno.org for details. The Metairie St. Patrick’s parade will follow the rescheduled Krewe of Argus parade, which begins at 10 a.m. Sunday, March 16. The route starts on Severn Avenue at 41st Street, turns onto Metairie Road and ends on Focis Street. See stpatricksdaymetairie. com for details.
While at Tulane, he pursued acting, and in addition to film projects, he worked with the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane. That culminated in the starring role in “Hamlet.”
During the run of “Hamlet,” he was cast in an episode of “The Walking Dead.” Other TV roles followed, and he split time between New Orleans and Los Angeles. He played the lead in a religious horror film, “The Vigil,” released in 2019. In the film, he plays a young man in a New York Hasidic community who is a shomer, someone who is paid to watch over a dead body before it is buried.
Since the pandemic began, Davis bought a house in Gentilly and has spent most of his time in New Orleans. His girlfriend opened the hybrid Jewish deliGreek restaurant Smoke & Honey in MidCity. He’s been supporting that effort, and they’re planning on bringing a theatrical production to the space in early fall.
Davis is going to do the one-man show “An Iliad.” Actor Denis O’Hare and playwright Lisa Peterson created the modern take on the epic poem.
“It’s a telling of ‘The Iliad,’ ” Davis says. “The poet and the performer has been telling the story for thousands of years, and he resurfaces to tell the story in times of war. So he hates telling the story, but it’s such an important story he has to tell it.”
“Hazard” opens March 14 at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge. Visit zeitgeistnola. org for information.
Super Sunday
Black Masking Indians gather for Super Sunday in Uptown at A.L. Davis Park and tribes walk through Cental City beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 16. There’s music by Young Pinstripe Brass Band, Keep It Rolling Brass Band, Village Brass Band and DJs. The event begins at noon and there will be food vendors in the park. Visit @mardigrasindiancouncilofficial on Instagram for information.
Kiln Fest
DIY New Orleans label Kiln Recordings, which specializes in cassette tape releases, is hosting a two-day music fest at the Fred Hampton Free Store with local bands and a few touring musicians traveling for South by Southwest. The show on Monday, March 10, includes New York’s Bedridden, Lafayette’s Cashier and Florida alt-country rock band Oldstar. The bill on Tuesday, March 11, features Lafayette native Hemlock, Kaleidoscope Crux from Lafayette and New Orleans bands Sleep Habits, Tweakhoney, Abby and the Arsonists and Coworkers. Advance tickets are $10 for March 10 and $15 for March 11 via tixtree.com.
PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DAVE DAVIS
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
New Orleans hates the Cybertruck
THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN
PepsiCo and PepsiCo Foundation gave $200,000 to St. Augustine High School during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. The donation includes $100,000 toward scholarships supporting Purple Knights going on to higher education, $50,000 toward emergency funding for students facing financial challenges and another $50,000 in flexible funds.
The Louisiana Beverage Association and American Beverage donated $25,000 to Recycle Dat!, the City of New Orleans’ and New Orleans & Co.’s Carnival-time recycling initiative. Operated by the nonprofit Grounds Krewe, the program collects plastic and glass bottles, aluminum cans, and unwanted beads along parade routes as well as operating recycling spots. In 2024, Recycle Dat! collected more than 10 tons of recyclable materials during the last two weeks of parades.
Can New
Orleans pull of a plan to fnish nearly $2 billion in road repairs?
FACED WITH DELAYS AND COST OVERRUNS ON REPAIRS to hundreds of New Orleans streets, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and top city officials say they have a plan to rush one of the administration’s signature projects to the finish line.
City Hall aims to lock in contractors to finish all of the work in the queue for its $1.7 billion FEMA-funded roadwork program, called the Joint Infrastructure Recovery Request, by May.
or release a copy of the contract. The company also did not respond to a request for comment.
The fix aims to keep afloat a massive street repair program that has struggled mightily in recent years. The program dates to 2015, when FEMA awarded the city nearly $2 billion to settle outstanding Hurricane Katrina claims. The city has to spend the funds on a reimbursement basis, and by a deadline set by FEMA.
THE NUMBER OF DAYS UNTIL THE NEXT FAT TUESDAY, AS OF MARCH 10, 2025.
Following 2025’s particularly long Carnival season, Mardi Gras Day next year falls on Feb. 17, 2026. That means revelers have 11 months and 7 days to get through. And remember, it’s never too early to start working on your costumes.
What is your favorite friend-themed New Orleans bar?
The Trump administration has put critical funding for HIV/AIDSrelated services in New Orleans at risk because of sweeping cuts to federal funding, Verite News recently reported. One of those groups working with New Orleanians living with HIV and AIDS is Project Lazarus, which relies on federal support for almost 70% of its budget. Today, HIV is a manageable health condition but requires lifetime care. Experts worry Trump’s drastic cuts will undermine that progress.
The city has hired Boston-based consulting firm CDM Smith to manage the projects in that program, which was designed to address longstanding water, sewerage and drainage issues across New Orleans.
The goal, officials say, is to eliminate delays and get roads finished quickly. CDM Smith has split the remaining projects into seven groups, and the city is accepting bids from construction firms for the first group, which includes Bayou St. John, the Fairgrounds, the 7th Ward, LakeTerrace Oaks and Lakeview.
The reorganization “ensures the remaining FEMA funding is utilized to its fullest potential,” city officials said in a statement last month.
The Cantrell administration did not say how much CDM Smith will be paid
The city had only spent 1% of those funds by the time Cantrell took office in 2018, and the mayor moved fast to jump start the work, while criticizing her predecessor, Mayor Mitch Landrieu, for the slow pace.
But residents quickly complained about streets that were dug up and left that way for months, as construction crews struggled to manage numerous projects in various neighborhoods at one time.
In 2021, the Cantrell administration paused all new road construction projects so it could rework its contracting process. It began requiring contractors to finish smaller chunks of work before moving on.
Meanwhile, project costs kept rising. Last year, CDM Smith found that the cost of the remaining work 21.4%
A roadwork project in 2024
PHOTO BY JOHN MCCUSKER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
had increased by as much as $1 billion due to skyrocketing estimates from construction firms, accounting for higher labor and materials prices.
Sixty-five of the 273 projects set to be completed through the program are on hold, awaiting additional funding.
Now, the city is again changing course. CDM Smith will decide which areas will be fixed first, and crews will take on multiple projects rather than one at a time in an effort to “expedite the bidding process and complete the remaining work within the given timeline,” Cantrell spokesperson Leatrice Dupre said.
In the program’s second phase, streets will be fixed in the Hollygrove area while the third phase will see the Desire Area prioritized. Other areas to go out to bid by May are sections of New Orleans East, Uptown and Lakeview.
The city was recently awarded an extension from its previous March project deadline to November of this year. Cantrell officials did not say whether they have applied for even more time, but last summer Joe Threat, the city’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Infrastructure, said that the city planned to seek an extension to sometime in 2027 or 2028.
Though “the goal remains to complete all of the JIRR program projects,” Dupre said, “achieving this goal will be dictated by funding availability.”
Council Member Joe Giarrusso, who has questioned why the Cantrell administration chose to operate such a massive undertaking in-house, said last week he was glad to see the city outsourcing the work now, but that CDM Smith had “a tough hill to climb because of what they’ve been given.”
Giarrusso said he receives “too many” complaints about the pace of road work from residents.
“The irritation level is as high or higher than I’ve ever seen it,” Giarrusso said. — Sophie Kasakove / The Times-Picayune
Tesla Cybertruck owners have FAFO moment during Orpheus
THE KREWE OF ORPHEUS BILLS ITSELF AS THE MOST DIVERSE in Mardi Gras, a “consciously nonexclusive” superkrewe that rolled on Lundi Gras with famed drag artist Bianca Del Rio as monarch, leading more than 1,000 riders in a night of revelry.
But some participants weren’t feeling too welcomed by the crowds on Monday night as parade marshals rode inside four Tesla Cybertrucks
positioned between floats, American flags waving from rear bumpers.
The angular metallic trucks took a pummeling of beads, boos and barbs from paradegoers. At least one shattered window was reported before each Cybertruck bailed, steered manually off the route before the parade’s end, according to the accounts of drivers and others on social media.
The disapproving response reflects a backlash that has erupted nationally over the popular electric vehicle brand, in response to Tesla owner Elon Musk’s close alliance with President Donald Trump. Musk, the world’s richest man, heads up the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which has wielded a heavy hatchet to federal jobs and foreign aid since Trump returned to the White House six week ago. Musk has been vocal in attacking liberal policies and diversity programs.
None of it sat too well with revelers in the heavily blue Crescent City.
“It’s just been brutal. They’re killing us out here,” one rider told a police officer after cracking a window on one Tesla Cybertruck, in a video posted from inside one of the trucks.
“We’re getting beat to s**t by certain people throwing stuff, jumping on the car, kicking the car, hitting the car,” a man told an Orleans Parish sheriff’s
deputy at Harmony Circle, adding that three other Teslas in the convoy had already left the route.
Officials with the Krewe of Orpheus, which was founded in 1993 by crooner Harry Connick Jr., were silent Wednesday. The krewe’s spokesperson, Renee Matthews, refused to answer questions about the trucks. She referred questions to Orpheus co-founder Sonny Borey, who did not respond to calls.
One local Reddit user, identifying himself as a marshal, said he was unaware he would be riding in a Tesla truck until he received his assignment.
The man, who used a slur to describe his feelings about Musk, recalled “boos and attacks from start to evacuation” along the Orpheus route.
“The people in charge were telling us to get out and stop people from crowding the trucks, and we all said ‘I’m not stepping foot out of this thing, they’ll think I’m a part of this and attack me,’ ” his post read. Attempts to reach the man Wednesday were not successful.
The driver of the same Tesla wrote on social media that what “should have been a really cool fun time” quickly turned south over misguided politics.
“It was obvious ...from the onset of the parade rolling this was more about chaos and hatred under the false flag
we hate Elon,” the man wrote on X, Musk’s social media platform.
“It was really just an excuse to destroy someone’s property to spread their evil anarchy on everyone.... Sadly, this is the state I’m from. I’m embarrassed of that fact right now,” he added. “I’m sure to some disappointed few, my Cybertruck was not damaged at all. It’s bullet proof btw. The glass sure can be broken. Mine wasn’t, but a couple great friends were. What’s next?”
Attempts to reach the drivers of the Tesla vehicles for comment were not successful. The New Orleans Police Department did not respond Wednesday to questions about damage to the vehicles or if police had ordered any of them to leave the route. Musk’s role in the Trump administration, anti-trans and racist beliefs and use of a Nazi salute have reportedly stirred buyer’s remorse across the country from owners and investors in Tesla. Some owners of the popular vehicles are now selling them over politics, while some Tesla showrooms have been targeted for protests. — John Simerman / The Times-Picayune
The Krewe of Orpheus rolls to the theme, ‘As Above So Below,’ on the Uptown route in New Orleans, Monday, March 3, 2025.
STAFF PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD
OPENING GAMBIT
New Orleans City Council closes short-term rental loophole
THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL HAS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED the practice of issuing permits to hotels without round the clock staffing in an effort to discourage new operators who critics say are attempting to circumvent the city’s short term rental regulations.
The ban, which is effective for a year, comes as the city has seen an uptick in properties that appear to be functioning as a hybrid between short-term rentals and hotels. The vote follows a crackdown on Airbnbs in recent years, including a 2023 moratorium on new short-term rentals in commercial areas.
The council scrambled to develop the proposal after the Board of Zoning Adjustments on Monday struck down a requirement, which was enshrined in a 2018 Department of Safety and Permits memo, that New Orleans hotels must have staff on-site at all times.
The seven-member board ruled that the requirement isn’t spelled out in local ordinances, and that the department’s guidance had been superseded by a 2019 law which defined hotels as establishments that have staffing to assist with guests checking in and out. The definition doesn’t say when staff must be present, or whether they can provide assistance remotely.
Now the council, which approved the temporary ban unanimously, will work with City Planning Commission to consider a zoning amendment that could make the change permanent.
“It’s a complete safety issue,” City Council President JP Morrell said. “You have staff on site who make sure that people are being checked in and out safely, that all the different requirements of a hotel — there’s someone on site to address those issues.”
Critics of the council’s move say removing the staffing requirement would have paved the way for small guest houses that can’t afford fulltime staffing. But others contend that some properties with hotel licenses now function as short-term rentals, skirting city efforts to regulate them. Lack of on-site personnel is a common complaint about commercial short-term rentals, especially larger properties.
“There is zero difference between a hotel with no staff and a commercial short-term rental,” said Morrell.
The measure creates an “interim zoning district,” which allows the council to create temporary zoning
laws without conducting prior hearings. A separate measure directs the City Planning Commission to conduct a hearing on the issue.
Some raised concerns about the restrictions.
“It starts getting into a situation where the government’s now telling businesses of all shapes and sizes that we know better ... versus those individual businesses figuring out their best attempts at business,” said Zach Smith, the former director of the New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits who now runs a consulting firm.
The ambiguity of the city’s hotel staffing requirement took center
stage this week after the owner of a six-room guest house in the French Quarter filed an appeal to the zoning board after their application for a hotel license was held up, in part, by a Safety and Permits request for a staffing plan.
Some neighbors of the Barracks Street property raised concerns that lack of staffing would pose a safety risk for guests and neighbors.
“You need somebody there that can be the one who is calling the fire department, calling the police station, addressing late night gatherings,” said Erin Holmes, executive director of Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents and Associates.
“We don’t want all the hotels and motels continuing to morph into short-term rentals.”
Meanwhile, how officials will regulate commercial short-term rentals in the long term remains an open question.
The council in 2023 froze new applications for short-term rentals in commercial zones, and directed the Planning Commission to study ways to regulate them. A consultant has been hired for that study, which is expected to be finished this fall, according to Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration. — Sophie Kasakove / The Times-Picayune
Short-term rentals in the Treme in 2023
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER/ THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
When you step into your kitchen, what do you aspire to do?
Master a new cooking technique? Serve food even your pickiest family member will eat with enthusiasm?
Sub-Zero, Wolf,
Elevating every moment.
Your future kitchen starts with Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, featured at
HAND GRENADE
Shrimpcreolecatfish
Forlunch redfish fordinner
Wholebaked lane snapper with seafoodjambalaya toppedwithcreolesauce
Seafoodlasagna with asideceaser
Panneedporktenderloin with pepperjackgrilledonions and browngravy on abun “jagersnichel”
Cheddarbacon egg spicychicken biscuit
@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake, During Mardi Gras, we enjoyed breakfast at the Pontchartrain Hotel’s Silver Whistle Café. I know it’s always been famous for its blueberry muffins. Where did its name come from and is it as old as the hotel itself?
Dear reader,
ALTHOUGH THE PONTCHARTRAIN HOTEL OPENED ON ST. CHARLES AVENUE in 1927, the heyday of its Silver Whistle coffee shop and café began in the 1950s.
A 1953 Tommy Griffin column in the New Orleans Item explained that the café had a Broadway connection. It was “named after a play in which Jose Ferrer, onetime guest of the house, once starred,” Griffin wrote. Ferrer was a Tony Award-winning actor who was also the first Hispanic actor to win an Academy Award.
As restaurant critic Tom Fitzmorris explained in a 2013 article on nomenu. com, the Silver Whistle became a popular destination for locals as well as hotel guests. Its blueberry muffins became a favorite.
1981 Times-Picayune/States-Item column. She described seeing Lt. Gov. Jimmy Fitzmorris and state Sen. Hank Braden IV.
“The two were having breakfast separately in that international trade zone of morning politics in New Orleans — the Pontchartrain Hotel coffee shop,” Kelso wrote. “Everything was in place — the freshly squeezed orange juice and blueberry muffins, the blue tile and fluffy white Venetian curtains, the politically aware businessmen who watch everything from their corner table.”
In later years, the Silver Whistle was renovated and renamed the Café Pontchartrain and later the Pontchartrain Bistro and Wine Bar, with a lunch and dinner menu. Shortly before Hurricane Katrina closed the hotel, the name changed again to Lafitte’s.
“From the smallest hamlet to the biggest city, there’s always one restaurant where the big names in the community go to have breakfast with others of their kind,” Fitzmorris wrote. “For many decades in New Orleans, that place was the coffee shop of the Pontchartrain Hotel.”
Fitzmorris explained the café was a hangout for attorneys, businessmen and politicians. Legendary political reporter Iris Kelso concurred in a
BLAKE VIEW
In 2015, chef John Besh’s restaurant group took over food and beverage service at the hotel, whose new owners launched a multi-million-dollar renovation. The Silver Whistle Café returned and is now managed by QED Hospitality.
IN MARCH, NEW ORLEANS PUTS ITS OWN SPECIAL TOUCHES ON CELEBRATIONS for St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day, both of which are beloved by local Irish and Italian Americans. There are spots in town that honor the history and heritage of these ethnic groups year-round.
Hibernian Memorial Park, located on the neutral ground between West End and Pontchartrain boulevards, honors the contributions of the tens of thousands of Irish laborers who dug the New Basin Canal from 1832 to 1838.
The six-mile-long waterway linked Lake Pontchartrain to downtown New Orleans before it was filled in the 1950s. A large stone Celtic cross, now at the center of the park, was dedicated in 1990 by the Irish Cultural Society. And the Louisiana Hibernian Charity established the four-acre park, which was dedicated in 2023.
The museum of the American Italian Cultural Center, located at 537 S. Peters Street in the Warehouse District, tells the story of Italians in New Orleans. Thousands of immigrants made their way here from Italy, and Sicily in particular, in the mid-19th century. Between 1850 and 1870, there were more Italians in New Orleans than any other city in the U.S., according to the museum.
The museum shares the stories of the immigrants and Italian-Americans who have contributed
to the
and
The Silver Whistle Cafe at the Pontchartrain Hotel
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
meet your
Spring BARS & COCKTAILS ISSUE BARTENDERS
BY SARAH RAVITS AND JOHN STANTON
WITH THE LAST VESTIGES OF YOUR MARDI GRAS HANGOVER FINALLY FALLING AWAY and the weather gods once again smiling on the Crescent City, spring is a great time to get out and enjoy a drink in New Orleans – even if you’ve given up the hooch for Lent. New Orleans is blessed with some of the best bars in the world, of course. But there’s no amount of history, decor or happy hour specials that can make a bar truly special. That almost always starts with the staff behind the bar, those social alchemists who can turn a crummy day at work into a soul soothing evening with the right mix of a perfect liquid concoction and unique personality. This month we’re highlighting four of the city’s best in the bartending biz at some of our favorite watering holes. And whether you’re enjoying one of their cocktails or a drink someplace else, always remember to be kind and tip well!
VIRGINIA HOFF
THE CROWN &ANCHOR PUB AND ERNST CAFE
How long have you been a bartender?
Since I moved to the city in 2014.
Why and how did you start bartending?
I worked in casinos before moving to New Orleans, then when I got here I met bartenders and felt really drawn to the fun, fast-paced environment of bartending in this city.
What’s your favorite spot to drink when you’re not working?
Honestly, the pub. It feels like home there. Otherwise, you’ll find me at The District every Sunday watching football (Go Dolphins)!
What’s one thing people don’t know about being a bartender?
It’s so much harder on your body and health than people realize. Be nice to your bartenders and servers, their feet and knees are killing them!
What’s your favorite spirit to drink?
Tequila
SPRING COCKTAIL RECIPE: A CLASSIC MARG WITH A SLIGHTLY SPICY TWIST
Combine:
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce agave nectar or simple syrup
• 1 ounce tequila of your choice
• 1 ounce Ancho Reyes Pablano liqueur (my current obsession, also really good thrown into gin and tonic)
Add a pinch of salt or salt the rim of a glass, pour and enjoy!
PHOTO BY ZEUS SOUSA
Spring BARS & COCKTAILS
STUMPS DUH CLOWN
How long have you been a bartender? On and off for 22 years.
Why and how did you start bartending? Show biz wasn’t paying the bills.
What’s your favorite spot to drink when you’re not working?
J&J’s Sports Lounge
What’s one thing people don’t know about being a bartender?
It becomes your social life, especially working nights.
What’s your favorite spirit to drink? Gin or Fireball
SPRING COCKTAIL RECIPE: POMEGRANATE KEY LIME RICKEY
Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• Splash of lime juice
• Splash of pomegranate juice
• Soda
• Ice
• Lime wedge
Directions:
Pour liquid ingredients over ice, stir, and garnish with a lime wedge.
SOPHIE BURTON BAR MANAGER, JUNEBUG
How long have you been a bartender? About 15 years
Why and how did you start bartending?
I’ve wanted to be in and around bars since I was little. I remember watching “Cheers” and going to lodges and taverns and just feeling entranced by bartenders. I have worked in the service industry since I was a teen, and I worked my way up from dishwasher, to busser, to server, to bartender over the years. I think I got my core bar experience in Chicago by working for One Off Hospitality at Big Star and Dove’s Luncheonette. I was mentored by great people like Ben Fasman and Mae Governale in Chicago.
What’s your favorite spot to drink when you’re not working?
I’m a huge fan of Holy Diver and Nightbloom. I also love going to see my friends at Santos, Anna’s, Bar Tonique and Saturn Bar.
What’s one thing people don’t know about being a bartender?
I think in order to have success and longevity as a bartender you have to really like other people and be curious about their realities. I think you have to be genuinely interested in others’ temporal experiences in order to give good service and connect with others.
What’s your favorite spirit to drink?
I am so into brandy and eau de vie. I savor and enjoy all the different ways that humans across cultures handle fruit fermentation. I love how many raspberries it takes to make the smallest glass of eau de vie. It’s kind of like magic compressed into a stable state. The category is endlessly expressive, and I can’t get enough of it.
SPRING COCKTAIL RECIPE: PARTY ON PLASTIC
Ingredients:
• 1 ounce Bacanora Joven
• 1 ounce Reposado tequila
• 1/2 lime cut into 4 wedges
• 10 seasonal berries (blueberry or blackberry is great!)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Directions:
In a shaker tin, muddle berries, limes and sugar together. Add Bacanora and tequila. Add ice and shake. Dump without straining into a rock’s glass. Note: If Bacanora is hard to find, replace with an earthy, rather than smokey mezcal, like Banhez Joven.
BAR REDUX
PHOTO BY SARAH RAVITS / GAMBIT
PHOTO BY RANDY SCHMIDT
Spring BARS & COCKTAILS ISSUE
SPRING COCKTAIL RECIPE: THE BIBLIOPHILE
T. COLE NEWTON
OWNER, TWELVE MILE LIMIT
How long have you been a bartender?
19 years
Why and how did you start bartending?
I figured it would be a good way to make money while I finished college, so went to bartending school during my senior year and wound up working at a fine dining Italian restaurant.
What’s your favorite spot to drink when you’re not working?
I don’t drink a lot of alcohol anymore, so if you see me out enjoying a beverage it’s probably at Coffee Science or The Station. Or Pal’s. Everyone loves Pal’s.
Ingredients:
• 1 1/4 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce triple sec
• 1/2 ounce orgeat (almond) syrup
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 2 dashes celery bitters
Directions:
Shake, strain into a coupe or martini glass, garnish with a lemon peel (or some celery leaves, if you’re fancy).
What’s one thing people don’t know about being a bartender?
It involves a lot of fractions! So many ratios, percents, proportions … basically all the math is fractions. Pay attention in math class, kids, you might grow up to be a bartender!
What’s your favorite spirit to drink? Bourbon
PHOTO BY JOSH BRASTED
ON LENT, BARS AND SAINT JULIE OF BYWATER
BY JOHN STANTON | Gambit editor
LENT MIGHT SEEM LIKE AN ODD TIME TO GO TO THE BAR, particularly for those who think of them as solely the domain of drunks. In America, alcohol is probably the second most popular thing for Catholics to abstain from during Lent behind chocolate. During a period when the devout are expected to meditate upon the life and death of Christ and give back to their communities, a bar room might seem like the last place you’d want to be.
But this being New Orleans, we do Lent a little bit differently, and for many of us (Catholic or otherwise) bars are an integral part of the season and a great reminder of what Jesus stood for.
For one thing, our bars aren’t just places to get drunk, though they’re admittedly great for that, too. Whether it’s to see live music, catch up with family and friends or even to find a few blessed moments of peace away from family, plenty of people who don’t drink hang out in bars all across New Orleans.
The current mocktail craze and rise of THC seltzers has also helped weaken the stigma against frequenting bars for folks avoiding booze for health reasons — reopening these vital and energetic spaces of community and fellowship to them.
In fact, many bars are engrained in our Lenten traditions. Between now and Easter, bars across the city will host fish fries every Friday where the devout can break their meatless fast with some of the best fried fish the South has to offer. For decades, New Orleanians have been enjoying these cheap (or often free) Lenten meals, which are an opportunity to enjoy time with neighbors after a hard week of work and consideration of one’s many and myriad sins.
Serving fish on Fridays isn’t a oneoff thing for New Orleans bars, of course. They also have a long history of providing food for patrons and neighbors. From beans and rice on Mondays to potlucks and free craw-
fish boils, bars have been feeding our bellies and souls for generations. And for many, that service to community is a vital part of their lives and diets.
Over the last few years, Lent also reminds me of my friend Julie Kelley. A Bywater resident and longtime bartender and manager at BJ’s, Julie was a fixture in the lives of many of the bar’s regulars and neighbors. Julie was in many ways a walking embodiment of the ideals of kindness, empathy and lending a helpful hand not because some book said to but simply because it was right.
Her charity and kindness came in ways large and small. On more than one occasion, she threw the bike of a certain alt-weekly editor into her truck and delivered it to him after a night of drinking left him unable to pedal. She organized the annual toy drive at for patrons of the “Barmuda Triangle” — J&J’s, Vaughan’s and BJ’s — as well as potlucks for the community.
She also kept a vigilant eye on many of our little community’s older or vulnerable members and made it a point to check in on folks who couldn’t, or for mental health reasons wouldn’t, leave their homes.
Then in 2020, the pandemic hit right as Lent began. The staggering death toll of the early days of the pandemic didn’t just set off citywide lockdowns. As the days turned to weeks and months, it also forced many sick and elderly residents into deep isolation out of fear of infection.
For those without nearby relatives or the economic means or technological know-how to use food delivery apps, that in turn meant a real danger of not being able to eat.
A week or so after the city shut down, I was startled by a knock on my door. First of all, I’d mostly given up on the convention of clothes by then, so I was ambling about in just a sarong and in no mood or state for random visitors. Afterall, my neighborhood in the 7th Ward had
been deathly quiet for days — even the nearby Claiborne Bridge was silent. And nobody was ever out on the street.
When I opened the door, I saw Julie standing in the street. Though she was wearing a mask, I could still see that infectious smile of hers in the eyes.
Waving, she hollered, “I made you a mask and brought ya some food!” I looked down and there was a mask made of fabric with a Stormtrooper’s faceplate on it and a couple containers worth of food. When I thanked her, she explained she was just trying to make sure everybody from the bar was OK and had something to eat. It was a small thing, sure, but in that moment, I felt some amount of hope. It showed me that out there, beyond my increasingly cramped feeling home, the best parts of life were surviving.
Julie, along with her sister Lisa, passed away in the summer of 2022. And while her death has left a permanent hole in our community, her spirit of kindness and generosity lives on in the people and the place at BJ’s.
BJ’s Lounge
PHOTO BY JOHN STANTON
Julie Kelley
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JENNIFER CALLAN
EAT + DRINK
British invasion
The Bell serves English pub fare in Faubourg St. John by Beth D’Addono |
BROOKS REITZ LIKES WORLD BUILDING
CREATING AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE that can be transportive, even just for a little while. It’s why he double majored in English and drama in college, intent on a career as a playwright.
Like so many students, he worked in restaurants to pay the bills. He remembers clearly when hospitality became more than just a job.
“I went to Balthazar in New York City,” says Reitz, who grew up in a small town in western Kentucky. “The place just blew me away, such a classy space, with red banquettes and amazing steak frites. I felt like I’d been to Paris, or what I imagined Paris would be like. That was the moment when I realized you could create a whole world in a restaurant. It’s like a show happening every night.”
So began a career that eventually landed him in Charleston, South Carolina, where he has well-regarded restaurants including Leon’s Oyster Shop, Little Jack’s Tavern and Melfi’s. In November, he opened The Bell, his first foray into New Orleans.
Reitz and his business partners took over the charming cottage at 3125 Esplanade Ave., near the Fair Grounds and City Park. It’s been home to different restaurants through the years, most recently The Post and, for a long time, Nonna Mia.
With The Bell, Reitz leaned into his love of all things British. “I was married in England, honeymooned in England,” he says. “We go back there every summer.”
His partners Tim Mink and Andrew Bell each have close family ties to England. Bell is the restaurant’s general manager and lives nearby. Though he has a background in managing soccer teams, this is his first job managing a restaurant.
“He’s great at managing a team of people,” Reitz says.
Their neighborhood pub has a chill vibe, and it gets a British sense of place from a string of Union Jack flags and cheeky British themed art, including a series of prints customized
crispy onions, fragrant herbs and a bright fish sauce dressing.
FORK + CENTER
Email
Fight club
FOOD FIGHT, THE TASTING EVENT AND COMPETITION, will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at the Carousel Lawn in Metairie’s Lafreniere Park. Besides food and drink, there’s entertainment by James Andrews and the Crescent City All-Stars and Trixie Minx Burlesque, and Dohm Collective will have a silent disco.
by local artist Simon Blake. One wall holds London-based artist John Broadley’s portraits of imagined British explorers, with ephemera from their fictitious expeditions hanging from the ceiling in the pub.
“We create narratives at all of our places,” Reitz says. “It’s something to anchor to, branding with more dimension than just a logo.”
The current menu is compact but offers broad appeal. Broiled Gulf oysters are topped with Neal’s Yard Cheddar instead of the usual Parmesan. Large Louisiana shrimp are served with Marie Rose sauce, a British mayo-based condiment. The fried mussels on the half-shell with rouille are another delicious seafood appetizer.
Reitz’s restaurants are known for their interesting salads, and these don’t disappoint. Created under the direction of executive chef Joseph Guevera, the toss of peppery mizuna greens and celery includes nibs of pistachio and black olives. There’s a stilton and endive salad with julienned apples and a Viet salad with avocado,
Fish and chips show up as a crispy fish sandwich, served with fries on the side and a pleasing malt vinegar aioli. There’s a cheddar-topped fishmonger’s pie that’s a kissing cousin to shepherd’s, swapping out beef for shrimp. Mustard-braised pork is served with Irish-style potatoes colcannon, which includes cabbage, and it’s a comfort food winner.
Guinness is on tap in the bar, with staff trained by company reps on the proper way to pour the popular stout. Frozen gin and tonics are another specialty, made with Jack Rudy tonic water, the cocktail beverage brand Reitz founded in 2012.
The cottage setting is charming, cozy and intimate, with one room for dining, and the bar area has more seating. There’s also a large, covered patio and a 20-seat horseshoe-shaped oyster bar in the works. They hope it’s ready soon, possibly in time for Jazz Fest.
Reitz sees parallels between his customers in Charleston and in New Orleans.
“People like to drink in Charleson too,” he says. “The biggest difference we’re finding is that we’re getting mostly locals in, not too many tourists.”
There are awards for top traditional, creative and vegetarian dishes as well as classic and creative cocktails. There are 40 competing restaurants, caterers and pop-up vendors, including Addis NOLA, Bayona, Brennan’s, Jamaican Jerk House, Namaste NOLA, Nori Guys, Origen, Ralph’s on the Park, The Seafood Assassin, Union Ramen, Willie Mae’s NOLA, Wishing Town Cafe and returning champion Wonderland + Sea. A portion of proceeds from Food Fight benefit the PLEASE Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentoring to at-risk youth in the New Orleans area.
General admission for Food Fight is $95. There also are VIP and early entry options. Visit foodfightnola.com for tickets and information. — Will Coviello
Marigny market
THE FAUBOURG MARIGNY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION LAUNCHED a Saturday farmers market on Feb. 8. The markets are scheduled for every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at 2624 Burgundy St. Currently there are about 10 vendors offering fruit, vegetables, microgreens, French bread, lemonade, botanical syrups, plants, rum and hot Asian dishes. FMIA is growing the market and looking to add to the number and variety of vendors. — Will Coviello
Fishmonger pie with a side of peas, chicken thighs and an endive salad at The Bell.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
PHOTO BY ANN MALONEY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Shows Shows Show SpringShow Spring
Nini Nguyen
Chef
by Will Coviello
CHEF NINI NGUYEN HAS COOKED IN NEW ORLEANS AT SUCRE AND COQUETTE and worked for a couple of years at the Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park in New York City. She’s also competed on TV cooking shows, including “Top Chef,” “Last Bite Hotel,” which she won, and “Tournament of Champions” on Food Network. In August, she released “Dac Biet,” a cookbook reflecting her upbringing in New Orleans and her family’s roots in Vietnam. She’s also competing on the new season of “Tournament of Champions.” She’ll be on the episode airing March 24. For more information, visit chefnininguyen.com.
What have you learned about cooking in TV competitions?
NINI NGUYEN: I watched Food Network growing up. I watched “Iron Chef.” I watched “Top Chef.” I became a chef. Now I am participating on these TV shows and competitions. It’s beyond my wildest dreams. It feels cool. It’s exciting, and “Tournament of Champions” is one of the biggest shows on Food Network. Cooking competitively is a whole other animal. In restaurants, you have days. Like making a stock one day or making a sauce and reducing it down. Having the time lends itself to making beautiful, delicious dishes. When you have to make things in 30 minutes, all of that goes out the window. You have to focus on quick, interesting, flavorful dishes and know your capabilities in that 30 minutes.
The more that I cook competitively, the more tricks of the trade I learn. Hanging out with other chefs, you learn so much. I can see what they do, and I learn. But at the same time, I am writing it all down, so that I know this is the fastest way that yields the best product. I try not to cook like that all the time, but sometimes I do when I am hungry.
One trick is when you braise things. You want to sear and brown your meat. One trick is that instead of putting it in a pan and searing it, in competition, people will season it and throw it in the deep fryer, because it maximizes the caramelization on the outside of the meat. It takes like a minute. Then you put it in your braising liquid. That’s a quick trick to shorten that process. I don’t have a deep fryer at home, so I
can’t use that trick. When I am home, I like to cook leisurely.
In competitions, I don’t try to do a lot of knife work, like chopping things up. I just put it in a food processor. That’s something normal cooks do at home. They have the most well-equipped kitchens (on set). It’s everything you would ever want in your home kitchen. And there are so many pans that you can do multiple things at one time. It’s really nice to cook in those kitchens because they have everything. You’re dealing with so many different chefs from so many different backgrounds. The producers stock the pantry and you get to see all the ingredients, and it’s like, what is this? And who brought this? It’s like show-and-tell with all these chefs. It’s really fun.
Are you ready for your second season on “Tournament of Champions”?
N: Last year I was in the qualifiers. It’s bracket style, so I was in the East Coast division and beat three other chefs to get my spot. But I went out in the first round against Maneet Chauhan. She ended up winning the whole thing. I hated what I cooked on that episode. I got turkey wings, and I had to make it buttery, and then I got tomatillos, grapes and a crepe pan.
It is burned in my memory. Maneet has so much talent and brings technique. I got fixated on stuffing a turkey wing, and it just was not successful. I crashed and burned. That was not my best dish.
This year, I know all the people in my division. I know a few of them well from “Top Chef.”
(In the new episode) I am against Claudette Zepeda. She’s a Mexican chef. She’s super stylish. I think if she lived in New Orleans, she would fit right in.
The game has a “Randomizer.”
There’s a (random pick of) protein, a produce and a kitchen equipment that you have to incorporate. And a style, like sweet and spicy, or Sunday brunch. Whatever the wheel comes to, you have to cook and cook quickly.
I am going to be doing a lot more with Food Network.
How has the response been to your cookbook?
N: My book is about three years in the making. It’s my blood, sweat and tears. It’s the thing I am most proud of that I have done in my career.
It’s authentic to me and my upbringing in New Orleans. It has been quite well received, especially in the Vietnamese community because I took time to really capture Vietnamese culture, from the names of the dishes being in Vietnamese to the textiles, the bowls and how the table is set. That’s all part of the culture. Southeast Asians should feel seen with this book.
For most of my upbringing, everything was pretty traditional. But my family worked in different restaurants, and that zhuzhed it up. My book is more traditional but seasoned like a person from Louisiana.
The title of the book is “Dac Biet.” It means “extra special.” Now people tell me they ordered pho dac biet because of the book. I have “dac biet” tattooed on me. Now others are getting that tattooed on them. I did it two years ago when I submitted everything. I got it tattooed on my thigh.
WI NE OF THE WEEK
Abold cabernetthathas history dating back to the Prohibition Erawith aromas of black peppercorn and black cherry with adense and jammystructure makethis afantastic wine to pair with anymeal. 1924
DISTRIBUTED BY
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FOOD NETWORK
Out to 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.
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato, spumoni, Italian ices, cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and more. There also are coffee drinks. No reservations. 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. There also are seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$
Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$
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 with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 5813866; broussards.com — Rainbow trout amandine is served with tasso and corn macque choux and Creole meuniere sauce. Brunch includes Benedicts, chicken and waffles and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$ 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. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Mon. $$
The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$
Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy
$ — average dinner entrée under $10
$$ $11-$20
$$$ — $20-up
skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 5860300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes chargrilled oysters topped with Parmesan and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse.com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish on the Half-shell is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
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. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$
The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, cheese and pickles. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
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. Lunch Fri.Mon., dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches,
salads and a NOLA Style Grits Bowl topped with bacon, cheddar and a poached egg. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
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. $$
Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an English muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$
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. $$
Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$
Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage and Creole favorites like jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, char-grilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$
Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$
Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 5231661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available.
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. $$
Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$
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. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$
Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $ Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco — 1433 St. Charles Ave., (504) 354-1342; titoscevichepisco. com — The Peruvian menu includes several types of ceviche, as well as steak and seafood dishes. Traditional lomo saltado features sauteed beef tenderloin tips, onions, tomatoes, soy sauce and pisco, served with potatoes and rice. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$
The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 3247144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Patrick Hinds
Patrick Hinds co-hosts the podcasts “True Crime Obsessed” and “The Golden Girls Deep Dive,” on which Hinds and his co-host Jennifer Simard recap each episode in the beloved TV series. Hinds is now on a storytelling tour and will stop at the AllWays Lounge & Cabaret on Monday, March 10, to share stories about the time he met Bea Arthur (things did not go well) and when his daughter was born. A VIP Q&A starts at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 general admission and $50 VIP via theallwayslounge.net.
French Film Fest
The New Orleans Film Society’s French Film Fest features an array of French language films in different genres. “Les Balconettes” is a horror comedy about three roommates who get worked up during a heatwave. In the Swiss comedy “Les Proces du Chien,” a lawyer finds herself defending a dog in a fight for justice. “Les Creoles” is a documentary about zydeco music. Jean-Luc Godard’s 1963 French New Wave drama “Le Mepris” is about an uneasy triangle involving a battling playwright and producer and the playwright’s wife (played by Brigitte Bardot), who is caught in the middle. Films screen at the Prytania Theatre Uptown. Visit neworleansfilmsociety.org for schedule and details.
NOLA Funk Fest Lineup Show
The NOLA Funk Fest will be back Oct. 17-19, but you can get a preview of what’s coming up during a lineup announcement show featuring many New Orleans funk greats. The concert will feature performances by George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville, Jon Cleary, Tony Hall, Erica Falls and many others. Big Chief Juan Pardo’s Tribal Gold also will perform, and there’s an opening set by River Eckert. The NOLA Funk Fest lineup reveal show is at 7 p.m. Friday, March 14, at Tipitina’s. Tickets are $30 via tipitinas.com.
‘Raw Fruit’ KM Dance Project reprises its work about Black family cultural traditions and relationships. The performance features music and soundscapes by free feral and poetry by Sunni Patterson. There’s a Q&A after the Friday performance.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 13, and Friday, March 14, at Ashe Power House Theater. Tickets $35 via ashenola.org.
Dusky Waters
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Chanteuse series, which highlights women in local music, continues Friday, March 14, with Americana musicians Dusky Waters and Teena May. And vocalist Stephanie Jordan will close the series on Saturday, March 15. The music starts at 8 p.m. each night at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. Tickets are $10. Find more info at jazzandheritage.org.
Joel Harrison
New York guitarist and composer Joel Harrison’s work is rooted in jazz and stretches into roots music and avantgarde jazz. In September, he released “Pity the Genius,” a book exploring American guitar music through 33 songs, including music by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Prince, Jerry Garcia and Joni Mitchell. He is joined by Ricky Sebastian, Martin Masakowski and Christopher Coreil at these shows.
At 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $40 via snugjazz.com.
‘Jersey
Boys’
The musical follows the fourdecade career of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. The jukebox musical features “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night),” “Sherry,”
“Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Walk Like a Man” and many more. At Le Petit Theatre March 13 through April 6. Tickets $27-$97 (including fees) via lepetittheatre.com.
Leyla McCalla with the LPO
For its next Market Nights concert, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra collaborates with folk musician Leyla McCalla on a program that will pull from several of McCalla’s albums, including last year’s “Sun Without the Heat” and her 2022 record exploring the story of Radio Haiti and her own Haitian heritage, “Breaking the Thermometer.” The concert also will feature works composed by Caroline Shaw, Carlos Simon, Dylan Tran and Peter Dutilly. Jonathan Taylor Rush conducts. The show starts with a happy hour at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 15, at the New Orleans Jazz Market. Tickets are $40 via lpomusic.com.
MUSIC
C LISTINGS AND MO R E EVENTS TAKING PLA C E IN T H E NEW O R LEANS A R EA, VISIT CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM
To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com
MONDAY 10
APPLE BARREL — Mark Appelford, 6 pm
CAPULET Susanne Ortner, 6 pm
DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm
FRED HAMPTON FREE STORE — Kiln Fest ft. Cashier + Bedridden + Oldstar, 9 pm
HOLY DIVER — International & Irritational with DJ Chrischarge, 10 pm
THE MAISON — Brave Acorn Band, 5 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR George Porter Jr. Trio with Chris Adkins, 7 pm; 10 pm
SPOTTED CAT Jenavieve Cooke & The Winding Boys, 2 pm; Dominick Grillo & The Frenchmen Street All Stars, 6 pm; Amber Rachelle & The Sweet Potatoes, 9:30 pm
THREE MUSES The Rhythm Method, 6 pm
TUESDAY 11
BAMBOULA’S — Cora Goldblum Quartet, 1:15 pm; Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 5:30 pm; Caitie B. & The Hand Me Downs, 9 pm
CAPULET Teena May, 6 pm
DOS JEFES Tom Hook, 8:30 pm
FRED HAMPTON FREE STORE — Kiln Fest ft. Hemlock, Sleep Habits, Kaleidoscope Crux, 9 pm
HOLY DIVER The Amazing Henrietta, 8 pm
THE MAISON Jacky Blaire & The Hot Biscuits, 5 pm; Paradise Jazz Band, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — Ivan Neville & Friends, 9 pm
NO DICE — Flagman + The Pause, 9 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE — Rebirth Brass Band, 8:30 pm
ROCK 'N' BOWL — Javier Olondo & Asheson, 8 pm
ROYAL FRENCHMAN HOTEL — Untitld, 9 pm
SIBERIA — A Kiss Before Dying + Knife
In A Gunfght, 9 pm
SNUG HARBOR — Trumpet Mafa, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm
SPOTTED CAT — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Sweetie Pies of New Orleans, 6 pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 9:30 pm
THREE MUSES Washboard Chaz, 6 pm
WEDNESDAY 12
BAMBOULA’S J.J. & The A-OK’s, 1:15 pm; Boardwalker & The 3 Finger Swingers, 5:30 pm; The Queen & Friends, 9 pm
CAFE DEGAS Double Whisky & Friends, 6 pm
CAPULET Brian Quezergue, 6 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH — Jon Cleary, 8 pm
DOS JEFES — Kris Tokarski, 8:30 pm
JAZZ PLAYHOUSE Funkin’ It Up with Big Sam, 7:30 pm
MRB — Lynn Drury, 7 pm
NO DICE T0SKA + Electric Love Supply + Mere of Light, 9 pm
ROYAL FRENCHMAN HOTEL Kermit Rufns, 8 pm
SANTOS BAR — Oh Dang + Hope Less Fancy + Ben & DC, 9 pm
THREE MUSES — Tyler Thomson, 7 pm
THURSDAY 13
30/90 — Hypno Nun, 6 pm; The Budz, 9 pm
BAMBOULA’S — Caleb Nelson & His Hot 5, 1:15 pm; Cristina Kaminis & The Mix, 5:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Band, 9 pm
BEANLANDIA Treme Brass Band, 6 pm
BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfeld’s Music Church, 9 pm; 11 pm
CAPULET — Coyote Anderson, 6 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH Cary Hudson (Blue Mountain), Lou Shields and River Glen, 8 pm
DOS JEFES — Mark Coleman Quartet, 8:30 pm
GOOD MEASURE AT THE BARNETT — Four Five Times Swing Night, 8 pm
JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Brass-AHolics, 7:30 pm
Friday, Mar. 14 at 7 p.m.
JOLIE — Audrey LeCrone & Victor Campbell, 5 pm
LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — The Soul Rebels, 11 pm
THE MAISON — Stephen Walker N’em, 4:30 pm; Single Malt Please, 8:30 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — Josh Paxton, 6 pm; Johnny Vidacovich Trio, 8 pm
NO DICE — Helen Gillet, 9 pm
THE PRESS ROOM AT THE ELIZA JANE — Ryan Batiste and Revolution Trio, 5 pm
SALON SALON — Double Whisky, 7 pm
SANTOS BAR — Tainted Love 80’s Night with DJ Shane Love, 10 pm
VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 10:30 pm
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles perform at The Dew Drop Inn for the Super Sunday Festival Kick-Off Event
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
FRIDAY 14
30/90 — Decaturadio, 2 pm; Lil’ Red & Big Bad, 5 pm; The New Orleans Johnnys, 8 pm; Street Lyfe, 11 pm
BAMBOULA’S The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 11 am; Felipe Antonio Quintet, 2:15 pm; Les Getrex & Creole Cooking, 6:30 pm; Bettis + 3rd Degree, 10 pm
BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK The Bad Sandys, 8 pm
BROADSIDE — Eric Johanson Album Release Show, 8 pm; The Bottoms + Whisper Party, 8 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH — Peter Rowan’s St Patty’s Day Acoustic Party, 9 pm
DEW DROP INN Super Sunday Festival Kick-Of Event ft. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles + DJ BSharp, 7 pm
HOLY DIVER Sunrise:Sunset, Shellshock & So Awful!, 9 pm
LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ Atom Cat, 11 pm
MAHALIA JACKSON THEATER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS — Cody Jinks, 7 pm
NO DICE — Guts Club Album Release Show + The World Is A Vampire + Torture Garden + Tortuous, 9 pm; Late Night with Say Trell, 11 pm
NOLA BREWING — The Tanglers, 7 pm
ORPHEUM THEATRE — Andy Grammer + Sheppard, 8 pm
ROCK 'N' BOWL — Neutral Snap, 8:30 pm
SEAWITCH OYSTER BAR & RESTAURANT High Standards, 5 pm
SATURDAY 15
30/90 Jef Chaz Blues Band, 2 pm; Uncut, 5 pm; Tyler Kinchen & The Right Pieces, 8 pm; Where Y’At Brass Band, 11 pm
THE BARNETT La Noche Caliente, 8 pm
BEANLANDIA La Louisiane Series
ft. T Marie & Bayou Juju, 6 pm
BMC John Lisi & Delta Funk, 9 pm
BROADSIDE The Soul Rebels, 7 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH — Peter Rowan
Electric Side with Special Guests, 9 pm
GASA GASA Sonido Gallo Negro, 9 pm
MUSIC
HOLY DIVER — Filth Abyss with DJs Mange & Scythe, 10 pm
LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Bearded
Chieftains, 11 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, 8 pm; Cardboard Cowboy, 11 pm
NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MARKET
LPO Market Nights: Leyla McCalla, 5:30 pm
NO DICE Hustle with Soul Sister, 11 pm
PUBLIC BELT AT HILTON NEW ORLEANS RIVERSIDE — Philip Melancon, 8 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE — Satellite Pilot, Flatline Radio and Salmon of Capistrano, 7 pm
THE REPUBLIC — Jade Cicada with Moody Good, Dufrey & Cualli, 10 pm
ROCK 'N' BOWL — The Topcats, 8:30 pm
SIBERIA Freak Slug with Huron John, 9 pm
TIPITINA’S Super Sunday Festival “No Hum Bow” Event, 7 pm
SUNDAY 16
30/90 Anne Elise & The Swamp Circus, 3 pm; Andre Lovett, 6 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm
A.L. DAVIS PARK — Super Sunday Day Event, 12 pm
BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm
BROADSIDE — The Flying Buttresses & Been Around Band: Boil Advisory, 3 pm
CHICKIE WAH WAH — Robyn Hitchcock, 8 pm
GASA GASA — Brian Sella (of The Front Bottoms), 9 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — Joe Krown Trio with Papa Mali, 9 pm
NO DICE — Pink Teddy Bear, 9 pm
STUDIO SAINT PHILIP — Rich Traditions, 7 pm
TREME HIDEAWAY — Big 6 Brass Band, 9 pm
Meet Dr.JohnBarbara IV
AN ew Or le an sn ative, Ie ar ne dmym ed ic al d eg re ef ro mW il li am Ca reyU ni ve rs it y Co ll eg eofO steo pa th ic Me di ci ne an d co mp lete dmyres id en cy at Ou rLad yofthe La ke in Ba to nRou ge.Ia mb oa rd-c er ti fie d in pe di atri cs an dp ra ctic ea tM an ni ng Fa mi ly Ch il dren’s Pe di atri cs,l oc ated at 2201 Vete ra ns Bl vd .i nM etai ri e.
My interest in pediatrics wassignificantly influencedbymyfather, apediatrician, whose impactonfamilieswas aformative experience Witnessinghis passionmotivated me to pursue a career whereIcould similarlycontributetothe well-beingofchildren. Iappreciate theunique personality of each childand finditrewarding toobserve theirgrowthand development. I practice alongsidemyfather, Dr.JohnBarbara III,and aspire to continue hislegacyof providingexceptional healthcare to the New Orleanscommunity.
Thedynamic nature of pediatrics is what trulyexc ites me.Ienjoy educatingfamilies andcultivating long-termrelationships.It’s incrediblyrewarding to partnerwithparents and caregivers,guiding them throughtheir children’s developmentalstages.
WorkingatManning Family Children’s,with its70-year histor y, reinforces my commitment to patient-centered care.The hospital’s dedication to creating awelcoming environmentand fosteringstrongpatientphysicianrelationships aligns perfectlywith my ownpracticephilosophy. At Manning Family Children’s Pediatrics,weare focused on providingthatsamecaringand suppor tive environmentfor ourpatientsand families
Tell us aboutManning Family Children’s PediatricPrimary Care
On healthydaysand sick days –and forany health needsinbetween –the pediatriciansatManning Family Children’s areherefor youand your family,providing extraordinary care just forkids! With locations throughoutSoutheast Louisiana, ourteamof pediatriciansare here to hold your hand ever y step of theway.
By choosing aManning Family Children’s pediatrician,you have access to an extended network of extraordinary care with Louisiana’s toppediatric specialists. As thehealthexperts forkids, we’reproud to providecomprehensive pediatric care foryourchild,whether it be a routine check-up or specializedcarefor an ongoinghealthcondition
Meet Ou rKrewe ManningFamilyChildren’s
DR .J OH NBAR BARA IV
PE DIATRICPRI MARY CARE
Questions& Answers
If youcould turn into an animal, what woulditbeand why?
If Icou ld be an an im al,Iwou ld be awolf. Wh en Iwas yo un ge r, Iwas fa sc in ated by wo lves .Il ove th ei de aoftea mworkwithi na pa ck,a nd wo lves ha ve ad ee pcon ne ctio nwithn ature.
Do youhaveany pets?
Ih avea5m onth ol dAus tral ia nS he ph erdn am ed Mi dn ig ht.S he is fu ll of en ergy an dl oves go in gfor wa lksi nAud ub on Pa rk.S he is afas tl ea rn er an d al re ad yknows awid evariety of tric ks .Ia lsoh ave atur tl en am ed Lo ki wh ois13yea rs ol d.
What’s one funfactthatyour patients mightnot know aboutyou?
Ia macer tifie dscu ba di ve r. My most re ce nt di vi ng expe ri en ce wa si nthe US Vi rg in Is la nd s wh en visiti ng my sister wh oown sayog awel ln es s ce nter th ere.
What ’s one of themostrewarding aspectsofyourjob?
Se ei ng th oseyou ng ba bi es sm il ea nd gi gg le at we ll visits gi vesa bo os tofd ai ly se roto ni nn ot ma ny othe rp eo pl eexp erie ncei nthe ir jo bs .Eve ry da ythe re is so meth in gtol au gh or sm il ea bo ut wh en it co mestoworki ng with ch il dren
What made youexcited to join theteamatManning Family Children’s?
Ma nn in gFam il yChi ld re n’sh as arep utatio nof be in go ne of th eb es tChi ld re n’sH os pita ls in th eS outh,a nd Iwas excite dtoj oi na te am of re nown ed pe di atri cs pe ci al is ts with ap leth oraof pe di atri cresou rces .B ei ng ab le to jo in my fath er in prac ti ce ha sb ee na drea m.
What ’s onething youwishthe communityknewabout pediatric primarycare?
Pe di atri cp ri ma ry ca re ofersawid evariety of co mp re he nsivecareser vi ces. From ac ute illn es sestom enta lh ea lthiss ues, to di et an dn utriti on,tom uscu loskel etal inju ri es, pe di atri ci an sa re trai ne dtoh an dl eavariety of co nd itio ns an da re of te nthe first li ne wh en it co mestoc hi ld re ncare.
What ’s onememoryofyourtime as apediatricianthatstandsout?
Re ce iv in gd rawi ng so rtha nk yo ucards from yo un gp atie ntssay in g, “You’rethe best pe di atri ci an in th eworld !” tr ul ym elts my he ar t. Be in ga bl etotakecareofmyc lose frie nd s’ newb ornb ab iesi na dd itio ntomyn ie cesa nd ne ph ewsh as be en an ho no ra nd ap ri vi le ge
Gut feeling
by Jake Clapp
A FEW YEARS AGO, NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN LINDSEY BAKER WAS ASKED by the metal website The Obelisk about what she’d like to do next with her project Guts Club. Baker had been talking with publications about the latest Guts Club album, “CLIFFS/WALLS,” which saw the vocalist and guitarist plunge her music away from dark country and blues and into crushing, droning experimental doom.
While Guts Club had always waded through heavy emotional territory, Baker was pushing the sound lower, using guitars plugged into bass amps and pounding drums on a kit with the snare drum replaced by a second floor tom. So Baker responded to the question by saying she’d like to add a baritone saxophone.
“I had thought about that instrument because of the low end, and I’m still partial to that sound, but at the time, I was like, ‘What can make this lower? What can make this more boom-y without just having a bass guitar?’ ” Baker says.
New Orleans musician L. Jett saw the interview, talked with Baker about playing with Guts Club, and they asked the internet for help getting a baritone sax. Jett had played tenor and baritone sax in the past, but in more recent years played solo, dark and ambient synth-driven music. The internet came through. Jett bought a baritone sax and played the “CLIFFS/WALLS” release show at Siberia in January 2023.
The time since the release show has seen drummer Abbey Byers — playing a kit with three toms — and guitarist Violet Jimenez join Baker and Jett to make up Guts Club and continue to push the project’s pummeling doomgaze.
Guts Club is releasing its new record, “Please Come Back to the Farm,” on Friday, March 14. The band also plays a release show at 9 p.m. that night at No Dice with The World is a Vampire, Torture Garden and Tortuous.
The four tracks on “Please Come Back to the Farm” threaten to crush the listener. And Baker — yelling against the wall of sound — again explores emotional topics. “The album examines the existential cruelty far right cultural aggressions pose on the queer psyche with a special focus on themes of
trauma, guilt and domestic violence,” the album’s notes say.
Even pop icon George Michael’s song “Father Figure” gets caught in the grinder with a reworking that includes free-jazzlike breakouts. “I think it covers a lot of bases for things that all of us like,” Baker says, “and also just to make that song more gay, because [Michael] wrote it, but he was not out yet” when the song was released.
As Baker, Jett, Byers and Jimenez talk about playing in Guts Club, the word “catharsis” repeatedly comes up. Each member expresses how making this music has been an emotional release and physically draining.
“When I had seen [Guts Club] play before I joined, I was really into it. This is something I want to be doing, because it felt like this outlet for anger and rage for [LGBTQ people] that I was looking for,” Jimenez says.
The four musicians also have clicked well together and have found joy in
playing as Guts Club. “It’s familial,” Baker says.
“Yeah, it is familial,” Byers adds. “It also just feels like it’s really helped with, probably, all of our queer identities. We’re all queer in different flavors and have our own shit going on. But there’s this unity and this ability to be comfortable and not have any weird normative dynamic.”
Tickets for Guts Club’s March 14 show are $12.47 via dice.fm. Find the music at gutsclub.bandcamp.com.
Guts Club
PROVIDED PHOTO BY RICKEY TORRANCE
Brazilian connection
by Will Coviello
BRAZILIAN CHOREOGRAPHER CASSI
ABRANCHES HAS TWO current shows set to live music. One is the ongoing tour of “Black Sabbath — The Ballet.” She collaborated with Tony Iommi, the founder and guitarist for the British metal band, to create the piece for the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
“Tony worked with us,’ ” Abranches says from her home in Brazil. “I created contemporary movement with Black Sabbath songs.”
The other show opens in New Orleans this week. Abranches has been working with the local indie rock band People Museum on the premiere of a piece titled “Dusk.” It’s one of two new works in a program, also titled “Dusk,” by the Marigny Opera Ballet, running March 14-16 and 20-22 at the Marigny Opera House.
Beginning almost a year ago, Abranches, Marigny Opera Ballet artistic director Diogo de Lima and People Museum started sharing ideas and music. Abranches decided to set her piece to a song called “Dusk.”
As she worked on the choreography, she talked to the band about what she was focusing on.
“They sent me some options,” Abranches says. “I’d say, ‘I love this melody. I love this rhythm.’ Or, ‘In the middle of the piece, I need something like, burn the church. We need to be hot here.’ ”
They gave her the rhythm she needed for the piece. They also took her phrase, “burn the church,” as the title for another song.
Abranches work is known for its dynamic sequences. But “Dusk” also is more contemplative.
“When we have dusk, we are finishing one day and have an opportunity to start a new day,” Abranches says. “We see the sun going down. One thing is finished, and we start again. It’s about hope and starting over.”
People Museum will perform live during performances. The electro pop group was started by keyboardist Claire Givens and trombonist Jeremy Phipps, and there will be a seven-piece band for the shows.
De Lima’s piece is titled “Weight Grows Lighter.”
The two choreographers have worked together before. Both were performing members of Grupo Corpo, Brazil’s top contemporary dance company. Abranches spent a dozen years performing for the company, including on a visit to New Orleans. Now she choreographs work for the group and currently is working on a piece to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
Though Abranches’ background is in ballet and classical dance, she incorporates modern movement and has choreographed work in a variety of mediums, including film. She choreographed and performed in director Carlos Saldanha’s contribution to “Rio, I Love You.”
She also was enlisted to choreograph the opening ceremony for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Brazil. She had a troupe of 80 performers of varying abilities, and she recruited one star.
American paralympian Amy Purdy had been on “Dancing with the Stars.” Purdy, who had both legs amputated below the knee, is a paralympic medalist in snowboarding. Abranches went to Denver to ask her to be in the performance.
“I taught her to do a samba,” Abranches says. “I thought, I am crazy, I am putting an American girl dancing the samba in the Maracana,” Brazil’s premier soccer stadium. “It was amazing.”
In Brazil, Abranches works exclusively with Grupo Corpo. But that doesn’t prevent her from working with companies outside the country, and she’s a rising international star. Late this year, she’ll go to New York to choreograph a piece for Ballet Hispanico.
Abranches is the second international choreographer to set work to new music by local bands in the current Marigny Opera Ballet season.
She worked with the company to set “Dusk” in December and January. She just returned in time for the end of Carnival, and she says it has felt like home.
“I found similarities about Brazil in New Orleans, especially because we both love music, we love Carnival,” she says. “The people are kind.”
“Dusk” runs at the Marigny Opera House March 14-22. Find tickets and information at marignyoperahouse.org.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIGNY OPERA BALLET
PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
QUITE AMUSING
By Frank A. Longo
Live in an ArtPiece!!! This Entertainer’s3BD,2.5BA Home is Craftedfrom8 Welded Containers w/ aSteel L-beam Framing. Bright Foyerw/Floor-to-Ceilg GlassWindows &Porcelain Flrs.OpenConcept Livg Area meticulously designed custom Kitw/waterfall Sinker CypressIsland, LG Appls, Quartz Counters,&Maple Cabinets.Liv Rm w/ Plenty of Nat’l Light, SlidingDoors AlongBothSides that open to an Entertainer’sBkyd….Enjoy theCustomSwingingPergola &the Low-MaintenanceComposite Decking. $495,000
to Tulane &Loyola+Claiborne Ave, direct route to Downtown &1-10. OffStreetPrkg! $595,000
80 Hospital VIPs 81 Give 10% to the church 84 Dragged to the jailhouse
87 Spock’s rank: Abbr.
Abutted
Popular 1980s arcade game 90 “A,” in France
Stopped snoozing
Hot sauce brand
Brewed beverage 95 Car make, as opposed to a model 97 Ecuador’s capital
