New Orleans Jazz Fest.

[pnow15]

Since Tulane is in our conference, you may want to visit New Orleans and go to the Jazz Festival. You will hear more good music in one week there they you will hear anywhere else for the rest of your life.
Check it out online.

 

[Scoe]

Since Tulane is in our conference, you may want to visit New Orleans and go to the Jazz Festival. You will hear more good music in one week there they you will hear anywhere else for the rest of your life.
Check it out online.

Funny thing thing is I was visiting my brother in Houston it so happened we decided to take the 5 hour drive to New Orleans for the jazz fear I'm not a jazz fan per say but the atmosphere was awesome great tunes and it's impossible to not get hammered on burbon street I'm at a strip club as a speak lol.

 

[UConnfan4ever]

It's is so much more than just jazz. This year The Who and Elton John are headliners. They have 12 venues each playing different types of music. I have been going for 8 years and highly recommend it.

 

[UConnWingman]

Jazz Fest is an amazing time. While the festival does have some jazz, it's primarily a celebration of good music. The most jazz you'll hear is via 2nd line and the kids on street corners.

 

[UconnFanNVa]

LOL as a Jazz fan i can say most Jazz festivals dont have "real" Jazz music. However having visited New Orleans I will say you gotta have a good time there!! And there will still be good music, and you can find Jazz too if that is what you are really after!

 

[StingLykOllie]

Funny thing thing is I was visiting my brother in Houston it so happened we decided to take the 5 hour drive to New Orleans for the jazz fear I'm not a jazz fan per say but the atmosphere was awesome great tunes and it's impossible to not get hammered on burbon street I'm at a strip club as a speak lol.

Why are you on BY at a strip club???

 

[8893]

I've been several times. Best music fest there is imo, but since they joined with AEG it is essentially two festivals in one: a general popular music festival with big name acts as headliners (e.g., this year Elton John, The Who, Pitbull, No Doubt, Hozier, etc.); and a culture and heritage festival filled with great regional acts.

There are ten stages with music going continuously from 11-7, including a Jazz Tent featuring exclusively jazz musicians, and Economy Hall, featuring exclusively trad jazz.

Plenty of places to find live jazz at night, every night, too. But also plenty of jambands, blues, funk, rock and various genre-bending forms of music. Bottom line: something for everyone, no matter what your musical taste(s).

 

[UconnFanNVa]

I've been several times. Best music fest there is imo, but since they joined with AEG it is essentially two festivals in one: a general popular music festival with big name acts as headliners (e.g., this year Elton John, The Who, Pitbull, No Doubt, Hozier, etc.); and a culture and heritage festival filled with great regional acts.

There are ten stages with music going continuously from 11-7, including a Jazz Tent featuring exclusively jazz musicians, and Economy Hall, featuring exclusively trad jazz.

Plenty of places to find live jazz at night, every night, too. But also plenty of jambands, blues, funk, rock and various genre-bending forms of music. Bottom line: something for everyone, no matter what your musical taste(s).

I wanted to see Trumbone shorty when i went but i dont think he was in town when I was there. Best night I spent was at this little restaurant with like a 3 or 4 man set jazz band. Place had a waiting line that was pretty long and it was tight around the bar. I stayed there pretty late ordering tapas and drinks just because i wanted to keep listening to the music. ONe of the most enjoyable trips i've done! And i didnt even spend that much time on Bourbon street.

 

[UConnfan4ever]

I've been several times. Best music fest there is imo, but since they joined with AEG it is essentially two festivals in one: a general popular music festival with big name acts as headliners (e.g., this year Elton John, The Who, Pitbull, No Doubt, Hozier, etc.); and a culture and heritage festival filled with great regional acts.

There are ten stages with music going continuously from 11-7, including a Jazz Tent featuring exclusively jazz musicians, and Economy Hall, featuring exclusively trad jazz.

Plenty of places to find live jazz at night, every night, too. But also plenty of jambands, blues, funk, rock and various genre-bending forms of music. Bottom line: something for everyone, no matter what your musical taste(s).

Are you going this year? I will be there 2nd weekend.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

pitbull blows

 

[WhiteDressWes]

LOL as a Jazz fan i can say most Jazz festivals dont have "real" Jazz music. However having visited New Orleans I will say you gotta have a good time there!! And there will still be good music, and you can find Jazz too if that is what you are really after!

Any hard boppers? names?

Polish Home had Ron Carter and Louis Hayes recently; Borders had Chico Hamilton for free; Black-Eyed Sallies has the greatest Trombone player of his generation tonight!

 

[ElGuapo]

I've been going to JazzFest for 11 of the past 12 years.
I meet up with friends from all over and local.
This year I will be there 2nd weekend flying in from Miami after a company sales meeting.

Fest is the BEST!

Acura Stage porto-pottie Boneyard meat-up after the Elton John set anyone?
just kidding.

But I will have a beer with any of you knuckleheads at the Fest or after during the late shows.

 

[8893]

Are you going this year? I will be there 2nd weekend.

Unfortunately, no. Heading down in October for Blues & BBQ, a smaller, free fest that is put on by NOJ&HF, the Foundation that runs Fest. This will be my fourth time attending that fest, and the weather is usually perfect then for my tastes.

Heading back for Jazz Fest in 2016.

French Quarter Fest, which just finished up, is another great, free music fest. We've done that a couple times too.

I still think Fest is the best, but the crowds and wildly increased prices for airfare, hotels and shows make it less enjoyable as an every year thing for us than it used to be.

And don't get me started on what has become of Frenchmen Street...we used to stay right on Frenchmen during Fest, back when it was a cool bohemian neighborhood with a handful of good clubs. Now it has basically become as overrun and un-ejoyable as Bourbon St. is for me. Real shame imo.

 

[ElGuapo]

I've wanted to go to VooDoo Fest in October but with younger kids Halloween and missing trick or treating is a no go for now.
There have been a bunch of Phish Halloween shows too the past 5 years that I've missed for the above reason.

Our friends who live down there are huge Saints fans so I invited them up for the Pats/Saints game a few years ago.
We had a blast that weekend and the Pats came back in the 4th to win.

When the Pats play New Orleans (In two seasons) I'll be heading down to N.O. for that weekend of party and game.

8893 is right about Frenchman.
Holy cow that place is bustling at night.
We'd traditionally go to Adolfo's for dinner one night after the Fest but don't do that anymore.
I was at d.b.a the night Osama was killed.
The news broke on the tv and the place went bullshit.
Rounds of shots and beers were flowing hard and I got extra super drunk on top of my already great buzz.

 

[8893]

We'd traditionally go to Adolfo's for dinner one night after the Fest but don't do that anymore.

Love Adolfo's. Their Ocean Sauce is almost worth braving the Frenchmen St. madness, but probably not during Fest any more.

 

[sledog]

or you could go to the 3rd Mystic Blues Festival 6/26-8. Although the music may not be as good, with the exception of Young Neil, it is a lot closer.

http://mysticbluesfestival.com/

 

[Scoe]

Why are you on BY at a strip club???

Trying to not make eye contact with the dancers, I'm wasn't gonna blow my money for a lap dance, no cover at the clubs all I bought there were 5 dollar drinks. The dancers aggressively pursue you to spend money, I wasn't gonna give in.

 

[husky8273]

Since Tulane is in our conference, you may want to visit New Orleans and go to the Jazz Festival. You will hear more good music in one week there they you will hear anywhere else for the rest of your life.
Check it out online.

are the VIP ticket packages worth consideration?

 

[pnow15]

are the VIP ticket packages worth consideration?

Honestly, probably depends on the size of your wallet?
Generally, I drive in my pickup to get there, find a place to sleep(usually within short distance) and then figure out what do do when I'm there. Saves a ton on money. This method includes everything from Disney to Charleston to NYC.
However, if I have unlimited funds, staying at the Hilton and buying ticket packages might be fun.. However, there is also a fairly
interesting city to explore while you are there if this is your first time. Renting a car should be on the list. If you have must see acts, then you should make sure you see them. But everybody is good.

 

[8893]

are the VIP ticket packages worth consideration?

It depends how much you value what each of the three different VIP packages offer.

Krewe of Jazz Fest is simply a shaded viewing pavilion with seats at the Acura stage (the biggest of the headliner stages). I don't spend a ton of time at that stage and I like to be as close as I can get, so that's never been worth it for me.

Big Chief is similar, except it has seated, shaded viewing pavilions at both Acura and Gentilly (second largest headliner stage), and semi-private viewing areas at the Congo Square, Jazz and Blues Tents. For the same reason, that has never been worth it for me.

Grand Marshal gives you access to a standing, open viewing area immediately in front of Acura, Gentilly and Congo Square. They have increased the price substantially in recent years, but a few years ago when Bruce, the Beach Boys and Tom Petty were among the headliners, I splurged on a Grand Marshal pass for that weekend and it was totally worth it for me, as the headliner stages will become impassable later in the day on good weather days, so if you really like a few of the headliners (or more) and it's important for you to see them up close--and you don't want to camp at one stage all day in order to establish and hold position--it may be worth it for you. Even so, I wouldn't pay the upcharge any more. It's really a huge increase. But they sell out of the VIP passes almost every year, so clearly some people think it's worth it.

One other thing to consider is the WWOZ Brass Pass, which gives you entry to each day of Jazz Fest, access to a tent with free fruit, coffee, water, a misting station and private port-o-lets, and in/out privileges. Part of it is also tax-deductible.

 

[UConnfan4ever]

are the VIP ticket packages worth consideration?

Not sure about the VIP tickets but I got a Brass Pass this year. They are sold by WWOZ radio station. The Brass Pass are good for admission every day plus it grants you access to the WWOZ VIP tent which has water, iced coffee, fruit and separate bathrooms (big bonus). Also the pass allows re-entry into the fest if you leave for any reason. Regular admission tickets do not allow re-entry.

You purchase the passes from the radio station's web site. The catch is that you have to purchase the passes for the entire Jazz Fest. If you are going for only one of the weekends (which I am doing) you need to find someone to split the pass with you for the other weekend. If you go to the Jazz Fest web site there is a Jazz Fest Blog and you can find people looking to split the pass. It's a little late game this year but keep in mind for future years. It's a great deal, the cost is just a little bit over general admission prices. The separate bathrooms alone make it worth the extra cost.

I'll be there the 2nd weekend. I will be wearing a UCONN hat at least one of the days. If you see me be sure to say hi because I'm allowed to bring one guest into the VIP tent. So you can check it out. If you are going 2nd weekend be sure to see Amanda Shires on Thursday at the Fais Do-Do Stage and Palomba Faith on Friday at the Acura Stage.

 

[sanchez42885]

Haven't made it to Jazz fest but does anyone else attend any other of the major music festivals? I went to Bonnaroo in 2010 and i'll be heading down to Dover, De this year for my third Firefly Fesitval.

 

[ElGuapo]

I go to a lot of Phish shows all over the country.
Usually for destination weekends with my friends or on the backend of work trips when Phish is touring.
Am up to 118 shows now with their 'Magnaball' festival at Watkins Glen on the menu for this August.

I'd like to do more festivals but with the wife staying at home with the kids I have to choose my battles.
I've down a couple of moe.downs and Gathering of the Vibes.
Camp Creek in the 90's was always a great party.

I'm a jamband fan so JazzFest consistently brings it, not just at the Fair Grounds, but even more so downtown at the clubs (and on the riverboats) during the evening and into the wee hours.
Plus I love the city, artwork, food, booze and music.
And we now have the connections down there with old and gathered friends who take care of everything from arrival to drop off.
It's my favorite city.

The one year my wife went to JF we met a fellow teacher who she works with give us their Grand Marshal lanyard to use for the final Sunday.
Page (McConnell) with the Meter Men front row was an awesome treat as was Trombone Shorty closing it out that day.

I'm staying through Tuesday (the 5th) this year for the traditional Monday Funday with my friends where we creap around the Quarter for food, drinks and shopping.
Can't wait.