Spacious and spectacular 3bed,2 bath,light-filled 1,813SqFtCORNER unitcondo at the historic Cotton Mill with 11 oversized windows andsoaring ceilings! Six closets provide ample storage.Anupstairsloftwithwroughtiron railings could serveasaguest bedroom or homeofce. Unique NewOrleans touchesinclude custom-made Bevolo lights and pendantlighting from Rosetree GlassArtists. Well-maintained, the condo associationofownersofthe 287units,the largest in Louisiana, completed atotally newroofin2026. Itsfinancial position is solidwith impressive operating and reservefunds.FloodzoneX
TheCottonMill also ofersanextensivefitness center,heated pool, outdoor grilling area, large entertainmentroom, well-stockedlibrary,anoutdoordog run,and three large courtyards. Garage parking across the street is available. Many restaurants, bars,and museumsare within a5-or10-minute walk. Pets arewelcome.
E ditor | JOH N STA N TO N Arts & E ntertainment E ditor | WI LL COVI ELL O Staff Writers | JAK E C L APP, KAYLEE POCH E , SARAH RAVITS
Contributing Writer | IA N MC NULT Y Podcast Producer | MADDI E SPI NNE R CREATIVE
Creative Director | DORA SISO N Traffic Manager | JASO N WHITTAK E R Project Manager | MARIA VIDACOVICH BO U É
Associate Art Director | E MMA DA VIA
Graphic Designer | GAVI N DO N A L DSO N Contributing Graphic Designers | SCOTT FORS Y TH E , JASM YNE WHIT E , J E FF M EN D EL
BUSINESS & OPERATIONS
Billing Inquiries 1 (225) 388-0185
ADVERTISING
Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150
Advertising Director | SA N DY ST E I N BRO N D U M [sstein@gambitweekly.com]
Sales and Marketing Manager
ABIGAI L BORD EL O N ( 504 ) 636 -7427 [abigail.bordelon@gambitweekly.com]
Sales Representatives
K ELLY SO NN I E R RODRIG UE Z ( 504 ) 483-3143 [ksonnier@gambitweekly.com]
CHAR L I E THOMAS ( 504 ) 636 -7438 [cthomas@gambitweekly.com]
B ENNE TT G E STO N ( 504 ) 483 -3116 [bennett.geston@gambitweekly.com]
A LY SSA HA U PTMA N N ( 504 ) 483 -1123 [alyssa.hauptmann@gambitweekly.com]
L A U R EN C UNN I N GHAM ( 504 ) 636 -7426 [lauren.cunningham@theadvocate.com]
Sales and Marketing Coordinator
[clare.brierre@gambitweekly.com]
[lionel.nosacka@gambitweekly.com]
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Cutting loose
Comedian Jazmyn W comes to New Orleans
IT MAY HAVE BEEN FITTING THAT JAZMYN W DID HER FIRST OPEN MIC AT A VENUE THAT SERVED AS A LAUNDROMAT, coffeeshop and nightly comedy spot. She was moonlighting at the time, pursing different careers by day and night.
Jazmyn W, shortened from Washington, had moved with her then-husband to San Francisco to pursue their respective careers. She had a high-paying day job in human resources.
As it turned out, someone from her company saw her perform at the BrainWash.
“After the show he came up to me and said, ‘Jazmyn, you do comedy?,” she says. “Every time I would see him in the hall he would wink.”
Not long after, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue comedy and finally gave up her daytime career. Now she’s on her national Soft and Dangerous tour, which brings her to New Orleans this week for two nights of shows at Sports Drink on July 3-4.
When she moved to Los Angeles, Jazmyn hit comedy clubs at a determined pace.
“I would get to work early so that I could leave at 4:20,” she says. “I’d go home and walk the dog and then head to my first open mic. I’d head to the Comedy Store on Monday. The Laugh Factory on Tuesday. And then an open mic.”
But it wasn’t until she was offered a promotion to a senior management position that she quit the corporate world, knowing it would leave no time or creative energy for performing. She decided to focus full-time on comedy. Other than the time commitment, she never saw a conflict between the worlds of comedy and human resources.
“I was the kind of person who thought there’s a balance between the company and supporting people,” she says. “Comedy is not that different. I am really thoughtful about the ways in which I communicate about the topics I am communicating about. Right now (in my set) I am talking about how I want to date a man with a disability. We should be talking about the ways in which people with disabilities are hot.”
In the bit, she starts talking about eyesight as a disability.
“Everybody loves a man in glasses,” she says. And the bit builds.
“Guys on the spectrum,” she says. “I just want one guy to tell me the truth. Just be honest. I have worked with
by Will Coviello |
people on the spectrum. They’re some of the most honest people I have met in my life. If I want to know the truth, I go to that guy.”
She likes the way the joke wraps people in and makes them feel seen, she says. And it gets laughs.
“I have done that joke at a show and have been like, ‘Are there any guys here on the spectrum?’ ” she says. “I had a guy raise his hand and say, ‘I will take you out.’ I was like, ‘Too short! But we’re on the right track here.’ ”
Jazmyn talks a lot about dating and relationships, both in her comedy and in other online content. When the pandemic struck, she quickly turned to creating online videos to build her own audience. She uses the handle @jazmynjw on TikTok and Instagram, and she also posts content on several threads on her YouTube page. Besides her comedy thread, there are posts about beauty, relationships, marriage and dating. She got divorced last year, and many recent videos have centered around dating again and advice she’d now give herself in her 20s.
She also loves to rake TV dating shows for humor, especially “Love Island” and
“The Bachelor.” “I love dating shows. I love reality TV, and I love the sociology of it,” she says. “Nobody is there to find love. Everyone is there to be famous, but there’s something so interesting about the psychology of a person who goes on ‘The Bachelorette’ and decides they’re going to be the villain. What’s wrong with you? Imagine you’re going to be the villain on a dating show and terrorize the women.”
Dating, relationships and various random encounters also are the subject of her podcast “Quit Playin’ with Jazmyn and Amber.” Jazmyn and fellow Los Angeles comic Amber Wallin followed each other online before they met in person. Eventually, Wallin invited Jazmyn on another podcast, and they hit it off. They joined forces to launch “Quit Playin’,” which is executive produced by Bob the Drag Queen, comedian and winner of season eight of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Jazmyn also is on Kevin Frederick’s show “Safe Space” on Tubi. The unscripted series features Frederick as a couples therapist, and Jazmyn is in one of the show’s troubled pairs.
Jazmyn has dates on her Soft and Dangerous tour into fall. She expects to record her first comedy special by the end of the year. And she’s also got a backlog of ideas for new videos and threads. She’s also working on a mini series that unites her experiences with human resources and comedy, but this time purely for laughs.
For more about Jazmyn W, visit comedianjazmynw.com. She performs at 7 & 9 p.m. Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, at Sports Drink. Tickets $28.99 via sportsdrink.org.
Go 4th on the River
The annual Independence Day celebration is bigger this year with the commemoration of the nation’s 250th birthday. There are fireworks over the Mississippi River at the French Quarter at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 4, and highlights include synchronized comet tails in red, white and blue with long trails of sparkles. The spectacle also includes the Gen. Roy S. Kelley fireboat which will spout water in a display from 6:30-7 p.m. Patriotic music will be broadcasted on wwl.com. Visit go4thontheriver.com for information.
Happy 3rd of July
The Independence Day celebration in City Park features a free concert on the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn beginning at 6 p.m. and fireworks over the Peristyle at 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. There’s music by the Marine Forces Reserve Rock Band, Alexis & the Sanity, Girls Play Trumpets Too and the New Orleans Mystics. Food vendors on site include Dat Dog, La Cocinita, Hubig’s Pies, Chick-fil-A, Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls and French Truck Coffee. For information, visit neworleanscitypark.org/event/ happy-3rd-of-july.
Johnny Gill and Michel’le
Soul and R&B singer and former New Edition member Johnny Gill performs with R&B singer and former TV star Michel’le. The event is produced by WYLD and Q93 and tickets are available on air and via contest locations set up by the stations. At 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at Orpheum Theater. Visit orpheumnola.net for information.
NOLA Protest Song
Project release party
Singer-songwriter Paul Faith often leads his band the Barstool Prophets. Early this year he reached out to local artists to write and record new protest
Go 4th on the River
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JAZMYN W
THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN
The Emeril Lagasse Foundation has given more than $1 million to organizations in New Orleans and across the U.S. during its spring grant cycle. Local grant recipients include Covenant House, Second Harvest Food Bank and the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Florida’s Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, a school district in California and a school in Washington, D.C., also were beneficiaries.
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
Can you imagine Doobie in your funk? Ho!
NUMBER OF LOUISIANANS
CURED OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE
The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission ran background checks on just about half of its youth sports coaches in 2025, the New Orleans Inspector General recently found. In fact, two of the volunteer coaches in the OIG sample had criminal histories that should have disqualified them from coaching NORD programs. The city has policies in place requiring background checks for volunteer coaches, but the OIG found that no formal procedures existed for checks.
New Orleans City Council advances Omni hotel proposal, change property tax break terms
THE NEW ORLEANS CITY COUNCIL JUNE 24 VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROPOSAL to build a massive 1,000-room Omni hotel downtown near the Ernest N. Morial Conventional Center.
The vote Wednesday was to direct the city’s law department to draft a measure to change the zoning in the area to accommodate the planned 27-story building. The council will still have to approve that measure for the hotel to be built.
the city to take action if Omni doesn’t live up to its end of the bargain.
The full council will still need to approve
“When you look at the overall different instances in which the city will interact with this project, we all have to start on an appropriate equal foot,” Council President JP Morrell said. “And what we saw today at the separate meeting was the city council taking that step forward to be on better equal footing.”
According to Fox8, 23 year old New Orleanian Daniel Cressy received a innovative new gene therapy treatment at Manning Family Children’s Hospital, which has left the disease inactive in his system. Sickle cell is a painful disease that can cause damage to organs and chronic anemia. It effects an estimated 3,000 Louisianans. An aspiring pilot, Cressy says he wants to create a nonprofit to help others get treated.
Federal changes to SNAP last year has meant there are now 22% fewer Louisiana children receiving the much-needed help, ProPublica recently reported. Republicans in 2025 pushed for work requirements and other changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program while promising those changes wouldn’t impact the most vulnerable, like children. However, there are now 776,000 fewer children receiving assistance across the U.S., with Louisiana seeing the second largest decline behind Arizona.
Business and economic leaders argued at the meeting that the hotel is necessary to bring conventions and other major events like the Super Bowl to the city in the future. But many residents spoke out against the large tax breaks Dallas-based Omni Hotels & Resorts is seeking.
The company is pursuing a PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes) agreement with the city to get a reduction on its local property taxes.
In a separate meeting at the convention center the same day, council members worked to make changes to the terms of that agreement. Those changes included adding provisions to protect the school board’s share of local property taxes and language about disadvantaged businesses and job metrics, as well as a mechanism for
Meanwhile, state lawmakers are weighing whether to approve giving the company around $265 million in state sales tax breaks over 45 years. A budget committee has so far delayed voting on the matter, with Vice Chair Jack McFarland citing “angst” and “concerns with the tax benefits and the sacrifice of public dollars.”
Omni also wants the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District to rebate its 4% hotel tax for that time, which would be another $250 million or more.
A Bureau for Governmental Research report last year found the public could end up paying between a third or more than a half of the project’s cost.
Many residents showed up in red union shirts holding signs reading
Which big name at Essence Fest do you want to see?
A rendering of the re-designed Omni Hotel on Convention Center Boulevard.
COURTESY OF RULE JOY TRAMMELL + RUBIO, ARCHITECTS
RED
“NO OMNI.” It was a lively crowd, often cheering. At one point some started chanting “people first.” Council members repeatedly called for decorum.
Orleans & Co. also voiced their support.
Resident Osa Adun said he saw the split as “a tale of two cities.”
Mike Robertshaw, a member of Together New Orleans who was active in the local nurses union, compared the tax breaks to the disproven concept of trickle-down economics.
“I believe we can build a city that’s worthy of the citizens that call New Orleans home,” he said. “That cannot become a reality if we continue to subscribe to nearly 50 years of failed economic policy known as Reaganomics, pumping a bunch of resources to people who need it the least and hoping beyond all evidence that it will somehow raise all ships. The Omni Hotel is nothing more than that.”
One convention center worker said she was concerned about the hotel’s location because that’s where she has been parking when she has to go to work early for shifts around 3:30 a.m. She says the current lot is far away and that she doesn’t feel safe walking from there at that time.
There were also many people who spoke in favor of the hotel, though most had some business connection to it, including representatives of the convention center, Omni’s parent company TRT Holdings and Sherman Strategies, a consulting firm hired by Omni. Leaders of economic development agency GNO, Inc. and tourism marketing group New
“I think of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Tale of Two Cities,’ ” he said. “On one side, we’ve got green. On the other side, we’ve got red. One side, we have baby boomers, corporate professionals. On another side, we have mixed racially, multiple generations ... On one side, we have technical jargon and corporate speak. On another side, we have life experiences testimonies and real-life implications.”
Mike Sherman, of Sherman Strategies on behalf of Omni, said the city, school board and Regional Transit Authority would keep 100% of their sales tax under the deal.
But Morrell said Sherman actively fought against having the company pay the school board property tax.
“I appreciate the convention center working with Council Member (Matthew) Willard and myself, but you and the people you represent did not want to pay school board property tax, and that is something we had to fight to get done. So while you sit up here and pat yourself on the back, there is work being done to make sure this city is treated properly in this transaction, and you were not a part of it,” Morrell said.
“It has not been a pleasure to work with you,” he added. — Kaylee Poche
New Orleans City Council President JP Morrell
PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
StubHub is selling fake New Orleans Jazz Fest 2027 tickets for $5,283
ACCORDING TO TICKET RESALE SITE
STUBHUB TICKETS TO THE 2027 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL
ARE “IN DEMAND” AND A “HOT”
TICKET, with only a handful remaining on sale for anywhere from $940 for a general admission week one pass to $5,283 Big Chief weekend pass. As an added bonus, the site promises you’ll get a free paper copy of the ticket to keep as a “souvenir.”
But that seems pretty unlikely. Not because a printed-out receipt with a giant QR code can’t be a souvenir — Gambit is a no kink shaming zone, after all. Rather, it’s because the tickets are faker than a looksmaxxer’s Canadian girlfriend.
Just so we are completely clear: you cannot buy tickets for Jazz Fest 2027, at least not right now. Tickets simply not on sale yet. Besides any number of pandemics, hurricanes, fascistic dictatorships and global financial collapses could occur between now and next January, when festival organizers traditionally announce the festival’s lineup and ticket sales. So while we fully expect a 2027 iteration of the festival, given the goofy timeline we live in right now it’s best not to count your brass passes before they hatch. StubHub did not respond to a request for comment.
Ticket scalpers have always been an unsavory bunch. In the 1970s and ’80s, they were the bane of many a teen’s existence for buying up all the tickets to the next Funkadelic or ELO show and then charging exorbitant prices.
Bands, DJs, actors, independent venue operators ... pretty much everybody who makes their living off ticket sales hates them, too.
Scalpers are essentially taking money out of their pockets by charging inflated prices. Because StubHub and other resale sites pop up at the top of Google searches, high resale prices can keep actual fans from buying real tickets direct from the vendor — which is especially upsetting in cases where the scalpers don’t even have tickets themselves.
It’s unsurprising that scalpers are universally loathed in pop culture as well.
In 1977, the iconic sitcom “What’s Happening?” took up the issue during “The Tickets,” in which Mama gives Raj two tickets to the upcoming Stevie Wonder concert. But when Raj decides to sell the tickets so he, JJ and Rerun can all go to the show, hilarity, hijinks and law enforcement ensue.
In the 1982 classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” local scalper Mike Demone not only rips fellow teens off for tickets he’s also a sexual predator and all around creep.
StubHub and other resale sites haven’t done much to beat the rap and have essentially become the online version of the darkest corner of the stadium parking lot where scalpers lurked back in ye olden days of paper tickets and acid tabs. But unlike those parking lots, StubHub is getting a cut of the deal. For instance, each fake Big Chief pass sold on the site includes a $1,053 “fee” on top of taxes and the cost of the bogus ticket. And StubHub isn’t passively standing by during the sale process. First off, they’re selling tickets on Facebook, the preferred platform of technologically challenged Jazz Dads everywhere who’ve never seen a phishing text message they didn’t immediately click the link in. The site also has a prominent countdown timer pushing prospective buyers to hurry up and buy now, and it promotes the tickets as “hot,” in-demand and with only a few left! So act now, gullible Jazz
OF STUBHUB
FRENCH QUARTER MUSEUM NIGHT
THURSDAY,JULY2,4–8 P.M.
Enjoyfreeent ry,livemusic, and special per formance s dur ingext ended hour s at 11 museums along theFrenchQ uar ter’s cult ur al corr idor.
PARTICIPAT ING MUSEUMS
1850 House • Cabildo • Her mann- Gr ima House
His toricBKHouse &Gar dens • His toricNew Or leans Collec tion
LGBT+Archi ve sProjec tofL ouisiana
New Or leans Foundat ion forFrancophone Cult ur es (Nous )
New Or leans Phar macyMuseum • Old Ur suline Convent Museum
Pr esbytèr e • Pr eser vation Hall
Discover
Liveb ra nd presentat ions by luxur y &i ndependent frag ra nceh ouses
Me et fo unders,f ra gran ce ex perts, &fellow enthusiast s
Exclusives ce nts &l imited oferings
Co mplimen ta ry fragran ce sa mple tote ba g
@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake, What can you tell us about the beautiful fountain at the entrance to Audubon Park? Who was the artist and how long has it been there?
Dear reader,
THAT BEAUTIFUL BRONZE AND GRANITE FOUNTAIN HAS GREETED VISITORS to the St. Charles Avenue entrance of Audubon Park since 1919. Entitled “The Meeting of Air and Water,” it is by Austrian sculptor Isidore Konti. Born in Vienna in 1862, he came to the United States in 1891, according to a February 1919 Times-Picayune article. His statues were celebrated at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Chicago, including a statue of President Abraham Lincoln, as well as at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, better known as the St. Louis World’s Fair. Other works by Konti were featured in New York and Washington, D.C., as well as a statue of President William McKinley in Philadelphia. Konti and the firm of Carre and Hastings were commissioned to create the Audubon Park fountain by sisters Beulah Gumbel Joseph and Cora Gumbel Moses in honor of their parents, Simon Gumbel
and Sophie Lengsfield Gumbel.
The couple were well-known local philanthropists. Simon died in 1909 and his wife Sophie died in 1916.
The fountain was dedicated in their memory on March 9, 1919.
“Characterized as one of the things that rich and poor alone might benefit by, the Sophie and Simon Gumbel memorial fountain…was dedicated at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, thousands of Orleanians taking part in the exercise,” reported the next day’s New Orleans States.
Rabbi Max Heller of Temple Sinai spoke at the dedication ceremony, along with Mayor Martin Behrman and Dr. William Scheppegrell, president of the Audubon Park Commission.
Cora Gumbel Moses died in 1930. Her sister Beulah died in 1965.
VIEW
THIS WEEK MARKS A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS, which on July 1 will rejoin the L SU system as L SU New Orleans.
Its history dates to the 1950s, a time when metro New Orleans had no public college or university, despite having one-third of the state’s population. At the urging of local business and education leaders and with the backing of Gov. Earl K. Long, the legislature approved the creation of the university in 1956, as a branch of L SU in New Orleans.
It was the first racially integrated public university in the South and also opened new educational opportunities to students who otherwise might not have gone to college.
A 195-acre site near the lakefront, formerly home to a Naval Air Station, was selected as the home for the university. By the time the first classes began on Sept. 12, 1958, more than 1,460 students had enrolled, double the number anticipated. The cost for full-time students was $15 per semester.
As L SUNO grew, there were calls for independence from the L SU system. In 1974, the L SU Board of Supervisors approved dropping the L SU from UNO’s name. In 2011, UNO entered the University of Louisiana system. L ast year, the state legislature approved the university’s return to the L SU system in an effort to address UNO’s enrollment and budget challenges.
Over the decades, UNO grew into a respected research university, with leading programs in engineering, business and liberal arts, including the Jazz Studies program founded by music great Ellis Marsalis Jr. The National World War II Museum has its roots at UNO, where the museum was housed in its early years, led by history professors and co-founders Stephen Ambrose and Gordon “Nick” Mueller.
BLAKE
The ‘Meeting of Air and Water’ Gumbel Memorial Fountain in Audubon Park
PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
MOTHERSHIP
Moment
ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE 2026 LANDS THIS WEEKEND
BY JAKE CLAPP
HEN THE ESSENCE FESTIVAL OF CULTURE RETURNS TO NEW ORLEANS THIS WEEKEND, there will be some new collaborations, a few changes to festival staples, plenty of big names and a lot of reunions.
Essence Magazine’s annual festival is a celebration of Black women, Black music and Black-owned businesses, and for many of the attendees, the event is as much about the friends they’ll reunite with in the crowd as it is the stars rocking the big stage.
Essence Fest runs Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, with daytime experiences taking over the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and major concerts at night in the Caesars Superdome.
This year, Essence tapped actor and vocalist Teyana Taylor and her production company The Aunties to be chief curator of the festival and shape the event’s creative direction. Television writer, producer and author Mara Brock Akil and Pulitzer-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones were brought on to curate the Essence Authors hub, and New Orleans’ Community Book Center is a partner in the book festival. Local James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton, who owns Compere Lapin, is the curator of the Essence Food & Wine Festival.
The music lineup includes Cardi B, performing her first full Essence set; former First Lady Michelle Obama in conversation with Keke Palmer; Brandy & Monica performing as a duo; festival favorites Pattie LaBelle and Babyface; Public Enemy; and Kehlani and Latto, both making
their festival debuts. Funk visionary George Clinton also celebrates the 50th anniversary of his iconic Mothership with special guests — and the touchdown of a new spaceship back in the town where it first landed. Superdome doors open at 6 p.m., and the music is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
Prior to the evening concerts, Essence Fest will be headquartered at the convention center with panels, interviews, workshops, film screenings, food events and a large marketplace. There’s a new hub, the Creators & Podcast Festival, and some branding changes to the marketplace and the health and wellness hub. Rapper Westside Gunn’s wrestling company Fourth Rope also will throw a ticketed show featuring wrestling and hiphop performances at noon Saturday, July 4, at the convention center.
Convention center doors open at 10 a.m., and programming runs until 5 p.m. Admission to the convention center is free, but a ticket is needed. And tickets for the evening concerts start at $82.25. Find links to all tickets at essence.com/ essencefestival2026.
Essence Fest has an app, Essence 360, with information about events, lineups and links to tickets. Find it in the Apple App and Google Play stores.
On the following pages, readers will find information about this year’s evening performers, the daytime experiences and more. And Gambit spoke with George Clinton about the Mothership as well as the team building the new ship landing inside the Superdome.
PHOTO BY RYAN HODGSON - RIGSBEE / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
PHOTO BY DINAH ROGERS / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
PROVIDED
PHOTO BY RAYMOND ALVA
Evening CONCERTS
BY JENNIFER ODELL
Doors at the Caesars Superdome open at 6 p.m. and the music gets started at 7 p.m.
FRIDAY
JULY 3
Cardi B
It’s easy to forget Cardi B’s latest release, “Am I the Drama?,” is just her second full-length album, given her swift ascension from viral internet star in 2013 to NME’s “New Queen of Rap” just six years later. The declaration came mostly due to her debut album’s record-shattering success, but her charismatic theatricality offstage probably didn’t hurt.
Cardi B’s whip-smart percussive flow is central to her sound on both albums, as are sly one-liners, boasts and hilariously in-your-face rhymes about sex and power. Lyrical challenges aimed at exes and enemies abound — there’s widespread fan speculation about a Cardi-Latto reconciliation at Essence — but she’s often vulnerable in her music, too. “Man of Your Word” rehashes her marriage’s rise and fall, while “WAP” remains a pop culture staple in all its raunchy, sex-positive glory.
Kehlani
Nineties-era neo-soul looms large in Kehlani’s vocal style, with elements of jazz and gospel playing out in subtle but powerful ways. She can switch gears from introspective to soulful pop to oldschool soul. And at times, successive notes tumble in time with their breath, tweaking a lyric’s meaning along with their voice’s timbre. Their fifth studio album, 2026’s “Kehlani,” honors the singer’s music influences from the late ’90s and early 2000s without losing track of their own unique sound.
Latto
After announcing her new album “Big Mama” would be her last, Latto retracted the claim and opened up about her postpartum depression. The Atlanta-based rapper and vocalist has shed more light on her plans since then,
telling Essence she’s designing “a whole new era” for herself and her work.
“Big Mama” marks a strong start in that direction. The appealingly honest “Business & Personal” pays tribute to Latto’s mother and the hard work she put in while raising a family. The steamier vibe she’s known for appears here, too, suggesting she won’t ditch the addictive sound of past hits like “Big Energy,” where her lightning-fast flow and clever rhymes put a sharp twist on the X-rated references.
While her newly proclaimed creative vision is still in the works, Essence offers a chance to see where Latto is heading.
Michelle Obama
In a programming twist, former First Lady Michelle Obama will join Essence’s Superdome lineup, which is usually reserved for music. According to festival organizers, the author and attorney will open the night’s festivities with a “live ‘IMO: The Look’ conversation.”
Obama and her brother Craig Robinson launched their wide-ranging “IMO” podcast in 2025, the same year she released her style evolution book, “The Look.” At Essence, she’ll talk about the role of style, fashion and beauty in relation to cultural themes around self-identity, public perception and more.
SZN4
Former solo artists Donzell Taggart, Aaliyah Rose Larsen, Katie Roeder and Cameron Goode became SZN4 while competing on the Netflix reality show “Building the Band” last year. The fan-favorite runners-up base their music on four-part vocal harmonies and a shared affection for old-school R&B, like Stevie Wonder, as well as a wide range of pop and rock. At one point, they covered Imagine Dragons on the show.
While the group has yet to release a full-length album, they’ve dropped a pair of well-received singles, “Private Show” and “Closer,” and have confirmed a studio album is on the horizon.
SATURDAY
JULY 4
Brandy & Monica
Nearly 30 years after Brandy and Monica’s 1998 duet “The Boy Is Mine” sparked endless tabloid speculation about a feud between the child stars turned teenage R&B sensations, the singers reunited in 2025 to tour together as friends and peers.
The tour has been a massive success so far. Recent performances, like at the Roots Picnic, have included classic hits and a few covers via duets and solos from Brandy, whose critically acclaimed 2004 album “Afrodisiac” launched her trajectory towards R&B icon status, and Monica, who has released mostly singles since her well-received 2015 album “Code Red.”
Given the night’s collaborative programming theme and the singers’ continuing influence on contemporary R&B, their Essence set should be a highlight.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY BRIAN ZIFF
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE ARTIST
Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle was an early Essence Fest mainstay, appearing at seven of the first 10 festivals, including the inaugural event, but her history with New Orleans dates back much further. In 1974, the Philadelphia native recorded “Lady Marmalade” at Allen Toussaint’s Sea-Saint studio with her funk and soul-meets-glam rock band Labelle and backing by the Meters.
Following Labelle, the singer honed in on solo platforms that showcase her versatility and power, making hits out of both ballads like “On My Own” and up-tempo ’80s rockers like “New Attitude.” At 82, LaBelle still flexes her vocal strength (and sense of humor) while touring relentlessly.
Babyface
Christened “Babyface” during his tenure in Bootsy Collins’ band, Kenneth Edmonds arguably boasts more awards and accolades than any other artist at Essence.
As a songwriter, producer and musician, Babyface helped create not just hits but lasting music legacies for artists like Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Mary J. Blige, En Vogue and more by writing and producing R&B anthems ranging from “Every Little Step” to “End of the Road.” Gladys Knight and Mariah Carey also have tapped the LaFace Records co-founder. Babyface’s solo work is less well-known, but early albums like 1989’s “Tender Lover” remain classics. In concert, the singer and multi-instrumentalist tends to draw on that late-’80s output, along with medleys created from his deep catalog of hits. Kehlani and Leon Thomas both appear on Babyface’s 2022 release “Girls Night Out.”
Leon Thomas
On Instagram, festival organizers dubbed Saturday’s lineup a “night of singalongs that feel like home,” and Leon Thomas seems especially well-poised to leverage his resume toward that end.
The singer, actor, musician and producer won two Grammy Awards for his 2024 album “Mutt,” and in 2025, George Clinton sat in with Thomas on the song “Mutt” and Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” at Coachella. Years earlier, Thomas snagged his first Grammy as a writer and co-producer on 2014’s “Love, Marriage and Divorce,” Toni Braxton and Babyface’s now-classic relationship album. And both Babyface and Clinton will perform at Essence on Sunday.
Thomas also has worked extensively with Kehlani, another Essence performer — and a strong candidate for a “Love, Marriage & Divorce” duet, given Braxton’s appearance on Kehlani’s new remix of “Folded.”
Josh Levi
“Friday Night Lights” alum Josh Levi has said dancing plays a central role in his connection to any music, especially his own. That certainly shines through in his debut studio album, “HYDRAULIC,” a sonically expansive collection of songs that includes “What’s the Use,” which appeared on Issa Rae’s hit series “Insecure.” (Levi signed with Rae’s Raedio label in 2021.)
The Houston-born singer frequently draws on Texas culture for inspiration on tracks like “Rodeo,” though his music feels more rooted in H-Town’s cosmopolitan vibes than the state’s cow-country rep.
SUNDAY
JULY 5
Tribute to Aaliyah
Soon after Aaliyah performed at the inaugural Essence Fest in 1995, at just 16, the burgeoning pop star started working on her second full-length album. And after some initial work by other producers, Aaliyah was connected with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, who at the time were still bubbling under the mainstream surface. The collaboration led to Aaliyah’s forward-looking 1996 album “One in a Million,” which has gone double platinum and is a certifiable R&B and pop classic. Aaliyah and Missy Elliott remained close until Aaliyah’s untimely death in 2001 at the age of 22, and Elliott has often paid tribute to her friend. Elliott is now curating a tribute to Aaliyah at this year’s Essence, in part to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “One
in a Million” as well as to honor the late vocalist’s lasting legacy. The tribute lineup hadn’t yet been announced as of press time, but keep an eye on Essence’s social media for the latest. — JAKE CLAPP
Public Enemy
In the late 1980s, Public Enemy revolutionized hip-hop with their incisive socio-political commentary about the inequities, injustices and systemic racism that’s long plagued American society. Their seminal second album, “It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back” featured Chuck D’s deep, booming voice and Flava Flav’s near-falsetto playing off each other in poetic mini-plays, like “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos,” a mix of thunderous bass beats and anthemic rock colliding with Terminator X’s wild turntablism. P.E. also advocated for unity (“we’re brothers of the same mind, unblind”) and justice (“911 is a joke”) and found power in speaking the truth. Despite personnel changes and some controversies, Chuck and Flav have consistently revisited those themes and tackled equally tough ones since then. Their latest album, “Black Sky Over the Projects: Apartment 2025,” landed last year.
Doug E. Fresh & Friends
Doug E. Fresh changed the sound of hip-hop as a Harlem teen when he
channeled his trumpet playing skills into using his voice to mimic the drum machines and percussion he heard in the music of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and the Cold Crush Brothers. Alongside his Get Fresh Crew — DJs Barry Bee and Chill Will and MC Ricky D (later Slick Rick) — Fresh scored a hit with 1985’s “The Show / La Di Da Di,” launching his career as both a rapper and The Original Human Beatbox.
At Essence, he’s likely to delve into those and other early classics, along with jams that lean toward funk and Go-Go. Fresh, who toured extensively with both Prince and Chuck Brown, recorded a 2021 tribute album to D.C.’s “Godfather of Go-Go.”
George Clinton & ParliamentFunkadelic
In 1976, funk icon George Clinton and his Parliament-Funkadelic collective landed their spectacular Mothership for the first time right here in New Orleans. Clinton and P-Funk are now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the landing with a brand-new Mothership touching down in the Crescent City. He’s also heading out on tour this year.At Essence, Clinton will be joined by a host of special guests, including Nona Hendryx, Big Freedia, Big Boi and Savion Glover. Read more on page 21.
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT
DAYTIME EXPERIENCES
BY JAKE CLAPP
WHILE THE CAESARS SUPERDOME
WILL BE BUSY AT NIGHT with performances by Cardi B, Brandy & Monica, Patti LaBelle and a talk with former First Lady Michelle Obama, the evening concert series is only part of Essence Fest weekend. There’s a lot happening during the day over at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Essence Fest hosts a number of “experiences” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, inside the convention center. There are hubs dedicated to beauty, fashion, health, business and other topics important to Black women and Black culture, each hosting interviews and panels, workshops and other programming. There’s also a marketplace of vendors selling clothing, jewelry, beauty products, art and more.
Below is a round-up of this year’s experiences. All are free to attend, but a general admission ticket is needed and can be found at essence.com. There also are VIP tickets for sale that give early entry, reserved seating at the Essence Stage and access to a VIP lounge. Lineups and programming details are still being announced, and the latest can be found on the Essence 360 app.
BeautyCon @EFOC Edition
The BeautyCon platform focuses on beauty, fashion and lifestyle trends and has become a staple hub at Essence Fest over the last few years. There will be programming on beauty and self-care tips for Black women, with interviews and panel discussions featuring experts and influences, product demonstrations and workshops.
There also are BeautyCon VIP tickets available, which come with access to a VIP lounge, a gift bag of beauty products and access to exclusive experiences.
Essence Authors
The literature-focused hub and book festival will include Black authors talking about their works and publishing industry professionals discussing topics like navigating a pitch and building an audience. The Community Book Center,
a Black-owned New Orleans institution, is the festival’s community book partner, and programming is being curated by television producer and writer Mara Brock Akil and journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer for The 1619 Project.
There will be interviews, panel discussions and book signings. And along with Akil and Hannah-Jones, the lineup will feature more than 40 participants, including Bernice King, Arian Simone, Ashton Lattimore, Carla Hall, Jamilah Lemieux and more.
Essence Community Impact Hub
The action-focused hub will have tabling and informational booths with activists and community organizations, panel discussions, keynote addresses and workshops covering a range of topics, from voting rights and economic empowerment to racial justice and environmental issues.
Essence Film Festival
Organized with Essence Studios, the film festival inside the fest focuses on original movies, television and new media by Black creators. There will be screenings as well as interviews with filmmakers and industry professionals.
Essence Food & Wine Festival
James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton, who lives in New Orleans and owns Compere Lapin, is one of the curators of this year’s Food & Wine Festival, which focuses on the food cultures connecting the African diaspora. There will be tastings with Black-owned food and beverage brands, cooking demonstrations and other events with restaurateurs, mixologists and culinary experts.
Essence Stage
The festival’s centerstage at the convention center hosts a mix of programming, from music to keynote addresses and special presentations.
GBEF HQ
The Global Black Economic Forum works to advance economic power and racial justice for Black communities around the world through policy advocacy, leadership development and business education. GBEF each year brings together political leaders, CEOs and entrepreneurs for a summit at Essence Fest.
GBEF also hosts a job fair on July 3-4 in the convention center and the QualifyHER 5K walk and run on July 4, which are open to the public. There will be a business summit on July 2 and an event for the Black queer community on July 4, both of which are by invite only. Find more info at gbef.com.
Heels Have Eyes NOLA
Rappers Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA love wrestling, and both have talked about the drama and sport in their music. Last year, they launched Fourth Rope, bringing together wrestling, hip-hop and fashion, and they’re now bringing it down to Essence Fest with Heels Have Eyes NOLA on July 4. The show will feature wrestling and musical performances.
A separate ticket is needed for Heels Have Eyes NOLA and start at $92.60 via essence-fest-2026.ticketbud.com.
New Voices Village
This hub is all about entrepreneurship and new business owners. There will be business pop-ups, a maker’s studio and resources for entrepreneurs, like head-
shot photography and “office hours” with experts and business professionals.
Podcast Festival
Influential podcasters and content creators will host live tapings of their shows and take part in panels about their work.
Suede Men’s Experience
While Essence and its festival have historically been about Black women, the Suede Men’s Experience hub focuses on topics and products catered toward men. There will be vendors, speakers and workshops discussing a range of topics, from men’s health, fatherhood and relationships to sports, arts and business.
Unbothered & Well
Essence Fest has long had a wellness hub where attendees could take exercise and movement classes or learn about mind, body and spiritual health. The hub this year is rebranding to align with parent company Sundial’s new wellness and culture brand, but its mission is the same and will host classes, vendors and health professionals holding sessions on a range of health topics.
WeLoveUs The Marketplace
The marketplace at Essence Fest will host Black- and women-owned businesses selling everything from clothing and handmade jewelry to visual art and unique items.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
DDOWNTOWN OWNTOWN Summer Starts
Summer starts in Downtown New Orleans with can’t-miss deals across dining, drinks, activities, services, and retail. From happy hour steals to shopping finds, everything you need for the season is right here.
Lightyear
BY JAKE CLAPP
GEORGE CLINTON WANTED TO DO SOMETHING BIG. The visionary funk vocalist and songwriter and his bands Parliament and Funkadelic, or P-Funk, were planning an extensive tour for 1976 and 1977, and Clinton had a prop in mind, specifically “a prop that was more dynamic than Pink Floyd,” he recently told Gambit.
The Mothership landed for the first time on Oct. 27, 1976, in New Orleans at the Municipal Auditorium to a massive reaction. Part way through the show, which was already full of costumes and props, a small metallic, pyramid-shaped spacecraft flew over the heads of the audience, across the auditorium toward the stage — where the real Mothership lowered and Clinton, dressed as his intergalactic alter ego Dr. Funkenstein, stepped out and descended the stairs.
“When the doors open and the smoke clears and I step out, I had to hold on to the rails coming down the steps,” Clinton says. “The rush that comes over you from the volume of the screams is overwhelming. You had to stand there and let it clear.”
The large spaceship, reportedly commissioned for $500,000, became not just a pillar of P-Funk mythology but a rock ‘n’ roll icon. A version of the craft, used in the ’90s, can be found in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Mothership’s influence can still be felt 50 years later.
In a full-circle moment, Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic return to New Orleans on Sunday, July 5, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Mothership as part of the Essence Festival of Culture. The show, starting at 7 p.m. inside the Caesars Superdome, will feature special guests like Savion Glover, Big Boi, Big Freedia and Nona Hendryx — and the landing of a new Mothership. Clinton also is planning a new tour.
To produce the Mothership show, Clinton and his team are working with music executive and longtime collaborator Vivian Scott Chew and David Rodriguez, the executive producer at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Scott Chew helped bring to life the last version of the Mothership — the one housed by the Smithsonian — which touched down in New York’s Central Park in July 1996. Read more about the new Mothership on page 27.
Ahead of the Mothership returning to New Orleans, Gambit spoke with Clinton in May about the anniversary and creating his legendary spaceship.
GROOVIN'
The conversation below has been edited for length and clarity.
What do you have planned for Essence Fest?
GEORGE CLINTON: We’re planning a new Mothership show there. Other than that, like all the shows with us, it happens as it unfolds. We got a brand-new Mothership. We’ve got to learn how to fly it and do all of that within the next few weeks. Everybody’s running around, trying to get all the pre-production together. But I’m used to that.
Been waiting a long time. It’s good to be back in New Orleans again. That was the first place we did it, and this time we’ll be at the big Superdome.
How does the new Mothership compare with the original?
CLINTON: I’m going to learn how to fly it myself. Today’s technology, it’s going to have a lot of other stuff that we didn’t have back in the ’70s. So they’re gonna be able to do unbelievable stuff. It’s still the same big ship but along with whatever else they can do
nowadays with this virtual shit, holographics and all of that. I’ve been with this dream since the ’60s. “Star Trek” — I was on the holodeck. I’ve seen all of the things AI could do. That’s been a friend of mine. I was dealing with clones back in ’77.
You can do a lot of things nowadays. And between now and then, because they’ve got a lot of UFO information coming out, it’s gonna be interesting come July 4th this year.
We might see something in the sky over New Orleans.
CLINTON: You might see something! Something might just land there. [Laughs]
CLINTON CAME OF AGE in New Jersey during the space race and created the doo-wop group The Parliaments out of a barbershop in the late-1950s. The group had a hit single, “(I Wanna) Testify” in 1967, but a contract dispute led Clinton to also form Funkadelic. The sister bands, Parliament and Funkadelic, featured the same
collective of musicians but with some style differences.
Influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone and with the help of musicians like guitarist Eddie Hazel, Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic were injecting funk and soul with acid culture and psychedelic ideas. And albums like Funkadelic’s “Free Your Mind … and Your Ass Will Follow” and “Maggot Brain” and Parliament’s “Chocolate City,” along with the bands’ character-filled live shows, were reaching more people.
In 1974, P-Funk signed with Neil Bogart’s Casablanca Records, and in December of the following year, Parliament released “Mothership Connection.” Clinton was already working closely with bassist Bootsy Collins, and the album was the first to feature horn players Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, both former James Brown players.
Deeper social and political messages could always be found under P-Funk’s elastic funk rhythms and psychedelic rock. For Clinton, “Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow” isn’t just an album title, it’s a mantra — and the funk is the truth.
With “Mothership Connection,” Clinton turned his sights to outer
The P-Funk Mothership at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY FUZHEADO / WIKIMEDIA CREATIVE COMMONS
PROVIDED PHOTO BY KARL FERGUSON
• 50 MinuteMassages: $99
• 50 MinuteFacials: $120
•
HAPP Y
250
America!
ESSENCE FEST
space, centering Black people as cosmic travelers and building on the P-Funk mythology. The album introduced the Mothership and funk hero Star Child, and further releases soon after wove in Dr. Funkenstein and the antagonist Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk (who can still learn to dance after being hit by the funk-shooting Bop Gun). Those characters and their battles would play out spectacularly during P-Funk shows.
“Mothership Connection” was a major success and climbed the charts, helped by the now classic track “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker).” And when Clinton began planning a massive prop to use during the 1976 P-Funk Earth Tour, Bogart gave his support and helped Clinton secure funding.
“Remember, at that time in the mid-1970s, many Black music artists were performing on the Chitlin Circuit. If you weren’t a self-contained band, then you were a vocal group doing some type of choreographed dance and show. It was not this massive theatrical production,” says Melissa A. Weber, a musicologist who also performs as DJ Soul Sister.
Clinton’s concept wasn’t “unlike what some large white stadium rock acts were financed and able to do,” Weber adds. “You didn’t really see that in Black popular music. So consider that [Clinton] is thinking expansively. The Mothership was his idea.”
Could you tell me about the original idea for the Mothership? Was it always part of the plan after “Mothership Connection”?
CLINTON: Well, I just wanted a big prop, a prop that was more dynamic than Pink Floyd — and Pink Floyd had set the standard at that time. They had those big shows with “The Wall” and these super big productions. So I wanted to do one of those. And I was always in love with these two plays, “Hair” and “West Side Story.” I worked at the Brill Building (in New York City), so being right there with all the different actors and musicians that were involved with those, I pretty much knew them, so that stuck in my head for a long time.
So when we got a hit record, it was with a guy named Neil Bogart with Casablanca Records, who was expert at hype. We got the hit record “Give Up the Funk” off “Mothership Connection,” I told him, instead
of giving me the money for the royalties, buy me a spaceship, and I knew that insured me about three to five years of touring. And that’s what we did. He understood what I was saying.
And the Motown Revue [style] was the other thing, with the touring aspect of it all. When we had Bootsy, ourselves, the Brides [of Funkenstein], we had our own inhouse production. I knew once I got the spaceship, I could have all of that around me. My group, Parliament and Funkadelic, Bootsy — and we also had Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, who was from James Brown, they were part of it — so we had this big thing. We had to have a spaceship to carry all of that around.
What did outer space mean for you at that time, in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s?
CLINTON: I grew up during the part of the ’50s when the 21st century meant we were going to be there. That’s what was preached. That this was coming and we were going to be off planet, and I believed that. That’s all that was in the movies — “Invaders From Mars” and all of that. So we took it for granted that that was going to happen. Then in the ’60s, when they literally went to the moon, it was like, “OK, everything’s on time.” So by the time we got to the ’70s, it was my turn, and we had this hit record. Oh, I’m thinking “Well, we’re here. I’m already now talking about cloning.”
Once I did it, and had to start answering those questions, I had to start reading up on that stuff. I didn’t have no thoughts about it, but watching “Star Trek,” I started putting it all together: “OK, this is really what’s happening.” I was telling my friends yesterday, in ’68, I want to see “2001” and “Fantasia” at the same time, tripping on acid in Boston. Then that same night, I went to see Jethro Tull and Led Zeppelin.
You know what kind of imprint they would have on your head if you’re tripping? I remember that day. But when you start looking at [Elon] Musk and all these rockets going up and coming down — you know how you felt when you saw that for the first time. I was just interested in it like that.
And some things, probably the acid did leave an imprint on me, because I never changed even when I watched different styles come and go. I can still feel that energy from that day. 2 0 2 6
How did you want to capture that energy in the music?
CLINTON: Well after leaving Motown, going from that to say Jimi Hendrix to “Maggot Brain,” that’s a trip by itself. Once you made that trip, where you can go from Motown to “Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow” and you come through “Maggot Brain” and end up in “Mothership Connection” with horns and Bootsy comes along — so to evolve … I was able to manipulate when we sounded like what Sly [Stone] was doing or what James [Brown] was doing or what Motown had done. I could mix them all together and come up with something only P-Funk would do.
I was having fun doing all the music that I knew, that I had been doing, and since we had the power to do it and put interpretation on it — because that’s the next main thing is to be able to, I call it intellectualizing it. I’m painting now, so you have to explain your painting. That’s what I had to do with the music. “Why you doing this?” “Why you doing that?”
And I realized that I make so much room to do that, because I make a joke out of all of it. To me, that comes from working at a barber shop, where you got five or six different people with opinions about everything, so you pick whichever opinion that fits you — you can kind of (be) like, “Oh this is the way so-and-so would look at it,” and you can pretty much figure out a lot of shit.
We had the preacher in there. We had the pimps in there. We had the politicians. And everybody be in the barbershop at the same time waiting to get their hair done, and they’re all equal. But the shit that’s going on — and barbers put their commentary in just to hear the different opinions. They bring up shit just to hear the bullshit different people gonna say. And we did that like that, like a barber shop.
This intellectualizing — what was the deeper meaning you wanted to convey with “Mothership Connection” and with the Mothership?
CLINTON: The deeper meaning — I’m finding that out now because I’m looking at Anunnakis (the Mesopotamian pantheon of gods mythologized to be ancient astronauts). That’s the big thing, and it relates so much to what I was saying, and I had no idea that Sumerian text was involved in a lot of stuff that I was talking about.
I got the information from different places — Arthur C. Clarke, I read his stuff. But now that I’ve looked back what I said and the fact the Anunnakis all that is such a big concept today when they try to explain all this UFO [stuff], it still seems to be on time, it still seems like what I was thinking might have been what’s really happening. I’m waiting to see what they’re gonna do, but they’re talking about bringing out all kind of information now.
But I just believe that all this has happened two or three times. I think there have been two or three civilizations that have been on the planet, and we’ve started over two or three times. This planet’s been here for a minute. I’m not surprised about anything that happens now.
What did you imagine the inside
of
the
Mother-
ship to look like?
CLINTON: Like I said, you have to be a “Star Trek” person to visualize the holodeck. It would be like what they can do nowadays with those [virtual reality] glasses on, but you could do it without the glasses.
CLINTON WORKED WITH lighting and set designer Jules Fisher, a veteran of Broadway productions, to create the original Mothership. He had designed an elaborate set with elements from P-Funk songs — including from the follow-up “The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein,” released in July 1976 — like a pyramid and a limousine that would be stripped on the stage. The Mothership would be the centerpiece. They had secured a space at Stewart Airport near Newburgh, New York, and P-Funk first rehearsed the show without an audience. The original idea was to unveil the Mothership early on in the set,
says Archie Ivy, Clinton’s longtime manager and collaborator, but after the reaction in New Orleans, they knew they may have to move it later into the show.
“We get to New Orleans, and the show starts off and they do the prologue and the Mothership comes down and George comes out, and the place goes absolutely bananas,” Ivy says. “So much so that it took a minute to get control of the audience. And we learned from that very first performance that we can’t land the ship at the beginning. So New Orleans was the only place that it was ever seen in the way we had initially designed.”
“George had all the chart toppers at the time, and ‘We Want the Funk’ was an incredible single, but the album was just special,” Ivy adds. “One song flowed right into the next one, and it gave the mythology. People came ready for it. But they come into the place, and we land the ship, and it took a good 15 or 20 minutes for people to calm down, even though we had started performing these other theatrical songs from ‘The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein.’ ”
New Orleans musician Ivan Neville remembers there being rumblings
Funkadelic
PROVIDED PHOTO BY WARNER BROTHERS / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE ARCHIVE
A vintage photo of George Clinton PROVIDED PHOTO FROM GEORGE CLINTON PRIVATE COLLECTION
Rela xw it hselect ions of WINE ,COCKTAI LS OR DINNER Casual finediningand wine barinthe heartofthe French Quarter
Open Thursday throughSunday4PM till 10PM DailyBacon HappyHour4 -6PM Wine Flightsand cocktails Tropical CourtyardorSidewalkSeating
ESSENCE FEST
that something big might happen that night at the P-Funk show, but he wasn’t sure what it would be. The vocalist and keys player who now leads Dumpstaphunk was in high school in October 1976, and all of his friends who were aspiring musicians were looking forward to seeing P-Funk.
The show opened with South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela followed by Bootsy Collins’ Rubber Band, and then Parliament-Funkadelic. “It was a freaking spaceship came down, and then George Clinton came out of the door of the spaceship,” Neville says, adding he remembers Clinton in a fur coat and extravagant.
The Municipal Auditorium was packed and “it was total amazement,” Neville adds. “I mean everything that went along with that night, it all just matched up perfectly.” (Read more about Neville’s memories of the Mothership landing on page 26.)
Was there a particular reason the Mothership first landed in New Orleans?
CLINTON: You know the promoters, the management was doing [the tour schedule]. We were doing [the landing] wherever we could. We were forcing this thing to happen, and we didn’t know what we were doing. But it was the perfect place to do it. It just felt right. New Orleans is a place you can go with your feelings a lot. It has a lot of feeling that’s happening. It’s unexplainable, but the vibe is right.
What was it like the first time you stepped out of the Mothership?
CLINTON: Overwhelming. It’s loud in there all the time, and the anticipation. But the peak, when the
doors open and the smoke clears and I step out, I had to hold on to the rails coming down the steps. The rush that comes over you from the volume of the screams is overwhelming. You had to stand there and let it clear.
The band, we fed off the energy of the people. The more people reacted, the more the band reacted. So I knew how loud they were, it was going to be even louder.
Was that reaction consistent over the Earth Tour? Were people going wild everywhere?
CLINTON: Everywhere. I’ve got masters of the shows, the tapes, we recorded them. I’ve been listening to them lately. Yeah, they did that everywhere, starting off in New Orleans and then Houston, Dallas, L.A., Oakland, even Madison Square Garden, Philadelphia.
D.C. was unreal. D.C. was before we had the spaceship, when we did the Capitol Center, it was like all night long. They would be out in the parking lot after the show. It would take them hours before they would leave the venue. They’d party in the parking lot for like three or four hours in D.C. It would be daybreak before people went home.
Fifty years later, what do you think about the Mothership? Do you think about it differently?
CLINTON: I’m thinking, damn, I knew more than I knew I knew. This whole Anunnaki thing was part of how we explained Star Child and Sir Nose and dah-dah-dah, just metaphorically. And now, here’s the different stories about Anunnaki or even Black Panther, either one of those. It’s like, “Damn, that’s pretty much the way I envisioned it.”
George Clinton performs during the 54th annual Songwriters Hall of Fame induction and awards gala in New York on June 12, 2025.
PHOTO BY CHARLES SYKES / INVISION / AP, FILE
Shirts Available in Men’s, Women’s and Kids’sizes
Ivan Neville reflects on the 1976 Mothership landing
BY JAKE CLAPP
2 0 2 6 ESSENCE FEST UpFUNKED
NEW ORLEANS-BORN keys player, vocalist and Dumpstaphunk leader
Ivan Neville was 17 in October 1976 when he and his friends made it to the Municipal Auditorium to see George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. He remembers there was some buzz around the show that there could be something unique coming up, but it was a surprise to the packed venue when P-Funk debuted the iconic Mothership — a spaceship from which Clinton would emerge as his alter-ego Dr. Funkenstein — for the first time.
In light of the Mothership’s 50th anniversary and Clinton’s return to New Orleans as part of the Essence Festival of Culture, Gambit spoke with Neville about the show and his memories of the night. Below is the conversation, edited for length and clarity.
Happy Hour 5PM -7PM
Were there any rumblings that something unique was going to happen at the Municipal Auditorium?
IVAN NEVILLE: From what I recall, I think there was rumblings that there might be something extravagant. Word of mouth was amazing back then, before we got devices and stuff in our hands, and we could find out anything we wanted to find out. Word of mouth was a big deal.
I don’t think he did. And his hair, he looked the part, how you’d expect George Clinton to look at that point, just totally pimped out.
The show was amazing to me. I was smoking a lot of weed that night, that was kind of par for the course at that time and for that show. If you weren’t smoking weed yourself, you probably got high from the smoke in the room.
How did the Mothership look?
NEVILLE: It was pretty primitive back then [laughs]. It looked like it was sort of papier-mache meets some aluminum foil and metal. But it was something to behold, trust me.
What was the crowd like that night?
NEVILLE: It was packed. At that point, when they’d have shows at the Municipal Auditorium, it was kind of what you would expect. It was pretty crowded as far as I remember.
How did the crowd react whenever the Mothership landed?
I remember Hugh Masekela opened up, and I thought that was an odd pairing, but Hugh Masekela was amazing. He’s an African trumpet player. And then Bootsy came on. Now, it was billed as Hugh Masakela, Funkadelic, Bootsy and Parliament, but I don’t remember George and them doing a separate set as Funkadelic. I really don’t recall that. All I remember is Hugh Masakela performing and Bootsy playing a set, which was amazing, and then Parliament-Funkadelic.
The freaking spaceship came down. George Clinton came out of the door of the spaceship, and he walked down some stairs. He had some sort of coat on — I could have sworn he had on like a mink coat, but
NEVILLE: Everybody was totally in amazement. It was great. And everything that went along with that night, it all just matched up perfectly. You smoked some weed, probably had a few drinks. Like I said, the room had a lot of smoke, and if you didn’t have your own, somebody standing next to you would probably pass you something. It was that kind of party.
Ivan Neville
PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE
P-Funk’s Mothership gets a 2026
BY JAKE CLAPP
NEW 2 0 2 6 ESSENCE FEST Space
VIVIAN SCOTT CHEW saw Parliament-Funkadelic’s original Mothership land in 1976 at Madison Square Garden in New York. And 20 years later, as an executive at Sony/550 Records, she worked with P-Funk leader George Clinton to bring his large spaceship back to life for the Mothership Reconnection Tour, which kicked off on July 4, 1996, in New York’s Central Park.
That edition of Clinton’s iconic funk contraption, built following the release of his album “T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership),” is now housed in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. P-Funk’s original ship — itself a piece of rock ‘n’ roll history — was discarded by promoters in the ’80s and rumored to be in a junkyard somewhere around Washington, D.C.
Now, 50 years after Clinton’s interstellar mad genius alter-ego Dr. Funkenstein stepped out of the Mothership and dazzled audiences, Scott Chew has again worked with Clinton to build a new edition of the ship for 2026. Clinton lands the Mothership at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 5, at the Caesars Superdome as part of the Essence Festival of Culture, bringing the ship back to the city where it debuted in 1976.
“You know 30 years later, to still be working with someone who is my musical guru” is an emotional moment, says Scott Chew, who has had a deep history as a music professional and today operates Chew Entertainment with her husband, Ray Chew.
“I’m married to a musician, and I remember one of our first dates, we were in the car and we were listening to music, and he said, ‘You listen to music like a musician.’ And I credit that to two things: I came from the church, and I came from the church of P-Funk,” Scott Chew adds. “So to be able to be a part of something that is so meaningful and monumental for me is just an honor.”
Along with Clinton and his team, Scott Chew is co-producing the Mothership show alongside David Rodriguez, the executive producer at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Rodriguez previously ran the Apollo
AGE
Theater for a decade and has known Clinton for years.
The new physical Mothership — a large, metallic, pyramid-shaped spaceship — was built by production company TAIT and Gallagher Staging and Productions at its Rock Nashville campus. TAIT has worked on Taylor Swift and Beyonce events, including Beyonce’s Renaissance tour, and other major concert stagings.
The Mothership is based on the original 1976 design, which was created by Clinton and lighting designer Jules Fisher, a Broadway production veteran. But the 2026 edition will have modern elements, including electronic screens, pyrotechnics and haze machines.
Clinton, though, didn’t want a shiny new Mothership, Rodriguez says. This was a Mothership that’s been around the world for the past 50 years.
A number of special guests will be joining Clinton and members of P-Funk at Essence Fest, including Nona Hendryx, Big Freedia and Big Boi. And tap dancer and actor Savion Glover will portray the character Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk, one of P-Funk mythology’s antagonists who doesn’t want people to dance — until he gets hit with the funk-shooting Bop Gun and learns to groove.
With its characters, props and irrepressible psychedelic funk, a Parliament-Funkadelic performance is more than a performance, says Archie Ivy, Clinton’s longtime manager and collaborator. It’s a ritual where Clinton “seduces you into the free state of mind, so your ass will let go and you will start to shake it,” he says.
“And that’s what that ritual is. It’s a procedure and a process just to get you to loosen up from all of the constraints this world lays on us,” Ivy adds.
And, both Ivy and Scott Chew say, that ritual is as needed today as it ever was.
“If we ever needed to be one nation under a groove, it’s right now,” Scott Chew says.
Vivian Scott Chew PROVIDED PHOTO BY KEITH MAJOR
Robert Gordy, Rimbaud’sDream #2, 1971.Acrylic on canvas, NewOrleans Museum of Art,71.23
EAT + DRINK
Back in style
Succotash revives French Quarter
CHEF KIMBERLY “CHEF K” COCHRAN
BOUGHT THE BUILDING AT DUMAINE AND N. RAMPART in the French Quarter absolutely expecting it to be haunted.
“Everything’s haunted here in New Orleans,” says Cochran, who opened her first solo venture, Succotash, in the space back on New Year’s Eve.
The building, which dates to the 1860s, spoke to her — literally, she says.
“There were these old intercoms from the ’70s, not even connected to anything. We were constantly hearing voices coming out of them, babies crying — it sounded like people in a restaurant, not scary vampire stuff,” Cochran says.
The space at 1041 Dumaine St. has been home to several notable restaurants over more than a century. There was Gentilich, a 24-hour, Croatian oyster bar. It also was home to Peristyle, opened by John Neal, and later Anne Kearney’s restaurant of the same name, which closed right before Hurricane Katrina. After that, it became Marti’s again, also a recall of a previous restaurant there. But the space has been empty — if not silent — since 2015
Cochran’s culinary career is her second, following a decade working in education and finance in Atlanta. In 2022, she made her way back to New Orleans, where she briefly lived as a child. After working with the opening team at Gaia as a sous chef, she catered and did private chef gigs while looking for her own place.
In buying the notable address, she knew it was a big job to bring it back to life, and she leaned into that.
“I wanted to be part of the French Quarter community, to pay tribute to the chefs before me,” she says. “The people who built this were restaurateurs. I can tell by the way my feet move through the space. It flows.”
Besides great bones, the building came with design lagniappes, from original ceiling fans and distressed terrazzo floors to hand-blown Venetian glass chandeliers and picturesque City Park murals by Alonzo Lansford. The
restaurant space by Beth D’Addono |
80-seat dining room includes a long bar, which serves cocktails both classic and fun from Thomas Moore and Zachary Domke, including a passion fruit margarita mixed with house-made syrup. There are raised white leather banquettes and a jewel tone color scheme awash in emerald and fuchsia.
The chef’s vision was to bring her childhood garden-to-table southern food memories to her restaurant table. Her grandparents had a big garden in Mobile, and her grandfather hunted and fished. She ate it all, a curious eater from a young age.
“I’d eat a whole pot of greens myself,” she says. “I’d dig green onions out of the garden, wash them off and dip them in ketchup.”
Cochran remembers watching the Food Network with a notepad, writing down recipes from the show and then making them in her grandmother’s kitchen.
Even the name Succotash is an homage to her family.
“My grandmother never threw food away,” she says. “Nothing was wasted. Whether it was corn, tomatoes, beans and peas, sometimes a ham hock, there was always a pot of what she called succotash on the stove.”
Cochran’s menu mines those childhood recollections to craft dishes that taste like home but are presented with polish and finesse. Her deviled eggs include crispy nibs of pork belly and pearls of salmon roe, along with the optional addition of fried shrimp or oysters.
Her version of a Caesar salad, dubbed “Romaine is Burning,” features grilled romaine and fried anchovies. The crab Menage a Trois spotlights a plump Lake Pontchartrain softshell dusted with spices and fried to a glorious crackle. It’s served along with a jumbo lump crab in a crab fatlaced coconut sauce.
The School Lunch combo features gumbo and a grilled cheese croissant. Duck Duck No Goose breaks down a whole duck, inside and out, for a pairing of duck dirty rice with crispy duck skin lacquered with apricot duck sauce. An impressive 30-ounce tomahawk rib-eye is served with house steak sauce and lots of scallions and garlic.
On the Sunday brunch menu, soon to be offered on Saturdays as well, there’s an ode to her Grandpa Roscoe and his famous salmon cake. Cochran uses fresh salmon and serves her croquette over grits, with a poached egg topper scattered with microgreens from Yum Yum garden in the 9th Ward.
She has plans to renovate the second floor to create a dining and event space, complete with a wraparound gallery overlooking Armstrong Park and the French Quarter.
When she walked away from her corporate job to change careers at 30, a colleague called her crazy.
“I said, ‘I’m not crazy, I’m confident,’ ” Cochran says. “’What’s the worst that’s going to happen? I have to take a chance.’ ”
So far, she has no regrets.
“It’s been a great decision,” she says.
Farmer’s market
WHERE BAYOU ST. JOHN MEETS THE LAFITTE GREENWAY IN MID-CITY, a former auto garage is now a food market, making new connections between local farmers, makers and their customers.
It’s called Farmer’s, and it combines the direct sourcing of a farm stand with the variety and anytime availability of a grocery.
On its opening days last week, the shelves and coolers had fresh produce and dairy from small farms within road-trip distance of New Orleans. The butcher counter had steaks cut to order, along with boudin, whole chickens and bone broth. And as the next farm truck or delivery van pulled up outside, more options joined the growing inventory.
Farmer’s already feels like a vibrant hub for local food, and there’s more in the works, including a small garden center and an Airstream trailer coffee bar.
The business opened on a triangular plot along the bayou that, for many years, was home to R&S Auto Service, where people brought their cars for repairs.
Caroline Rogers and Mike Bertel bought the property last year after the R&S family retired and closed the garage.
Here they’ve created a “farm stop,” the term for a concept that’s growing around the country as a way to support small food producers and strengthen regional food systems.
“It’s just a straight transparent transaction,” Bertel says. “It’s giving a platform for people who are doing things local to succeed.”
Like other farm stops nationally, Farmer’s uses a consignment approach. Producers keep 70% of sales, while the store keeps a 30% share and handles
Chef Kimberly Cochran opened Succotash.
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT
PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
APREPARED ENVIRONMENTAIMED TODEVELOP THE INTELLECTUAL EMOTIONAL, ANDSOCIAL INDEPENDENCE OF THE CHILD IN AMULTI-CULTURALSETTING THE MONTESSORI METHOD FOSTERS LEARNING BY DISCOVERY AND AJOY IN ACHIEVEMENT.
STEPPING STONES MONTESSORI SCHOOL ADMITSSTUDENTS OF ANYRACE, COLOR,NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN TO ALLTHE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, PROGRAMS, AND ACTIVITIES GENERALLYACCORDEDORMADE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS OF THE ORGANIZATION.ITDOESNOT DISCRIMINATEONTHE BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL AND ETHNIC ORIGIN IN ADMINISTRATION OF ITS EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, ADMISSIONS POLICIES,SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS, AND OTHER ORGANIZATION-ADMINISTERED PROGRAMS.
TO SCHEDULE ATOUR PLEASE CALLOUR ADMISSIONS OFFICE 504-362-0513 OR EMAIL SSMNAV36@AOL.COM
MAKE SUSH I AT HOME
sales and marketing. Producers deliver a week or so worth of inventory at a time, depending on the season and product, and they set their own prices.
“It allows farmers to make more money than in traditional wholesale,” Rogers says. “And it’s better for the customers, who get this closer connection to the food they’re buying.”
The butcher counter is central to the Farmer’s concept.
supply a grab-and-go lunch or a picnic on the bayou with salads, dips and drinks from the coolers. It received its permit to sell retail wine and beer to go and has a selection including Wild Bush wines from the Northshore and imports through specialty distributors. More pieces are coming together.
Rogers, who is from Monroe, and Bertel, a New Orleans native whose family runs the nearby Toulouse Street Millworks, live in Mid-City. They also have their own farm, Three Fires Farm, in Poplarville, Mississippi, about an hour drive from New Orleans. Here they produce wagyu beef and heritage pork, some of which are now on local menus (including at most of the Dickie Brennan & Co. restaurants).
The couple has seen the demand for more local food, and they set out to find new ways to reach customers directly.
The space also has a selection of house plants, and in the weeks ahead, this should grow into a fuller garden center and greenhouse from local brand Tiny Nest Botanicals, with seedlings, soil, pots and tools.
Soon, there also will be a mobile coffee bar in a customized Airstream trailer outside. This will be the home of Shiny Thing, a new venture using beans from local roaster Mammoth Coffee Co. Where cars were once parked awaiting repairs, the outdoor space is now well-suited for more potential pop-ups and specialty markets.
“People want to buy local meat, but most people can’t buy a quarter, a half and whole (animal),” Bertel says. “But when we found the farm-stop model, it was an answer, and it’s created this whole hub around it.”
“This is a collaborative effort, and there’s more we can do with it,” Rogers says. “It’s a real community plug and play.”
Chicken, water buffalo and other meats from more regional producers join their own Three Fires inventory at Farmer’s.
Though little changed on the outside, the interior of the former auto shop has a feel more like a farmhouse today. The glass roll-top garage doors frame views of cars, cyclists and pedestrians weaving around the crossroads of the bayou and the Greenway, pointing up Farmer’s highly visible and central location.
Running the butcher counter is a familiar face in the New Orleans food scene: Leighann Smith. She once ran the butcher program at Cochon Butcher before opening Piece of Meat, a butcher shop and restaurant that was around the corner from Farmer’s on Bienville Street. In 2019, Food & Wine named it to its national list of 10 top new restaurants.
It closed in 2023, though many still remember Smith’s prowess with sausage and charcuterie, including a certain chicken liver pate that is now back at Farmer’s. More of her specialties will be joining the rotation.
Farmer’s is not a restaurant, nor is it exactly a deli. But it can
The Crescent City Farmers Market holds its weekly Thursday market just steps away, each Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bertel sees the proximity as a win for farmers to coordinate deliveries and for customers to make a bigger shopping run. He also foresees more collaboration with the farmers’ market ahead.
“I hope this inspires people to open more things like this,” Bertel says of Farmer’s. “I hope it proves this is the way people want to shop for the things they care about.” — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune
PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Telly Justice
Chef
by Will Coviello
FORMER PUNK ROCK DRUMMER TELLY JUSTICE HAS BECOME AN AWARD-WINNING CHEF: MICHELIN GUIDE NEW YORK’S YOUNG CHEF AWARD WINNER IN 2023, one of Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chefs in 2025 and a James Beard Award Best Chef: New York semifinalist. She’s also a trans woman and co-founder and owner of Hags, a tasting menu restaurant in Manhattan. There, Justice and business partner Camille Lindsley have pioneered a paywhat-you-can Sunday dining program. Justice is coming to New Orleans to do a pay-what-you-can collaborative dinner at Dolfy’s on Tuesday, July 7. Hags is moving to a larger location, and the dinner at Dolfy’s will feature some dishes from its new menu. Visit dolfys. com for information about the dinner. For more on Justice, see hagsnyc.com or @oatmeal_goth on Instagram.
How did you get interested in cooking?
TELLY JUSTICE: I came through the back door, the way a lot of people do it. I was looking to fund my music habit. I was playing in punk bands. I thought that was what I was going to do. Working in kitchens was easy entry level work. So many other musicians were working in kitchens, so I could get into an easy job through referrals. Most of those places, especially in the early 2000s, they really didn’t mind if you gave them almost no notice and went on the road for three months. I was just pressing paninis, making gazpacho and pesto and stuff in vegetarian coffee shops. I was in Savannah, Georgia around 2005. I had never cooked before.
I think what connected cooking as a passion for me and drove me deeper into the industry and taking everything more seriously was getting together with a bunch of people who were interested in doing things like potlucks. We did Food Not Bombs, which was a ragtag food distribution thing. We’d go into parks and feed people for free. We’d dumpster dive for ingredients at Whole Foods.
I connected with food that way first: community engagement, community building and food distribution. That’s where I caught the bug.
I started working at chef-driven restaurants, mostly in Atlanta. The vibes were not the same, going from dumpster diving and feeding people for free to the working in the brigade system. It was very different.
I worked in all kinds of fine dining restaurants and in the Michelin system. I learned a lot, and I think structured learning is a great way to develop a craft, but it was very separate for me from the heart and soul of cooking that got me interested in the first place. So what I am doing now is re-integrating that community building and the essential heart of cooking for me.
How accepting was the work environment?
J: I am speaking from the perspective of being a trans woman. I came out of the closet in 2009, so, early in my career. But in most of these spaces, I had to bifurcate my identity. I could be myself outside of work, but at work, I had to be this working body. I had to distance myself from who and what I was outside of work to get along and get by. Still I really struggled to access things like meaningful mentorship. I always felt like I had to work a little bit harder than everyone else to be taken seriously, or to get the same promotions and same raises. So a lot of my career was self-defined and selftaught, and I had to seek out education and self-mentorship outside of the professional kitchen. I read cookbooks voraciously. I did a ton of stages and traveled as much as I could to cook and eat. Over time, my career path got easier, and as I got further up the chain I was taken more seriously by my peers. But it was a long journey getting there. If I were not so self-motivated and determined — honestly, a lot of that determination was fueled by frustration and anger and disappointment in the environments I was working in and the culture that
I was seeing — if I didn’t have that to drive me, I wouldn’t be here today. So a lot of what I do today is building a mindset around where culture can and should change so people like me don’t have to go through that and be so self-determined and sacrificial of their personal identity.
How were you able to do pay-what-you-can dining?
J: When me and my business partner Camille were furloughed at the beginning of the pandemic, we were working in the Michelin world. She was on the team at Aldo Sohm, which is the sister bar to Le Bernardin in Midtown. I was at Contra, which is a one Michelin star restaurant. We suddenly had nothing but time to think and scheme and consider what we would do differently. That’s where Hags was born: in this stir-crazy pandemic bubble moment of dreaming freely.
In the winter of 2020, we started doing pop-ups outside of our apartment, and it kind of took off. We were doing a lot of tasting menus for free. No transaction. Or sliding scale. We did a five-course tasting menu at cost. We experimented with what we could get away with and the community. It really landed. We were able to open the brick and mortar in the summer of 2022. At that point, we had sourced so much information from our diners and the larger community about what they liked and wanted to see, what was interesting to them, we knew there were a couple quintessential aspects of the business we couldn’t sacrifice, even if it were better for the business model momentarily.
Being an outwardly and openly queer-identified restaurant group and making the space as queer-focused as we could and doing the sliding scale component, committing to doing it once a week since 2022, we’ve never missed a beat. Those are essential to us. It was hard in the beginning. There were weeks and months where we were like “Oh my god, we’ve made a horrible mistake.” But the commitment to those values over time, we’ve built so much enthusiasm in the community, and it started to pay back over time. (Our cuisine) is hyper seasonal and technique driven. The reason we went in those directions is because we have relationships with local farmers and artisans. The people who support the restaurant are super significant to us, so we want to work closely with them. We go to the Union Square farmers’ market three times a week. We’re technically driven because a big part of the restaurant’s project is teaching young queer people how to cook at the level I was trained at without having to go into those spaces and be dogged or gatekept. We want to share the things we know. We playfully call our food fruity New American. I think New American is a genre of cuisine that’s kind of meaningless. Famously birthed in California — like Alice Waters. It was a kind of cuisine where people were getting closer to farms and whole ingredients. We stay true to that sort of thing. But now in its fourth year, the pay-what-you-can aspect is the No. 1 thing that brings people to us. It’s the No. 1 thing that people want to talk about. It’s the No. 1 growth aspect of our business model. The thing that was most experimental when we opened — and the thing that very nearly closed our doors — is now the thing that drives our business. People want to support and are enthusiastic to pay for something that makes them feel good and connected to community. That makes them feel engaged. They are supporting something of value that’s larger than just dinner. We find that giving people the opportunity to see what we can do, develop a relationship with them, they’ll come back again, and they’ll bring a friend. Maybe the second time they come in they’re in a different place financially. Those folks will have a birthday or anniversary to celebrate, and we are the people they associated with as their place. So they make a reservation for our tasting menu. That’s how our business model works. It flows upward from pay-what-you-can.
PROVIDED PHOTO BY MORGAN LEVY
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.
3rd Block Depot — 316 Chartres St., (504) 5524095; 3rdblockdepot.com — The menu ranges from seafood and sausage gumbo and Gulf shrimp ceviche to smashburgers and steaks. Brunch brings crab cake Benedict with hollandaise on an English muffin. Reservations available. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Acropolis Cuisine — 3841 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-9046; acropoliscuisine.com — The menu of classic Greek dishes includes souvlaki, gyros and pita wraps, spanakopita, hummus and Greek salads. Moussaka has layers of eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, ground beef and bechamel. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant.com — Gulf fish Capri includes artichokes, crawfish, tomatoes and capers. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, salads, steaks, lamb chops and desserts like bananas Foster bread pudding and lemon icebox tart. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Audubon Clubhouse — 6500 Magazine St., (504) 558-1200; audubonclubhouse. com — The menu by Dickie Brennan and Co. includes crabmeat cheesecake, shrimp remoulade, fried oysters, burgers, sandwiches and more. Shrimp Tchefuncte combines house-made andouille, mushrooms, popcorn rice and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom.com — There are traditional Thai dishes like pad thai, green curry, pineapple fried rice, drunken noodles and coconut shrimp as well as original creations. Beef rib Chiang Mai features a slow-braised beef rib with yellow curry, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, cilantro and chili oil. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
$ — average dinner entrée under $10
$$ $11-$20
$$$ — $20-up
Boil & Barrel — 900 Harrison Ave., (504) 3322645; boilandbarrel.com — The menu includes dishes like barbecue shrimp, char-broiled oysters, boiled crawfish, seafood platters and roast beef po-boys. B&B fruit de mer includes shrimp, mussels and crawfish tossed with spaghetti in San Marzano tomato sauce. The bar offers a long list of bourbons and whiskies. Outdoor seating available. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$$
Budsi’s Authentic Thai — 1760 N. Rampart St., (504) 381-4636; budsisthai.com — Chef Budsaba Mason prepares dishes from her native Issan region of Thailand and other popular Thai dishes like papaya salad, grilled pork shoulder, larb, khao soi, pad thai and red curry. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$
Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2022; gumbostop. com — The Gumbo Stop has several gumbo varieties including chicken and sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo with shrimp, crab and crawfish. The menu also has boudin balls, Bayou shrimp scampi, crawfish etouffee and fried shrimp po-boys. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. 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. $$ The Country Club — 634 Louisa St., (504) 9450742; thecountryclubneworleans.com — The Bywater restaurant and pool has a menu of crab beignets, truffle mac and cheese, shrimp and grits, burgers and more. Seared redfish is served with kale, toasted chickpeas, sesame seeds, chili crisp and whipped tahini. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch, brunch and dinner daily. $$$
With views overlooking the Mississippi River, the restaurant serves a mix of South Louisiana dishes like smoked duck gumbo, crawfish bisque, shrimp Creole,
blackened redfish and crawfish étouffée. Drum amandine is served with green beans and stewed potatoes. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta. com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
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. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Domenica — 123 Baronne St., (504) 6486020; domenicarestaurant.com — The Italian restaurant offers a mix of wood-fired Napolitano-style pizzas and house-made pastas. Appetizers include various salumi and cheese boards, antipasti, roasted cauliflower and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Don’s Seafood — 4801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-1555; donsseafoodonline.com — The seafood options range from char-broiled oysters to seafood gumbo, fried shrimp and catfish platters and stuffed flounder. The menu also has rib-eye steaks. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Elizabeth’s Restaurant — 601 Gallier St., (504) 944-9272; elizabethsrestaurantnola. com — Elizabeth’s is known for its signature praline bacon, and the menu also includes boudin balls, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and eggs Florentine. Outdoor seating available. Reservations accepted for parties of 10 or more. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$
Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban is stuffed with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ King Brasserie & Bar — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3000; kingbrasserieandbar.com — The restaurant’s menu is inspired by the cuisine of the Riviera and southern France. There are dishes like steak frites and bouillabaisse as well as blackened Gulf fish and barbecue shrimp and oysters. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharable plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slowcooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steaks and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bearnaise, blue cheese and sauteed crabmeat. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luke — 333 St. Charles Ave., (504) 378-2840; lukeneworleans.com — The raw bar offers oysters, boiled shrimp, cured tuna, smoked trout dip and more. The menu has dishes like shrimp and grits, crab omelets, crawfish etouffee and steak frites. Reservations encouraged. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Lyons Corner — 537 Gravier St., (504) 5270006; lyonscornernola.com — The eclectic menu includes Cajun prawns, bang-bang fried oysters, chicken sandwiches, salads and more. In the morning, there are breakfast empanadas, muffins, croissants, scones, beignets and more. Delivery and takeout available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature PAGE 35
TAKEOUT
rolls, tempura fried items, udon noodles, teriyaki, salads and more.The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado, snow crab, green onion and wasabi roe. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com
This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and spaghetti bordelaise and chicken cacciatore. Chicken a la grands is sauteed with garlic, rosemary, Italian herbs and white wine. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers a selectoin of cheese boards and appetizers. Creole pasta combines shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Pascal’s Manale — 1838 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-4877; pascalsmanale.com — This Creole-Italian spot invented New Orleansstyle barbecue shrimp, and the menu also includes seafood gumbo, crab cakes, oysters and Italian-style pasta dishes. There’s also an oyster bar. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$$ 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. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Pizza Domenica — 4933 Magazine St., (504) 301-4978; pizzadomenica.com — Pizza is the focus of this offshoot of the Italian restaurant Domenica. There also are meatballs, roasted cauliflower and house-made pastas. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Restaurant August — 301 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 299-9777; restaurantaugust.com — The fine dining restaurant serves Creole and contemporary dishes featuring foie gras, Gulf fish, duck and more. Gnocchi are served with crab, summer truffles and Parmesan. Reservations recommended. Dinner Sun.-Fri., lunch Fri. $$$ Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, Jefferson, (504) 834-4938; rivershacktavern. com — This tavern along the levee offers a casual menu of roast beef po-boys, burgers, wraps, fried shrimp platters, catfish and gumbo. A country fried steak is served with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables and salad. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Shaya — 4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213; shayarestaurant.com — The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu includes dishes like hummus, falafel, kebabs, grilled chicken and woodoven pita bread. A chicken schnitzel sandwich is dressed with little gem lettuce, pickles and harissa mayonnaise on sesame brioche bread. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Stingray’s Restaurant & Bar — 1303 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, (504) 443-4040; stingraysseafoodrestaurant.com — Zydeco fish is stuffed with crabmeat dressing and topped with shrimp cream sauce. The menu also includes fried shrimp and oyster platters, grilled redfish, crabmeat jalapeños, and boudin egg rolls. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, little neck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$
Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Tavi — 330 N. New Hampshire St., (985) 200-2045; tavirestaurant.com — The menu combines dishes from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. There’s hummus, falafel, kebabs, flatbreads, grilled fish, lamb burgers and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $
The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 3247144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed vegetable sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Vyoone’s — 412 Girod St., (504) 381-4384; vyoone.com — The French-Creole menu includes dishes like escargot, crawfish beignets, crab cakes, shrimp pasta, duck a l’orange and lamb chops. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun. $$$
Willa Jean — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 5097334; willajean.com — The bakery and cafe serves biscuits with honey butter, cookies, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, shrimp and grits and more. Avocado toasts are made with house-baked ciabatta topped with tomatillo, spiced pepitas, pickled onion, cilantro and chipotle aioli. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$
Yinzer’s Amazing Cheesesteaks — 1514 Delachaise St., (412) 860-6801; yinzersamazingcheesesteaks.com —There are classic and original cheesesteaks filled with steak, chicken and more. Diners can opt for toppings like provolone, house-made cheddar whiz, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wed.-Sun. $
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
songs. The album “A New Orleans Songwriter Protest Song Compilation” includes songs by Faith, Dusky Waters, Ever More Nest, Ted Hefko, Burris and others. The album celebration is at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 4, at Chickie Wah Wah, and proceeds go to Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy (ISLA). Tickets $26.96 at chickiewahwah.com.
Quiana Lynell
Jazz vocalist Quiana Lynell’s career took off when she won the Sara Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2017. She toured as the featured vocalist with the Jazz at Lincoln Center band last year. She performs with her Lush Life band at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $41.30 via snugjazz.com.
Light up the Lake
The Independence Day celebration on the Mandeville lakefront features a parade on Lakeshore Drive at 4 p.m., music by Groovy 7 and fireworks beginning at 8:45 p.m. Saturday, July 4. There also are games and crafts for kids, food trucks and drink vendors. Visit cityofmandeville.com for information.
Maafa
The Maafa commemoration is a procession and ceremony recognizing those affected by the transatlantic slave trade, and this year’s theme is Anchored by the Ancestors. The name Maafa is a Kiswahili word meaning “horrific tragedy.” The event begins at 7 a.m. Saturday, July 4, in Congo Square, and there’s a parade through Treme to Woldenberg Riverfront Park. The procession will include drummers, musicians, dancers, healers and others. The public is welcome to join the procession. Participants are asked to wear white. Visit ashenola.org/maafa for information.
Uncle Sam Jam
The Independence Day celebration features music by Wilson Phillips, John Waite, Bird and DJ Slim McGraw and fireworks in Lafreniere Park on Friday, July 3. There also are more than a dozen food vendors and an art market. Music starts at 4:15 p.m. and the fireworks are at 9:10 p.m. Admission is free. Visit unclesamjamjefferson.com for information.
French Quarter
Museum Night
Organized by the French Quarter Museum Association, the after-hours
neighborhood crawl gives free access to participating museums, including the Cabildo and Presbytere, the Historic New Orleans Collection, the LGBT+ Archives Project and the Nous Foundation. Many of those organizations are currently showing exhibitions related to the country’s 250th anniversary, and there are some special events for the night. Museum Night runs 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, and there’s a closing reception at 7 p.m. at the HNOC and an after-party at Preservation Hall’s Le Spectacle space featuring the Preservation All-Stars. Find more info at fqma.org.
The Mothership Mixer
DJ Soul Sister, the queen of the rare groove, hosts a cocktail mixer for Parliament-Funkadelic fans 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 3, at Baroness on Baronne to celebrate the 50th anniversary of George Clinton and P-Funk’s iconic spaceship and its return to New Orleans. (Clinton performs Sunday at Essence Fest.) There will be themed cocktails and giveaways and a playlist of P-Funk classics and rarities. Soul Sister will not be doing a live DJ Set on Friday, but tune into her “Soul Power” show on WWOZ at 8 p.m. Saturday to hear a P-Funk marathon. Find more info on Instagram: @djsoulsister.
Jerry Giddens
New Orleans singer-songwriter Jerry Giddens earlier this year released the EP “Sad Songs at Sunset,” and he has now built a stage play around the concept. The play focuses on “an ancient songwriter and the stories he’s told of murder, mayhem and the end of times,” the event notes say. Giddens presents “Sad Songs at Sunset, Chapter 1” at 7 p.m. Friday, July 3, at the AllWays Lounge & Cabaret. Tickets are $12.51 via theallwayslounge.net.
Brass-a-Holics
Brass funk outfit Brass-a-Holics headlines a Free Fridays show at Tipitina’s. Vegas Cola opens at 9 p.m. Friday, July 3. Tickets are first come, first served. Find information at tipitinas.com.
Tisha Campbell
Tisha Campbell was a child star on TV and has spent her life on screen, starring in Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” the “House Party” comedy series, “Rags to Riches” and more. Most recently, she appeared on “The Ms. Pat Show” and “The Lowdown.” She performs stand-up at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 3, at The Howlin’ Wolf. Tickets $64 via thehowlinwolf.com.
CALENDAR.GAMBITWEEKLY.COM
To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com
MONDAY 29
B30/90 — Margie Perez, 6 pm; Piano Man G, 9 pm
ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Betsy Propane & The Accessories, 7 pm
APPLE BARREL Bread For Sale, 6 pm; Decaturadio, 10:30 pm
BACCHANAL Byron Asher, 6 pm
BAMBOULA’S The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 12 pm; Jon Roniger, 4:30 pm; Ted Hefko & the Thousandaires, 9 pm
BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans & Blues w/ Bubbles Brown, 9 pm
BOURBON O BAR — Kid Merv & All That Jazz , 8 pm
BUFFA’S David Doucet, 8 pm
CAFÉ NEGRIL — Keep It Rollin Brass Band, 9 pm
CARROLLTON STATION Biscuits n’ Jam with Meryl Zimmerman & Friends, 10 pm
COLUMNS HOTEL Stanton Moore Trio, 6:30 pm
DBA — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 9:30 pm
DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm
FAVELA CHIC — Josh Benitez Band, 7 pm
FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB Tin Men, 5 pm; Richard Scott & Friends, 8 pm
MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Victor Campbell, 6 pm; The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, 8 pm
THE MAISON Nola Rug Cutters, 5 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 8:30 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR — George Porter Jr. Trio, 7 pm; 10 pm
30/90 — Knee Deep, 3 pm; The Andre Lovett Band, 6 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm
ALLWAYS LOUNGE Sunday Swing, 9 pm
Vegas Cola performs with Brass-A-Holics at Tipitina’s Friday, July 3 at 9 p.m.
BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
APPLE BARREL
Steve Mignango, 10:30 pm
BACCHANAL Noah Young, 7 pm
BJ’S LOUNGE James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 9 pm
BRYANT PARK NOLA The Greek Day Party Curated Experience: For The Culture, 11 am
BUFFA’S — Some Like It Hot!, 11 am
CAESAR’S SUPERDOME — Essence Fest, 6 pm
CAFÉ NEGRIL — Decaturadio, 1 pm; John Lisi & Delta Funk, 5 pm; The Next Level Band, 10 pm
DBA — Paradise Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9:30 pm
GASA GASA — Heatwave, 12 pm
FULTON ALLEY — Sunday Funday Day Party Hosted by Mannie Fresh, 3 pm
HOWLIN’ WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm
OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS AND BOOKS Frenchie Moe Acoustic Blues Trio, 3 pm; Open Mic Night with guest host Clara Dale, 6 pm ST. ROCH TAVERN Old Country Night, 9 pm
PHOTO
JOIN THE KREWE SUPPORT
Gambit has been your go-to source for local news since 1980 —absolutely free.
If you believe in the power of local journalism, join The Gambit Krewe. With your support, we’ll keep the good times rolling!
• Exclusive email ofers
• Gambit tote bag
• Name listed monthly in print as Gambit Krewe member (optional)
• 15% discount at Gambit store: bestofneworleans.com/shop • Invites to Gambit Krewe events • Exclusive email ofers
• All Green Krewe benefts
• A ¼ page print ad to donate to your
or
Thank You For Supporting The Gambit Krewe & Local Journalism
We Love Our Readers & Advertisers
• AJ Allegra
• Alexis Morvant
• Alicia LaRose
• Alisha Reed
• Alyson Dewar
• Amanda Kogos
• Andrew Ravits
• Angela OMalley
• Ann Macdonald
• Ann Thompson
• Anna Clayton Bullock
• Anna Hugel
• Anthony Bentley
• April Sanchez
• Arlette Labostrie
• Ashley Rice
• Audrey Coulter
• Barbara Harding
• Barbara Poche
• Barry Bavister
• Betsy Oprea
• Bobbi Ritz
• Bruce Terrell
• Caroline Ross
• Cassie Lentz
• Cathy Green-Miner
• Celeste Gauthier
• Charli Guest
• Chere Theriot
• Cheryl Marie DeCuir
• Christina Tucker
• Claiborne Christian
• Cory Brown
• Cotty Chubb
• Dan Askin
• David Katz
• David Snyder
• Debi Benoit
• Denise Hillburn
• Diana Shaw
• Diane Katz
• Dolores Hall
• Dorothy Tardy
• Doug Seeley
• Ed Sherman
• Eileen Miller
• Elaine Belshaw
• Elise Dabezies
• Ellen Byron
• Elliot Jessie
• Emily Schoenbaum
• Empress Collectibles
• Erica Cardosi
• Erin Fitch
• Evelyn Maier
• Fritz Westenberger
• Gay Rivet Pearson
• George Kulman
• Gerald Karcher
• Gordon Blau
• Gretchen Caillouet
• Guy Brierre
• Guy Rich
• Heidi Weber
• Henry GermainMcCarthy
• Howard Turof
• Ileana Ledet
• Jamiles Lartey
• Jason Richards
• Jeanette Conner
• Jeanne Exnicios
• Jennifer Dessort
• John Millett
• Jonathan Singer
• Joshua Long
• Juan Barreto
• Julius Cain
• Karen Downs
• Kathleen Edmundson
• Kathy Manchester
• Kelly Sonnier
• Kent Laborde
• Kevin Boyd
• Kimbra Metaxas
• Kipp Rhoads
• Kirk Bowles
• Larry Dupont
• Lee Wrage
• Leila Labens
• Liliane bavister
• Linda Mauskopf
• Loren Hall
• Louis Lustenberger
• Lucia Caballero
• Mandie Lucas
• Marc Savoy
• Margaret Rakowski
• Margo Moss
• Marisa Naquin
• Mary Hall
• Mary Marshall
• Mary McCarthy
• Mary-Claire Maggio
• Maxwell Rieman
• Meghan Champagne
• Melanie Girouard
• Michael Markey
• Michele Goldfarb
• Mike Etheridge
• Mike Kaki
• Mindy Milam, LCSW
• Monet Brignac
• Morgan Kennedy
• Natalie Porter
• Nina Dhurandhar
• Orlando Flores Jr
• Pamela Booton
• Patricia Gallagher
• Paul Tamburello
• Paula Harrelson
• Paula Hartley-Moise
• Pepper Caruso
• Phyllis Lawton Cosentino
• Phyllis Stevens
• Rebekka Veith
• Ref Bull
• Richard Hill
• Richard Plaisance
• Rick Bogren
• Robert K Gramenz
• Robert Lecher
• Robert Levy
• Ron Benson
• Roxanne Shepherd
• Sally Gaden
• Sam Foster
• Sandra Albert
• Sandy Stein
• Scott D’Aunoy
• Sebastiani Noir
• Shanna Bray
• Sharla Boothe
• Shayna Hall
• Stacey Burke
• Stephanie McShane
• Steve Cochran
• Steve Piucci
• Steve Polo
• Steven Crimaldi
• Susan Gordley
• Suzanne Dicharry
• Terry Ryder
• Thomas Suddes
• Tina Lowers
• Tony Laska
• Vance Ceaser
• Vincent Scorsone
• Vonnie Good
• Whitney Fisler
PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
QUARTER TIME
By Frank A. Longo
1 Five-sided shape 9 Members of a
65 Making it through a
‘16 Olympics city
Protests with people lying down
Orbiters such as Eros
Fancy vase
Medical research monkey
The Raptors, on scoreboards
Song-belting Merman
Points of
37 Pampering, in brief
Comeback to “Are not!”
39 Its cap. is Amsterdam
Aussie’s “Hi”
after Don or
You, old-style 49 Metric prefix for “thousandth”
50 Dress fussily 51 Chairs
55 Abbr. of fuel efficiency
56 Actress Wasikowska 59 Not as risky
Booster, e.g.
German auto
Catty
66 When doubled, a gloating taunt 67 Mardi -68 “-- a pity!”
69 Precedent-setting trial
70 “Tuff --” (1986 hit song)
71 “The king,” in France
72 Weapon for a 44-Across
76 Hi- -- monitor
77 Mao -- -tung
78 Old Red Scare org.
79 Engrave
80 Campus mil. gp.
81 Hunter constellation
86 -- Christian Andersen
87 Opposite of ecto88 Boxer Spinks
90 Baghdad native
Melt together 93 Open -- of worms 94 Greeted with a grin 97 Lounge area on a train 98 -- Lilly
100 Ear: Prefix 101 Nero’s 1,051
Not wholly 104 Muscle jerks 107 Tokyo’s land
In a weird way
109 2004 Jude Law film 110 Chinese green tea
Leb. neighbor 112 Big name in utility knives 117 Trot or canter
118 Actress -- Flynn Boyle 119 “You’ve got a deal!” 120 Pod fillers
123 “Skylight” actress Williams
124 Suffix with Seattle
125 Bus. firms
126 With 27-Across, Erté’s style
127 Broody rock genre
128 Shapely leg, in old slang
Keeping youwell, so youdon’t miss abeat
Ochsner Urgent Care -Warehouse District* 900 Magazine Street
Ochsner Urgent Care-Uptown* 4605 Magazine Street
Ochsner Urgent Care-Mid-City 4100 Canal Street
Ochsner UrgentCare-Lakeview 111C Allen Toussaint Blvd.
Ochsner
Ochsner Urgent Care -River Ridge 9605 Jeferson Highway, Suite G
Ochsner Urgent Care-West Bank 1849 Barataria Blvd.,SuiteB
At Ochsner Urgent Care, our expertprovidersget you thecare you need, when youneed it, ofering same-day, walk-in visits. From urinary pain, to sprains and fractures, to common colds or rashes, to hydrationtherapy*,we are here to provide youwith the treatment you needto feelbetter and get back to the music.
Learn more at ochsner.org/uc or visit oneofour convenient locations.
