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Joy fest
Black Girl Giggles features comedy events July 3-6
NEW YORK CITY STILL HAS A REPUTATION FOR BEING a hard place to get by. That may help explain some of the devilish fun comedian Marie Faustin takes in living there.
“Watching people fall in public is my self-care,” she says with a huge grin in a short set filmed for Don’t Tell Comedy. She also jokes about the bargains available through self-checkouts and feigns shock that people in her audience are paying full price at Target.
Faustin will share more jokes about her life and lifestyle at shows at 7 & 9 p.m. Friday, July 4, and Saturday, July 5, at Sports Drink. Those shows are the marquee event of this year’s Black Girl Giggles comedy festival, taking place July 3-6 at venues across town and featuring 28 local and visiting comics.
Faustin is a native New Yorker. She says her path into comedy was from always being the funniest person in the room. She wasn’t really exposed to stand-up comedy growing up, because her parents didn’t want her to watch TV.
Since breaking out at comedy festivals eight years ago, she’s been on Comedy Central, MTV’s “Girl Code” and the BET Awards. She co-hosted Viceland’s variety show “Vice Live” and “Very Real Talk” on Oxygen. She and comedian and actress Syndee Washington riffed on millennial pop culture in the podcast “Peak 2000s” and also hosted “The Unofficial Expert.”
Besides doing a lot of stand-up in New York, she has run a monthly event called “Why Are You Single?” It’s almost like a game show, but participants become the butt of plenty of jokes from Faustin and her cohost as they describe themselves, their experiences dating and what they’re looking for in a partner. The audience also gets in on the act. Audience members get their own small red flags, and they wave them whenever they see a problem with the contestant’s answers.
Faustin revels in figuring out what’s going on with her subjects. She also jokes that she’s getting a handle on therapy. In her Don’t Tell set, she proudly announces, “I graduated from every week to every other week.”
Other comics traveling to Black Girl Giggles include Ameerah Sanders from Chicago. Though she grew up in a conservative Muslim family, she’s a queer comic and host of the astrology-themed show Astrobabe.
by Will Coviello |
Also from Chicago is Arlieta Hall, who’s an understudy at Second City. She’s also making a documentary film about caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s.
Carissa Cropper originally is from Baton Rouge, and she’s written for TV and does stand-up. Corlis DeLauren is a Houston native who tours and has appeared on MTV’s “Greatest Party Story Ever.” Mia Musa is a young, upcoming comic from Baltimore who hosts the show Drunk Black History.
A rising star out of the New Orleans scene is Saya Meads, whose comedy clips have gone viral. She has a quarter of a million followers on Instagram (@a.gram.of.saya), and she’s scheduled to film a comedy special in July. She headlines a show at Sweet Lorraine’s at 7 p.m. Sunday.
The festival kicks off with a Welcome to New Orleans show at Big Couch at 8 p.m. Thursday. There are two queer comedy shows, with Queers of Comedy at 8:30 p.m. Thursday
at Oz on Bourbon Street. The Funny & Proud show is at 7 p.m. Friday at the AllWays Lounge & Theatre.
In addition to stand-up comedy showcases, there are several special editions of local comedy shows.
Saturday Afternoon Funnies features a mix of stand-up and improv and leans into nerd comedy. It’s at 2 p.m. Saturday at Big Couch. Comedy Revolution highlights political comedy at 8 p.m. Saturday at Big Couch. Comic Strip combines stand-up comedy and burlesque performances at 10:30 p.m. Sunday at AllWays Lounge.
Rodeo Bing-Oh is an installment of festival founder Geneva Joy’s monthly show at Twelve Mile Limit. It features costumes and participants play for sex toy prizes while Joy hosts and cracks jokes. The festival edition is at 10 p.m. Thursday at AllWays Lounge.
Joy founded the festival to highlight Black women and women-identifying comics, and it’s always coincided with the Essence Festival of Culture. It was designed to get Black comics more exposure, and now Joy is trying to change it to help the comics advance.
“I want to change the festival dynamic so it helps these women change their career,” Joy says. “To do that I need more funding. But attending festivals is a necessary thing if you’re a comic, and it can be costly. We’re talking about Black women who have different systemic challenges.”
This year, Black Girl Giggles is working with a streaming platform to record and broadcast most of the festival’s shows.
Visit blackgirlgiggles.com for festival schedule and tickets.
Go 4th on the River
There are fireworks over the riverfront at 9 p.m. on Independence Day. The show will feature patriotic bursts of red, white and blue and 3-D arrays. The show is best viewed from the French Quarter and Woldenberg Park or Algiers Point. Accompanying the display is a broadcast of music on wwl.com. The day’s festivities include performances by the Irish a capella group Trinitones at 2 & 8 p.m. at Oscar Dunn Park (788 Decatur St.). The Gen. Roy S. Kelley fireboat will do its display of red, white and blue water spouts at 6:30-7 p.m. Festivities are free. Visit go4thontheriver.com.
Uncle Sam Jam
The Uncle Sam Jam brings live music and a fireworks display to Lafreniere Park in Metairie. The music lineup includes “American Pie” singer Don McClean, country band Shenandoah, singer-songwriter Payton Smith and Texas country rock duo Bottomland. There’s also music from the U.S. Marine Forces Reserve Band and an appearance by the National World War II Museum’s Victory Belles. There’s food from food truck and pop-up vendors offering barbecue, sliders, seafood, daiquiris and more. The music starts at 4 p.m. and the fireworks are at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Free parking with shuttle service is available at the Shrine on Airline. Visit unclesamjamjefferson.com for details.
HotSizzle Summer of Bounce
Over two decades HaSizzle has become New Orleans “King of Bounce,” and has been sampled by artists including Lil Wayne and Drake. He presents a showcase of bounce featuring Sissy Nobby, 504 IcyGirl, VickeeLo, DJ Rockie and Jst Eri. At 9 p.m. Saturday, July 5. Ticket $32.61 via chickiewahwah.com.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
Comedian Geneva Joy founded Black Girl Giggles comedy festival. PHOTO PROVIDED BY GENEVA JOY
THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, also called the RESTORE Council, recently gave a $60 million grant to a project meant to revitalize the dying Maurepas Swamp between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The grant was the last major funding needed by the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority to cover the cost of the $500 million project. The council allocates funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon settlement.
OPENING GAMBIT
NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS
Starting to feel awfully soggy with all this rain
Judge strikes down New Orleans ordinance limiting Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s publicly funded travel
THE PERCENTAGE OF NEW ORLEANS RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE LATOYA CANTRELL IS DOING A GOOD JOB AS THE CITY’S MAYOR, ACCORDING TO A RECENT POLL BY FAUCHEUX STRATEGIES.
It’s the lowest approval rating of Cantrell’s career. The feeling appears to be mutual: Cantrell, who has done little work in the city over the last 18 months, recently went to a conference in Tampa where she trashed the city’s residents for being “disrespectful” towards her. By comparison, the city council has a 47 percent approval rating, according to the survey, which was conducted in May.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have pushed the City of Kenner to cancel its annual Hispanic Heritage Festival, which would have taken place in September. Under the Trump administration, ICE has detained and deported immigrants at workplaces, large gatherings and even courthouses. Festival organizers said fear of ICE has kept sponsors and vendors from signing on to this year’s event and they did not want to put the Hispanic community at risk.
LOUISIANA CIVIL COURT JUDGE
JENNIFER MEDLEY JUNE 25TH STRUCK
DOWN a New Orleans City Council ordinance that severely restricted the ability of city employees to travel on the city’s dime, clearing the way for Mayor LaToya Cantrell to continue spending much of her remaining months in office anywhere but the city.
Rice is a former CEO of Entergy New Orleans who stepped down from that position after he and the company were accused of engaging in an astro-turf campaign to ensure council approval of a new powerplant in New Orleans East.
New Orleans’ Chief Administrative Office is already behind on paying lifeguards working this summer at New Orleans Recreation Department pools. Officials in Mayor Cantrell’s office told The Times-Picayune it was “working diligently” to get them paid, but the issue harkens back to 2023 when more than 50 teens working in NORD’s summer job training camp had to wait until September to finally get their paychecks.
The ordinance, passed earlier this year, blocked city funded travel in most instances, and was passed in response to Cantrell’s unsubstantiated claims that the city was facing a major financial crisis. While it applied to all employees, including council members, it was clearly aimed at Cantrell who has enjoyed a busy travel schedule at city expense for years.
Medley found the ordinance violated the constitution and city’s charter, which significantly limits the council’s authority and gives the mayor’s office broad powers.
Charles Rice, who Cantrell retained to represent her administration in her fight against the ordinance, told WWL “this is the fourth time a court has determined that this City Council in its quest to usurp executive power has overreached and violated the Home Rule Charter.”
Since her re-election, Cantrell has spent much of her time out of town, traveling the world on the city’s dime. In 2024, the mayor spent significantly more time travelling than actually working in the city. According to her schedule, she spent 1,290 hours and 37 minutes outside of New Orleans, compared to just 215 hours and five minutes on core city functions.
Cantrell has consistently insisted that her travel to exotic locales and foreign music festivals are critical functions of her office and are helping the city. But recently Cantrell has also turned her travel into a Festivus style opportunity to air her personal grievances. For instance, during a recent junket to Tampa, Florida Cantrell bitterly complained that public complaints about her travel and job performance have been “very disrespectful, insulting, some cases kind of unimaginable.”
She even went so far as to post a video of her complaints on her 16.6%
C’EST WHAT ?
Mayor LaToya Cantrell claps.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
* ITH STATE-ISSUED PHOTO ID SO E RESTRICTIONS APPLY. JULY 1-31 ONLY
personal and city run social media accounts, presumably to ensure the folks back home got the message.
In January, Cantrell’s administration backed out of an agreement to help fund the city’s school system, alleging the city was in the midst of a financial crisis. Despite no evidence to back up those claims, Cantrell refused to make payments to the school system, despite signing an ordinance into law in December 2024 that included them.
In response, the council passed the travel ban, which has been consistently shot down by courts.
— John Stanton
New Orleans criminal court judge steps down from the bench without public explanation
AN ORLEANS PARISH CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURT JUDGE QUIETLY STEPPED AWAY from the bench last month, prompting the Louisiana Supreme Court to install a temporary replacement.
Retired Judge Calvin Johnson began presiding over Judge Darryl Derbigny’s courtroom on May 27, according to the court order appointing Johnson as a pro tempore judge, and will serve until June 29.
Derbigny has not publicly explained his absence.
An administrator for the Louisiana Supreme Court denied a public records request from The TimesPicayune for the letter Derbigny sent requesting a leave of absence, writing in an email that communications between judges and the high court are “privileged and are not subject to public disclosure.”
Derbigny did not return a phone call requesting an interview, and questions sent to Robert Kazik, judicial administrator for the Criminal District Court, went unanswered this week.
Derbigny’s temporary departure from the bench came just weeks after the Metropolitan Crime Commission released a court-efficiency study that found Derbigny presides over the longest and oldest felony docket among the court’s 12 judges.
His average caseload last year, according to the study, was “almost double the court average,” with a little more than half the cases open longer than a year.
Derbigny is currently serving his fourth term, which ends Dec. 31,
2026, on the court. He was first elected to its bench in 2002.
The commission also ranked Derbigny as the court’s least efficient judge in 2008, shortly before he won his first reelection. At the time, Derbigny called the commission’s findings “a snapshot in time” and its criticism “rather dated.”
A subsequent report released by the commission later that year showed a dramatic reduction in Derbigny’s caseload.
Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche said this week that he shared the commission’s report with the Louisiana Supreme Court, but that “I have had no communication with them [the justices]” since then.
The commission has continued to track Derbigny’s docket since Johnson’s appointment, Goyeneche said.
“His [Derbigny’s] docket is smaller and the pretrial inmate population in [the jail] is lower after his departure,” he said, calling the decreases “a sign” that Johnson “is beginning to move his [Derbigny’s] docket.”
In 2017, the Louisiana Supreme Court ordered Derbigny to repay more than $57,000 in improper health care expense benefits, after finding he accepted benefits beyond what was allowed by law. He was cleared of any ethical misconduct. — Jillian Kramer /
Orleans Parish Criminal District Court Judge Darryl Derbigny FILE PHOTO
Rela xonour TROPICAL CO URTYAR D OR SIDEWALK S
@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com
Hey Blake,
I attended a graduation recently at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center in Chalmette, which leads me to ask: Who was he? Not knowing much about the history of St. Bernard Parish, I’d like to know more.
Dear reader,
THE ST. BERNARD PARISHOWNED FACILITY ON WEST JUDGE PEREZ DRIVE in Chalmette has hosted concerts, sporting events, Carnival balls, dance recitals and commencement exercises since the late 1960s. Having Frederick J. Sigur’s name on the building is a more recent addition.
According to The Times-Picayune, Sigur was a real estate developer who donated the 5.4 acres of land where the Civic Center sits. The land was also once part of the old Menefee Airport, which operated from the 1920s through the 1940s.
St. Bernard was hit hard by Hurricane Betsy’s flooding in 1965, and the civic center was part of a $4.9 million public improvement bond program designed to renovate or build new public facilities. “Parish officials hope it (the civic center) will become a landmark of St. Bernard while furnishing an attractive setting for parish activities,
conventions, exhibits, Carnival balls, banquets and theater,” explained a 1966 Times-Picayune article.
The parish broke ground on the civic center, also called the St. Bernard Cultural Center, in September 1966. It hosted its first events two years later. The States-Item called it a “super-modern civic auditorium…a split-level, glass-enclosed structure” that cost approximately $1.6 million to build and could seat up to 3,000.
In 2004, the St. Bernard Parish Council voted to rename the building the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center. Sigur, who died in 1998, also donated the land for the nearby Torres Park and for Carolyn Park Playground in Arabi.
WHAT WOULD THE FOURTH OF JULY BE without the music of John Philip Sousa? From his iconic “The Stars & Stripes Forever” to stirring marches such as “The Washington Post,” “Semper Fidelis” and “The Thunderer,” the music of the “March King” will be everywhere this holiday weekend.
The composer, conductor and director of the U.S. Marine Band (known as “The President’s Own”) appeared in New Orleans several times during his life.
In April 1895, The Daily Picayune reported on his appearance at the Academy of Music, located at 414 St. Charles Ave. “As a conductor, Sousa stands in the foremost rank ... As a composer, he is also far above the mediocre, the various marches from his pen …receiving new life and color under his baton,” the newspaper wrote. Later that year, Sousa returned to New Orleans for two performances at the Washington Artillery Hall in the 600 block of St. Charles Avenue. He was back in 1897 for four concerts at the St. Charles Theatre, then returned in 1902 for performances at the Tulane theater on Baronne Street.
In 1922, Sousa performed at the Athenaeum on St. Charles Avenue. He also visited the Fair Grounds, where the Sousa Handicap was run in his honor. During that same visit, he was asked about the emergence of jazz music.
“The popularity of jazz can have no detrimental effect on American music, nor can it ever become the foundation of our national music,” Sousa said in a TimesPicayune interview. “I sat in a restaurant and heard some orchestra play ‘The Stars and Stripes Forever’ in jazz. I said nothing. It just showed how a good tune could be murdered. That’s all I have to say about jazz.”
FriedThaichilli rib appetizer
Friedeggplant boat stuffed with shrimpeggplant dressing toppedwith friedcatfish andseafoodcream
Seafoodlasagna toppedwith seafoodcream
Smotheredporkchops with white rice andveg
Thaifriedchicken sliders with aThaicoleslawspicy mayo andfries
Italiansausage stuffed shell pasta with garlic breadand side caesar
Friedtrout over broccoli cheddarrice andBrusselssprouts with seafoodcream
Cajunpeppersteak with rice
BLAKE VIEW
The outside of the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center FILE PHOTO BY BENJAMIN ALEXANDER - BLOCH
Essence Festival of Culture celebrates Black women, culture, music CULTURE CONNECTIONS
BY JAKE CLAPP
ESSENCE MAGAZINE launched the Essence Festival of Culture in 1995 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the publication. Last year, the annual celebration of Black women, Black music and Blackowned businesses marked its 30th edition, and in 2025, the celebration continues with the 55th anniversary of the magazine.
Essence Fest returns to New Orleans Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 6, with busy days at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and even busier nights at the Caesars Superdome. This year’s theme is “Made Like This.”
The music lineup, July 4-6, includes Maxwell, Boyz II Men, Davido, GloRilla, Babyface, The Isley Brothers and New Orleans’ own Master P celebrating his career and the No Limit legacy with Mia X, Silkk the Shocker and more special guests. Jill Scott will celebrate the musical legacy of her hometown, Philadelphia, with help from Patti LaBelle and Jazmine Sullivan. And Jermaine Dupri will honor late music titan Quincy Jones with a star-studded showcase. Prior to the evening concerts, Essence Fest will be headquartered at the convention center with panels, interviews, workshops, film screenings, food events and the SOKO MRKT, featuring Black- and women-owned businesses selling items. Programming starts up at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m. July 4-6.
Events on Thursday, July 3, kick off the festival weekend. In the afternoon, Xavier University of Louisiana will host the “Battle of Jollof vs. Jambalaya,” a cooking competition pitting the West African dish against the South Louisiana staple. Admission is free, but a ticket is required.
Later Thursday, DJ D-Nice will host another edition of his Club Quarantine Live with special guests at The Fillmore. The music starts at 10 p.m., and tickets are $70 general admission.
Admission to the convention center is free, but registration is needed. Tickets for the evening concerts are $82 per night. Find links to all tickets at essence.com/essencefestival2025.
Essence Fest also has a new, free app this year called 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 music performers, the experiences happening at the convention center and 20 Blackowned restaurants to check out during the Essence Fest weekend.
Essence Festival of Culture runs at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Caesars Superdome and other venues.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
The Essence Festival of Culture hosts ‘experiences’ at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
CONCERT PREVIEWS
Doors open at 6 p.m. and music starts at 7 p.m. at the Caesars Superdome.
Friday
JULY
4
Maxwell
Maxwell isn’t gonna show up to his fourth Essence in anything but a tailored suit — something smooth, sartorial and soulful. The vocalist’s return might be a quiet statement: No new album yet, but count on him to drop classic songs like “Ascension” and “Pretty Wings,” along with deep cuts, delivered with slow jam intention.
Maxwell was born as Gerald Maxwell Rivera in Brooklyn, New York, and is the son of a Haitian mother and Puerto Rican father. He received a keyboard from a friend at age 17 and was made fun of by his classmates for being awkward and shy. But he kept developing his sound and eventually started playing clubs. Shortly after, he signed with Columbia Records, launching a long career.
“Soft masculinity” is maybe cliche at this point, but the 52-year-old Maxwell is a testament to embracing sensitivity. He’s known as being reclusive, but if there’s a moment for Maxwell to reemerge, it’s certainly Essence.
— LIAM PIERCE
Babyface
Just by the numbers, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds has had a staggering career, with 12 Grammys and dozens of R&B and pop hits to his name as a writer, producer or performer. But just ask any couple that’s run the risk of a public indecency charge during the slow dance segment at a wedding: You don’t really need stats to feel Babyface’s influence on R&B and pop.
As a vocalist, songwriter and producer, Babyface helped guide R&B into its smooth, modern style in the ’90s, and songs like “Whip Appeal,” “When Can I See You” and “Every Time I Close My Eyes” are sultry pop staples. He’s also written for and produced songs by Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton and Boyz II Men and helped develop TLC and Usher early in their careers. If you missed Babyface earlier this year at Jazz Fest, here’s another chance to catch a living legend. — JAKE CLAPP
GloRilla
The “Queen of Memphis” comes to Essence fest with her 2024 album “Glorious” in tow. GloRilla built a viral anthem in “Typa” — featuring a Keyshia Cole cameo — and continues to turn heads on BET and Hot 97.
The eighth of 10 children, GloRilla started out in her church choir, but lost her voice. So she decided to rap. The 25-year-old has just one album and a handful of mixtapes and EPs under her belt, but she also can point to her single “Tomorrow 2” with Cardi B hitting No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
She’s even got a signature word that’s gone viral, “eugh, eugh,” delivered with a deep Memphis drawl. GloRilla is a rookie at Essence, but she’s got enough prowess to floor anyone.
— LIAM PIERCE
The Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers are six decades deep in their career and still killing it. These icons promise a trek through Motown grooves to ’70s funk and beyond. They’re not promoting new music, but their set feels like a living anthology that’s vintage and bright.
Expect impeccable jumpsuits, vocal interplay and original members dropping legacy tracks with their signature velvet cool. Their cover of “Twist and Shout” is bound to make an appearance, along with “Shout” and “Fight the Power.”
You can practically feel the glow of an old radio in the living room. And at this age, they aren’t just performing — they’re teaching music history.
— LIAM PIERCE
Psiryn
Kandi Burruss, a member of the ’90s R&B group Xscape, recently teamed up with Nick Cannon to cultivate the new trio Psiryn. The quickly rising girl group — Anaya Chayenne, Jada Denise and Victoria McQueen — bridges the gap between old-school and contemporary R&B by blending rich, yet experimental harmonies with a sound reminiscent of ’90s groups like SWV and 702.
airplay chart. Their first EP, “In the Key of Us,” was released earlier this month and has already gained a ton of buzz.
— MADDIE SPINNER
Lucky Daye
There’s plenty of familiar sensuality in Lucky Daye’s music, but the contemporary pop vocalist has his attention on the future of R&B, particularly on his latest album, “Algorithm.” The record, produced by D’Mile, who worked with Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, is rooted in R&B and Daye’s sensitivities but is
2 5
earned a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album, and Daye won the Best Traditional R&B Performance award for the song “That’s You.” Daye, born David Brown, grew up in New Orleans and moved to Atlanta after Hurricane Katrina. There, he grew his music career, and at 19 appeared on Season 4 of “American Idol.” After success writing and co-writing songs for Boyz II Men, Mary J. Blige and Beyonce, Lucky Daye released his first EP in 2018. And within just a few years, Daye now has three successful full-length albums, three EPs and two Grammys.
On Friday, Daye will be performing a Super Lounge set. — JAKE CLAPP
PROVIDED PHOTO BY MASTERMINDFOTOO
Saturday JULY 5
Jill Scott’s
“A Philly Jawn”
Jill Scott has always repped her hometown of Philadelphia — so much so that “Jilly from Philly” has been a regular nickname for the neo-soul and pop icon. “So much of who I am is because of the music of Philadelphia,” Scott told NPR in 2015.
And it’s easy to see why: Patti LaBelle, Frankie Beverly, Teddy Pendergrass, Boyz II Men and many other great soul, R&B and hip-hop musicians have called Philadelphia home. It’s where Black Thought and Questlove formed The Roots and brought Scott into the studio, before she cut her seminal 2000 debut album “Who is Jill Scott?”
At Essence, Scott celebrates the city’s influ ence on the past, present and future of Black American music with “A Philly Jawn,” featuring fellow Philadelphians LaBelle and Jazmine Sullivan. — JAKE CLAPP
Summer Walker
R&B singer-songwriter Summer Walker never shies away from writing deeply personal lyrics. She has built a career on unfiltered emotion and raw vulnerability — and it works. Channeling the spirit of ’90s R&B greats, Walker’s melodic vocals turn her heartbreak into a deeply relatable story that reads like a diary. Her upcoming third album, “Finally Over It,” will be the final installment to her “Over It” trilogy, which chronicles the emotional stages of leaving a toxic relationship behind. —
MADDIE SPINNER
Moliy
Davido
Davido was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but grew up in Nigeria, where he developed a sound that is pure Lagos. Although he originally followed in the path of his father, a Nigerian business magnate, Davido turned to music while studying business at Alabama’s Oakwood University. He might come from wealth, but Davido fought for musical credibility and is now a certified global superstar.
Erykah
Badu
Davido’s fifth album “5ive” dropped last April and is an homage to Afropop and amapiano. Tracks like “Funds” and “Be There Still” make for transcontinental anthems. It’s hard to tell what Davido’s setup will be at Essence, but his live shows have involved floating platforms, a huge crew of backup singers and dancers and even a bit of fireworks. It’s bound to be explosive either way. — LIAM PIERCE
Erykah Badu has long defied genres. Blending elements of jazz, hip-hop and R&B, Badu influenced the culture of R&B in the late ’90s with her debut album “Baduizm,” which helped define the neo-soul movement upon its release. Earlier this year, Badu announced she’s collaborating with The Alchemist on her first album in more than a decade. And they recently dropped the first single “Next To You” over the Juneteenth weekend. — MADDIE SPINNER
Buju Banton
Dancehall musician Buju Banton is making a comeback. After nearly a decade out of the spotlight, Banton gave a standout performance at this year’s BET Awards, where he announced an upcoming album due later this summer.
Banton rose to fame with early albums like “Stamina Daddy” and “Mr. Mention,” which broke Bob Marley’s record for chart-topping singles in Jamaica. And his 10th studio album, “Before the Dawn,” won the 2011 Grammy Award for best reggae album — shortly before Banton was found guilty on drug and firearms-related charges and sentenced to prison. Banton was released in late 2018 and has steadily become active again in the music industry. Banton in the past has included anti-gay lyrics in his music, although in 2019, he removed the homophobic song “Boom Bye Bye” from streaming platforms and said he would no longer perform the song live after realizing the pain it had caused.
Banton’s latest album, “Born for Greatness,” was released in 2023 and he has been working on the follow-up. — MADDIE SPINNER
Ghanaian Afro-fusion musician Moliy is bringing a fresh voice to the dancehall scene and has become a breakout star by fusing elements of Afrobeat, dancehall and alt-pop with soft melodic vocals. Moliy’s musical approach has challenged the male-dominated dancehall genre and helped open doors to a new era of artists in the genre.
Moliy has been on a consistent rise following her breakout single “Sad Girlz Luv Money” with Amaarae, and the remix featuring Kali Uchis, and she just recently released her new single “Shake It To The Max” following its own viral success on social media. —
MADDIE SPINNER
Donell
Jones
The son of a Chicago gospel singer, Donell Jones grew up surrounded by music, and in the early ’90s, caught the attention of LaFace Records, the label created by Babyface and L.A. Reid. Jones worked as a songwriter, particularly for 702 and Usher, and after the song “Think of You” became a R&B hit for Usher, Jones got to work on his own solo music. While his 1996 debut album, “My Heart,” did well, it was Jones’ follow-up, “Where I Wanna Be” that put him on the platinum-selling map. Nearly 30 years and seven full-lengths on, Jones continues to have a successful career crafting emotional, jazz-tinged pop and R&B. At Essence on Saturday, he’ll be performing an intimate Super Lounge set. — JAKE CLAPP
PHOTO BY SCOTT THRELKELD / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
Jill Scott will host ‘A Philly Jawn’ at Essence Fest with Patti LaBelle and Jazmine Sullivan.
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
Sunday
JULY 6
Boyz II Men
Calling Boyz II Men a “proto-boyband” is a disservice to the OGs. They didn’t follow a formula; they wrote it. Nearly 40 years after the quartet began in Philadelphia, Nathan and Wayna Morris and Shawn Stockman carry on the band.
Not many acts this deep in their career can still put their harmonies to good causes, like diabetes research, veterans support, children’s hospitals, disaster relief in Japan, the list goes on. And guess what? They sound almost exactly like you remember.
So go ahead — slow dance with your boo to “On Bended Knee.” And don’t worry — the teacher’s not here to break out the ruler on your slow dance. It’s 2025. — LIAM
PIERCE
Master P
In the ’90s, No Limit Records helped put New Orleans into the national hip-hop conversation, with now-classic albums by Mia X, Silkk the Shocker, Mac, Mystikal and even Snoop Dogg. The label’s output in just 1998, as Genius.com notes, is legendary with 23 releases.
Nas
And presiding over it all was Percy Miller, the mogul and rapper better known as Master P. Miller grew up in the Calliope Projects and later lived in California, where he started No Limit, first as a record shop and then as a label for hip-hop that took a funkier, grittier, street level-edge. In 1995, Miller relocated No Limit Records to his hometown and quickly grew the label into a powerhouse — along with releasing his own popular albums.
After No Limit Records, and its New No Limit successor, ended by the early-2000s, Miller continued to release his own music but also focused on investing, starting new businesses and dabbling in film and TV. In the last few years, he’s also become more active in New Orleans and was named the city’s entertainment ambassador last year ahead of the Super Bowl.
At Essence, Master P will be joined by Mia X, Silk the Shocker, Dru Hill, Keri Hilson, The No Limit Soldiers and more. The show has been billed as Master P’s last headlining performance, although he’s currently on the lineup for the NOLA Funk Fest in October. Still, why risk missing out on what could be one of an icon’s last performances?
— JAKE CLAPP
New York-born rapper Nas came out swinging in 1994 with his debut album, “Illmatic,” seen as a landmark for East Coast hip-hop. More than 30 years later, and with 17 studio albums, Nas continues to earn acclaim for his lyrical prowess.
Nas’ latest album, “Magic 3,” capped a whirlwind stretch that saw six albums in three years. The emcee has been relatively quiet since, but in April, Nas and his label, Mass Appeal, announced a new sevenalbum series from hip-hop icons to come in 2025. Along with releases by Ghostface Killah and Mobb Deep, the series is expected to include the long-awaited collaboration between Nas and DJ Premier, which they first teased in 2006. — JAKE CLAPP
Doug E. Fresh
One of hip-hop’s pioneers during the early days of the genre’s commercial success, Doug E. Fresh got his start as a beatboxer taking part in young crews around New York. But it was his song with MC Ricky D (better
Italian Job,” “The Wiz” and “The Color Purple,” Jones left an indelible mark on popular culture. He also mentored a number of young artists over his 70-year career, including Jermaine Dupri, who has had his own acclaimed career as a producer, rapper and label founder.
On Sunday, Dupri will lead a tribute to Jones as part of a new “Essence Flowers” series at the festival. The show will feature Tyrese, Robin Thicke, Al B. Sure, Xscape, MC Lyte, The Pharcyde, Mobb Deep and SWV performing music Jones had a hand in crafting. — JAKE CLAPP 2 0 2 5
Muni Long
After a decade behind the scenes writing for stars like Ariana Grande, Rihanna and Selena Gomez, R&B vocalist Muni Long stepped into the spotlight with her 2021 breakout hit “Hrs and Hrs.” The viral single earned her a Grammy for Best R&B Performance and continues to trend on social media nearly four years later.
known as Slick Rick), “La Di Da Di” that put Doug E. Fresh on the map in 1984. The song and its B-side, “The Show,” were instant classics, and “La Di Da Di” has been sampled for hundreds of songs since then. Although Fresh has released only a few solo projects since the ’90s, he has been a featured artist on a number of singles and in 2021 released “This One’s for Chuck Brown,” a recording of Fresh’s live show dedicated to the godfather of go-go. — JAKE CLAPP
Jermaine
Dupri’s Tribute to Quincy Jones
The word “titan” has appropriately been thrown around a lot in tributes to Quincy Jones, who died last year at the age of 91. From producing Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and “Bad” and arranging music for Frank Sinatra and Count Basie to writing the scores to films like “The
Long’s latest album, “Revenge,” draws from the spirit of ’90s slow jams and gospel roots as she reflects on heartache and growing pains. In a genre often dominated by male voices with heavily produced tracks, Long’s commitment to organic, soulful tracks packs quite the punch, and her position has helped to reclaim a space for women in R&B’s soundscape.
Long will perform a Super Lounge set on Sunday.
— MADDIE SPINNER
Master P, right, will be joined by Silkk the Shocker, left, Mia X and more No Limit artists during Essence Fest.
PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
PROVIDED PHOTO BY JAMES BEE
FEST
FOR THE experience
Essence Fest flls Convention Center with markets, panels, more
BY JAKE CLAPP
WHILE MUSICIANS like Jill Scott, Maxwell, Master P and GloRilla rock the Caesars Superdome each night during the Essence Festival of Culture, that’s only a part of what’s going on this weekend. There will be plenty more happening over at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Essence Fest will host a number of “experiences” dedicated to beauty, health, fashion, business and other topics important to Black women and Black culture. There will be interviews and panels, workshops and demos, a marketplace and more in each experience hub.
Below is a round-up of this year’s experiences. All are free to attend and take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, July 4, through Sunday, July 6, unless otherwise noted. A general admission ticket is required and can be found at essence.com. Many programming specifics have not yet been announced, so look for the latest on the festival’s website or on the Essence 360 app.
BeautyCon: EFOC Edition
BeautyCon is a platform focused on beauty, fashion and lifestyle trends, and in the past has organized events at conventions in Los Angeles and New York. Essence Ventures acquired the platform in 2021, and BeautyCon has since become a staple hub at Essence Fest. Programming focuses on beauty and fashion trends and self-care tips for Black women, with interviews and workshops with influencers, entrepreneurs and experts.
Community Center
This hub will feature tables and informational booths by organizations focused on civil rights, Black economic empowerment and activism. Essence also will host the We Love Us Community on Saturday, July 5, at University of New Orleans’ Lakefront Arena. Find more details on the Essence 360 app.
Essence Authors
Essence Fest hosts Black authors for interviews, book readings and signings. This year’s programming includes a talk between historian Jessica Harris, chef Nina Compton and author Osayi Endolyn about the food of the African diaspora; comedian Roy Wood Jr. discussing his forthcoming book “The Man of Many Fathers”; and Pulitzer Prize winning author Robin Givhan and actor and writer Jayne Kennedy sharing about their writings on Black fashion and art.
Essence Film Festival
Organized by Essence Studios, the film festival inside the fest will feature screenings by Black filmmakers. There’s also the associated Essence Hollywood House, which will feature interviews and panel discussions with filmmakers and film industry professionals.
Essence Food & Wine Festival
The Food & Wine Festival highlights chefs, restaurants and dishes connecting the African diaspora. There will be food-focused events and workshops with restaurateurs and culinary experts. A po-boy showdown kicks things off on Friday, and there are sessions on wine and spirits and panels on the growth of keto diets and sober living.
Essence Stage
The center stage at the convention center will feature an eclectic mix of programming, from interviews and keynotes to special presentations and music. There will be a celebration of the 30th anniversary of “Living Single” with cast members and a panel discussion. New Orleans-born filmmaker and photographer Edward Buckles will talk about his work. And there are events focused on reality television and modern dating and relationships.
Essence Wellness House
This hub at the festival will feature exercise and movement classes as well as vendors and sessions focused on mind, body and spiritual health. There are daily guided meditation sessions, a space offering free health screenings, and panels with health professionals holding sessions on mental health, sexual health and nutrition.
GBEF HQ
The Global Black Economic Forum (GBEF) is an organization focused on breaking down economic barriers faced by the Black community, through policy advocacy, business education and leadership development. Each year, GBEF hosts a summit at Essence
Festival featuring interviews with political leaders, CEOs and entrepreneurs. Among this year’s speakers are Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
GU Creators House and Kickback
Girls United (GU) is Essence’s platform for young Black women, featuring content created by Gen Z for Gen Z. During Essence Fest, GU will take over Common House, 420 Julia St., on Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6, for a place where young creatives can network, collaborate and learn from some of today’s biggest influencers. And on Friday, July 4, GU will host the Kickback Day Party at The Fillmore with performances by Moliy and T99ZY. Tickets for the Kickback start at $25. Find more info at linkin.bio/essencegu_.
New Voices Village
This hub focuses on new entrepreneurs and people looking for tips on starting or growing a business. Programming will include interviews and workshops, product demos and group “office hours,” where attendees can ask questions.
Suede Men’s Experience
As a publication and through its festival, Essence has historically focused on Black women. But this hub is all about Black men, with vendors, speakers and panels focused on sports, financial literacy, men’s health, fatherhood, arts and more.
SOKO MRKT
Formerly known as the Essence Marketplace, the SOKO MRKT gives space for Black- and womenowned businesses selling everything from clothing, handmade jewelry and accessories to visual art and unique goods.
A panel speaks on the Global Black Economic Forum stage during the 2024 Essence Festival of Culture.
PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES - PICAYUNE
ON THE MENU
BY JAKE CLAPP
BETWEEN THE EXPERIENCES at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the concerts at the Caesars Superdome, the Essence Festival of Culture will keep attendees busy. But people still need to eat, and there are plenty of Black-owned businesses to show some love to during Essence Fest weekend and beyond.
Below is a round-up of 20 Blackowned restaurants close to or within a short drive of the Essence Fest action, from brunch options to late-night spots with cocktails, Creole institutions to international menus.
This list isn’t comprehensive by any stretch of the imagination but just a small collection. A quick search will turn up many more restaurants that might be closer to your neighborhood and your tastes. We also recommend checking out Where Black NOLA Eats, which highlights Black-owned restaurants and bars in the city on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Addis NOLA
2514 Bayou Road, (504) 218-5321; addisnola.com
The family-owned restaurant serves an array of Ethiopian options, from vegan to lamb-based dishes. Godin tibs are beef short ribs sauteed with onions and tomatoes. Reservations accepted. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
Baroness on Baronne 339 Baronne St., (504) 522-8664; baronessnola.com
This craft cocktail lounge has a food menu with small plates, charcuterie, pizza, sandwiches and more. The cocktail menu has several local classics as well as specialties, like the Queen Bee, made with gin, fresh lemon and house-made vanilla and honey syrup. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Sun., latenight Fri.-Sat. $$
The popular Mid-City brunch spot has dishes like Belgian waffles, chicken and waffles, breakfast burritos, omelets and more. The Magnolia Slim is an omelet made with onions, spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, tomato and
Twenty Black-owned restaurants near the Essence action
cheddar cheese. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$
Co-owner and chef Alfred Singleton serves a menu of classic French-Creole dishes at this fine-dining institution. The trout Eugene is topped with shrimp, crawfish tails and crab inchampagne cream sauce. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$
Chef Nina Compton draws from her Caribbean roots and Louisiana ingredients for her seasonal menu. Curried goat comes with sweet potato gnocchi and cashews. There also is a prix fixe menu celebrating the restaurant’s 10th anniversary. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily, brunch Sun. $$$
Dakar NOLA
3814 Magazine St., (504) 493-9396; dakarnola.com
Chef Serigne Mbaye and Effie Richardson’s Senegalese restaurant won the
2024 James Beard Award for best new restaurant. Dakar serves a frequently changing tasting menu merging the cuisine of Senegal with Louisiana seafood and produce. Reservations required. Dinner Tue.-Sat. $$$
The Chase family’s storied Creole fine-dining restaurant received a James Beard America’s Classics Award earlier this year in recognition of its cultural impact. The menu includes favorites like shrimp Clemenceau, chicken Creole, pan-seared redfish and more. Chef Edgar “Dook” Chase also carries on the family legacy at his restaurant, Chapter IV, in the CBD. Reservations recommended. Lunch Tue.-Fri., dinner Fri.-Sat. $$$
Fritai 1535 Basin St., (504) 264-7899; fritai.com
Chef Charly Pierre’s Treme restaurant serves Haitian cuisine with some Caribbean and Creole dishes. Sos pwa is white rice, coconut black bean sauce, fried green plantains and choice of
Creole chicken or tofu. Reservations accepted. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Dinner Wed.-Mon. $$$
Headquarters
445 S. Rampart St., (504) 217-6851; headquartersnola.com
Nice Guys NOLA’s sister establishment serves craft cocktails and Cajun-style plates and sandwiches in the CBD near the Superdome. The brunch menu includes catfish and grits, oxtail and eggs Benedict, omelets, burgers and more. There also are sweet and savory beignet options. Reservations accepted. Lunch Mon.-Fri, dinner daily, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$
Jessica Robinson’s Bywater restaurant and cocktail bar serves elevated New Orleans-inspired dishes. The Spain Street tacos include citrus-glazed salmon topped with corn, jalapenos and mango pico. Reservations accepted. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Fri., dinner Tue.-Sat., late-night Fri.-Sat., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
The whole fried fish with Creole sauce at Treme restaurant Fritai.
The Treme mainstay serves a variety of Creole classics and daily specials, including red beans and rice, fried catfish with smothered okra, and shrimp grillade. Shrimp grillade is the Saturday special, with grits topped with cheese, grilled shrimp, onion, tomato, mushrooms and gravy. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Mon.-Sat. and Sunday, July 6. $$
Meals from the Heart Cafe 1100 N. Peters St., (504) 525-1953; mealsfromtheheartcafe.com
The restaurant in the French Market serves Creole dishes and has a number of vegan options. Vegan gumbo is made with okra, zucchini, squash, roasted red peppers and sauteed mushrooms and served with rice and bread. There also are gluten-free options. No reservations. Late breakfast and lunch daily. $$
Morrow’s
2438 St. Claude Ave., (504) 8271519; morrowsnola.com
Restaurateur Larry Morrow has several restaurants, including Morrow Steak, Sun Chong and Monday NOLA and the clubs Treehouse and Hide / Seek. In Marigny, Morrow’s has a Creole menu with some Korean influences. The Cajun crawfish pasta is made with Louisiana crawfish, linguini and Cajun sauce and comes with two pieces of fried catfish. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$
3325 St. Claude Ave., (504) 4594571; Instagram: @get_stuphd
This St. Claude shop specializes in beignets stuffed with sweet or savory options as well as burgers and wings. Savory beignet options include grilled shrimp, Philly cheese steak and the Creole Queen with crabmeat, crawfish and shrimp. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $
Sweet Soulfood
1025 N. Broad St., (504) 821-2669; sweetvegansoulfood.com
Vegans can get their fix of New Orleans and Southern classics at this beloved spot. The rotating daily menu includes barbecue cauliflower, corn chowder, cashew mac and cheese, yakamein, collard greens and bread pudding. No reservations. Delivery available. Lunch Mon.-Sat. $$
Vaucresson’s Creole Cafe
1800 St. Bernard Ave., (504) 2673850; vaucressonsausage.com
The sausage maker and cafe traces its roots of family-owned butcher and restaurant businesses to 1899. It is known for its hot sausage, which can be ordered on Leidenheimer bread or charcuterie-style. The cafe menu also offers various types of appetizers such as boudin balls and chicken cracklings. No reservations. Lunch Tue.- Sat. $$
Vyonne’s Restaurant
412 Girod St., (504) 518-6007; vyoone.com
Vyoone Segue Lewis’ restaurant serves a contemporary menu blending French, African and Creole influences. Duck a l’orange is confit duck quarter served with mushroom bread pudding and asparagus and topped with oranges and ginger sauce. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$$
This Creole restaurant serves classics like gumbo, po-boys, barbecue shrimp and fried oysters. Gulf shrimp can be ordered grilled or fried and come with two sides, such as mixed vegetables, carrot souffle, hush puppies or sauteed potatoes. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch and early dinner Sun. $$
“Queen Trini” Lisa Nelson brings the flavors of her native Trinidad and Tobago to New Orleans. On the menu are doubles, a vegan Trinidadian street food made with curried chickpeas served with chutney between two slices of turmeric flatbread. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor
The family-run establishment offers soul-food classics along with their acclaimed fried chicken. Fried chicken combos come with a choice of sides such as fried okra, butter beans, green beans, mac and cheese and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Mon. and Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.Mon, brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
EAT + DRINK
Wine pairing
Chef Luci Winsberg serves food at Really Really Nice Wines by Beth D’Addono |
CHEF LUCI WINSBERG DOESN’T MISS sweating over a hot stove.
As the culinary director at Really Really Nice Wines (RRNW), Winsberg has shifted from the traditional kitchen model, from cooking a la minute, to handling prep and cooking in advance. She artfully creates chef-driven plates that can work for lunch, an afternoon nibble or a tasting menu to go with a bottle of wine from the shop.
RRNW owners Darrin Ylisto and Miriam Matasar both have worked in restaurants for years. “Restaurants are really hard,” Ylisto says. They are the fourth owners of the neighborhood wine shop at 3500 Magazine St., and they focus on natural wines and small, ethical producers. The shelves are filled with wines you don’t see in supermarkets. “We didn’t want to deal with the usual pitfalls,” Ylisto says. “We weren’t sure if we were going to offer food.”
But when they saw the need, they started offering tinned fish, charcuterie and plates of Lady Nellie oysters, farmed in Grand Isle by cheesemonger-turned-oyster farmer Justin Trosclair. But as the shop got busier, they wanted to expand the food offerings.
Winsberg is a New Orleans native who lives right up the street, and she had become a regular herself. “I was kind of in between things, so it was perfect timing,” she says. Like most locals, she grew up eating traditional New Orleans homestyle cooking, and her mom also offered the family nutritious options. “I started going to the farmer’s market with her, which is where I started really falling in love with food.”
“We see our place as a restaurant alternative,” Matasar says. “Guests get high-quality food that is thoughtfully executed, but in a more relaxed setting than a restaurant. With Luci, we aren’t just unwrapping something and putting it on a plate.”
Winsberg has plenty of culinary cred. Her first job was working with Sue Zemanick at Gautreau’s.
Cured Fins
MANY OF THE FISH BOUND FOR THE MENU AT GW FINS come into the kitchen whole. And for years now, executive chef Mike Nelson and his crew have been finding new and delicious ways to send it out to the dining room.
The upscale French Quarter seafood house is a leader in techniques that make the most of the local catch and developing its full flavor potential.
Dry-aged tuna (following the same process for more familiar dry-aged steak) has become a signature item.
Over the next few weeks, the restaurant offers a series of special menus that are treating local fish to the techniques of slow-and-low barbecue, charcuterie (or “seacuterie”) and more creative renditions.
Zemanick was an important mentor for her, first there, and then when Zemanick opened Zasu with Winsberg as her sous chef.
During the pandemic, Winsberg launched a seafood pop-up named Fish Hawk and later served as chef de cuisine at the boutique sushi spot Sukeban. She also helped open Smoke & Honey in Mid-City.
Almost a year ago, she came on board at RRNW and has been ramping up the menu’s variety. She adds specials and features seasonal ingredients and local products. There are changing gilda, or skewers, with bits of savory goodness like cheese, olives, anchovies and sun-dried tomatoes. Snacks might also include tartine, duck fat popcorn dusted with curry mukrut lime spice, or anchovies on toasted bread from Bearcat Baked. Her dips are divine, from a creamy smoked fish dip to a warm shrimp and artichoke blend served with toast or farm fresh vegetables on the side. Wild mushrooms sauteed with garlic and herbs arrive topped with a coddled egg yolk. Small sandwiches might
be filled with prosciutto and blistered shishitos. There’s a rotating list of substantial salads, like a recent traditional lyonnaise salad with lardons and a soft-boiled egg.
Lady Nellie oysters, which were a hit at Jazz Fest this year, are still available, as is charcuterie featuring imported cured meats and cheeses. There always are deviled eggs, recently made with her home-made mustard and miso and topped with salmon roe. On Mondays, the chef does a weekly bean pop-up, which might be traditional red beans, a vegan coconut lentil dish or hearty white beans simmered with sausage.
“You can do a lot without generating any heat,” says the chef, who rotates between an induction burner, microwave and toaster. “I have direct interaction with our guests, which I really enjoy, actually serving them,” she says.
Matasar sees RRNW as a different type of space, with options beyond food and wine. “We have non-alcoholic beverages, some housewares and serving platters, even greeting cards,” she says. “We are in the center of a neighborhood and want to serve our community.”
“We break down a lot of tuna and swordfish here, and there’s so much that’s really delicious: the meat around the collars, the belly; people normally don’t get access to it,” Nelson says.
“This is about finding different ways to serve it and open people’s eyes a bit to what’s possible.”
These special menus run Sundays through Thursdays, and the restaurant’s full menu is available as well.
First up is Deep Sea BBQ Week (June 29-July 3), which treats cuts from swordfish and tuna to the slow-and-low techniques that pitmasters use for pork and beef.
Belly cuts, for instance, aren’t great on the grill because of the high fat and collagen content, Nelson says. But cook them slowly at low temperatures, like proper barbecue, and the texture and flavor are transformed into luscious bites.
GW Fins will assemble platters of the result, combining swordfish rendered
Miriam Matasar (left), chef Luci Winsberg and Darrin Ylisto at Really Really Nice Wines
PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER
Executive chef Michael Nelson at GW Fins
PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES- PICAYUNE
like pulled pork, tuna “brisket” and crackling made from redfish, along with sides, for $35, with an optional bourbon pairing.
Swordfish Swap Week (July 6-10) taps into what Nelson has found to be the versatility of swordfish in traditional recipes that normally call for pork, thanks to its texture and higher fat content.
“It truly is the pork of the sea,” Nelson says.
It’s not about mimicking pork, though, and these seafood versions will be much leaner anyway. It’s about amping up fish with tasty techniques first proven with pork that use more of the animal.
This week’s menu will show it with dishes like muffuletta sliders with swordfish “mortadella,” swordfish Bolognese pasta and a BLT with swordfish bacon, among other ideas. This will be priced by dish.
GW Fins has two more special weeks to round out July. High summer is prime time for local crab, and so a Crab Week menu (July 13-17) will have eight to 10 dishes running from fried soft shells and jumbo lump crabcakes to crab pot stickers and crab claws with Thai citrus aioli.
At the end of the month, the restaurant will have Tuna Lovers Week (July 20-24), timed to the return of tuna boats fishing out of Dulac. There will be hot, chilled and raw preparations, like tuna poke, tartare, “firecracker” tacos, smoked tuna dip and seared steaks.
July bittersweet, they say — bitter because they would miss their longtime customers; sweet because the stress of running a restaurant would finally ease.
“It’s really sad because we put in a good amount of our 20s into this restaurant,” Vo says.
Han says her sister Susan and her mother will open a Vietnamese restaurant, where they will serve homestyle dishes. It is slated to open in August.
Beyond running a restaurant, most of the owners’ 20s were devoted to New Orleans’ restaurant scene. Two of the sisters, along with Vo, worked for chef Yuki Yamaguchi at her now-closed Japanese izakaya on Frenchmen Street, and later at her French restaurant N7.
The three sisters and Vo originally decided they wanted to open a restaurant of their own in 2016.
Poke, a Hawaiian dish that typically features diced raw fish, seaweed and other toppings on a bed of rice, gained popularity in the rest of the U.S. in the 2010s.
The owners considered poke the perfect main dish for their fast-casual restaurant in the Saint Claude neighborhood.
This special menu uses fresh cuts, but it’s also a clue that two weeks later, the dry-aged cuts will likely be ready for their periodic appearance, so if diners want to try this dish, early August would be a good time to inquire. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune
Poke-chan to close
SEVEN YEARS AGO, IN A PALE PINK COTTAGE ON SAINT CLAUDE AVENUE , three sisters and their friend introduced New Orleans to a Hawaiian dish that was unfamiliar to the city.
Their restaurant, Poke-Chan, persevered through trials — the coronavirus pandemic, soaring inflation and the departure of two co-owners, Lien and Susan Nguyen. Through it all, their sister Lauren Han and their friend, Dalena Vo, continued to run the business, remaining committed to serving customers poke bowls made with premium ingredients.
That resilience made Han and Vo’s decision to close the restaurant in
Their admiration for the neighborhood and its residents was evident, even in the restaurant’s name. In Japanese, “chan” is an affectionate honorific suffix often used toward close friends. And that is how they treated those who walked into the restaurant.
Han and Vo developed close relationships with their customers, many of whom they knew by name. But during the pandemic, the amount of customers dipped by 30%, Han says. As business slowed down, the costs of food and labor became higher.
Still, to cater to the neighborhood, Han and Vo increased the prices of poke bowls only by 50 cents.
“We’re more people-centric,” Han says. “We wanted to keep the cost down. We didn’t want to make these necessary changes to survive.”
Now, as Susan prepares to open the new business, Han and Vo are carving out their own paths outside of the restaurant industry.
Han says she is considering a career in public service. Vo will pursue a college degree.
“We’re at the point of our lives where we’re excited and ready to pursue other careers,” Han says. —
Derrica WilliamsonLyons
Chef
by Will Coviello
DERRICA WILLIAMSON-LYONS GREW UP
IN THE BAHAMAS and moved to New York in 2013 while pursuing a career in fashion design. When she visited New Orleans in 2021, she thought it felt like home, and she moved here. She and Joi Warner started Junkanoo Cafe in St. Roch Market. It serves popular Bahamian dishes and Bahamian flavors in tacos. Junkanoo also will serve food at a burlesque and spoken word event organized by Warner this week. “Quartier Rouge Noir” explores the history of Black Storyville with shows at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6, at Cafe Istanbul. For information about Junkanoo, visit strochmarket.com or @junkanoocafe on Instagram. Tickets to “Quartier Rouge Noir” are available on eventbrite.com.
How did you learn to cook?
DERRICA WILLIAMSON-LYONS:
I learned to cook at home. From when I was 7, I was a part of my grandmother’s weekly ritual of cooking on Sundays. I grew up in the kitchen, having to grate the cheese for the baked macaroni, cutting up the herbs or the cabbage for the coleslaw. Every Saturday night I was in the kitchen helping my grammy and my mom. We’d wake up at 6 a.m. on Sunday to cook Sunday dinner. By 8:30 a.m., before we go to church, the food is ready. I grew up making food for my whole family because everybody would come over to the house and get a plate.
It was some of the things I now make at the restaurant, like a traditional Sunday dinner with peas and rice, and macaroni. You might have barbecued ribs or barbecued chicken or steamed crawfish, which is our version of lobster. We have spiny tail lobster — we call it crawfish. A real Sunday dinner would have two meats, peas and rice, baked macaroni, potato salad and plantains. We have big plates of food. I do that at Junkanoo Cafe. I have baked macaroni, peas and rice, jerk vegetables and potato salad. I do sweet fried plantains. That is very common in the Bahamas.
How do you describe Bahamian food?
WL: When people come to my restaurant, they notice the jerk first. I let them know that I am Bahamian. What makes it Bahamian is that I specialize in conch. You can’t find conch anywhere in New Orleans the way I do it. I put it in stews, fresh conch salad, conch fritters and cracked conch, which is battered and lightly fried. I am trying to put conch on the forefront, but I have to educate people who don’t know what conch is.
Bahamian culture eats more seafood than anything. If you look at my menu, I have conch, lobster, salmon and shrimp, and sometimes I have red snapper. Most American culture is more familiar with Jamaican cuisine. It’s easy for people to see something that’s widely made in the Caribbean and think it’s Jamaican. Jerk is done all over the Caribbean in different ways.
I tell people all the time there’s a difference between rice and peas and peas and rice.
Peas and rice versus rice and peas is like jambalaya versus dirty rice. It’s a vast difference. Jamaicans make their rice and peas with kidney beans and white rice with coconut milk and not much herbs. Peas and rice is made with tomato and browning the base. It has bell peppers and onions. Growing up, we used a lot of black-eyed peas, but now people are using pigeon peas. Our peas and rice has more of a jambalaya consistency, because you
have tomatoes, bell peppers, onion and thyme. I love Jamaican food. I support a Jamaican restaurant up the street, and they support me and come to me for conch. Conch is funny. When it is raw, it’s like a scallop. With conch, you have to undercook it or overcook it. That’s the way it stays tender. If you cut it up in a salad, it’s tender. If you cook it like cracked conch, you cook it for like 30 seconds. If you fry it for two minutes, it’s going to get tough. When you cook it in a soup and boil it, then it gets tender again. Anything between undercooked and overcooked will be tough.
We eat a lot of it raw. We take it out of the shell and wash it off with some salt, water and lime. If you get a conch salad, you’ll see me take a whole conch and cut it in front of you.
Why did you add tacos?
WL: My partner has a burlesque troupe. She has burlesque events. I would sell tacos at them. I wasn’t doing Bahamian food for that.
Tacos is not a big thing in the Bahamas. So I grew up as a child counting the days until we’d go to Florida so I could go to Taco Bell. I was obsessed with it in my childhood. Tacos to us are an Americanized thing.
(At St. Roch) we started with a strictly Bahamian menu. I had wanted to incorporate some Caribbean tacos on Taco Tuesdays. I was collaborating with other vendors for Taco Tuesdays, including Taceaux Loceaux. I didn’t want to do something intrusive, so I spoke to them, and they were OK with it.
People started coming in on other days and asking for tacos and I would have to turn them down. I’d say you have to come back on Tuesdays.
Then I put my Caribbean tacos on the menu. I use strictly Caribbean flavors. Ever since then, tacos have been the main thing people are coming for. I think a lot of people are trying things they wouldn’t have tried before. I offer conch tacos. And people may not have had oxtail before, but I offer oxtail in a taco. You have the jerk with the heat, the oxtail stew, the cracked conch and the lobster.
WI NE OF THE WEEK
Asmooth, full-bodied redblend with scents of ripe blueberries, blackberries, cooked plums, and spicynotes of black pepper.Rich and freshatthe same time, withbrightfruit flavors, soft tannins, and alingering tasteofblackberry,cherry, and chocolate.
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Joi Warner (left) and Derrica Williamson-Lyons PHOTO PROVIDED BY ST. ROCH MARKET
Sella Antica Rosso
Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.
Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato 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 Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$
Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$
The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$
Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$
Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Mon. $$
The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor
$ — average dinner entrée under $10
$$ $11-$20
$$$ — $20-up
seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 7666602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 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, 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. $$$
El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$
Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads, rice and bean bowls with various toppings and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$
Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$
Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The all-day bar menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads and a couple entrees. A muffuletta
flatbread is topped with salami, mortadella, capicola, mozzarella and olive salad. No reservations. Lunch Fri.-Mon., dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharables plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 5132606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Luzianne Cafe — 481 Girod St., (504) 2651972; luziannecafe.com — Boudin Benedict features two poached eggs over boudin and an English muffin, served with green tomato chow chow and hollandaise. No reservations. Delivery available. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Sun. $$
Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado and snow crab. The menu also has noodle dishes, teriyaki and more. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.Fri., dinner daily. $$
Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including chicken a la grande, shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and chicken cacciatore. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$
Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage 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. $$
Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, chargrilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$
Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$
Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream
sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$
Palace Cafe — 605 Canal St., (504) 5231661; palacecafe.com — The contemporary Creole menu includes signature dishes like crabmeat cheesecake with mushrooms and Creole meuniere sauce. There also are steaks, pasta, a burger and Gulf seafood dishes. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$$
Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill.com — The menu includes burgers, sandwiches, pizza and sauteed andouille with fig dip, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — 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. $$
Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$
Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$
Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $
The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$
Happy 3rd of July
City Park hosts an Independence Day celebration with music by the Marine Forces Reserve Band and fireworks over the Peristyle. The bandstand is at the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn. Music starts at 6 p.m. and the fireworks are at 9 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Visit neworleanscitypark.org for details.
Night in N’Awlins
The lineup features Leela James, Eric Roberson, Jon B and Shae Universe. James mixes R&B, soul and blues and dipped into jazz for a tribute album to Etta James. Roberson is a singer and producer known for his mix of R&B and soul. Nigerian-born British singer Shae Universe showed off her R&B and soul singing in a Tiny Desk concert last year. Singer Jon B. has focused on R&B but also drew a Grammy nomination for pop collaboration for “Someone to Love.” At 7 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at Tipitina’s. Tickets $51.86 (includes fees) via tipitinas.com.
Soul Brass Band
Derrick Freeman’s Soul Brass Band headlines a Free Fridays concert at Tipitina’s. Local R&B, soul and funk group Vegas Cola also performs. At 9 p.m. Friday, July 4. There are no tickets, so first come, first served. Visit tipitinas.com for details.
‘Nobody May Come’
Valerie Sassyfras attends a screening of the documentary about her and performs afterward. The film follows Sassyfras from her viral fame courtesy of the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” of her singing her song “Girls Night Out” to her appearance on “America’s Got Talent.” At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Tickets $22.20 via broadsidenola.com.
Light up the Lake
The Independence Day celebration on the Mandeville lakefront on Lakeshore Drive includes a parade at 3 p.m., music by Amanda Shaw and The Boogie Men, a kids tent and food trucks. Fireworks start at 8:45 p.m. Friday, July 4. Find information at experiencemandeville.org.
Wess Anderson Quartet
Saxophonist Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson is known for his swinging style. He was a longtime member of Wynton Marsalis’ Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. His quartet is joined by vocalist Ed Perkins for two shows at Snug Harbor. At 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6. Tickets $35.65 via snugjazz.com.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Yirmey Yisrael Band
Saxophonist Yimrey Yisrael has been a part of the New Breed Brass Band for several years, and he leads his own band with drummer Jonathan Newman, bassist Evan Washington and keys player Mack Wells. The band plays next at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at d.b.a. Tickets are $13.76 advance via dbaneworleans.com.
Quartier Rouge Noir
Belles Femme Noir and Sweet Storm
Productions present a show combining burlesque and spoken word performance exploring the history of Black Storyville. It’s a dinner theater show with a buffet by Junkanoo Cafe. Shows are at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6. Tickets are $60.72 via eventbrite.com.
Freewater
+ Rebirth
New Orleans’ Freewater keeps its hands in a few different things as party producers, music video creators — they’ve produced several visuals for rapper Rob49 — and clothing designers. Freewater is coming up on its 10th anniversary, and this weekend, they join up with frequent collaborators Rebirth for a DJ night on Friday, July 4, at Arora. Doors open at 10 p.m., and music runs into the early hours. General admission is $17.49 via posh.vip.
St.
Bernard Salutes America
There’s live music and fireworks at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center on Independence Day. The music starts at 5:30 p.m. with Adam Pearce, followed by Epic. Fireworks are at 10 p.m. There will be food and drink vendors on site. Free admission. Go to visitstbernard. com for information.
Old-Fashioned 4th of July
In Madisonville, an Independence Day celebration takes place along the Tchefuncte River. Daytime festivities include games, cornhole and horseshoe tournaments, a watermelon-eating contest, a salute to veterans and more. Fireworks are at 8:45 p.m. Friday, July 4. Festivities start at 10 a.m. Go to visitthenorthshore.com for information.
Old Towne Slidell 4th of July
There’s live music by Big in the ’90s and Paperchase, games, a hot dog-eating contest and fireworks at dusk at the Independence Day celebration. In Olde Towne Slidell on Friday, July 4. Visit facebook.com/oldtowneslidell for information.
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MUSIC
To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com
MONDAY 30
30/90 Margie Perez, 6 pm; Piano Man ‘G’, 9 pm
ALLWAYS LOUNGE Betsy Propane’s Smokeshow, 7 pm
APPLE BARREL — Mark Appleford, 6 pm; Decaturadio, 10:30 pm
BACCHANAL Byron Asher, 6 pm
BAMBOULA’S — The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 12 pm; Jon Roniger & The Good For Nothin’ Band, 5:30 pm; Sugar & The Daddies, 9 pm
BANKS STREET BAR — Soul Food Song Share Hosted by Micah McKee, 8 pm
BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans and Blues with Washboard Chaz & Jonathan Freilich, 9 pm
BUFFA’S David Doucet, 7 pm
CAFE NEGRIL — Gumbo Funk, 7:30 pm
CAPULET Cristina Kaminis, 6 pm
D.B.A. — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9 pm
DOS JEFES — John Fohl, 8:30 pm
FRITZEL'S EUROPEAN JAZZ CLUB
Matinee All Star Band, 1 pm; Tin Men, 5 pm; Richard "Piano" Scott and Friends, 8 pm
HOLY DIVER DJ Reverend Robert Sinewave, 9 pm
HOUSE OF BLUES — Honey Revenge, 6:30 pm
THE MAISON — Leo Forde, 4 pm; Tanner Gus, 6 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 9 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR Running Pardners with Noah Young, 8 pm
MRB — Ben Buchbinder, 7 pm
PRYTANIA BAR Jay Rees, 9 pm
ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Jazz Vipers, 9 pm
SANTOS BAR — Karaoke with Sunshine Edae, 9 pm
SATURN BAR Piano Night w BC Coogan, 8 pm
SNUG HARBOR — Charmaine Neville, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm
ST. ROCH TAVERN — NBD & The Big Deals, 9 pm
TUESDAY 1
30/90 Cam and The Sonic Canvas, 6 pm; Higher Heights Reggae, 9 pm
APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; NOLA Groove Collective, 10:30 pm
BACCHANAL — David Sigler, 6 pm
BUFFA’S — Alex McMurray, 7 pm
D.B.A. Kid Chocolate & The Free P.O.C., 9 pm
DOS JEFES — Tom Hook, 8:30 pm
GASA GASA — Felicity + Dizzy + Across Phoenix + Tony Testa, 9 pm
HOLY DIVER The Amazing Henrietta, 8 pm
MAISON BOURBON JAZZ CLUB
Danny Rubio & The Catahoula Music Company w/ Jef Kreis, 8 pm
Danny Rubio & The Catahoula Music Company ft. Jef Kreis, 8 pm
MAPLE LEAF BAR Danny Abel & Friends B-Day Bash, 10 pm
NO DICE Mikey Ofine, 9 pm
OLD POINT BAR VetJams + Jelly
Biscuit & The Flaky Layers, 8 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE Lust for LifeLana Del Ray Dance Party, 10 pm
ROOSEVELT HOTEL Leslie Martin, 6 pm
ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL Glen David Andrews, 9 pm
SUNDAY 6
30/90 — Belle & Her Twisted Katz, 3 pm; Andre Lovett, 6 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm
ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Sunday Swing, 8 pm
APPLE BARREL — Schwag, 6 pm; Steve Minango, 10:30 pm
BACCHANAL Noah Young, 7 pm
BMC — The Budz, 7 pm
BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm
BUFFA’S — Jazz Brunch with Some Like it Hot, 11 am; Pfster Sisters, 5 pm
CAFÉ NEGRIL — John Losi & Delta Funk, 4:30 pm
CELEBRATION HALL Yung Dex Brass Band + Young Fellaz Brass Band, 6 pm
HOWLIN’ WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm
THE MAISON — Kimchisoop, 3 pm; Jenavieve Cooke & The Winding Boys, 7 pm
OLD ARABI LIGHTHOUSE RECORDS
AND BOOKS Frenchie Moe Acoustic Blues Trio, 4 pm
THE RABBIT HOLE Time To Pretend, 10 pm
GOING OUT
Nuclear fallout
by Will Coviello
THE DOCUMENTARY “TELEVISION
EVENT” SAYS THAT PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN and First Lady Nancy Reagan used to watch movies, often at Camp David, with the idea that they were keeping in touch with the American people’s views. That included “Back to the Future” and “Top Gun.”
They also watched “The Day After” before it aired on ABC. They were not pleased about the film’s depiction of the citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, enduring a nuclear war. The administration asked ABC to make edits, but the network declined and aired the much-anticipated movie.
Anticipation of the film and its airing became a national saga, crowned with a televised debate after the film featuring Henry Kissinger, Carl Sagan, then Secretary of State George Schultz and Holocaust survivor and human rights activist Elie Wiesel. “Television Event” looks back on the making of the film and its impact on public anxiety about nuclear weapons and the Cold War. It
opens at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge on Tuesday, July 1.
For years, ABC had been airing its own made-for-TV movies. It may now seem odd that it set out to make a film about something as bleak as a depiction of the post-apocalyptic scenario. But at the time, the public fear about a nuclear war were very real. So the network found an interested screenwriter, Edward Hume, and director, Nicholas Meyer, and began work.
At first Meyer was going to use all unknown actors and cast the people of the Kansas community where they were filming, but he ended up bringing on Jason Robards, John Lithgow and Steve Guttenberg.
The improbability of the project quickly became apparent. The network’s standards and practices department and executives objected to things as simple as a teenage girl character having or leaving her home with her diaphragm. They had much bigger objections to depictions of carnage and wounds. Meyers fought
to make the film he had envisioned, and production continued.
ABC had tremendous difficulties finding advertisers interested in what was going to be a two-night, four-hour mini-series. Made-for-TV movies and networks are purely commercial endeavors and typically avoid controversy and topics where they can’t craft a happy ending.
Talk of the film blew up into nationwide anxiety, and the American Psychiatric Association advised that children should not watch it.
The filmmakers were not trying to make an overtly political film, and there was no clue as to how the war started. But it was not viewed apolitically by conservatives like William F. Buckley Jr.,
who saw it as essentially Soviet propaganda. Others saw the horrors as being necessarily anti-nuke, and many weighed it against Reagan’s talk of “peace through strength” and his military build-up. When the film aired on Nov. 30, 1983, it drew an estimated 100 million American viewers, making it one of the most viewed shows (not including sporting events) in history. It was later translated and screened in 35 countries, including in theaters in Hiroshima, Japan.
It’s interesting to watch the struggles between the director and producers and the network executives. There isn’t discussion of how TV has changed, from a media environment dominated by a handful of powerful networks to now, with countless content makers and platforms. It’s remarkable that despite the network’s internal battles over making and airing the film, it captured a huge audience, altering public debate on the issue and arguably changing politics.
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2016, 2017,2020& 2022
PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE
DENTAL ASSISTANCE
By Frank A. Longo
ACROSS
1 Bacterial culture base
5 World Heritage Site gp.
11 People with feline pets
20 “Brave New World” drug
21 “As if I care!”
22 Sound system with speakers
23 Thin slices of oak or maple, e.g.
At top speed, archaically
DeSantis of Florida
Easter’s month, often
Put the pedal to the metal
In -- parentis (replacing a mother, e.g.)
Sierra -- (African land)
Draw up a new chart of
Unappetizing to a vegan
“Ben- --” (1959 film)
Insurer with a lizard mascot
to a king
e.g.
Assumes the role of
Captain of the Pequod
With 29-Across, justice who re placed John Paul Stevens
Brooch worn on the chest
What people do after getting the treatments featured in this puzzle?
“I’m telling the truth!”
Infuse with oxygen
Tries to win over
Person who is sent mail
to Nero
Cookie often pulled apart
Thick hunk
Ingredient in many French seafood dishes
Grooms fussily
Dynamo, e.g.
Art institute in Brooklyn
Great Lakes’ -- Canals
Addition total
“FWIW” part
Once, archaically
Brits’ mothers
Deli sub
Shah’s land
Jab
Oz lion portrayer Bert
75 18+, in a way
76 -- soul (no one) 78 Kerfuffles
82 Space Needle site, on envelopes 84 “Mark my words!”
86 Trash-hauling boat
88 Food store proprietor
91 26th letter
93 Not identified
94 Lifting lingerie
95 Sailors breathe it in
96 “Help us!”
98 -- the Hutt (“Star Wars” villain)
99 Screwed up
100 Handle well
101 Gives steroids to, as an athlete
102 Arrestable offense
103 Zellweger of “Miss Potter” 104 British county 106 -- Hall University
