Featured Live Music Clubs
d.b.a. Featured Live Music Club
Donna's
This French Quarter club, located at 800 N. Rampart is the home of Brass Band music in New Orleans. The club also features traditional jazz and straight ahead jazz as well. Shannon Powell normally holds court on Sunday nights when he is in town, and that is always a swinging show. George French often plays on Monday nights with the great vocalist Germaine Bazzle. The food is excellent also, with Chef Charlie throwing down some great BBQ and Red Beans on a regular basis. the vibe is laid back and cool, with low prices on drinks also. It is a great neighborhood joint and if you would like to hear real New Orleans Jazz as it is played today, Donna's is the place to go.
House of Blues - (225 Decatur St.)
The New Orleans flavor of the House of Blues chain of Music Venues is, like the others, full of "outsider" art and religious iconography, and has a world class stage and sound system. The venue is spacious for the performers, however, if you are going to try to catch a concert there, be sure to get there early, becuse there are a very limited number of spaces to check out the show with a clear view of the stage. Of course, the musical acts that perform at the House of Blues are some of the best in the world, and sometimes that is worth having to jockey for position to see. The backyard of the restaraunt features a blues happy hour on Fridays that features small (usually acoustic) bands on the back porch bar, and it is a vey mellow and relaxed atmosphere. There is also a smaller venue that is separate from the main club, but part of the same building, called The Parish. It has the same style and world class sound system and stage that the main room features, with a better view of the performers from any position in the room.
One Eyed Jacks
Back in the 70's, this venue used to be known as the Toulouse Theater which hosted plays and musicals. James Booker used to play solo piano during the intermissions here.The building itself is very interesting, with an ante-room that has its own bar. You then walk upstairs into the main room, which is very sizeable and comfortable. The bar in there is in the shape of a big oval in the middle of the room, and that makes it very easy to hang out and watch the band from there. The bar used to be in the Matador, when it was located across from the old U.S. Mint on Esplanade.
The stage is large and it still has the old theater feel. The New Orleans based burlesque troupe, Fleur de Tease, calls the club home. The local bands that play here are usually the more experimental and down and dirty rock and roll groups. Morning 40 Federation, Happy Talk Band, Rotary Downs, Quintron and Miss Pussycat are regular performers at One Eyed Jacks. The club also books national acts that are on the cusp of breaking big.
Snug Harbor
Snug Harbor is known as the premier Jazz venue in New Orleans for good reason. The restaurant offers great gourmet hamburgers and baked potatoes, and the stage and performance space is acoustically perfect for the sound of Modern Jazz. The club features weekly appearances by local Jazz musicians. Tuesdays with Jesse McBride and the Next Generation are always swinging, and very often on Fridays, Ellis Marsalis holds court. Other regular performers include Astral Project, Jason Marsalis, Dr. Michael White, and Charmaine Neville.
Snug also offers a comfortable bar outside of the performance space so that noise is kept to a minimum. Another good feature of the club is that they have a mini-record store, offering CD's of most all of their performers.
The Dragon's Den (435 Esplanade)
A venue that has the feel of an old Bangkok opium den, this two story music club has over the last twenty years become ground zero for the avant-garde and DJ scene in New Orleans.There are two music rooms in the building, with the downstairs room mainly featuring DJ's and hip hop acts, and the upstairs room showcasing jazz, funk, and other acts, all usually with an experimental flavor.
The feel of the club is friendly and very hip, with lots of tattoos and dreadlocks. Individual expression is valued highly here. The late night scene can be the most happening in town, so showing up at midnight or 1AM can be a great idea on the right night. Covers tend to be very low, and drink prices are also cheap.
Located on the dividing line between the French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny, the Dragon's Den is a great spot to come in and out of all night while bar hopping on Decatur and Frenchmen Streets.
The Howlin' Wolf
This huge music venue in the CBD has a nice sound system and a large bar. The room has great acoustics and musicians feel very comfortable on the sizeable stage. The Rebirth Brass Band Has been regularly appearing there, and the venue attracts many nationally touring acts. During Jazz Fest this year, the club hosted Ozomatli, Toubab Krew,Derek Trucks, The Headhunters, The Funky Meters and many other great shows. This club is extremely laid back and comfortable for the listener. Every spot in the room has good view of the stage. Cover usually ranges from $10 to $15 depending on the act.~Kevin O'Day
The Maple Leaf
The Maple Leaf. A music club that continually has the best line-up in town, because musicians love playing here. For one thing, there is a lot of history in this club. James Booker played a regular gig here for years. The bar is big, drinks are cheap, and the dance floor is freshly waxed every Thursday. There is a nice sized bar in the back as well, and a patio in the way back that is great for relaxing between sets.
The Krewe of Oak throws a huge Mardi Gras Ball at the Leaf during Carnival Season and also hosts the Mid Summer Mardi Gras party at the end of August.
