Looks like I am going to make my first trip to New Orleans in May for the jazz festival. Anybody ever make the trip?

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Dangles - Ive been there. Its a blast but almost overwhelming with all the music going on. Just plan ahead who you want to see. Many people set up in front of the main stages and its hard to get up close. Some of the best acts were on the smaller stages.
Have you ever been to NO? I've been there 5 times and always had a blast. There is magic in the air in the French Quarter.

Pick your weekend, I usually go for one of the long weekends. It's a blast, depending on the weather.
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Never been to New Orleans before so I am looking forward to ALL it has to offer.One of the couples we are going with went last year and he said the coolest part is seeing the musicians playing the clubs at night. He saw Robert Plant with around 60 people one of the nights.The lineup has me pumped and so does the prospect of eating some local faire.

I just want to go there and eat.....I love Cajun Food

Never been to New Orleans before so I am looking forward to ALL it has to offer.One of the couples we are going with went last year and he said the coolest part is seeing the musicians playing the clubs at night. He saw Robert Plant with around 60 people one of the nights.The lineup has me pumped and so does the prospect of eating some local faire.


I dont know if you're a history big music fan - I highly reccomend one of the french quarter tours, make sure they take you to Congo Square and Storyville.
Congo Square is where slaves would gather on Sunday, play music sing, etc. Its is the exact spot where blues and jazz were born. It one of the most imporant places in American music history. F'in magic standing there.
Storyville was an area of shacks/stalls that were filled with prostitutes, to entertain customers musicans played and this is where jazz really took off - Louis Armstrong played here as a kid and where he developed his style. Most tours do the graveyards which are pretty cool too.
Food is amazing, the jazz fest had good food too. I cant say enough about how awesome it is down there. Where else does a bouncer at a bar pour your drink into a cup as you EXIT a bar. Public drinking is the norm.

Not that I've been a lot of places, but when we went to JF in 2004 it was the best time I've ever had. We stayed on North Rampart, right next to Congo Square/Louis Armstrong Park. The first night we were there, we made the two minute walk to Memorial Auditorium in the park and saw Santana put on a great general admission show where there was no problem standing as close as you wanted. One night we walked across the street to The Funky Butt to see Big Sam's Funky Nation, and it was the highlight of a great trip. Sam owned the place at the time. The band took the stage at 1:00 AM and absolutely tore the place up until the wee hours. Bolstered by Funky Butt Juice, EVERYBODY danced, mere feet from the band in this cozy little space. The crowd was awesome. Even the whitest guys could "dance like nobody's watching" with nothing but laughter and encouragement from the locals, they really made you feel welcome. Sadly, Sam couldn't afford some needed repairs to keep the place open. He was working on moving to another location when Katrina came along and ruined everything. The last great music venue in that area, Donna's, closed last spring leaving only a few gay bars with a lively drag scene in that area. You would still be welcome there and have a good time if you wanted to go, but the music has pretty much ended along that once great street that forms the border between the Quarter and the Treme neighborhood. Over the years the push by the tourism industry to steer everyone towards the FQ, combined with the lack of stronger representation of the poorer folk on the outskirts (ironically the home of the local musicians and a lot of the help that makes NOLA what it is) has left that area pretty dilapidated. It's definitely still worth checking out, like RIJIMMY said, for the history, but the tourism folks will tell you to stay away after dark. As you move down closer to Bourbon Street, you see more of a Bohemian type of area, with lots of cool little cafes and lots of businesses displaying rainbow flags. Some great food and we were always treated to excellent service. Then you get to Bourbon, and as you head towards Canal it becomes the New Orleans that you think of when you see Girls gone wild or Mardi Gras coverage on TV. Open containers, strip joints, people partying on the balconies, etc. Great party. When you get to Canal street it turns into a regular big city with the big hotels and casinos. If you don't have a car this is where you will catch the buses to the festival grounds. Very well organized and easy peasy. If you are staying anywhere close to the Quarter you don't need a car. I wouldn't even want to make the drive to the grounds, because you go through some REALLY bad looking areas on the way, and that was before the storm. Can't imagine what it is like now. Our first day at the festival a longtime and very well known and liked festival goer was stabbed to death not far outside the gates to the grounds. Once inside though, it's fine, and the buses take you right inside.
Lots of restaurants to check out in the Quarter with great local cuisine. I remember one place where they put newspaper down on your table and just dump a huge pile of crawfish on it.
Like your friend said, definitely try to find all the bands scheduled at the clubs at night. With all those artists in town there should be a few gems of small venue shows.
As far as the music at the festival, the amount of music is ridiculous. As you'll see, it's impossible to see everybody you want, especially the big acts. The good thing is the music in the smaller tents is equally great and more intimate, especially if your music taste is wide ranging like mine. I like almost everything. The big names you know already--- you can decide who you want to see and who you want to skip. If I was going, I would do my best to catch Trombone Shorty, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Sonny Landreth, Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, Levon Helm w/Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John.... really, to go on with such a list is pointless. There's just so much. The food at the venue is pretty good too, with some interesting stuff-- alligator pie, crawfish cakes, etc.
The thing that stuck with me as being one of the best aspects of the trip is the people. Very laid back and friendly. A lot of the employees at the Hotels and such seem like they are moving in slow motion sometimes, but they are so nice and helpful you really don't mind. You just slow yourself down as well, which is kind of nice. Kinda like being on "Island time." The restaurants and shops with the rainbow flags are a different story. They were friendly AND quick, excellent service, at least at the ones I went to.
I wish I was going, as I do every year when I see the music lineup, but we only can afford one major travel event a year, and with the flight and hotel prices during jazzfest, even a long weekend counts as a major travel event on our budget.

Have a blast. I'm very jealous.:buds:

Thanks for the detailed response,there is nothing I enjoy as much as music,parties,food and adult beverages. Any scantily clad women or left-handed cigarettes will be the icing on the cake.

SD, get in touch with me before you head down. I've never been there for JazzFest, but I can give you some tips on where to go for fun, and more importantly where not to waste your time. Some of the nicest cocktail waitresses you'll ever meet work in N.O. (I can't post pics in here, but if I see you, I'll show you).
Also, as mentioned above, the food is fantastic. Some of the bars and clubs also offer 3 for 1 drink specials. Order 1 beer and they hand over 3. It doesn't take long to start enjoying yourself.

Not sure which week you're going but Grace Potter is playing House of Blues NO May 3rd and 4th, Tix on sale today (Thursday)
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also at hob... Trombone Shorty 4/28 and 4/29 and a band with Ruthie Foster 5/3.
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WOW! Jazzfest was all that and then some. Bourbon St. got mixed reviews,not a big fan of filth but the music in the clubs was just as good as the fest. Saw Robert Randolph at HOB one night,he killed it. Can't get the naked girl on the mechanical bull out of my head. What a city.

How bout the cuisine? Try any crawfish or alligator pie? I failed to mention the group that sits about 3/4 of the way back in the crowd near some kind of fenced in area at one of the two main stages... They told me they are in the same spot every year... They would have gladly, umm, inspired your appetite... :)
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Still purging oysters...saturday after the show my group (14) stumbled onto a backyard party. $10 got you all the beer and crawfish you could eat and they had a killer cajun band there too.Sunday night we went to Frenchmans instead of Bourbon St. We will do 2 nights there next trip. Didn't care much to see Springsteen or Petty, the bands that got people moving were on the smaller stages. Love the local music with accordians and people playing spoons on their chest. Later at night you would see them in the clubs.That city will kill you.

That city will kill you.

LOL. Yes it will.

Sounds like you had a great time. So many great talents that you listed. I have seen some but there are lots I'd like to.

Make sure you see Galactic...they friggin' kill it!

Galactic performing "Heart Of Steel" at Tipitina's in New Orleans, LA on April 23, 2010 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs3wHqhWQPE)

They are an absolute must see

Galactic Live At The 2011 New Orleans Jazzfest - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGm7aF31KF4&feature=related)

Saw Galactic at Boston HOB last month,they killed it.
PAPA GROWS FUNK @ Louisiana Music Factory JazzFest 2007 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSKIHXM8rxQ&feature=player_detailpage)
Papa Grows Funk is my style of music. Maybe the best act at Jazzfest imo.

dont want to derail but if you guys like this type of music you should check out some of the pioneers or this - grant green, jimmy smith, etc. A lot of jazz greats played this stuff in the 70s,

check out this guitar playing

Grant Green - Ain't It Funky Now - Grant Green - Green Is Beautiful - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZM9bgXJdYI)

cover of meters tune

Grant Green - Ease Back - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCOc2euD32k&feature=related)

organ master

Jimmy Smith - Funk's Oats (Part One) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2gzTLOTpzc)

Jimmy Smith - 02 Absolutely Funky - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyeMlbAxi8k&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLB3B1B75EFA4000E3)

not sure if you're aware of this stuff, its some of the best

Luv Grant Green
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Nice. Seems like they rotate different guys in for every show. They used to have a vocalist named "The Houseman". He wore velvet suits, perspired like crazy....looked like a crackhead, but man could he belt it out. The sax player is off the charts, same with the guitarist...