Thursday, Nov. 7
Hugh Laurie, aka the titular character of the TV series "House," joins New Orleans legends Jon Cleary, Donald Harrison, Jr., George Porter Jr., Mark Mullins, Shannon Powell, Detroit Brooks and Tracy Griffin for Fess Fest, a concert benefiting the restoration of Professor Longhair’s family home. Info here.
Friday, Nov. 8
Tonight and Saturday, the New Orleans Ballet Association presents India Jazz Suites, the high-energy, East-meets-West collaboration between Indian classical dance master Pandit Chitresh Das and Emmy-award winning tap star Jason Samuels Smith. Info here.
Hair, the colorful rock musical celebrating 1960s counterculture features such hits as “Age of Aquarius,” “Let the Sunshine In” and the title song, opens at Le Petit. Info here.
Emeril Lagasse hosts the Boudin, Bourbon and Beer fundraiser tonight, which features that Cajun sausage cooked up by prominent local and national chefs. Check out our Q&A with Lagasse in this month’s New Orleans Magazine here. Find event info here.
Mark it, dude: Lebowski Fest New Orleans, a two-day event celebrating the Coen brothers comedy, kicks off tonight. The weekend includes a screening of The Big Lebowski, a party with live music and a bowling night. Info here.
Saturday, Nov. 9
This year’s Treme Creole Gumbo Festival features the inaugural vegan gumbo contest – but for carnivores, there’s traditional gumbo. Glen David Andrews, John Boutte, a slew of brass bands and others perform. Info here.
There’s also the Mirliton Festival, which celebrates that weird, pear-shaped vegetable with dishes from Bywater restaurants and music by The Tin Men, Meschiya Lake, Kristin Diable and others. Info here.
Hip-hop/R&B heavyweight Drake headlines the New Orleans Arena with Miguel and Future opening. Info here.
The 23-year-old British folk singer Laura Marling – who is frequently compared to Joni Mitchell and released the excellent Once I Was An Eagle this year – plays the Civic. Willy Mason opens. Info here.
NOMA host its Odyssey Ball fundraiser, featuring music, cocktails, a raffle and catering by Ralph Brennan. Info here.
