With Mardi Gras coming early this year the music scene will be coming out of its hibernation a bit sooner than usual. This month several bands who released excellent new records last year are passing though on their first tour of the new season. The month starts with the double bill of Bully and Diet Cig. Diet Cig were last in town back in September for an intimate gig at Gasa Gasa. This time they’ve brought Nashville-based rockers Bully along for the ride. This show is a perfect pairing of two high powered young bands. Bully’s record Feels Like was one of my go to records for last year and Diet Cig’s Alex Luciano is a force unto herself.
On Feb. 2, Swedish throwback rock group Graveyard will be at Gasa Gasa. This group excels in 1970s-style hard rock. They aren’t trying to reinvent the classic formula, they’re just delivering an exemplary version of the old-school form.
If you’re looking for something to round out Carnival week, Unknown Mortal Orchestra will be at Republic on Feb. 11. UMO is another band that had an outstanding 2015 release in Multi-Love. This was one of the best shows I caught at Bonnaroo last year. It will be great to see them up close at Republic. Just a couple of nights later on the 13th, Best Coast and Wavves will be at the Joy. This is about as good as double bills come. Both of these West Coast bands had new releases in 2015. Best Coast’s California Nights is of exceptional quality. Each of these bands retains something of the beachy playfulness of the current California scene. This will be a night of high energy indie pop for sure.
Continuing the fantastic string of indie rock shows this month, on Feb. 20 multi-instrumental jack of all trades Ty Segall will be at One Eyed Jacks. Segall has just released his new record Emotional Mugger, so look for a show laden with new tracks and old favorites. On the 24th, Detroit-based post-punk outfit Protomartyr will be at Gasa Gasa. Their 2015 record The Agent Intellect is a great example of a young band encapsulating a specific sound and working to incorporate it into the contemporary indie scene. There is a playfulness to their presentation that belies the seriousness of their craft. They should completely overwhelm the space at Gasa Gasa.
If you’re looking for something a bit more roots rock, Melissa Etheridge will be at the Orpheum on the 24th as well. The Orpheum continues their streak of booking huge acts for prestige shows in their beautiful space. Whether you’re a fan of Melissa Etheridge or even casually interested, this will be a special night.
Finally, round out the month on Feb. 26 with indie rockers Radiation City at Gasa Gasa.
Note: Dates are subject to change. Playlist of mentioned bands available at: bit.ly/InTune2-16
Best Bets During Carnival
It seems as though there’s great music everywhere you go during Mardi Gras. This year there are a few standout shows. Local indie favorites Sweet Crude will be playing at One Eyed Jacks on Fri., Feb. 5. At OEJ the next night, check out dream pop stalwarts Low. If you’re looking for the quintessential New Orleans sound, the Howlin’ Wolf has you covered all weekend with shows from Rebirth Brass Band on the 5th and 6th, Dumpstaphunk on the 7th and George Porter Jr. on the 8th.
To contact Mike about music news, upcoming performances and recordings, email Mike@MyNewOrleans.com or contact him through Twitter @Minima.
