EXPERIENCE FREE LIVE MUSIC IN NEW ORLEANS’S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT THIS SPRING
There is no shortage of live music in New Orleans. In the springtime, each neighborhood has its own form of a music festival to usher in the warm, sunny days. For New Orleans’s Central Business District, Wednesday at the Square fills downtown with local music, food, and drinks.
Lafayette Park
Nestled downtown between Camp Street and St. Charles Avenue, the second-oldest park in New Orleans, Lafayette Square, has been the epicenter for free live music for over 150 years. With beautiful buildings as the backdrop and a shaded grassy lawn, it is no surprise that Lafayette Square hosts Wednesday at the Square each year.
Wednesday at the Square Concert Series
Every year the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans puts on a free concert series in Lafayette Park. Wednesday at the Square boasts local music artists of various genres and styles alongside delicious concessions and alcoholic beverages. As an added bonus, admission is free for all.
Some of Louisiana’s notorious up-and-coming artists will make an appearance in April. From swamp funk to classic rock, Wednesday at the Square has something special in store for everyone.
Mia Borders
New Orleans native Mia Borders will be stepping out as the main act for the first Wednesday, April 5, at the Square Concert. Having performed at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Essence Fest, there is no doubt this singer-songwriter knows how to put on a funky show. Supporting act, The Quickening is known for its adventurous funk complementing Borders flawlessly.
The Suffers
Hailing from Houston, The Suffers will fill Lafayette Park, on April 12, with unique sounds of soulful funk, rhythm, and blues. National Public Radio (NPR) calls the band’s take on soul “multidimensional and multicultural.” Supporting local act, Trumpet Mafia, a group of New Orleans trumpeters, will bring enough jazz and hip-hop to satisfy any horn instrument craving.
The Iceman Special
The Iceman Special has been taking New Orleans by swamp-funk storm and will appear at the square on April 19. The band’s meshing of dirty funk, groove, and southern rock never fails to get a crowd dancing. With a loyal local fan base, The Iceman Special is unstoppable. Invoking rock and roll on the bayou, local four-piece band Zita will put on an iconic opening performance.
George Porter Jr.
To wrap up the month’s offerings on April 26, a prodigy of New Orleans funk, George Porter Jr., is bringing his four-piece project George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners to the square. The band’s members have worked with New Orleans’s most famed music artists, such as The Meters, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, and Kristin Diable. Fusing rock, funk, and soul, the band is more than fitting for a Wednesday at the Square. Adding some lyrical guitar and Americana to the mix, Joy Clark will be the opening performer.
Stay at Hotel Mazarin
One of the best ways to experience live music in New Orleans is by staying at a hotel in the middle of it all. Hotel Mazarin is ideally situated in the heart of the French Quarter. Make a reservation at Hotel Mazarin today.