Yea for Friday with Racing, Brass & Circle Bar Grand Re-Opening!!

Hey Everybody - hope you're ready for a fun weekend in NOLA!!

Check out The Where Y'Art? event this evening over at the New Orleans Museum of Art starting at 5:00 pm with Gallery & Exhibition Tours, lots of fun activities and music!! Join the panel discussion, "The Artist as Collector" moderated by John Bullard in collaboration with the exhibition "NOMA 100: Gifts for the Second Century." The event is FREE with museum admissions. $10 Adults, $8 seniors, students, active military, $6 children ages 17 to 7, children 6 and under are free.

• 5:30 pm  to 8:00 pm: an art making activity for the kiddies
• 6:00 pm panel discussion, "The Artist as Collector" moderated by John Bullard
• 5:30 to 8:30 pm: Music by the Harvard LowKeys
• 7:00 pm: Artist Talk with Katie Holden

Tonight is the big kick-off to Starlight Racing at the New Orleans Fairgrounds (1751 Gentilly Blvd.)! Tonight get your '70's disco party on with the Bucktown All-Stars and DJ Kemistry! Gates open at 4:00 pm and the first post is at 5 p.m. The live bands take to the Clubhouse stage at 7 p.m., while the DJs in the Miller Lite Beer Garden spin nonstop until after the last race, about 9 p.m.
Admission and Parking:
*General Admission to Fair Grounds for Starlight Racing is $5. Twin Spires Club VIPs receive free General Admission.
*Admission to the Clubhouse or the Miller Lite Beer Garden is an additional $5.
*General parking at Fair Grounds is free. Valet parking is available for $10 and VIP Valet with priority service is $20.

Celebrate the music with the benefit - A Brass Band Celebration - Trumpets not Guns hosted by IntheKnowla.com tonight at 8 p.m. over at the 12 Bar on  Fulton Street (608 Fulton St.). "Treme" actor and Crescent City native Tony Frederick will host the party, check out the lineup - the Hot 8  Brass Band, Free Agents Brass Band, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, To Be Continued Brass Band, and Baby Boyz Brass Band with a special guest performance by Glen David Andrews along with DJ Chris Stylez.  To top it off there's complimentary beer and cocktails from NOLA Brewing Company and Old New  Orleans Rum. Tickets are $15 and proceeds help out Trumpets not Guns.

FINALLY THE CIRCLE BAR (1032 St. Charles) IS BACK OPEN - YEA!!  Come out tonight for the big grand opening partay with Rik Slave & the Phantoms, O.L.D. and Little Maker tonight at 10 p.m. 
You still don't know what to do?

Head on over to Chickie Wah Wah on Canal for their happy hour and a triple header of music this evening.  Come on by around the 5 o'clock hour and music with the Alexandra Scott and the Grapefruits startin' up at 5:30, and stay on for Truckstop Honeymoon CD Release Party featuring Mike West and Katie Euliss at 10:00 pm - there's a small cover but it's worth it!  Come hungry too - there's delicious pizza and other yummy items being served up!

And there's more good music in Mid-City (almost Uptown) over at Rock 'N Bowl (3016 S. Carrollton) for The Wise Guys at 9:30 pm!!  Remember if you eat at Ye Olde College Inn right next door you get a discount to the show!  Happy rockin' and bowlin'!

Need more music??  Then go to Frenchmen Street!

You can get started early at the Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen) with Brett Richardson at 4:00 pm, Washboard Chaz Blues Trio at 6:00 pm, and the New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings at 10:00 pm.

Stop by Mojitos Rum Bar & Grill (437 Esplanade - corner of Frenchmen) for some excellent margaritas and some great music all afternoon with Maryflynn and the Prohibition Blues at 4:00 pm, Big Al at 7:00 pm and stay late for Fredy Omar con su Banda at 10:30 pm!!

Right down the street you have another trio of shows at BMC (1331 Decatur)...with El de Orazio and Friends at 3:00 pm, Soul Project at 6:00 pm, and Dana Abbot at 10:00 pm!!

d.b.a.'s (618 Frenchmen) got The Hot Club of New Orleans at 6:00 pm it's FREE, but don't forget to tip the band!! And stay on for Kenny Brown at 10:00 pm...there's a $5cover, but you don't want to miss the show!!

Alrighty, well that should keep you busy this evening and tomorrow...If you're looking for more fun stuff to do...check out the WWOZ Livewire -  http://www.wwoz.org/new-orleans-community/music-calendar!!



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St. John's Eve, Wine, Concerts and More!

Good morning everybody...one more day 'til the weekend...yea!!!

Don't miss out on the weekly wine tasting at Cork and Bottle (3700 Orleans ) about 5:00 pm in Mid-City and tasting is free!!!  And be sure to stop by the Crescent City Farmer's Market and patronize local Louisiana vendors with fresh veggies, seafood and more! 

Need a little culture and music? You gotta go to the show at the Ogden Southern Museum of Art - better known as Ogden after Hours.  The concert starts up at 6:00 pm. with Rotary Downs delivers an unlikely sound of noisy, fuzzy, psychedelic song-craft that is simultaneously original and intrinsically New Orleans.......so come on down for some music, culture and fun..don't miss it!!

Go hang out at City Park this evening for The Thursdays at Twilight Garden Concert Series with the Pfister Sisters. The gates open up at 5:00 pm and the performance starts at 6:00 pm in the City Park Botanical Garden Pavilion of the Two Sisters...There is an admission charge, but hey, it's helping the Park out..so....it's a good thing...$8 for adults and $3 for children.

If you're looking for some wine to taste in a unique setting you need to head out to the New Orleans Fairgrounds from 6:00 to 8:00 pm for the first "Tastings at the Track - Sippin' into Summer" event of the year sponsored by Dorignacs.  Attendees will have the opportunity to taste a collection of cool whites, elegant reds, splendid sparklings and refreshing rosés from around the world.  This casual, reception style tasting will also feature a selection of cheeses and wine experts who will discuss and answer wine related questions.  Tickets are $25 per person and are available at Dorignac's (710 Veterans Blvd in Metairie). Tickets will be available at the door if the event is not sold-out.

Don't forget today is St. John's Eve...so celebrate this evening with the annual St. John's Eve Headwashing Ceremony on the footbridge over Bayou St. John (near Cabrini High School) from 7:00 to 10:00 pm.  There will be a headwashing ceremony (form of Vodou baptism) dedicated to Marie Laveau Wear all white and bring a white scarf or rag for your head (It will get dirty.)   Also, be sure to bring an offering for Marie Laveau; she likes flowers, blue and white candles, Creole foods, hair ribbons and hair dressing supplies, or Vodou-esque items -  Voodoo dolls, potions, gris-gris bags, or images of Marie Laveau.

Good Music Tonight!!

The Columns Hotel (3811 St. Charles Ave.) has Freddy Omar at 8:00 pm...come out to enjoy some fantastic Latin music!!

Head on over to Frenchmen Street and to d.b.a (618 Frenchmen) for an amazing evening with singer/songwriter Andrew Duhon at 7:00 pm, and stay on for a, New Orleans classic, Ernie Vincent & the Top Notes at 10:00 pm (there may be a small cover - but it's worth the money!)

And there's more fun on Frenchmen with Soul Project at 10:00 pm over at Cafe' Negril (606 Frenchmen).

If you're looking for more fun stuff to do tonight check out the WWOZ Livewire!