Wednesday at the Square

I’ve written before about the abundance of free and cheap things to do in New Orleans. Even though the population is still nearly 100,000 citizens short of its pre-Katrina state, the music scene, especially local acts, seems to be growing faster and surpassing the growth of us peasants. Located right off the St. Charles streetcar line, Lafayette Square on a warm Wednesday afternoon provides the perfect setting for a musical and cultural rebirth of New Orleans, not to mention it’s cheaper than a game of Area 51 at the local arcade.

In its 25th year, Wednesday at the Square draws crowds that swell beyond the capacity of the landscaped park every Wednesday afternoon for 12 straight weeks in the Spring. Priding itself on being able to introduce artists with “all the way from Orleans Avenue” or “from the 7th Ward”, the Young Leadership Council, with the aid of Saints sponsorship, draws in equally enormous and diverse local acts. Just 4 weeks into this year’s schedule, the lineup closely resembles the much anticipated Tipitina’s Fess Jazztival (no, that’s not a typo).

MAR 30- The Radiators
APR 6- Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue + Soul Rebels Brass Band
APR 13- Kermit Ruffins + Coot
APR 20- Anders Osborne + Honey Island Swamp Band
APR 27- Irvin Mayfield & the Jazz Playhouse Revue
MAY 4- Marcia Ball + Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue
MAY 11- George Porter, Jr. + The Lee Boys
MAY 18- The Iguanas + Los Po-Boy-Citos
MAY 25-Tab Benoit + Navy Band New Orleans Full Steam Brass Band
JUN 1- Eric Lindell + The Revivalists
JUN 8- Galactic + Marc Stone
JUN 15- Cyril Neville and Monk Boudreaux + Gravy

Even though he’ll mix in an occasional indistinguishable word or two when he forgets lyrics to his songs or start 2 hours later than normal at Vaughan’s, seeing Kermit Ruffins at The Square rivals nearly all of the Acura Stage performers at Jazz Fest (still not a typo). Wednesday at the Square goers, including myself, have also gotten to partake in the Radiator’s for-real-we’re -serious-this-time-retirement-tour, as well as experience the circular-breathing-I’ve-been-playing-a-funky-trombone-since-I-was-6-style of Trombone Shorty.

Falling right into place with the usual suspects, Wednesday at the Square also pulls in perennial mainstays of the local brass band scene like Soul Rebels.

And food, because you know I always have a severe case of the hunger pains. There aren’t any nachos from a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket, hot dogs made of mechanically separated chicken parts, or cheap toys from a Happy Meal at this 2.5 hour festival. Offerings from local restaurants, including shrimp and grits from Atchafalaya, Bart’s Black Jambalaya from Crescent Pie and Sausage Company, and burgers from nearby Gordon Biersch (just make sure a random tornado doesn’t sweep in and snatch the fries and drink out of your hand), overwhelm and get dangerously close to overloading the senses.

With good food, free flowing Abita Jockamo, and FREE live music from 5:00 to 7:30, I’ve got everything I could possibly need there next to Henry Clay under the oaks in front of Gallier Hall.

Well, maybe everything except for a good ole’ Cortez the Killer cover. Oh wait. That’s right. Anders Osborne, the great songwriter/musician from Scandinavia (some of you are probably Google mapping it now), laid down possibly the greatest cover of Neil Young for those lucky few who stuck around until the end of his remarkable show last