New Orleans’ JazzFest is one of the biggest parties of the year in the music scene. Outside of the actual festival, which ends promptly at 7pm each night, there is a plethlora of after-parties and late-nights to take part in and indulge your senses to the fullest. Deciding what shows to partake in can be a very tough decision, and a bit of a costly endeavor. Most of the mid-tier to upper-tier after-parties cost anywhere from $40-$75, just for one show. We have been looking at all the lineups, which you can see here in our JazzFest Late Night Guide, and caught one deal which we think is by far the best deal going. It’s on Saturday, May 3rd, you get to see 4 bands, a full on NOLA-style Crawfish Broil featuring food from some of New Orleans’ best chefs, 2 free drinks (Vodka, Bourbon, or Beer), and full VIP access for $100, among other things. Oh, did we mention you get a Meet and Greet with the bands as well?
The event that we are talking about is the 7th Annual Crawfish Broil w/ Dragonsmoke on Saturday, May 3rd ft. Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Stanton Moore & Rob Mercurio (of Galactic), and Eric Lindell. It’s the only time these guys come together during JazzFest to play as Dragonsmoke – it is a show not to be missed. After the Crawfish Broil w/ Galactic and, which is held at Manning’s (in Harrah’s Casino), head over to The Sugar Mill (less than a 3 block walk – you’re gonna need fresh air after all that food anyway) to see a full-on party with Rising Appalachia, and New Orleans’ Galactic throw down into the only set from Thievery Corporation at JazzFest.
What needs to be said about Galactic, other than they are about as much NOLA royalty as you get. Known for their epic live show, which you can be sure will feature several special guests, Galactic is not only known for bringing the party, but in many cases IS the party. Expect this Saturday night late-night set to get rowdy, as only Galactic knows how.
If you haven’t seen Thievery Corporation, then you are in for more than just a treat. A group that truly cultivates the “World Beat,” Thievery Corporating draws influences from bossa nova, jazz, electronic, Jamaican dub reggae, rock, trip-hop, and various tastes from all over the musical spectrum. Bringing along a full live band with guitars, sitars, bass, drums, percussion, horns, female vocalists, and MC’s, along with founder Rob Garza’s production on the turntables, a Thievery Corporation set is something that you need to experience. It will change your life (as well as make you dance your ass off), and is very much in line with the true vibe of JazzFest: Exploration.
So, let’s sum that up one more time: A straight-up, NOLA-style, all-you-can-eat Crawfish Broil w/ a show from Dragonsmoke (ft. Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore, Rob Mercurio, and Eric Lindell), along with 2 free drinks (vodka, bourbon, beer), into a late-night celebration with Rising Appalachia, Galactic, and Thievery Corporation w/ VIP Access for $100? Sounds like an incredible deal to us. We have looked all over, and there is no other deal like this, with a lineup such as this one at all. It’s the best bang for your buck, and there is very limited VIP Tickets for this experience. The deal is all-inclusive, and makes your life very easy on the last Saturday night at JazzFest. This will sell out, so get on your tickets quickly.
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All the 411 with All-Access Pass VIP Passes:
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Thievery Corporation Live Full Set (courtesy of River PartyTV):
Galactic from Brooklyn Bowl w/ Eric Krasno (courtesy of LinusJ):
Dragonsmoke from One Eyed Jack’s (courtesy of Marc Millman):