Weekend One of Jazz Fest has come and gone, which means it’s almost time for our annual midweek party, Daze Between New Orleans, taking place on Tuesday, April 29th and Wednesday, April 30th at the beautiful Mahalia Jackson Theater in Louis Armstrong Park [get tickets].
Related: Fest By Nite 2025: A Guide To L4LM’s Late-Night Series During New Orleans Jazz Fest
Below, find answers to a list of frequently asked questions and everything else you need to know about Daze Between New Orleans. We can’t wait to see you!
Artist Lineup
Artist Lineup – Tuesday, April 29th, 2025 (Day One)
–Umphrey’s McGee (x2; one Led Zeppelin set ft. Jason Bonham, one original set ft. Jennifer Hartswick, Jeff Coffin)
–moe. ft. The Dumpstaphunk Horns (Alex Wasily, Ashlin Parker, Brad Walker)
–lespecial ft. Skerik
Artist Lineup – Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 (Day Two)
–The Allman Betts Band New Orleans Family Revival ft. George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Sierra Green, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Horns
–GEOLEO (George Porter Jr. & Leo Nocentelli perform the music of The Meters) ft. Ivan Neville, Stanton Moore
–The Headhunters ft. Eric Krasno, Weedie Braimah
The Daze Between New Orleans 2025 festivities will begin on Tuesday, April 29th with a heavy-hitting rock lineup led by veteran prog-jam sextet Umphrey’s McGee, who will perform two sets including one Led Zeppelin tribute set featuring drummer Jason Bonham and one original set featuring saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) and trumpeter/vocalist Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band). The Tuesday lineup also includes a set by fellow jam scene staple moe. featuring The Dumpstaphunk Horns (Alex Wasily, Ashlin Parker, and Brad Walker) and a performance by prog-tronic power trio lespecial, who will welcome saxophone madman Skerik (Les Claypool) as a special guest.
On Wednesday, April 30th, Daze Between New Orleans 2025 will come to a close at the Mahalia Jackson Theater with The Allman Betts Band New Orleans Family Revival, a special Big Easy edition of The Allman Betts Band‘s annual “Family Revival” showcase featuring guest appearances by notable New Orleans locals George Porter Jr. (bass, The Meters), Ivan Neville (keys and vocals, Dumpstaphunk), Sierra Green (vocals), Anders Osborne (guitar, vocals), and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band Horns in addition to Fest by Nite all-star Eric Krasno (guitar) and G. Love (guitar, vocals). The Wednesday, April 30th Daze Between New Orleans lineup also includes a rare celebration of The Meters by GEOLEO, which features original band members George Porter Jr. (bass) and Leo Nocentelli (guitar) alongside Ivan Neville (keys and vocals, Dumpstaphunk) and Stanton Moore (drums, Galactic), and the recently NOLA-fied lineup of legendary jazz-fusion outfit The Headhunters featuring special guests Eric Krasno (guitar) and Weedie Braimah (percussion).
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Daze Between Block Party (FREE)
Since Daze Between New Orleans has always been an outdoor event, we wanted to make sure we preserved that fun-in-the-sun energy with this years change in venue from the now-closed Faubourg Brewery to the Mahalia Jackson Theater. From 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday, the area outside the venue and the adjacent parking lot will become the Daze Between Block Party, an outdoor hangout that’s FREE TO ALL, no ticket required. Here’s what’s in store:
- Soul Brass Band (2:00–4:00 p.m. both days)
- The Roots of Music during band changeovers inside
- Food trucks
- Outdoor bar
- Local vendors
- Sponsor activations
- …and more!
Schedule
Gates to the outdoor area and the Mahalia Jackson Theater will open at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 29th and 30th. The free Daze Between Block Party featuring live brass bands before and between the indoor sets, vendors, an outdoor bar, and more will begin at the same time in the area surrounding the main venue and close at 8:00 p.m. Music inside the Mahalia Jackson Theater will run through 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29th and through 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30th. Between sets in the theater. View the full schedule below. Pro tip: Save the schedule image on your phone for easy access.
Gibson Gives, the 501(c)(3) philanthropic division of iconic instrument-maker Gibson, will serve as the official non-profit partner of both Daze Between New Orleans and the Fest by Nite event series this Jazz Fest season.
Gibson Gives donated two custom-decorated guitars inspired by this year’s Daze Between New Orleans and Fest by Nite artwork, as well as various other gear, to be auctioned off to raise funds for local New Orleans youth education programs Roots of Music and Second Line Arts Collective. Hosted by the newly launched Live For Live Music Foundation, created in partnership with Music’s Promise, the auction will run from Friday, April 25th at 1:00 p.m. ET through Thursday, May 8th at 9:00 p.m. ET. Check out guitars up for auction, place a bid, or donate to the cause here. You can also visit the guitars and place a bid in person at their corresponding events this coming week.
For Daze Between New Orleans, Gibson Gives donated an Epiphone Les Paul decorated in the style of the two-day festival’s 2025 lineup artwork. The guitar will be on display throughout both days at the Mahalia Jackson Theater (Tuesday, April 29th and Wednesday, April 30th) where it will be signed by artists on the lineup.
Also up for auction is an Epiphone SG Bass inspired by A Dream We Dreamed: A New Orleans Tribute to Phil Lesh, Fest by Nite‘s homage to the late Grateful Dead bassist at The Joy Theater on Thursday, May 1st [get tickets]. The bass will be signed by the artists on the show’s all-star lineup, which includes Vinnie Amico (drums; moe.), Duane Betts (guitar; The Allman Betts Band), Nicki Bluhm (vocals; Phil & Friends), Rob Derhak (bass, vocals; moe.), Jennifer Hartswick (trumpet, vocals; Trey Anastasio Band), Eric Krasno (guitar; Soulive), Ross James (guitar, vocals, music director; Phil & Friends, The Terrapin Family Band), Jay Lane (drums; Dead & Company, Primus, RatDog, Wolf Bros), Aron Magner (keys; The Disco Biscuits, Billy & The Kids), Ivan Neville (keys, vocals; Dumpstaphunk), George Porter Jr. (bass; The Meters), Karina Rykman (bass), and Al Schnier (guitar, moe.).
Other items available as part of the Daze Between New Orleans/Fest by Nite x Gibson Gives auction include KRK GoAux 4 Portable Monitors, 4x Maestro brand pedals, an Allman Betts Band VIP Experience, Suwannee Hulaween tickets, Umphrey’s McGee tickets, and more. Check out all the items up for auction, place a bid, or donate to the cause here.
Late-Night Shows & Other Things to Do
Where to begin? To paraphrase Daze Between New Orleans 2025 performer and local music royal Ivan Neville, we’re talkin’ ’bout New Orleans, the greatest place on Earth! The possibilities are endless. To narrow things down (slightly), we put together a list of 300(ish) Things to Do in New Orleans during Jazz Fest including our recommendations of sights, activities, food, and music—both at the Fair Grounds and around the city at night.
And to all the “Night People” sticking around for Jazz Fest Weekend Two—we’ve got late-night concerts scheduled around the Crescent City every night through Sunday as part of our annual Fest by Nite series. Check out the full lineup of remaining shows and grab your tickets here before they sell out.
