Mike Gordon has announced a one-night-only performance at New Orleans, LA’s The Joy Theater on Friday, May 2nd 2025 as part of Live For Live Music‘s 2025 Fest by Nite series. The evening show by the Phish bassist, which corresponds with the second weekend of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, will feature support from ever-rising bassist and bandleader Karina Rykman [ticketing information].

Mike Gordon solo shows have been sparing in recent years, particularly in New Orleans. The Fest by Nite show at The Joy Theater on Friday, May 2nd is currently the only solo date on Gordon’s 2025 calendar, while his 2024 schedule was limited to a run of dates opening for Vampire Weekend in arenas with a smattering of headline club dates mixed in. His last solo album, the kaleidoscopic Flying Games, arrived in 2023, while his last headline in the Crescent City took place at The Joy Theater during Jazz Fest 2019.

Mike Gordon – The Joy Theater – New Orleans, LA – 5/3/19 – Full Show [Pro-Shot]

While Mike Gordon has carefully picked his stops since 2023’s Flying Games and its associated tour, the bassist has remained as busy as ever with his “other” band, seminal improvisational rock quartet Phish. After rounding out a busy 2024 with a four-night New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden in December, Gordon and his Phish bandmates recently opened their 2025 schedule with a well-received four-night stint in Mexico. Phish is due to mount an eight-date West Coast spring tour prior to Gordon’s trip to New Orleans, then resume touring operations once more in June for an extensive summer tour.

Gordon and the rest of Phish were recently nominated as part of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame‘s 2025 induction class. Phish currently leads the rest of the 2025 nominee field in the fan vote by a considerable margin. Fans can vote daily for their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks through April 21st.

Karina Rykman, the New York City native bassist, singer, and bandleader, will warm up The Joy Theater stage for Mike Gordon on Friday, May 2nd. Rykman, a regular player on the Jazz Fest-after-dark circuit, already has a longstanding connection with the evening’s headliner. Back in 2022, Rykman welcomed Gordon for a sit-in at Burlington, VT’s Nectar’s, the same bar where Phish got its start in the ’80s. They also collaborated as part of a bass-off at Marco Benevento’s Follow The Arrow festival last summer in Woodstock, NY. Even before that, she got the unlikely chance to jam with Gordon and the rest of Phish during a soundcheck at Madison Square Garden in late 2018. Revisit that story here.

karina rykman mike gordon, mike gordon karina rykman, karina rykman, mike gordon[Photo via Karina Rykman – Karina Rykman (left) and Mike Gordon (right) at Camp Greensky 2018]

Karina Rykman w/ Mike Gordon – City Kids – 12/3/22

Tickets to Mike Gordon at The Joy Theater with Karina Rykman during New Orleans Jazz Fest 2025 go on sale beginning Wednesday, February 26th at 10:000 a.m. CT / 11:00 a.m. ET here. Scroll down for complete show details.

This concert is part of Live For Live Music and GMP Live’s Fest by Nite series in New Orleans during Jazz Fest. Confirmed 2025 events include:

***SHOW INFO***
Show: Mike Gordon w/ Karina Rykman
Presented by: Live For Live Music, GMP Live, & The Joy Theater
Date: Friday, May 2nd, 2025
Venue: The Joy Theater | 1200 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA
Time: Doors: 8:00 p.m. / Show: 8:30 p.m.
Tickets: On sale Wednesday, February 26th here.

mike gordon, mike gordon band, mike gordon new band, mike gordon karina rykman, mike gordon fest by nite, mike gordon jazz fest, mike gordon phish, mike gordon new orleans, mike gordon joy theater, mike gordon tour, mike gordon karina rykman, karina rykman jazz fest, karina rykman joy theater