New Orleans jazz-funk sextet Naughty Professor became the latest band to fall victim to thieving assholes when their tour van was stolen early Monday morning. The van, which serves as the group’s primary mode of transportation, was parked along Banks Street in New Orleans’ Mid-City neighborhood at the end of the night on Sunday, June 3rd, following their show at the New Orleans Oyster Festival. Unfortunately, the vehicle was nowhere to be found when the band returned around 7:30 am on Monday, June 4th.
Naughty Professor has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help them get back on the road, though they’re optimistic the van can be found and hope to never have to use any of the money they raise (they’ll give it back to their supporters if they find the van).
“We got this van in the Spring of 2016 and it has been essential to our growth as a band and our livelihood as individuals,” says Naughty Professor drummer Sam Shahin. “We’ve taken it to all four corners of the country—Bellingham/Seattle, Washington; Burlington, Vermont; San Diego, California; and Key West, Florida—and we’ve probably put a hundred thousand miles on it in the two years we’ve had it.”
“There are few silver linings in this,” Shahin adds. “There wasn’t much gear in the van—mostly drum hardware and practice instruments. And the fact that, after Oyster Fest, we don’t have another out of town gig until July feels serendipitous and allows us to focus our efforts on finding it, so we’re optimistic.”
Here’s a description of the van, along with a few photos:
One very small consolation is that Naughty Professor won’t need their tour van all that much for some time. The group plans to spend the month of June working on new music in their hometown, but they do have a few American dates—including a set at Camp Bisco—scheduled for mid-July. After that, the band will embark on its first European tour, though the dates for that have not yet been revealed.
Nevertheless, losing van is a huge blow to any group of touring musicians, especially a band like Naughty Professor that makes most of its money on the road. Please consider donating to these talented musicians as they work to recover from this awful theft, and don’t hesitate to report any information on the whereabouts of their van to the band or the proper authorities.
Another way can support the band is by purchasing some merch or a copy of their fantastic 2017 album, Identity. Released in the summer of 2017, the 12-track album features guest appearances by Chali 2na, Ivan Neville, Mike Dillon, Eric “Benny” Bloom, members of The Soul Rebels, and many more. And, of course, make sure to check out Naughty Professor when they come to a stage near you.