[UPDATE]: A lineup of modern New Orleans luminaries will step in for George Porter Jr. at the Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper following a positive COVID test for the Meters bassist. Members of Dumpstaphunk and The Revivalists will join in on Saturday, May 7th at The Fillmore New Orleans [get tickets].
After George Porter Jr. tested positive early on Friday, Nick Daniels (bass), Devin Trusclair (drums), Tony Hall (guitar/bass/vocals), Alex Wasily (trombone), and Ashlin Parker (trumpet) of Dumpstaphunk rose up to answer the call to duty. They will join Dumpstaphunk bandleader and Art Neville’s son Ian Neville alongside Art’s nephew Ivan Neville. Additionally, bassist George Gekas (The Revivalists) has also joined the lineup.
This all-star lineup will join the rest of the Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper lineup including Neal Francis, Nikkie Glaspie (The Nth Power), Skerik, and many more. The evening will begin with the newly formed Allman Brothers Band tribute Trouble No More featuring Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (guitar/vocals), Daniel Donato (guitar/vocals), Dylan Niederauer (bass guitar), Nikki Glaspie (drums), Peter Levin (keys), Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel guitar), and Pete Lavezzoli (drums), in addition to newly added special guest Kanika Moore (vocals).
[3/4/22]: An all-star krewe of musicians from the Big Easy and beyond will come together during Jazz Fest 2022 for Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper, a loving tribute to two NOLA music giants who passed away in 2019, Art Neville and Dr. John.
Following the debut of this “to heroes, by heroes” project at the sold-out Denver Comes Alive in January 2020 and a series of pandemic-related postponements in the ensuing two years, Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper will finally make its way home to New Orleans on Saturday, May 7th, 2022 at The Fillmore New Orleans with help from Trouble No More, the fledgling Allman Brothers Band tribute combo [get tickets].
For this special tribute performance, a band of beloved musicians will recreate the music of these two Crescent city titans. George Porter Jr., Art Neville’s longtime friend and collaborator in The Meters, as well as Art’s son, guitarist Ian Neville (Dumpstaphunk), and his nephew, Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), will all be in the band.
The lineup will also feature charismatic keyboardist/vocalist Neal Francis, a noted disciple of Dr. John’s NOLA swagger, multi-instrumentalist Tony Hall (Dumpstaphunk), drummer Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power, Maceo Parker), Skerik, and more.
Both Art Neville (also known as “Poppa Funk”) and Dr. John (whose full-billed performer name was “Dr. John The Night Tripper”) were incredibly influential musicians that left indelible marks on music fans in the Big Easy and beyond.
Neville, a three-time Grammy award winner, was the founding member of the quintessential New Orleans funk band, The Meters, and was a co-founder of The Neville Brothers and the later-career Meters spin-off, The funky Meters. He was a foundational player in New Orleans who went on to record with many of the top rock, pop, and soul artists of his era.
Six-time Grammy winner Malcolm “Mac” John Rebennack Jr., a.k.a. Dr. John, is one of the most recognizable characters to ever emerge from the New Orleans music scene. Heavily influenced by the theatrics and aesthetic of his early mentor, Professor Longhair, Rebennack adopted a flamboyant style on stage that stuck with him for the entirety of his career. Following a stint in Los Angeles as a member of the famed studio band known as the “Wrecking Crew,” Rebennack returned to New Orleans where he took on the “Dr. John The Night Tripper” persona and launched a legendary solo career centered around the combination of New Orleans funk, psychedelic rock, and jazz.
Trouble No More will get the festivities started on Saturday, May 7th, 2022 at The Fillmore New Orleans with a contemporary tribute to the legacy of the Allman Brothers Band. The new ensemble, which will make its debut at the storied Beacon Theatre in March, will continue the ever-expanding story of the foundational blues-rock outfit with more than just its name. The band is comprised of an inter-generational mix of ABB descendants, collaborators, proteges, and extended “family” members including Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (guitar/vocals), Daniel Donato (guitar/vocals), Dylan Niederauer (bass guitar), Nikki Glaspie (drums), Peter Levin (keys), Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel guitar), and Pete Lavezzoli (drums).
Tickets for Live For Live Music and Live Nation‘s Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper: A Tribute to Art Neville and Dr. John with Trouble No More at The Fillmore New Orleans on Saturday, May 7th, 2022 are on sale now. All tickets purchased for the postponed dates in 2020 and 2021 will be honored at the May 7th, 2022 performance. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Big House Museum.
Scroll down for complete show details and RSVP to the Facebook Event Page for more updates.
This show joins a growing list of Live For Live Music late-night shows during Jazz Fest. Other previously announced shows include a tribute to Steely Dan featuring members of Lotus, The Motet, The Nth Power, and more (Thursday, May 5th at The Howlin’ Wolf); The Daze Between Band featuring and Keller Williams’ Grateful Gospel (Sunday, May 1st at The Howlin’ Wolf). Follow Live For Live Music on social media for more exciting Fest by Nite announcements in the coming weeks.
***SHOW INFO***
Show: Live For Live Music and Live Nation Present: Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper: A Tribute To Art Neville & Dr. John with Trouble No More
Band (Poppa Funk & The Night Tripper): Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk, keys/vocals), George Porter Jr. (The Meters, bass/vocals), Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power, drums/vocals), Ian Neville (Dumpstaphunk, guitar), Tony Hall (Dumpstaphunk, guitar/bass/vocals), Skerik (saxophone), Neal Francis (keys/vocals)
Band (Trouble No More): Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (guitar/vocals), Daniel Donato (guitar/vocals), Dylan Niederauer (bass guitar), Nikki Glaspie (The Nth Power, drums), Peter Levin (Gregg Allman Band, keys), Roosevelt Collier (pedal steel guitar), and Pete Lavezzoli (drums)
Date: Saturday, May 7th, 2022
Venue: The Fillmore New Orleans – 6 Canal St., New Orleans, LA
Doors: 8:00 p.m. / Show: 9:00 p.m.
Tickets: GA – $46.25; Reserved Seating: $76.25