While the Halftime Show was dedicated to Kendrick Lamar‘s West Coast hip-hop storytelling and the game itself was focused on the Philadelphia Eagles‘ dismantling of the defending NFLchampion Kansas City Chiefs, the pre-show entertainment for Super Bowl LIX at New Orleans, LA’s Caesars Superdome was a joyous celebration of the vibrant music and culture of the Big Easy featuring local luminaries like Jon Batiste, Trombone Shorty, Lauren Daigle, Harry Connick Jr., The Soul Rebels, and more.

The broadcast on FOX began with out-of-towner Lady Gaga in the middle of New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street, where a violent attack early on New Year’s Day left 14 people dead and 57 others injured. The moving performance seemed to channel the resilience at the core of the city’s character.

Lady Gaga – “Hold My Hand” – Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA – Super Bowl LIX Pregame

When the broadcast switched over to the Superdome, NOLA-native music and entertainment star Harry Connick Jr. stood in a spotlight on the darkened field. “In New Orleans,” he said, “we have lots of ways to say hello. My personal favorite is, ‘How you feeling?’ Now, we welcome everybody to our city for Super Bowl LIX. So, today, when somebody asks me, ‘How you feeling?’ I can honestly say I feel great to be home in the Crescent City: New Orleans, Louisiana. So, how y’all feeling, baaaby?! Let’s celebrate some New Orleans music and culture at Super Bowl LIX.”

The next five minutes were a Mardi Gras-like barrage of Big Easy sonic and visual landmarks. First, famed jazz trumpeter Terrence Blanchard took the stage at the 50 yard line to ease the crowd into the 504 mood. Then, as the Southern University Human Jukebox marching band trickled onto the field (with NOLA rapper Birdman following along and waving) fan-favorite brass band The Soul Rebels took the stage amid plumes of production smoke. Southern University troupe Fabulous Dancing Dolls strutted in next for a dance interlude flanked by the city’s only all-female brass band, the Original Pinettes.

Related: Daze Between New Orleans Issues Save The Date For 2025 Festival

The marching band gave the crowd a tour of contemporary New Orleans styles via a rendering of hip-hop classic “Still Fly” (by Big Tymers, a.k.a. Birdman and Mannie Fresh), a medley of bangers by NOLA’s Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, the Original Pinettes’ Crescent City love letter “Ain’t No City (Like the One I Got)”, and more.

To bring it all home, Harry Connick Jr. took center stage along with Leroy Jones, Freddie Lonzo, and the Spirit of New Orleans Gospel Choir for a spirited, good-times-rolling take on Professor Longhair’s “Go To The Mardi Gras” as feathered Black Masking chiefs danced their way through the marching band members on the field. If you’re looking for the best five minutes of the Super Bowl broadcast, look no further.

Super Bowl LIX New Orleans Pregame Performance ft. Harry Connick Jr., The Soul Rebels, Terrence Blanchard, The Original Pinettes, More – 2/9/25

Even after the big NOLA spectacle, the Super Bowl LIX pregame still had plenty of New Orleans love left to give. First, Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle sprinkled some Cajun seasoning on “America the Beautiful” with their shuffling, brass band-style rendition.

Trombone Shorty, Lauren Daigle – “America The Beautiful” – Super Bowl LIX – 2/9/25

Then, Jon Batiste manned a striking white piano at the 50 yard line for a uniquely expressive, jazz- and blues-inflected, drum sample-assisted arrangement of the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”. At the end of his take, Batiste repeated the anthem’s “land of the free” line three times, a creative choice that took on added resonance following a mid-song camera cut to President Donald Trump, who has aggressively moved to eliminate various personal freedoms and equality measures in his first weeks back in office.

Jon Batiste Performs National Anthem – Super Bowl LIX

On Monday, Jon Batiste followed his national anthem with a new, two-track release dubbed My United State. The project follows the lead of his recent Beethoven Blues piano album with a second reimagining of the national anthem, “Star-Spangled Batiste Blues”, as well as additional track titled “Notes From My Future Self”.

“I originally created this for my Super Bowl performance,” he explained of his alternate anthem cut. “We went in a different direction but a key element in both versions is the Drag Rap (Triggaman) sample, a staple in New Orleans culture. My approach was to fashion the anthem into a piece that makes you reflect on where we are—our culture, our history—while being both harrowing and hopeful. This kind of approach is usually associated with electronic music or hip-hop, but blending it with these other traditions—it’s really exciting to see how it comes together.” Listen to “Star-Spangled Batiste Blues” here.

If you’re heading to New Orleans during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this spring, check out Live For Live Music‘s Fest by Nite event series featuring evening concerts around the city from April 24th–May 4th, 2025 in addition to the two-day Daze Between New Orleans festival on Tuesday April 29th and Wednesday, April 30th. Check out a list of confirmed events here and stay tuned for (many) additional announcements.