After joining forces as The Heavyweights last year, Grammy-winning virtuosos Cory Henry (organ), Eric Krasno (guitar), and Robert “Sput” Searight (drums) will hit New Orleans, LA’s The Joy Theater on Friday, May 1st, 2026 during weekend two of Jazz Fest for a two-set performance featuring special guest Oteil Burbridge [get tickets].
Henry, Krasno, and Searight’s individual résumés are among the broadest and most eclectic in the business—hence the group’s name. Cory Henry, who earned acclaim early in life as a child prodigy, logged time in Snarky Puppy, branched out with his own Funk Apostles, and last year played arenas with Stevie Wonder, among various other ongoing projects. Robert “Sput” Searight, another Snarky Puppy veteran, co-founded and continues to lead funk collective Ghost-Note, and recently spent several years touring with pop rock legends Toto. Eric Krasno, who co-founded and continues to lead Soulive, among countless other projects, is a decorated guitarist, producer, songwriter, and musical director across the worlds of funk, jazz, rock, hip-hop, and beyond. As with his Heavyweights bandmates, his credits are too extensive to attempt to list here.
Oteil Burbridge, a first-time guest for The Heavyweights, packs an equally powerful punch in the music world. Known for his work with Dead & Company, the Allman Brothers Band, the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Vida Blue, Toy Factory Project, and many more, Burbridge embodies the center of the extended jam band world’s eclectic Venn diagram.
But while the players in The Heavyweights each have weighty resumes, this project is as fresh as they come. Cory, Kraz, and Sput debuted the moniker last summer with a show at The Mint in Los Angeles which they recorded for a live album, Live from the Mint, available to purchase in physical formats here. They’ll still be able to count their total number of live shows on their fingers by the time they hit the historic Joy Theater on Friday, May 1st for their biggest show to date.
Pre-sale tickets for The Heavyweights ft. Cory Henry, Eric Krasno, and Robert “Sput” Searight with special guest Oteil Burbridge on Friday, May 1st at New Orleans, LA’s The Joy Theatre will go on sale Thursday, February 5th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CT here [Password: HWNOLA]. Remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, February 6th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CT here. Scroll down for complete show details.
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Cory Henry, Eric Krasno, and Oteil Burbridge are all scheduled to appear with multiple different projects as part of Live For Live Music and GMP Live‘s 2026 Fest by Nite series in New Orleans during Jazz Fest. In addition to The Heavyweights, all three will get involved in both Grahame Lesh & Friends‘ two-show run at The Joy Theater (Tue 4/28, Wed 4/29) and the eighth annual running of the Daze Between Band at Tipitina’s (Wed, 4/29).
Find ticketing information and more details about each of this year’s Fest by Nite events below.
- Thu, Apr 23 – STS9 – The Joy Theater – Tickets | Details
- Fri, Apr 24 – The Meters w/ Dumpstaphunk – The Fillmore New Orleans – Tickets | Details
- Fri, Apr 24 – STS9 – The Joy Theater – Tickets | Details
- Tue, Apr 28 – Dogs In A Pile – Toulouse Theatre – Tickets | Details
- Tue, Apr 28 – Grahame Lesh & Friends ft. Oteil Burbridge, Bill Payne, Daniel Donato, More – The Joy Theater – Tickets | Details
- Wed, Apr 29 – Grahame Lesh & Friends ft. Ivan Neville, Jake Brownstein, Cory Henry, More – The Joy Theater – Tickets | Details
- Wed, Apr 29 – The Daze Between Band ft. Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Oteil Burbridge, More – Tipitina’s – Tickets | Details
- Thu, Apr 30 – Lettuce: RAGE!FEST – The Joy Theater – Tickets | Details
- Fri, May 1 – The Heavyweights ft. Cory Henry, Eric Krasno, Robert “Sput” Searight w/s/g Oteil Burbridge – Tickets | Details (see below)
- Sat, May 2 – The Meters – Saenger Theatre – Tickets (SOLD OUT) | Details
***SHOW INFO***
Show: The Heavyweights ft. Cory Henry, Eric Krasno & Robert Sput Searight with special guest Oteil Burbridge
Presented by: Live For Live Music, GMP Live, Dayglo Presents
Date: Friday, May 1st, 2026
Time: Doors: 8:00 p.m. | Show: 9:00 p.m. (Two Sets)
Venue: The Joy Theater – 1200 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70112
Pre-Sale: Thursday, February 5th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CT here [Password: HWNOLA].
General On-Sale: Friday, February 6th, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CT here.
Ticket Pricing Tiers: General Admission Early Bird: $30 | GA Tier 1: $39.50 | GA Tier 2 / Day of Show: $45 | Reserved Upper Balcony: $55 | Reserved Lower Balcony: $65 | Front Row Balcony: $75
