Mardi Gras is described as the world’s largest party. And with good reason – all you need to do to take part is wander down the street to a parade route, watch the parade go by and shout “throw me something, Mister!” No tickets to buy, no cover charge to pay – nothing. But watching a parade is really only one aspect of Mardi Gras. Most Krewes have a whole set of traditions, celebrations and extravaganzas which are typically hidden from plain sight. In fact, only those associated with or invited by the krewe are able to attend. These formal and elegant affairs can be highly reminiscent of what one would imagine a party thrown by a royal court of long ago would have been like. Of course, many of us have as good a chance of being invited to a party in King Arthur’s court as we do to getting an invite to one of these behind the scenes soirees.
Enter the renegade of Mardi Gras: the Krewe du Vieux. This satirical parade not only breaks all of the unspoken rules of parading, they break the rules when it comes to their grand celebration. For a mere $30, the Krewe du Vieux invites you to join the celebration, which is sure to last all night long. While doors open at 9:00 p.m., they will certainly get blown off the hinges shortly thereafter as the 19 brass bands (including one of my personal favorite bands: Kinfolk) which march in the Krew du Vieux kick the night off with a brass band jam.
Once your dancing feet have been sufficiently calibrated, the super group Afunkalypse led by Walter Wolfman Washington takes over. But the surprises don’t end there, although Afunkalypse is already chock full of talent you’re not likely to see in one place, the legendary Fred Wesley of James Brown fame will be ripping it up on the trombone! If you’re able to survive into the wee hours of the evening, Krewe du Vieux has one final stroke of genius for the evening. Somehow, they’ve managed to pull one of our favorite New Orleans rock bands, Morning 40 Federation, out of retirement to close out the party. If you haven’t been able to catch one of Morning 40′s legendary sets prior to their break-up, this is certainly a must see.
So grab your tickets early (they won’t be available at the door) and don your finest and most bizarre costume you can assemble for an evening of great satire, great music and a great Mardi Gras celebration.
Krewe du Vieux Doo
February 4, 2012
2830 Royal Street
Door opens at 9:00
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