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buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience, but I am also getting to an age where the bands at most festivals are not booked with people of my age in mind (DJs and rappers vocalizing over a pre-recorded backing track don't count as bands or live music to me).
I see the lineup of NOLA Jazzfest has a few days with many bands I like or would like to see (generally not the headliners). Considering going and have heard different takes on it. How is the site? How tough is it to get in and out of? Dealing with the elements? Sound or sightline issues? How tough is it to get food or drink? Is the price of a beer more than the GDP of some countries?
Appreciative of any advice.
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buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience
Appreciative of any advice.
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The SicilianQuote
buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience, but I am also getting to an age where the bands at most festivals are not booked with people of my age in mind (DJs and rappers vocalizing over a pre-recorded backing track don't count as bands or live music to me).
I see the lineup of NOLA Jazzfest has a few days with many bands I like or would like to see (generally not the headliners). Considering going and have heard different takes on it. How is the site? How tough is it to get in and out of? Dealing with the elements? Sound or sightline issues? How tough is it to get food or drink? Is the price of a beer more than the GDP of some countries?
Appreciative of any advice.
I've been to a few prior to the hurricane.
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ChrisMahavishnu
I attended last years NOLA Jazzfest and really enjoyed it, there were at least half a dozen stages with all kinds of different music being performed all day so I never found myself bored and just waiting for the headliners. The crowd was one of the most diverse age mix festival audiences i've seen, and I think they book acts keeping all age ranges in mind. Surprisingly one of the few moans with my experience was the food and drink, while the quality of the food was fine with a decent amount of choice of local cuisine (and the lines weren't anything unusual) the serving sizes were unusually small and overpriced for what they were in my opinion. However my main complaint was the terrible portable toilets on site, having attended festivals in the UK, Australia and now the US, NOLA Jazzfest had the worst facilities i've ever seen at a festival, very unclean and I did not see any place to properly wash your hands after, only hand sanitizer stations outside. If I were to do Jazzfest again i'd look into the VIP tickets to see if that improved my experience.
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The SicilianQuote
buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience, but I am also getting to an age where the bands at most festivals are not booked with people of my age in mind (DJs and rappers vocalizing over a pre-recorded backing track don't count as bands or live music to me).
I see the lineup of NOLA Jazzfest has a few days with many bands I like or would like to see (generally not the headliners). Considering going and have heard different takes on it. How is the site? How tough is it to get in and out of? Dealing with the elements? Sound or sightline issues? How tough is it to get food or drink? Is the price of a beer more than the GDP of some countries?
Appreciative of any advice.
I've been to a few prior to the hurricane. Best bet from then was to buy a round trip bus ticket which included entrance to the event. Buses will drop you right at the gate. We usually would catch them at the Superdome or at the Hard Rock Cafe. There will be a list of locations. They run non-stop during the event every half hour or so. You will be coming in late April early May after wintering up north with no sun, so either buy a nice Panama Jack hat at the French Market or bring one. You will need it and it can be very hot so lotion up or get burned. One year I went it rained 5 inches in few hours and it became a mud bowl. Do check out the Gospel Tent for a moving experience. Food at the festival is set up in stands like street festivals. Wander around check out the different stages. Plan your music from the schedule brochure. At night, Bourbon St. is where the action is. Get your fill of oysters early. Hit the Cafe du Monde in the French Market for breakfast.
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GasLightStreetQuote
The SicilianQuote
buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience, but I am also getting to an age where the bands at most festivals are not booked with people of my age in mind (DJs and rappers vocalizing over a pre-recorded backing track don't count as bands or live music to me).
I see the lineup of NOLA Jazzfest has a few days with many bands I like or would like to see (generally not the headliners). Considering going and have heard different takes on it. How is the site? How tough is it to get in and out of? Dealing with the elements? Sound or sightline issues? How tough is it to get food or drink? Is the price of a beer more than the GDP of some countries?
Appreciative of any advice.
I've been to a few prior to the hurricane. Best bet from then was to buy a round trip bus ticket which included entrance to the event. Buses will drop you right at the gate. We usually would catch them at the Superdome or at the Hard Rock Cafe. There will be a list of locations. They run non-stop during the event every half hour or so. You will be coming in late April early May after wintering up north with no sun, so either buy a nice Panama Jack hat at the French Market or bring one. You will need it and it can be very hot so lotion up or get burned. One year I went it rained 5 inches in few hours and it became a mud bowl. Do check out the Gospel Tent for a moving experience. Food at the festival is set up in stands like street festivals. Wander around check out the different stages. Plan your music from the schedule brochure. At night, Bourbon St. is where the action is. Get your fill of oysters early. Hit the Cafe du Monde in the French Market for breakfast.
That bit in bold is to be ignored: the "action" is simplistic: people getting drunk and puking, getting robbed or stabbed or shot, all while paying higher than airport costs for shitty drinks that are either watered down or too spicy or just plain suck, like the vomit inducing hurricane.
There are plenty of other places to go. Bourbon St is to be avoided at all costs.
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GasLightStreet
Frenchmen St's scene has changed to the point that it's not where a lot of locals go anymore, it's been Bourbon Streeted. But there are still some good venues there for music - dba is one of them.
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spikenycQuote
GasLightStreet
Frenchmen St's scene has changed to the point that it's not where a lot of locals go anymore, it's been Bourbon Streeted. But there are still some good venues there for music - dba is one of them.
I hear you. My friends that live in NOLA have said the same thing.
But during Jazzfest, seems like most of the good late night shows are in the Frenchman St. area. Maison is also a good venue, if its not too crowded.
Have heard the French Quarter Fest is also a good time to visit.
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The SicilianQuote
GasLightStreetQuote
The SicilianQuote
buffalo7478
I have never been to a multi-day large music festival. Ideally would like to get to one in Europe for the experience, but I am also getting to an age where the bands at most festivals are not booked with people of my age in mind (DJs and rappers vocalizing over a pre-recorded backing track don't count as bands or live music to me).
I see the lineup of NOLA Jazzfest has a few days with many bands I like or would like to see (generally not the headliners). Considering going and have heard different takes on it. How is the site? How tough is it to get in and out of? Dealing with the elements? Sound or sightline issues? How tough is it to get food or drink? Is the price of a beer more than the GDP of some countries?
Appreciative of any advice.
I've been to a few prior to the hurricane. Best bet from then was to buy a round trip bus ticket which included entrance to the event. Buses will drop you right at the gate. We usually would catch them at the Superdome or at the Hard Rock Cafe. There will be a list of locations. They run non-stop during the event every half hour or so. You will be coming in late April early May after wintering up north with no sun, so either buy a nice Panama Jack hat at the French Market or bring one. You will need it and it can be very hot so lotion up or get burned. One year I went it rained 5 inches in few hours and it became a mud bowl. Do check out the Gospel Tent for a moving experience. Food at the festival is set up in stands like street festivals. Wander around check out the different stages. Plan your music from the schedule brochure. At night, Bourbon St. is where the action is. Get your fill of oysters early. Hit the Cafe du Monde in the French Market for breakfast.
That bit in bold is to be ignored: the "action" is simplistic: people getting drunk and puking, getting robbed or stabbed or shot, all while paying higher than airport costs for shitty drinks that are either watered down or too spicy or just plain suck, like the vomit inducing hurricane.
There are plenty of other places to go. Bourbon St is to be avoided at all costs.
You mean New Orleans hasn't been gentrified yet?
I'm sure you know the place well, but you can't visit NO without hitting Bourbon St. Thousands of brave souls do. Not everyone goes there to get hammered. I wouldn't wander into the side streets but you have to use good judgement. Whenever I went there it was with someone who knew their way around. Exploring is best done in the afternoon.
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ab
Be among the people in the mud and stink and rain. Just prepare for whatever's thrown your way and don't whine. Avoid scuzzy Bourbon Street.
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The SicilianQuote
ab
Be among the people in the mud and stink and rain. Just prepare for whatever's thrown your way and don't whine. Avoid scuzzy Bourbon Street.
Great advice, tourists love Bourbon Street. After spending the day at the music festival who wants to sit in a club watching more music and hipsters? Time to party, bar hop and people watch.
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GasLightStreetQuote
The SicilianQuote
ab
Be among the people in the mud and stink and rain. Just prepare for whatever's thrown your way and don't whine. Avoid scuzzy Bourbon Street.
Great advice, tourists love Bourbon Street. After spending the day at the music festival who wants to sit in a club watching more music and hipsters? Time to party, bar hop and people watch.
You need to get out more. During Jazz Fest the night time shows are huge and some go on until sunrise. People love live music in New Orleans.
Bourbon St is not what you think.
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The SicilianQuote
GasLightStreetQuote
The SicilianQuote
ab
Be among the people in the mud and stink and rain. Just prepare for whatever's thrown your way and don't whine. Avoid scuzzy Bourbon Street.
Great advice, tourists love Bourbon Street. After spending the day at the music festival who wants to sit in a club watching more music and hipsters? Time to party, bar hop and people watch.
You need to get out more. During Jazz Fest the night time shows are huge and some go on until sunrise. People love live music in New Orleans.
Bourbon St is not what you think.
What is it then? Is it that bad? So if all the tourists avoid Bourbon then where are they going? I haven't been there in quite a while, but I have visited many times. It was always packed, lots of cops, drunks, and shady people too. Look, I didn't grow up on a farm or in the suburbs, I come from the inner city. I see things from a different perspective. I think I understand what you're trying to say.
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Aquamarine
Speaking of the weather, I was there the year after Katrina (the whole festival area had been under about ten feet of water) and the weather was nice, except it started to rain just as Robert Plant was singing When the Levee Breaks--that was a chilling moment.