Grayson Capps || Photo by Adam Smith

As a constantly-evolving artist with creative inertia to boot, multi-faceted songwriter Grayson Capps has been around the block enough times to know a thing or two about a career as a songwriter both here in New Orleans (where he attended undergrad and began his professional music career) and around the country. His latest record Lost Cause Minstrels is a refreshing country-laced effort channeling the sounds of the backwoods and heavily infused with a stylistic tour-of-the-south. The new record intricately weaves high lonesome bluegrass harmonies, gospel, blues and NOLA brass beneath Capps’ raspy vocals, who delivers a philosophically-laced Southern gothic gospel you won’t find elsewhere these days. Capps’ latest project The Lost Cause Minstrels returns to the Crescent City on Friday night for a show at Chickie Wah Wah after the Friday night parades. Continue on on below as we chat about Mardi Gras in Mobile area, Capps’ connections to the Big Easy, his latest album and band, Joe Cain Day and his well-read knack for philosophy.

LMB NOLA: You haven’t lived here permanently in several years but being just down the gulf coast in Fairhope, you still manage to make it back here to the place where you spent so much of your music career – how essential is it for you to frequent New Orleans and what are some of the places you absolutely must visit, play and dine when you are back in town?

GRAYSON CAPPS: New Orleans for me is where I woke up as a musician, and like a first love, the city continues to be an inspiration to me. I frequent New Orleans enough to keep the Sweet Olive blossoms in my lungs and the Mississippi River in my veins, but most of the bars and restaurants that meant so much to me when I lived there are gone like Henry’s Soul Food and Pie Shop, the Rock Bottom Lounge, and Bennie’s to mention a few. Others have gotten so popular that they’ve lost their mystique to me. I guess the essential visits for me would be the good old Tree of Life near the Butterfly and spring time walks at Jean Lafitte over on the west bank, and those few solitary stretches on the river where the river glass speaks with each wave that rolls in. New Orleans and I have a love affair till this day, but it’s very personal and goes way beyond the red beans and rice and other trite associations most people have with the city.

LMB NOLA: In the spirit of the season, tell me about the origins of your song “Ol’ Slac” and how has that song been received in the Mobile area?

Grayson Capps: I think folks are proud around the Port City to have a song about the local legend Joe Cain. As a kid, I remember Joe Cain Day in Mobile as the most debaucherous, crazy, fun day of the season and I wanted to write a little song to remind people of some of the history of that colorful ole’ Cheif Slacabamamarinico. A lot of the parades blast that song as they roll downtown now, and it thrills me to be able to accentuate some of Mobile’s charming culture.

Grayson Capps

Joe Cain’s miscreant friends were a group of musicians called the Lost Cause Minstrels. They stole a coal wagon and an old grey mule and paraded through downtown Mobile in 1866 resurrecting the Mardi Gras after the Civil War. I, of course, stole the name, because it somehow seemed appropriate considering that most of my band is from around the Mobile area. We recorded the record at my barn in Franklin, Tn. just before we sold it, knowing that I was moving back down south. My partner Trina Shoemaker recorded and mixed the album. You can thank her for making it sound so good.

How is Mobile carnival distinctly different from New Orleans’ parade season?

Mobile is Baptist, New Orleans is Catholic; there is a big difference!

Your career and songwriting/musical output has run an impressive gamut, so what’s next for you?

Next for me, I can’t say, it just has to happen. I could say all kinds of things about the future, but that would mean nothing. We’ll have to wait and see what unfolds.

Anything special/carnival-related in store for your New Orleans show?

We’re playing Chickie Wah Wah’s Friday the 17th and Le Bon Temps on Lundi Gras and our keyboard player’s son Christopher Spies will be playing sax with us. We’re ready to rock n roll and ride the wave of the carnival season and take our audience with us.

Grayson Capps Will Perform @ Chickie Wah Wah 2/17/12 || Photo by Chad Edwards

I’ve read a lot over the years, and I’ve studied philosophy in school and out of school. I studied theatre primarily and am greatly influenced by the likes of Eugene O’neil, Tennessee Williams, and Sam Shepherd and Shakespeare of course. I’ve delved deeply into most of the major religions with a prod from my father and Joseph Campbell. The Dhammapada and the Tao Te Ching are the most profound works that I know of, and I am a great fan of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky crossed with some Bukowski and Steinbeck and Flannery O’Conner. William Price Fox and Joel Chandler Harris were childhood staples. I love metaphor, local color, and vivid images. That’s why New Orleans has been so dear to me. It’s so full of intense images that provoke change and openmindedness and lust and discovery and hope. Whether or not any of this comes through in my writing, I do not know. That depends on the listener I suppose. All I can do is tell the truth, my truth, and if I tell my truth, the listener might not get my truth, but they will get a truth, and that is where the good stuff resides. Gravy on the grits, show me your tits, and don’t let the dogs out on trash night!

The Buku Project in New Orleans || March 17-18, 2012 @ Mardi Gras World

The Buku Music + Art Project has finalized their lineup (see below) and announced the Bassik at BUKU: The Official Late-Night Experience, on March 17, 2012, featuring Wolfgang Gartner. Also on the bill are Archnemesis, Plastic Plates, Salva, and Nguzunguzu.

Situated on the BUKU grounds at Mardi Gras World, the after-party will start at 1am as the main event wraps up and keep things moving deep into the night. While the main stage plays on indoors, the BUKU late-night will also feature an outdoor side stage, hosted by Plastic Plates, allowing you to party/hang/eat/drink/dance to nu-disco/electro/house/lounge into the morning as the barges roll by the banks of the Mississippi River.

A limited amount of pre-sale tickets are available now at the BUKU ticketing page for only $20. When those sell out, advance tickets will be $25 and $30 at the door.

BUKU will also be hosting an official pre-party on March 16, 2012 at JAX Brewery featuring 16 Bit. Tickets are on sale now at the BUKU ticketing page.

11 local artists including Tony Skratchere, Jermaine Quiz and more have been invited to play changeovers to ensure non-stop music throughout the 2-day madhouse. Check out the full lineup below:

Saturday, March 17th

Avicii
Wiz Khalifa
Diplo
Mord Fustang
Holy Fuck
Gramatik
Yelle DJs
Pictureplane
Rockie Fresh
Cities Aviv
The Rap Pack
Force Feed Radio / Christoph Andersson
Tony Skratchere / Paul B / Sonali

Saturday, March 18th

Skrillex
YelaWolf
Porter Robinson
Big K.R.I.T.
Big Gigantic
SBTRKT
Figure
Sepalcure
Big Freedia
G-Eazy
Purity Ring
Gravity A
Shanook
White Noise
DJ Digital
Jermaine Quiz
Sir Charles
Spamm Kid
Late-Night

Wolfgang Gartner
Archnemesis
Plastic Plates
Salva / Nguzunguzu
Eddie Gold / Unicorn Fukr / Javier Draga

Mardi Gras 2012 @ Tipitina's Uptown

The yearly Tipitina’s Mardi Gras calendar kicks off today with Bunny Matthews’ Birthday Party featuring Jean-Eric and will roll until Galactic’s annual sunrise set on Tuesday morning reaches it’s completion and Mardi Gras revelers are released into the wild to march in celebration of the culmination of Carnival Season. For tickets and more information on these shows, visit Tipitina’s web site and continue on below for videos, starting times and the schedule of events at 501 Napoleon Avenue over the next six nights.

Wednesday, February 15th

BUNNY MATTHEWS’ BIRTHDAY PARTY Featuring Jean-Eric plus The Jonesbirds with Special Guests Rev. Spooky LeStrange and Her Billion Dollar Baby Dolls and Bunny and the Playboys – 9 p.m. ($8 advance/$11 door)

Thursday, February 16th

Iris May Tango Reunion Show and The Scorceses – 10 p.m. ($10 advance/$12 door)

Friday, February 17th

funky METERS and Pimps of Joytime – 10 p.m. ($31)

Saturday, February 18th

Galactic (featuring Corey Glover and Corey Henry) plus Mynameisjohnmichael – 10 p.m. – ($31)

Sunday, February 19th

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue’s 6th Annual Bacchus Bash with Dirty Dozen Brass Band and FISHBONE – 10 p.m. (SOLD OUT!)

Monday, February 20th

Lundi Gras with Galactic Featuring Corey Glover (of Living Colour) and Corey Henry (of Rebirth Brass Band) and very special guests David Shaw (of The Revivalists), Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Casa Samba and The Soul Rebels – 10 p.m. (SOLD OUT!)

FISHBONE Makes A Louisiana Run

Legendary ska-funk-punk rockers FISHBONE, a still-rolling live force who were a major part of the inaugural Lollapalooza Tour in ’91 will be returning to Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette this Saturday, Sunday and Lundi Gras for a three night stomp around Louisiana during Mardi Gras. After seeing their 2:30 a.m. set at Tipitina’s during this year’s Voodoo Experience I’m definitely a convert to what this band can do live and it has been great seeing how much they helped introduce the glory of Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk to a whole new audience on a tour last fall. They will be playing in Baton Rouge on Saturday, 2/18 at the Manship Theater, in New Orleans on Sunday, 2/19 for two shows at Tipitina’s (at the Bacchus Ball w/ Trombone Shorty) and Blue Nile (with Corey Glover of Living Colour – also from Lolla ’91) and in Lafayette 2/20 at Feed & Seed.

Fishbone on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! January 30, 2012 – EVERYDAY SUNSHINE

The Polyphonic Spree @ House of Blues New Orleans - 2/13/12 || Photo © Wesley Hodges

After a few years off the road, choral psymphonic rock band The Polyphonic Spree returned this month for a quick tour of the Southland and brightened up an otherwise damp Monday night in the French Quarter with their euphoric, leave-it-all-on-the-stage enthusiasm, giving the devout fans on the floor the type of performance one would expect more from a farewell tour that went on longer then the band or crowd expected. Draped out in matching white robes with red hearts in the middle, the group got right to work after a strangely intoxicating and discordant display of psychedelia by opening act Small Fumes, who projected some cool visuals on a tapestry before weirding out the room with an image of elephant coitus during his final song.

Perhaps it was the fact that the robed collective hadn’t played in the Big Easy in ages, but Front man Tim DeLaughter’s emphatic love fest energized the room and the nearly two-hour set ran the gamut through Polyphonic Spree’s catalog, creating more of a happening or 60s-style love-in than your standard Monday night affair during exuberant tracks from Together We’re Heavy and a new tune “What Would You Do?”. A few darker tracks from The Fragile Army toned down the vibrant scene midway through the set, creating a cool contrast to the early going of the show. During “Soldier Girl” DeLaughter jumped into the crowd, allowing other audience members to sing along at arms-length and thus beginning his lesson in Crowd Engagement 101 that would persist throughout the rest of the show. During the set, the 16-piece band ran through covers of The Who’s “Pinball Wizard”, Thunderclap Newman’s “Something In The Air” and Nirvana’s “Lithium“, excellent cover choices that exploded the energy in the room. The band’s encore ended up being nearly as long as the show itself, indicative of a band and it’s loyal fan base having trouble removing themselves from the palpable energy created by the performance.

The Polyphonic Spree @ House of Blues New Orleans - 2/13/12 || Photo © Wesley Hodges

For what otherwise should’ve been a quiet, weary Monday night after a big weekend of Mardi Gras parades, turned into a well-spent night on the floor watching some of the most uplifting and spiritual pop music imaginable. The sustained, otherworldy joy and effervescence of Polyphonic Spree was infectious and before taking the stage for their final bow, the 16 members of Polyphonic Spree made sure to personally thank as many fans in the crowd for coming out with a victory high-five lap around the floor of the House of Blues. All in all, the show felt good, now I’m ready for Mardi Gras.

The 2012 Bonnaroo Lineup || http://lineup.bonnaroo.com

The 11th Annual Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has unveiled their 2012 lineup and once again it’s a beast, starting off with Radiohead (back for the first time since 2006), Phish (returning for first show since 2009), Red Hot Chili Peppers (Bonnarookies) and the reuniting Beach Boys (also appearing at Jazz Fest). The 4-day outdoor festival traces its genesis back to the late night Jazz Fest club scene, where festival producers Superfly Presents began booking shows and got the idea to take the idea of Jazz Fest After Dark and the bands populating that scene to a larger concept, selling out the inaugural festival in 2002 by word-of-mouth alone. Hence, the 700-acre farm was rented (now owned) and 10 years later, the Bonnaroo Music Festival lives on and continues to evolve with each year’s lineup.

As usual, some familiar suspects from the NOLA scene will be there with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk and Soul Rebels making the cut, as well as Big Freedia the Queen Diva of sissy bounce (who one must hope will be getting a late night slot to really throw a proper Azzstravaganza down on the farm). Still tons of smaller cafe tent artists and comedians to be announced so probably some more local acts to come (last year Rotary Downs and GIVERS played smaller tents). Phish and Radiohead at the top makes this a worthwhile trip in itself, but the top-to-bottom quality isn’t quite up to par with last year’s remarkable lineup. Having said that, once again, Bonnaroo has stacked it’s lineup high with more than enough exciting acts to fill a four-day schedule and not see anything remotely un-entertaining.

Will be my first missed Bonnaroo since 2002. Be back in 2013!

2012 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Lineup

Radiohead
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Phish
The Beach Boys Featuring Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks
Bon Iver
The Avett Brothers
The Shins
Foster The People
Skrillex
Aziz Ansari
Dispatch
Feist
The Roots
Alice Cooper
SuperJam
Black Star
The Word featuring John Medeski, Robert Randolph and North Mississippi Allstars
Ludacris
Ben Folds Five
Flogging Molly
Spectrum Road featuring Cindy Blackman Santana, Jack Bruce, John Medeski, and Vernon Reid
Mac Miller
Childish Gambino
Major Lazer
tUnE-yArDs
Afrocubism
Flying Lotus
Umphrey’s McGee
Little Dragon
St. Vincent

Lineup also includes:

City and Colour, The Civil Wars, Young The Giant, Two Door Cinema Club, Punch Brothers, NEEDTOBREATHE, Fitz & The Tantrums, Bad Brains, Yelawolf, Dawes, Battles, Danny Brown, The Black Lips, SBTRKT, Phantogram, Kendrick Lamar, Charles Bradley and his Extraordinaires, The Kooks, The Joy Formidable, The Antlers, Kathleen Edwards, Mimosa,Kurt Vile & The Violators, Alabama Shakes, Das Racist, Delta Spirit, Gary Clark Jr., Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Laura Marling, Trampled by Turtles, Mogwai, The War On Drugs, Ben Howard, Grouplove, Blind Pilot, ALO, The Devil Makes Three, White Denim, EMA, Here We Go Magic, K-Flay, The Lonely Forest, Mariachi El Bronx, Big Freedia, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., The Soul Rebels, Kvelertak, SOJA, Steven Bernstein’s MTO Allstars Plays Sly, Big Gigantic, Sarah Jarosz, Orgone, Darondo, Fruit Bats, Moon Taxi

2012 Fess Jazztival Lineup

Tipitina’s announced their 11-night Fess Jazztival lineup this morning, and the annual late night-during-Jazz Fest run starts on Thursday, April 26th this year and runs ’til Sunday, May 6th. Dirty Dozen Brass Band will kick it off on the 26th and Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk will close it down once again on May 6th following the final day at the Fairgrounds. Also, the annual Instruments A Comin’ details are out and the annual charity blowout will go down starting at 6 p.m. Details for IAC 2012 are below. For individual show dates and details, go here.

When: Monday, April 30th
Show: 6 p.m. (Outdoors) / 8:30 p.m. (Indoors)
Tickets: $40 (General) / $200 (V.I.P.)
Music Lineup: GALACTIC, TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVE., BIGI (IVAN NEVILLE, GEORGE PORTER JR, IAN NEVILLE, AND RUSSELL BATISTE), HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND, JOHNNY SKETCH & THE DIRTY NOTES SHAMAR ALLEN & THE UNDERDAWGS, BIG SAM’S FUNKY NATION, ANDERS OSBORNE, BRASS-A-HOLICS, JOHNNY VIDACOVICH, AL “CARNIVAL TIME” JOHNSON, MIA BORDERS, WALTER “WOLFMAN” WASHINGTON, DONALD HARRISON & THE T.I.P. INTERNS, AND MORE!

New Orleans Bingo! Show @ 715 St. Charles Avenue - 2/10/12 || Photo © Marc Pagani

New Orleans Bingo! Show is currently hosting a three-night residency at 715 St. Charles Avenue (the venue formerly known as Le Chat Noir) and Marc Pagani was there on Friday night to capture some of the rock-n-cabaret magic. Continue on below for a gallery of shots from Friday night. Tonight’s show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here.

Stanton Moore, Luther Dickinson, James Singleton and Johnny Vidacovich @ Maple Leaf Bar - 2/10/12 || Photo © Wesley Hodges

The term “Superjam” can get thrown around a bit around here, but the minute I glanced at the listing of local players gathering around Luther Dickinson’s 3-Night residency at the Maple Leaf Bar, it was apparent that some Jazz Fest After Dark-quality improvisational jam sessions were going to transpire in the familiar and friendly confines of the Oak Street music hall. To close out the run, Galactic / Garage A Trois drummer Stanton Moore, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton joined the North Mississippi slide guitarist for an evening of blues-based improv, NMAS standards like “Shake ‘Em On Down” and “Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down“, and newer tunes from North Mississippi’s standout 2011 LP including Keys To The Kingdom “Let It Roll” and “The Meeting“. Continue below for a short gallery from last night’s amazing performance.

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra will play One Eyed Jacks on February 14, 2012

WHO: WTUL Presents Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
WHERE: One Eyed Jacks @ 615 Toulouse Street
WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 @ 9 p.m.
TICKETS: $12 (PURCHASE)

Q: HOW COME SO MANY BAND-NAMES? WHY SO CONFUSING? ALSO, WHY YOU ARE IRRITATING?

WTUL presents Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, a band previously known as A Silver Mt. Zion, The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band with Choir and Thee Silver Mountain Reveries) the “Post-Rock” Canadian band. Silver Mt. Zion is led by founding guitarist Efrim of the seminal band Godspeed You Black Emperor!, together with Sophie and Thierry, also of Godspeed. Mt. Zion plays the French Quarter Tuesday.