Alex Rawls

3 days ago | antigravitymagazine.com | Steven Melendez |Alex Rawls

One of the stories to come out after the conclusion of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell was the decline in attendance this year. Keith Spera of Nola.com observed a pattern of declining attendance in the post-COVID years. In 2022, the festival drew an average of 67,800 guests daily, In 2023, the daily average dropped to 65,700, then 62,500 daily in 2024 and 57,500 a day this year.

1 month ago | myspiltmilk.com | Alex Rawls

On Monday, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell announced that 460,000 people attended Jazz Fest over eight days. That’s down 40,000 from 2024 when 500,000 attended. The decline sparks some interesting questions, “why” being only one of them. People started speculating about possible reasons for lower attendance on the first weekend after a soft crowd on Thursday and Friday.

1 month ago | myspiltmilk.com | Alex Rawls

Sunday has the potential to be a spectacular conclusion to Jazz Fest. The weather forecast looks gorgeous, and there are both proven commodities and acts you’ll be glad to discover. The final slot on the last day of Jazz Fest presents the hardest choices of the festival. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (5:45 p.m., Festival Stage) have grown into their role as the Sunday closer , and My Morning Jacket (5:30 p.m., Shell Gentilly Stage) are touring in support of is, their best album since Z.

1 month ago | myspiltmilk.com | Alex Rawls

When Son Rompe Pera from Mexico City played Jazz Fest in 2022, there was no escaping their marimba. It wasn’t a discreet instrument that one person hovered over in the background. Brothers Jesús "Kacho" Gama and Allan "Mongo" Gama stood comfortably side by side next to a marimba the size of a kitchen table that was positioned center stage. “On the side where Mongo plays, there are basses, like the harmony, to accompany,” Kacho says in an interview.

1 month ago | myspiltmilk.com | Alex Rawls

The second weekend of Jazz Fest 2025 starts with a second Locals Thursday that looks like fun. It’s nice to have new-to-Jazz Fest acts Cage the Elephant and Morris Day & The Time headlining a Thursday, but I think we did math with an abacus when the Festival Stage headliner Santana first appeared at Jazz Fest.