A couple of marquee touring acts, one of them R&B and the other one rock, headline concerts in New Orleans this week.
NEW EDITION
FRIDAY, SMOOTHIE KING CENTER
Emerging from a hardscrabble section of Boston in the early 1980s, New Edition was essentially a new edition of the Jackson 5. Armed with broad smiles, crisp choreography and hook-laden earworms such as “Mr. Telephone Man” and “Candy Girl,” New Edition sold millions of records. Bell Biv DeVoe and other spinoff projects resulted in even more hits.
Bobby Brown, the bad boy of the bunch, was eventually booted out. He went on to dial up “Every Little Step,” “My Prerogative” and other solo hits even as his chaotic, tabloid-chronicled personal life took a toll.
Beset by bad business decisions and ego-driven infighting, New Edition eventually ceased to be. The principals of the group — Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill, who joined after Brown’s initial departure — reunited in various configurations over the years, only for disputes to splinter them once again.
The reunited New Edition finally achieved some stability with 2022’s successful “Culture” tour and a well-received show that summer at the Essence Festival of Culture at the Caesars Superdome.
The “New Edition Way Tour,” stopping in New Orleans on Friday, feels like a pretty solid night at Essence. In addition to headliner New Edition, the bill features Boyz II Men — who delivered a fun show in the wee hours at last summer’s Essence — and Toni Braxton. The Smoothie King Center will be full. At press time, only a handful of tickets remained, starting at $103.
Galactic drummer Stanton Moore acknowledges Irma Thomas after the set on the Festival Stage during the last day of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (Staff Photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune)
STANTON MOORE: THE MUSIC OF ALLEN TOUSSAINT featuring CYRIL NEVILLE and NICHOLAS PAYTON
SATURDAY, NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & BLUES MARKET
Drummer Stanton Moore was born and raised in New Orleans, so he was steeped in the city’s distinctive rhythms since birth. He is the only New Orleans native in Galactic, the contemporary funk-and-more band he cofounded more than 20 years ago.
Beyond his Galactic duties, Moore has played on albums by everyone from Irma Thomas to hard rock ensemble Corrosion of Conformity. His solo album projects include the 2017 release “With You In Mind: The Songs of Allen Toussaint,” a tribute to — and reimagination of — songs by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame pianist, producer and songwriter.
On Saturday at the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, Moore will lead a tribute to Toussaint. He’ll be joined by Cyril Neville, the legendary Neville Brothers percussionist and singer who, as a member of the Meters, worked with Toussaint. The special guests also include Nicholas Payton, the genre-defying trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist.
Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $36.
Billy Gibbons sings as ZZ Top performs at Champions Square on Thursday, September 3, 2015. New Orleans-based promoter Don Fox’s Beaver Productions worked with ZZ Top for many years.
ZZ TOP
MONDAY, SAENGER THEATRE
Texas singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen wrote an anthem called “The Road Goes On Forever” for himself, but could have written it for his fellow Texans in ZZ Top. The li’l ol’ band from Texas was blazing a path on the road long before the “live” half of the 1975 album “Fandango” was recorded at the Warehouse, the gritty brick concert hall alongside the Mississippi River in New Orleans that was a favorite concert stop back in the day.
ZZ Top hasn’t really stopped touring since then. Not even the death of co-founding bassist Dusty Hill in 2021 could stop the Top. His bass tech, Elwood Francis, stepped up in his place alongside singer/guitarist Billy F Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard.
During a break in the band’s Dos Amigos Tour with Dwight Yoakam, Gibbons, Beard and Francis will detour to New Orleans for their own show at the Saenger Theatre. They’d originally booked two nights but will now only play on Monday. Lots of tickets remain, starting at $48.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY SHOWS
THURSDAY
Zydeco accordionist Sean Ardoin is at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets are $15 plus fees.
Meanwhile, Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners do the weekly “Zydeco Night” at Rock ‘N’ Bowl. Tickets are $17.
SATURDAY
At Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro, pianist and composer Lawrence Sieberth leads a tribute to Charlie Gabriel, the 90-something saxophonist who backed Aretha Franklin and has been a staple of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for years. Sieberth will be joined by Louis Ford on clarinet/saxophone, Mark Brooks on bass, Johnny Vidacovich on drums and special guest Charlie Gabriel himself on sax. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $40.
The Rebirth Brass Band fires up at Tipitina’s with Sweet Magnolia. Tickets are $27 plus fees.
SUNDAY
Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, the hybrid New Orleans rock/funk/jazz ensemble, is at Tipitina’s for a show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 plus fees.
From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., the outdoor Broadside hosts “That’s My Neighbor,” a benefit for the local migrant support group Union Migrante. Scheduled performers include Bra’s Band Brass Band, Hans Williams, Kaye the Beast, Anna Moss, Ocie Crowe, Noa Jamir and DJ ET Deaux. The event also includes speakers/activists, raffles and kids’ activities, including an Easter egg hunt and face painting.
The punk “band” called Sick Thoughts is the artistic outlet of Drew Owen. Since his teen years, Owen has cranked out raw, caustic songs via low-budget, lo-fi recordings on independent labels around the globe. Originally from Pennsylvania, Owen lived in Baltimore before moving to New Orleans. Before departing for a European tour, Sick Thoughts plays a show at 3 p.m. Sunday at Euclid Records, 3301 Chartres St., in the Bywater.