How to See Music at the New Orleans Jazz Fest

The New Orleans Jazz Fest is like living inside a radio. Between the two weekends, there are 500 bands playing. It’s impossible to see every one because bands play at the same time. Don’t miss out on something you really want to see but also don’t shun something you’ve never heard before.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• A schedule

1. First, get the schedule. The week of the Jazz Fest, local papers print maps and schedules. Rip these out and keep them with you at all times. Study it. Also, Offbeat Magazine is passed out to people entering the Fairgrounds. If you go to the Fairgrounds without a schedule, you’re going to be in way over your head.
2. Figure out what you want to see most. Get there early. Chances are that if you want to see a band, other people do to. If you're going to only one weekend, make sure the bands you want to see are playing that weekend.
3. Be adventurous. The most exciting bands can be the less known. Huge bands like Sting, Steely Dan, Hootie and the Blowfish, ZZ Top, and the like really bring em in, but the Jazz Fest is about celebrating Louisiana culture—Zydeco music, gospel, jazz, blues, and more. These can be the best shows you’ll see at the Jazz Fest.
4. If you’re not sure what you want to see, just keep walking. You’ll his a new style of music. If you stand in the middle of the Fairgrounds, you can keep an ear out for a bunch of different bands at once.

Tips & Warnings

• The Heritage Stage is a good place to see lesser known acts. It usually doesn’t get too crowded. Of course, writing this might change that.
• Get someone in your group to go early and save a spot for a popular act.
• If you’re really unsure of what to see—ask someone. People go to the Jazz Fest year after year and know some of the best hidden gems. Ask at the food court, info booths, people handing out programs. The Jazz Fest is a pretty friendly place.