Jazz Fest 5.02 Sun | Photos & Best Of

Words by: Tom Speed | Images by: Dino Perrucci

Jazz Fest – Weekend 2 – Day 4 :: 05.02.10 :: Sunday :: New Orleans, LA

The Neville Brothers :: 05.02.10 :: Jazz Fest

The nursery rhyme goes, “Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.” Tens of thousands of people were likely chanting that little prayer, to themselves at the least, throughout the weekend. “Another Day” finally came for Jazz Fest’s second weekend on Sunday. While the weather portended rain throughout the weekend, it finally delivered on Sunday. It wasn’t severe. Just drizzles and a brief shower. And who couldn’t use a good shower after seven days of Jazz Fest? But with every cloud there’s a silver lining, and the lining on a rainy Jazz Fest day is that it keeps the fair weather festival-goers away, so the crowds were significantly thinned, and pleasantly so. In many ways, it was the best of days. The best of the best were:

Tom’s Top Three Aural

#1 The Radiators (Gentilly Stage)
For many people, the annual Jazz Fest does not officially end until the “first family of New Orleans,” The Neville Brothers, completes their closing Sunday set at the Acura Stage. For an entirely different breed of freaks, the culmination of festivities is marked by The Radiators’ annual throw-down on the Gentilly Stage. As always, it was a celebratory after party for all those who had made it through the entire 10-day fest featuring searing guitar solos and relentless groove tunes. They continue to be the preeminent progenitors of swampy, blues-based jam rock in New Orleans.

#2 Van Morrison (Acura Stage)
Van The Man earned his moniker with his mid-afternoon, rain-soaked set on the Acura Stage. Nimbly shifting between piano, guitar and saxophone, he led his sprawling band through a passionate set that touched on the most well-known songs of his catalog, with “Moondance” in particular receiving a languid, pleasant stretching out, and included a great take on “St. James Infirmary Blues,” where he stated from the stage, “We’re in New Orleans, so why not?”

#3 Los Po-Boy- Citos (Lagniappe Stage)
This Latin funk band’s set at the covered Lagniappe Stage under the grandstand during a downpour drew a crowd that was perhaps seeking shelter but left having danced away any concerns about it.

Tom’s Top Three Gustatory

#1 Crawfish Strudel

#2 Strawberry Lemonade

#3 Coors Beer
Because on the third day it was really hard to find, kind of like in Smokey and the Bandit.

Tom’s Top Three Lagniappe

#1 Treme
It’s difficult to take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans and Jazz Fest without thinking of the new HBO series Treme from David Simon, the creator of The Wire. That’s in large part due to the fact that in seeking an authentic tone, the show features many local musicians. Kermit Ruffins, Trombone Shorty, Allen Toussaint and members of Galactic were all featured prominently in the early episodes, which have shown great promise.

#2 Scoring a free, legal parking spot on Crete Street.

#3 Wondering how to schedule my Monday without the help of “cubes.”

Check our Jazz Fest Survival Guide for Must See Bands, food suggestions and more…

Check out Second Weekend Thursday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

Check out Second Weekend Friday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

Check out Second Weekend Saturday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

Check out First Weekend Friday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

Check out First Weekend Saturday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

Check out First Weekend Sunday coverage of Jazz Fest here.

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