New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2018 Weekend Two: Photos

Images by: Susan Weiand

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Weekend Two
05.03-06.18 :: New Orleans, LA

The long running New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented its second weekend this past Thursday through Sunday. “Locals Thursday” featured plenty of New Orleans-based bands including Naughty Professor, Kermit Ruffins & The Barbecue Swingers, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Cyril Neville’s Swamp Funk and Stooges Brass Band. Pop star Lionel Richie closed out the Acura Stage on Thursday with a hit-filled set that featured such classics as “Easy,” “Dancing On The Ceiling,” “Hello” and “All Night Long.” Old Crow Medicine Show, Lyle Lovett, Toots & The Maytals and Blind Boys Of Alabama were among other national acts to play the Jazz Fest on Thursday.

Friday saw Tank & The Bangas move up to a plum time slot on the Acura Stage while the beloved Preservation Hall Jazz Band played the Gentilly Stage. Aaron Neville dedicated his set to his brother Charles, who passed away last month, and mixed Neville Brothers gems with a wide-ranging batch of covers. Meanwhile, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit focused on material from 2017’s The Nashville Sound and Beck gave a career-spanning performance that ended with a wild “Where It’s At” containing a medley of covers. Sheryl Crow, The Soul Rebels, The Nth Power, Sunpie & The Louisana Sunspots, Hiss Golden Messenger, New Breed Brass Band, Ruthie Foster and Marcia Ball were a handful of other acts to perform on May 4th at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

A bit of warm rain didn’t stop festivalgoers from enjoying the food and music and bands from performing on Saturday. The first Aerosmith set of 2018 closed the Acura Stage and included many of the group’s chart-toppers such as “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Walk This Way,” “Janie’s Got A Gun” and “Cryin’.” Soul singer Anita Baker headlined the Congo Square Stage on the penultimate day of the 49th annual Jazz Fest, while Cage The Elephant did the honors at the Gentilly Stage. Corey Henry & Treme Funktet, Charmaine Neville, Better Than Ezra, Dumpstaphunk, The Revivalists and Delbert McClinton & Self Made Men were just a few of those who played the many stages at the Fairgrounds on Saturday. Jazz Fest came to a close with a busy final day on Sunday that included sets from New Orleans Suspects, Anders Osborne, Jack White, The Radiators, Steve Miller Band, Smokey Robinson, Buddy Guy, Galactic and George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners. In what has become a tradition, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue were the final group to grace the Acura Stage on Sunday. Shorty brought out Cyril Neville, Ivan Neville and Ian Neville for “No More Okey Doke” and “Fire On The Bayou.” Photographer Susan Weiand was on hand at the second weekend of this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Check out two full galleries of her photos:

Thursday & Friday

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Saturday & Sunday

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