new orleans – The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival typically resembles a 14-ring musical circus. A variety of musical acts perform simultaneously on a stage spread out over the vast infield of the historic racetrack.
Things change on Thursday afternoon, when the 13 stages go silent before the Rolling Stones make their first appearance at the 54-year-old festival.
“We didn't want to have 13 empty stages and no people in front of us when the Stones started singing their favorites like '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' and 'Jumpin' Jack Flash.' said festival producer Quint Davis. This was reported by the Associated Press ahead of the festival. “Everyone who bought a ticket that day did so primarily to see the Stones.”
Jazz Fest is the second stop on the Stones' Hackney Diamonds tour, which celebrates the well-received release of their first original album in 18 years last year. They were scheduled to perform at the 50th Jazz Fest in 2019, but had to cancel due to Mick Jagger's heart surgery. Subsequent scheduled performances were canceled in 2021 due to festival cancellations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans of the New Orleans rhythm and blues artist will be watching closely to see if the legendary group will perform the band's early hit, “Time Is on My Side.” New Orleans soul queen Irma Thomas has had success with the song in previous recordings, and Thomas said in an interview with WVUE-TV that there is a “possibility” she would perform the song with her band. .
Thursday's weather for the outdoor festival is a little unstable. The weather forecast calls for a mostly cloudy skyline and temperatures in the mid-80s (about 30 degrees Celsius), but with up to a 40% chance of rain in the afternoon.
Dumpstafunk, a New Orleans-born funk fusion band featuring descendants of New Orleans' famous Neville family, will perform just before the Stones take to the festival's biggest stage. Dumpstaphunk is mourning the recent death of the group's co-founder and bassist Nick Daniels III, who passed away on Sunday. The cause of death has not been made public.
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