Alright kids, listen up. It’s Mardi Gras. You know. Of course. But if you’re like most of the people whom I’ve spoken with, you have no idea what to do. Well after you finish whoring yourselves for plastic beads and other worthless trinkets at the parades, these are your options:

Friday

Davis Rogan at the Blue Nile -
R&B keyboardist will be the first to perform at the Nile since Katrina shut her down last fall. I’ve never personally seen him, but I’ve heard good things. Plus it’s the reopening of a Frenchman St. landmark. Not a bad choice.

Morning 40 Federation with MC Sweet Tea and The Warlocks -
The Federation are one of the best bands in New Orleans. I’ve said it before, but their music echoes the mantra of the city. There is really no time better to see them than during Mardi Gras. This is the sure bet for the evening.

Saturday

Astral Project at Snug Harbor -
Alright here’s the deal: I don’t really like Snug Harbor. The place is needlessly expensive and it’s full of jazz snobs who dress stupidly. Nevertheless, Astral Project is one of, if not the, best jazz band in the country right now. I used to go see them at The Funky Butt pretty often. Those days seem to be passed. The one good thing is that shows start at 8 and 10. You can check out Astral Project and still have time to bar-hop.

Sunday

Tin Men at DBA -
I love DBA. They have a great atmopshere and all the alcohol most people could possibly hope for. They’ve been sweetening the deal lately by having a lot of great music. The Tin Men are band very rooted in New Orleans. Lots of horns, good to dance like an idiot to.