Mardi Gras Street Music Festival returns
Subscribe
X

Subscribe to Forte Magazine

Mardi Gras Street Music Festival returns

Mardi Gras is back! The second annual event at local favourite Pistol Pete’s will be channelling New Orleans vibrations on Lt Malop St on Sunday 3rd of March, from midday to 8pm.

The free, family friendly event will be taking place between Shorts Place and Denny’s place, with Pistol Pete’s hosting the huge musical line up this year, featuring a tonne of entertainment.

Ben Waters & Derek Nash (UK)
Headliner, Ben Waters was named Europe’s best Boogie Woogie pianist at the Boisedale Awards in 2016. He has performed with industry legends including Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and PJ Harvey, and a busy global touring schedule has made him known for high octane performances the world over.

Joining Waters, Derek Nash is Regarded as being “at the forefront of the British jazz movement” and has been described as “one of the most versatile saxophonists in the UK today” (The Guardian). Renowned for energetic, vibrant, passionate & charismatic performances on soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax. Aside from his long list of lauded bands, Nash has also appeared live and on TV alongside such greats as Eric Clapton, Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney.

Steve Boyd’s Rum Reverie
The Melbourne group are described as having “a punk brain, a gospel soul, a blues heart and hints of jazz trickling through their veins,” they are sure to set the Mardi Gras scene with their “New Orleans swagger”.

Hoodoo Mayhem Brass Band
Hoodoo Mayhem Brass Band plays dirty and grooves hard. Featuring ten of Melbourne’s hottest brass players and stick technicians & heavily seduced by New Orleans funk and brass, it’s a horn blowin’ beat party as good as they come.

Jules Boult Trio
Jules Boult is a blues & jazz multi – instrumentalist who according to The Age performs with “With a taste for the arcane, Jules Boult sings and swings…all the way from the church house to the barrelhouse”.

Harmaniax
The Harmaniax are another Melbourne group, returning to Pistol Pete’s to deliver their unique blend of Cajun, Zydeco and Blues inspired music.

NOfonk!
NOfonk! is a band headed by Wayne Jury and is formed especially for this festival! They will be playing the best of New Orleans funk featuring songs by The Meters, Neville Brothers & loads more.

On top of this massive line-up, festival goers will also have the awesome variety of delicious food in the precinct available to them.

Mark the date, get your beads ready and bring your friends down for a massive day of Cajun-inspired frivolities – and as they say, “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”. Let the good times roll!

Written by Liam McNally