A rally organized by the Music & Culture Coalition of New Orleans (MaCCNO) in Duncan Plaza in front of City Hall today began at 11 a.m.—New Orleans time. The diverse, congenial crowd was jubilant over last night’s news that the City Council had deferred a hearing on the proposed sound ordinance that precipitated the gathering.

David & Roselyn perform in front of a banner by artist Monica Rose Kelly at Sound Ordinance Protest.

The group felt the Council was prepared to enact a patchwork enforcement of a policy fraught with discrepancy at best, and would threaten the city’s musical soul at worst, reached its apex of roughly 700 protestors around 11:20 a.m. Beloved street musicians Roselyn Lionhart and David Leonard performed “Down by the Riverside” seated underneath a banner proclaiming “Music Is Not a Crime.”

Next, Sue Mobley of MaCCNO was first in a series of speakers. “We have done an incredible thing here today,” she said to cheers. “We have defeated one of the city’s most powerful lobbying organizations disguised as a neighborhood association”—referring to Vieux Carre Property Owners and Renters Association (VCPORA). That group’s disputed inclusion of “7 Essentials” to the long-debated noise ordinance late in the process drew the biggest ire of those opposed to the ordinance and, paradoxically, led to its withdrawal from consideration at Friday’s meeting after numerous media reports cited its flaws and its process’s lack of transparency.

New Orleans artist and venue owner Chuck Perkins speaks at sound ordinance rally.

Trumpeter Mario Abney followed to tell of how he “moved to New Orleans to blow my horn” and how he feels musical expression is crucial “to the development of the city’s black youth.” Chuck Perkins of Café Istanbul spoke next, referring to the book “Up from the Cradle of Jazz” and how the drumming of African slaves in Congo Square “scared” nearby residents. “They are still scared when they hear that drumming,” Perkins said.

Attorney Carol Kolinchak continued the history lesson, saying the proposed sound ordinance “is nothing new”—citing a city law passed in 1917 (a time when Louis Armstrong developed his talents in public spaces) that banned playing music in parks. City Council District A candidate Drew Ward (running against incumbent Susan Guidry) then told of the “back-room deals” that long curtailed the opening of Jimmy’s Music Club that are a reality in New Orleans politics. He also pressed to assure the crowd that the ordinance’s deferred vote came when Councilwoman Stacy Head “became aware that it was a bad thing and pulled it back.”

After the series of speakers, the crowd—led by tubas, trumpets, banjos and tambourines—then second-lined into City Council chambers around 12:30, an only-in-New-Orleans scene marked by dancing in the aisles and stunned/bemused looks on Councilmembers’ faces. The group then headed back to where it all begin: Kermit’s Speakeasy in Treme, where the first meetings in response to police crackdown on musicians and music clubs were held, meetings that ultimately led to the creation of MaCCNO.

Hundreds gathered to demand the "7 Essentials" sound ordinance proposal be withdrawn from City Council record today, and for transparency.

Asked why he chose to come downtown to the rally, CR Gruver (New Orleans Suspects keyboardist) simply stated, “Because our voice needs to be a part of this process.”