Live Wholly Tour, the open mic tour that Wholly Guacamole is putting on to find talented musicians across the country, made a pit stop in New Orleans last night on Thursday, July 21 at the House of Blues, where 19 local and semi-local artists performed in hopes of being named the best of the evening. The winning spot went to New Orleans duo Love Evolution, who won $500 and now move on to compete against winners from other cities on the tour.
Love Evolution, comprised of singers/songwriters Semaj and Mr. Lorrius, won over the judges with their original song “Black and Gold Love,” which is an anthem they wrote to celebrate New Orleans and the Who Dat nation. Semaj’s strong, soulful vocals paired with Mr. Lorrius’s talent on the guitar resulted in an original sound that impressed both the crowd and the judges, clearly.
If the duo is selected as the best of the winners, they will win $10,000 and will perform as an opener for a national act at the first-ever Live Wholly Festival.
Photo by Ian Monroe
After Love Evolution was announced the winner, they were able to play a more somber, emotional track. The song addressed the widespread violence in America and encouraged listeners to break the cycle of violence. It was a moving end to the night.
The 19 acts that made up the show were strikingly diverse. Although solo acoustic guitar performances made up the majority of the acts, there was also hip-hop, bounce, country and gospel. Much of the music was experimental, fusing elements of pop, funk and folk into the sound.
New Orleans singer Robin Barnes and OffBeat’s own marketing, events and promotion coordinator Camille Ramsey judged the performances.
In addition to the music, House of Blues created several entrees with Wholly Guacamole’s guacamole product, including chicken tacos and a black bean patty, that were available to attendees. Each table was also provided with a free carton of chips, salsa and Wholly Guacamole’s guacamole.
The Live Wholly Tour will journey to five cities altogether, including Nashville, Chicago, New Orleans, Minneapolis and Los Angeles. New Orleans was the third stop.
