Many New Orleans bands traveled up to Worcester, Massachusetts, to bring fans in the north east a summertime taste of New Orleans funk, blues, rock and zydeco at Paulie’s New Orleans Jazz n’ Blues Festival.

The festival is held in a mulch covered lot in downtown Worcester, giving a cool urban vibe to the event.

A beautiful Friday night featured sets from Eric Lindell and Papa Mali. Saturday kicked into high gear with energetic sets from the Stooges Brass Band, CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band, and the ferocious blues guitarist Jonathon Boogie Long.

Rain started to creep in later in the night, but nothing could dampen the big crowd-pleasing sets from Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen and Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers.

The rain did have an unexpected effect on Sunday though, forcing the festival into the basement of an old adjacent building.

Worries of how that would work were quickly put aside when the festival took on the feeling of house party.

]High energy sets by Mike Zito and the Wheel, George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners and finally Anders Osborne were punctuated with sit in after sit in by members of the other bands as well as festival artists at large John Gros, Johnny Sansone and Billy Iuso.

All photos by Bob Adamek. Click here to view the gallery on Flickr.

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Johnny Sansone at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Mike Zito and The Wheel at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Stooges Brass Band at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Stooges Brass Band at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jonathon Boogie Long at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Billy Iuso at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Mike Zito and The Wheel at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Mike Zito and The Wheel at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Mike Zito and The Wheel at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

CJ Chenier at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Kermit Ruffins at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Anders Osborne at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Kermit Ruffins at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jon Cleary at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

John Gros at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

CJ Chenier at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Mike Zito and The Wheel at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Jonathon Boogie Long at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Anders Osborne at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

Anders Osborne at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA

George Porter Jr. and Runnin Pardners at Paulie's New Orleans Jazz n' Blues Festival, Worcester, MA