Blogs
Bizarre and Territorial
One of the more bizarre things about doing business in New Orleans—whether you’re with a non-profit or you’re in it for the dough (oh wait, non-profits are too)—is that local […]
New Orleans Summers and
Frenchmen Street Sewers
It’s almost here. Not quite over 90 degrees yet, but the mercury is inching up slowly. It was a hot one today and breezy, but the summer afternoon rain looks […]
Hi Ho Lounge Sold to Maison Owners
The Hi Ho Lounge, one of the anchor clubs of the St. Claude entertainment district, has been sold to the owners of the Frenchmen Street restaurant Maison. Brian Greiner and […]
End of an Era: Reflections on the Passing of Uncle Lionel
Now that Uncle Lionel is in the ground I feel like I can finally talk about an issue that disturbed me greatly during the roughly two weeks of celebrations, some […]
Uncle Lionel Batiste: February 1, 1931 – July 8, 2012
Of all the colorful char-actors who’ve populated the streets of New Orleans over the years, Uncle Lionel Batiste takes the cake. Uncle Lionel patrolled the banquette along lower Decatur and […]
Loudspeaking
The rocky road to achieving fairness and accountability in managing sound in the city’s largest entertainment districts continues to plug along. Before I describe the latest developments, I want to […]
Noise Ordinance Still Undecided–Neglecting the Birthplace of Jazz
Last week, I met with representatives of the VCPORA (Vieux Carre Property Owners and Residents Association). This is the group that’s been behind the very public, very loud (how ironic) […]
Let’s Just Shut Frenchmen Street Down
Do you love music? Do you love Frenchmen Street? Your days of enjoying this only-in-New Orleans phenomenon of a live music street may soon be coming to an end. I […]
Cracking Down on Frenchmen Street Begins Anew
The noise issues on Frenchmen Street continue. This morning I heard from Bruce Coury, owner of Mojito’s Rum Bar & Grill who told me that amplified music in his courtyard […]
Bad Apples
I’ve written many times about the issues of noise, safety, sanitation on Frenchmen Street, and wherever there’s music in the city. Most live music is played in bars, and bars breed […]