Traffic is bottlenecked on Decatur Street right now and likely will be for the rest of the week as crews erect a stage for the kickoff concert for the Saints season—a week and a few days away. From the looks of it so far, it should be impressive—no surprise considering parts of it will likely be televised. The concert will feature headliners Taylor Swift and the Dave Matthews Band, but producers hint that there will be surprises – and I expect we’ll see Rebirth, Kermit Ruffins and other high-profile local brass artists.

Tickets for the event are sold out, but there are free tickets available for casted audience members—people chosen by producers to watch and enjoy the show in places where cameramen can find them. If you think that you are that photogenic fan and want to attend, go to 1iota.com and register.

This concert will be connected to a Mardi Gras-style parade across Decatur Street and Tchoupitoulas.