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| Down plays Mardi Gras at the New Orleans Civic Center |
Since the city of New Orleans is synonymous with Mardi Gras, The French Quarter, Bourbon Street, crawfish, and Jazz, it's hard to imagine the city being home to a rock scene.
New Orleans hosts number of genres of Metal, but it is probably most well noted for its Sludge Metal scene. While Washington natives The Melvins were an influence, Louisiana bands, such as Eyehategod, Crowbar, and Acid Bath, were the pioneers of this genre. Other Sludge Metals bands from New Orleans include: Down (Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Jimmy Bower, Pat Bruders, and Bobby Landgraf ), Mountain Of Wizard, Soilent Green, Superjoint Ritual, and Kingdom of Sorrow. (BTW, if you're a fan of Sludge Metal, and happen to be in New Orleans during Mardi Gras 2016, you can catch Down and Mountain of Wizard performing at Civic Theatre on February 8th.!)
Keeping the Metal flame burning bright in the city is Pantera's front man, Phil Anselmo. In 2001 he started Housecore Records, which features bands such as: ALYSE, ARSON ANTHEM, AUTHOR & PUNISHER, BODY & BLOOD, BUM FREAK IN EGYPT, CAVALCADE, CHRIST INVERSION, MYSTICK KREWE OF CLEARLIGHT, CHILD BITE, CROWBAR, D.A.D., | DAMIEN STORM, THE DONOVAN PUNCH EXP, EVIL ARMY, EXACTLY VIOLENT STYLE, EYEHATEGOD, FULGORA, GRISTNAM, HAARP, HYMNS, KING PARROT, | PONYKILLER, RAT IN A BUCKET, SHELL SHOCK, SKY HIGH, SOILENT GREEN, | THE SURSIKS, SYK, VALHALL, and WARBEAST.
Besides Metal, the Crescent city is home to some great Punk and Indie Rock bands! Local label Community Records, has been bringing Punk and Indie talent to the New Orleans community since 2008. To help showcase its bands, and bring rock communities together, the label hosts an annual block party in October. The attendance to the label's block party has grown so large over the years, that it has become a festival, and has helped spotlight music hidden behind the city's Jazz shadow! Some of the bands on the label include: ALL PEOPLE, WOOZY, CADDYWHOMPUS, DONOVAN WOLFINGTON, MURPHY'S KIDS, NEW LANDS, POPE, STUCK LUCKY, SUN HOTEL, THE ROOKS, BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, and COASTER
The next time you want to travel for some great Metal, Punk, or Indie Rock, be sure to make a stop in New Orleans! While the city will always be most noted for its diverse Jazz, it has a lot more music to offer. If you're in town, and looking for rock venues, please check out: One Eyed Jacks, Gasa Gasa, Siberia, Saturn Bar, Civic Theatre, or Hey! Cafe!
