French Quarter Fest turned out great. That is, if you avoided the Woldenberg Park area, which was nightmarishly packed. I hovered around the more comfortable Mint, and I got to see the Zydepunks perform there for the second time this weekend. You also probably spent a lot of time in the Quarter last weekend, but you should really stop by the Mississippi River sometime this week to see the many ships docked in observance of the 100th anniversary of the War of 1812.
If you missed her Sunday at FQ Fest, the innovative cellist Helen Gillet will be with her Wazozo Zorchestra at the Always Lounge on St. Claude Aveune on Wednesday at 10 p.m. Or you can celebrate the Bywater in the Warehouse District with a film screening at the Republic. The documentary Flood Streets is about rebuilding the Bywater after Katrina. Bywater regulars Debauche and Panorama Jazz Band will perform after the screening. The event is $20 and begins at 7 p.m.
There are many events going on Thursday evening; so many that I have yet to decide on my agenda and will regret missing out on some things to attend others. But I'm listing all the things that I'm considering doing. In memory of the second anniversary of the Oil Spill this week, the Presbytere on the side of the St. Louis Cathedral is hosting a panel discussion about how the gulf and wildlife is faring with the lingering effects of the spill. The lecture is free and begins at 6 p.m. The Green Screen is back at the Green Project in the Bywater and showing Joao Amorim's documentary Time for a Change about ancient and modern solutions to today's problems for free at 6:30 p.m. The CAC screens The Island President about rising sea levels at 7 p.m. for free. Across the street, bluesman Johnny Sansone is interviewed and does a performance at the Ogden Museum at 6:30 p.m for $10. And if you still have energy to burn, you can attend Led to the Grave, Crotchbreaker, Endall, at Siberia at 10 p.m. And you should bar hop to Melvin's Bar across Elysian Fields on St. Claude Avenue to see Mars, Solid Giant, Christ Puncher and NOLA Fam at 10 p.m. Whew!
A big influence on the men who eventually began the NOLA metal scene will be performing at their usual venue on Saturday night at 9 p.m. The strange, quirky, heavy band Melvins and the bluesy rock/metal band Unsane will be at One Eyed Jacks on Toulouse Street, and they are sure to have a packed, if not sold out, show.
