Sweet Crude & Boyfriend Rock One Eyed Jacks

The vibrant New Orleans independent music scene was on display to packed houses through two separate shows at One Eyed Jack’s on Friday night. For the early show, Maggie Koerner set the stage by giving her confessional lyrics a soulful and powerful presentation with a tight performance and entrancing stage presence. The early show headliner, Sweet Crude, entertained with a joyous set, highlighting Alexis and Sam’s infectious hooks along with their penchant for alternating soaring vocals between French and English lyrics. After the early show reached its conclusion, the house was emptied and refilled with a second round of locals, tourists, music lovers, and fanatics. The late show, which began at two, featured Boyfriend, the queen of rap cabaret and creator of one of the most consistently creative and overwhelming spectacles in this or any other market. Deserved national and international attention is at long last being paid to the innovative songstress who has honed her act to musically balance empowerment, encouragement, sexuality, and a wry sense of humor, both lyrically and in presentation. She, along with her troupe of dancers/muses and her special guest backing band, the Revivalists, brought an epic performance, delivering yet another memorable night and continuing to build a legacy around her live show. As of the posting of this article, Sweet Crude will have opened up of David Byrne on the first Sunday of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, but Boyfriend’s slot, scheduled for the second weekend, will deliver a show impossible to follow as she has yet to prove capable of disappointing her audience. Maggie Koerner opens up for Tank and the Bangas next Saturday night at the Civic Theater and, if Friday was any indication, will be headlining her own theater shows soon. With the current wave of talented performers, stellar songwriting and musicianship, and genuinely nice people that you want to see succeed currently calling New Orleans home, it is definitely not a bad time to be a fan. Get out and see some music this weekend, or tonight.