Refugee
11-18-2007, 03:29 AM
http://images.livedaily.com/artists/nevillebrothers-111607.jpg
The Neville Brothers (http://www.livedaily.com/artists/1538.html) and Tim McGraw (http://www.livedaily.com/artists/328.html) are two of the early artist confirmations for next year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, which returns in 2008 to its pre-Katrina duration.
The long-running festival, which draws tens of thousands of attendees to the New Orleans Fairgrounds every spring, was reduced from seven days to six following the 2005 hurricane, but will bring back "Jazz Fest Thursday" during its 2008 run, which covers a pair of weekends: April 25-27 and May 1-4.
Additionally, traditional festival closers The Neville Brothers return to the event, performing in their hometown for the first time since Katrina.
"Jazz Fest Thursday demonstrates the Festival's commitment to New Orleans and our culture, and it's the local and worldwide support of the event that's making this complete comeback possible," said festival director Quint Davis in a press statement.
"The return of Aaron, Art, Charles and Cyril Neville to New Orleans and to Jazz Fest is as powerful a statement as possible about the return of our culture to the city. They're back, which means we're back!"
In addition to the Nevilles, the festival announced that country star (and Louisiana native) Tim McGraw will make his Jazz Fest debut on April 27. "I'm really looking forward to playing Jazz Fest this year," said McGraw in a statement. "The event has such a storied history and New Orleans is one of the greatest cities in the world."
The only other act announced by organizers was soul group Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, who will appear May 4. Full lineups for the festival will be released in late January or early February, according to a press release.
In addition to more than 600 musical acts on 10 stages, the event features a food fair with more than 100 varieties of Louisiana cuisine and craft booths.
Last year's lineup included Rod Stewart, Steely Dan and Norah Jones, among many others.
The Neville Brothers (http://www.livedaily.com/artists/1538.html) and Tim McGraw (http://www.livedaily.com/artists/328.html) are two of the early artist confirmations for next year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, which returns in 2008 to its pre-Katrina duration.
The long-running festival, which draws tens of thousands of attendees to the New Orleans Fairgrounds every spring, was reduced from seven days to six following the 2005 hurricane, but will bring back "Jazz Fest Thursday" during its 2008 run, which covers a pair of weekends: April 25-27 and May 1-4.
Additionally, traditional festival closers The Neville Brothers return to the event, performing in their hometown for the first time since Katrina.
"Jazz Fest Thursday demonstrates the Festival's commitment to New Orleans and our culture, and it's the local and worldwide support of the event that's making this complete comeback possible," said festival director Quint Davis in a press statement.
"The return of Aaron, Art, Charles and Cyril Neville to New Orleans and to Jazz Fest is as powerful a statement as possible about the return of our culture to the city. They're back, which means we're back!"
In addition to the Nevilles, the festival announced that country star (and Louisiana native) Tim McGraw will make his Jazz Fest debut on April 27. "I'm really looking forward to playing Jazz Fest this year," said McGraw in a statement. "The event has such a storied history and New Orleans is one of the greatest cities in the world."
The only other act announced by organizers was soul group Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, who will appear May 4. Full lineups for the festival will be released in late January or early February, according to a press release.
In addition to more than 600 musical acts on 10 stages, the event features a food fair with more than 100 varieties of Louisiana cuisine and craft booths.
Last year's lineup included Rod Stewart, Steely Dan and Norah Jones, among many others.