New Orleans Live Music Venue Recommendations

Question

I will be traveling to New Orleans at the end of the month. What are your recommendations for live music venues. I am looking for clubs / pubs / bars that feature nightly live music and are preferably not tourist traps. I have an eclectic taste in music so it does not have to be just Jazz or Blues, although recommendations in this area would certainly be welcome.

Answer 1

More, from Wikitravel, which - uniquely (as far as I know) for its New Orleans page, has a Listen section:

New Orleans is justly famous for the music it produces. In some other places live music may be thought of as occasional luxury; in New Orleans live music is an essential part of the fabric of life. Parades from the grandest Mardi Gras spectaculars to small neighborhood club events have to have bands to get the locals dancing in the streets. Hey, New Orleans is the birthplace of the "jazz funeral".

There are usually several good performers somewhere in town even on a slow night. Understand that most of the good stuff is not along the tourist strip of Bourbon Street. Even in the parts of town less known to visitors, most sections of the city have at least one (and often several) venue offering great live music.

Budget travelers should know there are usually at least a few free live music events every week in various parks and galleries around town.

The best ways to keep informed about who is playing where and when:

• Gambit's Best of New Orleans, the city's local newsweekly with features on arts and entertainment and whatever else is going on. Gambit also produces the de-facto local restaurant guide and listings.
• Offbeat Magazine is a free monthly local music magazine with extensive listings. Can be picked up at most music venues, coffee shops, and other places around town, or ask your hotel concierge for a copy.
• WWOZ 90.7 F.M. is the community radio station dedicated to local music. At the top of each odd numbered hour they play a listing of the live music happening around town for the day. WWOZ is also good for finding out about special events like "second line" parades and "jazz funeral"s.
• WTUL 91.5 FM is the Tulane college radio station, playing mostly progressive music, but also jazz, classical, and numerous other specialties. At the top of each hour they announce concerts and other events going on around town.

Answer 2

Post-trip update. I had the good fortune of stumbling upon a classical music concert at the Saint Louis Cathedral. The organ was electrifying, as was the rest of the concert.

I also went to Frenchmen Street adjacent to the French Quarter. I listened to a terrific  band at The Three Muses. They were playing Django Reinhardt tunes. 

In sum, the musical heritage of New Orleans lives up to its fine reputation.

Answer 3

Preservation Hall

If you are looking for something that is specific to New Orleans and reflects its character, then Preservation Hall is it. This historic music venue has great jazz with a rotating roster of bands nightly. It may attract tourists, but that is because it is popular rather than touristy.