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Venue of the Month
Edited by David Saslavsky
Tipitina's Uptown
501 Napoleon (and Tchoupitoulas)
New Orleans, Louisiana
504.895.8477
www.tipitinas.com
by Pete Couhig
All the way across town from the hurricane tourists of the French Quarter in New Orleans is the holy grail of this planet's music clubs. Tipitina's lies less than 300 yards from one of the last bends in the Mississippi River on the corners of Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon in Uptown New Orleans. Very few places might be able to get away with calling itself "the greatest live music venue in the world." Tipitina's does this and no one bats an eye. And, if you do bat an eye when confronted with the statement...you've obviously never been there.
The roots of all jamband music lie in New Orleans. The Jam, as I know it, is a genre of music that fuses all of the styles of music that have been invented in New Orleans over the past 100 years (Jazz, Rock & Roll, R&B and Funk). The club that has been there for that scene in New Orleans over the past twenty years is Tipitina's. The favorite jambands of the past decade, Widespread Panic and Phish, have both graced the stage at Tipitina's on many an occasion. It was Tipitina's that first took a chance on both of the groups in New Orleans when they started touring extensively in the late 80s/early 90s. Some of the tapes that were recorded there by the fans of both bands have become staples in most collections and to this day remain among the most played. I know that my collection wouldn't be complete without Panic's shows at Tipitina's from November 22nd, 1993 or the HOTTEST shows ever, June 25th and 26th, 1996.
Local New Orleans bands The Meters (now The funky Meters), Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, and The Radiators have all played more shows at Tipitina's than could ever possibly be remembered (especially given the frame of mind one has the tendency to have in the cozy environs of Tip's). New Orleans' latest guardians of "the sound", Galactic, might as well have all of their mail sent there. Because, at this point, the former brothel at the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Napoleon has basically become "their house." Galactic's now legendary performances at Tipitina's over the past few Halloweens, New Year's Eves, Mardi Gras and Jazzfests have filled fans from all corners of the globe with their infectious groove and made their shows at Tip's a "must see" on visits to New Orleans.
However, the statue at the entrance (rub the head for luck when you walk past it) and the gigantic painting above the stage remind you exactly who the proprietor of this club is, no matter who has the legal right of ownership or whatever band is currently putting out the heat in New Orleans on a regular basis. Tipitina's is Professor Longhair's place. He is/was/shall forever be the king of New Orleans music and Tipitina's is the house that was built for Fess. This all began in 1977, when a group of fourteen music fans in New Orleans turned the old, dilapidated building on Tchoupitoulas into Tipitina's to give Henry Roeland Byrd (Professor Longhair's given name) and his cronies a place to play.
The name Tipitina's is taken from one of Professor Longhair's songs. The song itself has become almost a rite of passage for bands playing there. Just recently, Henry Butler (whom some call the new Professor of New Orleans music) joined Galactic onstage and performed a version of the song that had the entire building shaking. It was, quite literally, scary to be on the balcony at that point. A couple of years ago, I was there for Juice's (a funk band from NOLA that's on the rise) first show at Tip's. To hear the excitement in bassist/lead singer Dave Jordan's voice as he came offstage and said, "Man, I just played 'Tipitina' at Tipitina's. I have accomplished one of my most treasured musical goals. I can die now." And you really haven't lived a full musical life until you've seen Dr. John or The Meters (by that, I include any band that George Porter, Jr., Leo Nocentelli, Zigaboo Modeliste or Art Neville puts together since The Meters no longer play together) play "Tipitina" at 501 Napoleon.
Over the years, many changes have taken place with the club. Tipitina's, under the original group of investors, went bankrupt in 1984. In 1986, Jim Green purchased the building, leased the name from the original group and opened the club back up. Under Green's ownership, and Sonny Schneidau's booking direction, Tipitina's became a prominent force in the music industry for much of the next decade. The list of nationally prominent bands that played there during that time is way too long to even try and mention a few (go to the club and look at the posters in the rafters if you want to find out). In 1994, competition came to town when The House of Blues opened in the French Quarter and hired Sonny away as their first, and only, booking agent. His duties there have grown to where he is now overseeing all of HOB's booking...that's how good he was. This was the beginning of the end for the Green era of Tip's. Other, economic, factors forced Green to seek investors in the club and finally sell his ownership.
Currently, Tipitina's is owned by Eighth Floor LLC and its Managing Partner is Roland Von Kurnatowski. Under Von Kurnatowski's direction, the club has achieved a miraculous turnaround in the past several years. Many renovations and improvements have been done to the club. After years of sweat-soaked evenings, an air-conditioner was finally put in the place. Surprisingly, this frustrated many longtime fans of the club. But, funky is as funky does, and many had learned to enjoy going home from Tip's having lost several pounds due to the (almost) unbearable heat. Personally, I like the A/C. A new sound system and refurbished dressing rooms pleased both bands and customers to great lengths. The demise of the "smokin' room" did not.
The greatest improvement to the club in the past few years, however, was the hiring of Adam Shipley as the Booking Agent in October 1998. Adam was the original Booking Agent at the HOB-Orlando (working under Schneidau) before joining Tip's and had been a key figure in the Southern Jam circuit over the past decade with his own Company, Hep Cat Productions. Shipley's influence was immediately recognized and over the past year Tipitina's has had as strong (if not stronger) a schedule as any club in the country. So, when you're at a great show at Tipitina's and you see a chubby Jewish guy with a Hawaiian shirt on...thank him. Because he is THE MAN.
Another result of the Eighth Floor ownership is the fact that there are also now a couple of other Tipitina's in New Orleans. One is in the French Quarter and the other is in the Warehouse District. They both have live music and occasionally put together some really good shows (especially over Jazzfest and Mardi Gras), but do not be confused. In the minds of most New Orleans music fans, there is and will always be only one Tipitina's.
And that one is Uptown, baby, Uptown.
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