Music takes over New Orleans as Jazz Fest 2023 kicks off

April 28, 2023  -NEW ORLEANS (AP) — This year’s New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival begins its two-weekend run on Friday, filling the air with the sounds of R&B, rock ’n roll, Zydeco, pop, blues, country, rap, gospel — and of course jazz.

Music fans will converge on the Fair Grounds Race Course when gates open at 11 a.m. and dash to find a spot in front of one of the 14 stages or tents featuring some of the best musicians in the world.

Friday’s lineup includes performances by Lizzo; Robert Plant & Alison Krauss; Big Freedia; Tank and The Bangas; Wu-Tang Clan + The Soul Rebels; Nicholas Payton; Mavis Staples; Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers; Charlie Musselwhite; and Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience.

“I’m super excited for the elevation this year,” said Freedia, whose bounce/rap show is scheduled for the festival’s main stage before Lizzo and Tank and The Bangas. “I love that I get the opportunity to showcase my artistry before a bigger audience and there’s a lot more room to do my thing. We’re here to entertain and we’re gonna bust it open.”

Freedia known for collaborations with Drake on “Nice for What” and Beyonce on “Break My Soul,” said there are no plans to join Lizzo’s closing performance even though the two paired up for Freedia’s 2018 hit “Karaoke.”