Tipitina's

A benefit concert in 1977 raised money to build a stage. The stage was for Professor Longhair, who had invented the New Orleans piano sound and whom no venue in the city would book. Local music enthusiasts opened Tipitina's on January 14, 1977, naming it for one of Fess's songs. He played there until his death in 1980. The building went up in 1912. Before it became Tipitina's, it served as a gambling house, gymnasium, and brothel. It was known as The 501 Club after its street address — 501 Napoleon Avenue — before adopting the current name. In the early 1980s, radio station WWOZ broadcast from an upstairs apartment, occasionally carrying live shows by lowering a microphone through a hole in the floor. The venue closed during the 1984 World's Fair, then reopened after a remodel that removed the upstairs apartments in favor of a higher ceiling downstairs. The Neville Brothers recorded a live album here in 1982. Dr. John played his comeback shows on this stage and recorded a live album in 2006. Trombone Shorty's annual holiday run sells out months in advance. During the annual Jazz & Heritage Festival period, Tipitina's hosts a concert series called Fess Jazztival — a play on Jazz Festival and Professor Longhair's nickname. In December 2018, the New Orleans jam band Galactic purchased the club and formed the Tip-It Foundation to support Gulf South music, culture, and heritage. The brass bust of Professor Longhair outside the front door is the most photographed musician statue in the city. Most shows are general admission. Check tipitinas.com for the schedule.