Looking for more to do this week? Check out the latest on Gambit's calendar at calendar.gambitweekly.com.
Van Ella Bordella: Salon de Plaisir
After years of performances of the Storyville-themed burlesque show, Van Ella Bordella, Lola Van Ella is branching out with a sensual dive into the Belle Epoque. She’s the madam in a Parisian brothel in the immersive show with dance and mostly original music. French maids help patrons to their seats, including a few tables on stage, and stories of love, yearning and heartbreak play out with a cast of courtesans and their patrons. The burlesque and cabaret show has a Moulin Rouge setting. Hannah Kreiger-Benson wrote some of the songs and leads the Parlor Players band. Performers include Simone del Mar, Sailem, Mamie Dame, Ariana Amour, The Great Dane, Eddie Lockwood and Rex Nightly. At 8 p.m. Friday, June 20, through Monday, June 23, at Marigny Opera House. Tickets $31.37-$78.33 (including fees) via eventbrite.com.
NOLA Juneteenth Festival
Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the day when enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached Texas, marking the broad end to the institution of slavery in the U.S. Today, Juneteenth also celebrates African American culture and history. The annual NOLA Juneteenth Festival returns to Congo Square at Louis Armstrong Park on Thursday, June 19, with performances by Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, BJ So Cole, Game Ova Skipp and more. A second line opens the festival at noon, followed by a ritual led by Voodoo Queen Kalinda Laveaux. There also will be food and arts vendors at the free event. Find more information at nolajuneteenthfestival.org.
Modest Mouse
Idiosyncratic indie rocker Isaac Brock and crew return to New Orleans for a show at 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at the Orpheum Theater. Modest Mouse has recently been celebrating the 20th anniversary of their album “Good News For People Who Love Bad News,” which broke the band into the mainstream in the early-aughts. But their psychedelic seventh album, “The Golden Casket,” was released in 2021, and recent setlists have run the breadth of their discography. Tickets start at $51.50 via orpheumnola.net.
Black Tense Gala
The Louisiana Afro-Indigenous Society, which organizes the annual NOLA Juneteenth Festival, also hosts the Juneteenth Freedom Gala. This year’s event on Friday, June 20, is themed “Black Tense: Celebrating Black Past, Present and Future” and will honor poet and vocalist Tarriona “Tank” Ball. There will be performances by Alfred Banks and Raion Ramsey as well as an Afrobeats set by DJ Ojay. The gala starts at 7 p.m. at the Andre Cailloux Center on Bayou Road. Tickets are $95 for one and $150 for two via nolajuneteenthfestival.org.
Juneteenth Block Party
The group New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) host a Juneteenth community block party and fundraiser on Thursday, June 19, at Cafe Istanbul. There will be music by James Jordan and the Situation, Richard Rourke, the 8th Ward Pickup Band and Spirit and a DJ set by Adan Michael. There also will be Zumba and macrame workshops, thrift pop-ups, food vendors and raffle items. The party starts at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5 at 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and then $15 for the rest of the night. Find more information at linktr.ee/nocop.
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Krampus Alpine Luau
The Krewe of Krampus puts on a short parade of Nordic holiday frights through the Bywater every December. They’re holding their annual summer luau at The Broadside Saturday, June 21, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with live music, mermaids, art vendors, an original muumuu contest, photo booth and tiki bar. The Mystery Shipps, Ukulele Jake and Ember Blaize perform. General admission, with taxes and fees, is $37.24 in advance and $48.97 same day via eventbrite.com.
NuNation Choir
New Orleans musician John Walker Jr. directs the youth and young adults in the NuNation Choir. The group will perform a concert marking Juneteenth at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, at the New Orleans Museum of Art. General museum admission applies, which is free on Wednesdays for Louisiana residents. Find more information at noma.org.
Sneaker Ball
Sibil “Fox” and Robert Richardson, a formerly incarcerated couple, host The New Orleans Jazz Museum’s fourth annual Freedom for All Sneaker Ball on Friday, June 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will be live music by ANTWIGADEE! and food from Neyow’s Creole Cafe, and an awards ceremony will celebrate “unity and service among couples.” The dress code is black-and-white formal attire and sneakers. Tickets start at $108.55 via eventbrite.com.
‘A Chorus Line’
In the long-running Broadway hit, dancers audition for a spot in a new show. The musical unfolds as the dancers share their personal stories and compete for one of the coveted spots. Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre presents the show at Dixon Hall at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19, through Saturday, June 21, and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 22. Tickets $31.50-$56.50 via liberalarts.tulane.edu/summer-lyric-theatre.
Mold!
Carlo Barbacci and Bronto Montano played in bands in their native Peru, and after both immigrated to the U.S., they reconnected in Miami and started the energetic, noise punk project Mold! in 2017. New Orleans label Community Records will release the quartet’s new album, “III,” in July, and you can catch them with rock band Twen at 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at Gasa Gasa. Tickets are $20.43 via gasagasanola.com.
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Bursting
Chicago-based post-hardcore quartet Bursting includes members of the bands Stress Positions, Ands and Coliseum as well as Thou drummer Tyler Coburn. The group released its first EP in December and are on a June tour, with a show at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at The Broadside. Thou and indie rock band Community also perform. All ages. Tickets are $11.66 via broadsidenola.com.
Bear Hands
Brooklyn, New York, indie rock band Bear Hands first caught attention during the blog era with their 2010 debut album “Burning Bush Supper Club” and songs like “Crime Pays” and “What a Drag.” A few years later, though, alt rock radio took notice of the band’s percussive, synth-y indie rock on songs like “Giants” and “2AM.” The band released its latest album, “The Key to What,” last year. Bear Hands plays No Dice at 11 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, with OK Cowgirl and Keaton Schiller. Tickets are $32.30 via dice.fm.
Esther Rose
Americana musician Esther Rose recently released her fifth album, “Want,” with contributions from members of New Orleans-based bands Video Age, Silver Synthetic and The Deslondes. Now living in Santa Fe, Rose called New Orleans home for years, and she kicks off a short tour at Siberia at 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. Casey Jane and Gina Leslie Band also perform. Tickets are $24.92 via dice.fm.
The Midnight Brawlers
As The Midnight Brawlers, vocalist and winds player Rosalynn De Roos, guitarist Jason King, bassist Stoo Odom, trombonist Jean-Paul Brion and drummer Fernando Lima take inspiration from Brazilian styles like samba and forro as well as New Orleans jazz. The band recently released their first album “Brawl’n’” and play a release party on Saturday, June 21, at BJ’s Lounge. The Klezmer All Stars open at 9 p.m. Find info on Instagram: @bjslounge.
Summer is upon us, which means we're all gonna be looking for a way to cool off and make that Louisiana humidity even slightly more bearable. …