The Arcade

The Arcade will be front row at Cat Power's solo show tonight at the House of Blues New Orleans, and we certainly hope to see you there. Nico Turner will open. An excerpt from our preview of the show:

In her early years, Cat Power was known for the raw emotional quality of her recordings. When she was young, she traveled constantly around the South, and at the age of 20 moved from Atlanta, Ga. to New York. Her early work there was highly experimental and according to local lore, she once spent an entire 15-minute show tunelessly playing a two-string guitar and singing the word “no” over and over again. Read more

According to recent reports, Chan played solo for about 3 hours in Houston and has been performing a lot of unreleased material, digging back into the archives. If that's not enough to make you drop everything to be there, there's nothing we can do to help you.

City Swans - Neko Case

We haven’t known each other long. We first became acquainted in June, when I contacted you so that I may have glorious, free-flowing Internet in my new home. Finally the spotty dorm Wi-Fi, groaning under the weight of a hundred simultaneous Facebook page requests, would no longer test my patience. I could already see it in my mind’s eye: I would be like a cooler version of Neo from “The Matrix,” clad in all black, swooshing from site to site at lightning-fast speed. I’d luxuriate beneath a waterfall of crystal-clear DVD rips, high-quality MP3 files and a cavalcade of pornography that’d make the Marquis de Sade blush.

And the Wi-Fi network! I had prepared my whole life for this moment, the all-important hilarious network name. I was torn between “MyLaiWiFi,” “MaiTaiWiFi” and “TheFrenulumForest.” The fevered laughter of house guests requesting Internet access preemptively rang in my ears.

Pride and Prejudice to charm audiences

Adapted by Jon Joryand co-directed by JeffreyGunsholandAiméeHayes, the production celebrates the200thanniversary of Jane Austen’s novel. It seeks to put a new twist on a classic tale. In the Southern Rep’s hands, Austen’s drama becomes a performance of song, dance and skewering wit designed to epitomize the snobbery and intrigue that are simultaneously apparent and transmuted in modern society.

“‘Pride & Prejudice’ is such a lovely story and a perennial personal favorite,” Hayes said. “With a full slate of events around each production, theatergoers will be immersed in enough charm, wit and refined romance to warm even the chilliest November night.” Read more

by Michael Hammer, senior staff writer

Bonobo’s performance at the Civic Theater on Tuesday began in darkness.

As the lights gradually began to show, a full band joined British musician Simon Green on stage. The group’s sound soon grew to a satisfying crescendo, setting up a 90-minute set that felt like a smooth trance. The show showcased material from the group’s 2013 album “The North Borders” while also including old tracks. The songs shifted from mellow beats to a more electronic feel in songs like “Kiara.” These shifts in mood created a dynamic atmosphere that kept the crowd engaged throughout.

The most captivating parts of the night were captured by collaborator Szjerdene’s standout vocals. For various songs, she highlighted Bonobo’s groovy haze with piercing tone and a focused passion that added to an already varied set list.

Aside from a an overly touchy Miley Cyrus doppelganger, the crowd was refined and reserved for the most part, offering a good amount of throughout the dance floor to move around. When the concert shifted to a more club feel during its more electronic and bass-heavy songs, the crowd reciprocated, pulsing in tune with the few dance anthems that Bonobo performed.

Drummer Jack Baker, not to be confused with the concert’s talented opener Chet Faker, stirred up the latter end of the performance with a charged solo. Another notable spectacle was multi-instrumentalist Michael Lesirge’s finesse on the flute, producing sounds that the Arcade had previously believed to be unachievable on most woodwinds.

After an extensive set, Bonobo returned for a two-song encore that provided an enchanting end to the group’s soulful performance. With bright lights illuminating the stage, Green and the other band members walked off in smiles.

Hell Yes Fest: There's nothing Eric Andre won't do

Though the event might not be safe or coherent and will probably include full-frontal nudity, The Arcade recommends seeing Eric Andre perform at 9 p.m. Monday at One Eyed Jacks. Tickets cost $12 at the door.

Eric Andre skillfully walks the line between insanity and genius. His cable network show on Adult Swim, “The Eric Andre Show,” is a chaotic mix of incriminating hidden camera shenanigans and awkward faux interviews. He once explained it as, “pee and poop mixed together,” with a little “To Catch a Predator.” For example, Andre previously broke into a jewelry store, smashed its display cases, stole jewelry and got tackled by a security guard for his show.

Andre has been featured on “The Jeselnik Offensive,” where he set off fireworks mid-show, nearly giving a stage manager a heart attack. He also did a live interview on G4’s “Attack of the Show,” where he showed off his boxers that had a picture of a penis on them, before stripping naked and yelling “Nobody cares!” Where Andre goes madness follows, and his show will certainly be no exception.

Tulane funnywomen get ready for their big break

Sara Schaefer steps into the spotlight

Comedy enthusiasts searching for a stacked lineup of laughs will find it at Sara Schaefer’s headlining Hell Yes Fest show 9 p.m. Friday at One Eyed Jacks. Nick Rutherford, Mark Normand, Addy Najera and Jono Zalay will also perform, and tickets cost $15.

Thao & the Get Down Stay Down are playing in New Orleans on Wednesday Nov. 13, opening for The Head and The Heart. The world celebrates World Kindness Day that day as well — coincidental, since two of the songs on the band’s latest album “We the Common” include the word “kind” in them (“The Feeling Kind” and “Kindness Be Conceived”). The Arcade caught up with frontwoman Thao Nguyen to ask her a few questions about kindness. Kind of.

Q: What would you say is the kindest vegetable?

A: Kale. Kale is a super-food. It’s the healthiest food you can have. It’s all the rage in California… There are no downsides to kale. Although, I have to say, it’s kind of hard to find kale in New Orleans.

Q: What’s the kindest city to play gigs in?

A: New Orleans, for sure. And Austin, they’re super nice folks.

Q: Who’s the kindest band member (excluding yourself)?

A: We say that our drummer is a cup of joy, so I guess that’d be him. He’s twenty-four — he’s younger and less jaded.

Q: Let’s say you’re going to a kindness-themed party. What do you dress up as?

A: Free money.

Q: You’re having a rough day and some kind person makes you a CD to cheer you up. What’s on the CD?

A: It’s probably a mix of late 80s, early 90s hip-hop. Let’s see — The Fat Boys, De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, MC Lyte and some Salt N Peppa.

For more, make sure to check out The Arcade's full interview with Thao Nguyen.

Goodbye England (Covered in Snow) - Laura Marling (live)

The Arcade will be seeing Laura Marling tonight at The Civic Theatre. Willy Mason will open. We got a chance to talk to Laura earlier - read our preview online, and we hope to see you there. Although, in all honesty, we’ll probably be too transfixed by her gorgeous vocals and fantastic songwriting to notice much else. Not to offend.

But we’re just saying.

photo by Claire Brown

Eagle Song - The Staves (A Take Away Show)

Laura Marling on her songwriting process.