Dumpstaphunk & Dragon Smoke (Ballroom) + Funk You w/ Special Guests (Other Side)

Dumpstaphunk stands out among New Orleans' best as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and descended from Neville family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move. Their performances combine ingenious musicianship and complex funk and jazz arrangements with soulful melodies that are simple enough for anyone to enjoy. In Big Easy tradition, dueling baselines from Tony Hall and Nick Daniels III set off one of the dirtiest rhythm sections on the planet, while Ivan Neville lights up the Hammond B3 keys and cousin Ian Neville's funky guitar riffs send the groove into overdrive. The band recently welcomed their newest member, Alvin Ford Jr. to the quintet, a New Orleans born and raised powerhouse drummer. Dumpstaphunk tosses around lead vocals and four-part harmonies the way Sly & the Family Stone did, but with three studio albums under their belt, Dumpstaphunk stands on the merit of their own material. Songs like "Dancin' To The Truth" off their latest record, Dirty Word (July 30, 2013, Louisiana Red Hot Records), offer an escape into the funky sublime, sharing the true spirit of New Orleans with every note. "I don't expect to hear anything funkier this year." - Jon Pareles, New York Times "[A] jackpot of a funk record from Dumpstaphunk." - WNYC "Dumpstaphunk's self-produced sonic approach feels live, nasty, and greasy. The band's writing celebrates community, self-reliance, and social responsibility." - iTunes "Dumpstaphunk's 'If I'm In Luck' brings the bass... boasts a fiery lead vocal from drummer Nikki Glaspie" - USA Today "Funksters and those who relish solid musicianship and incredible vocal harmonies can just be glad that an album like Dirty Word is still being made -- that the 'one nation under a groove' remains vital. It's a head noddin,' booty shakin' disc..." - Louisiana Weekly "If Dumpstaphunk was a 3 course meal it would start with a juicy rhythm section, then move on to a beautiful arrangement of guitars and keys, seasoned with some soulful vocals and add a pinch of Cosmic Slop for good measure." - Austin Chronicle "Dirty Word offers a remarkably fresh update on a sometimes neglected genre." - Mix Magazine "[Dirty Word] stands on its own as the harbinger of a new style of 21st century funk." - The Vinyl District "Dumpstaphunk has grown from a small side project into one of New Orleans' most prestigious modern funk ensembles." - Rolling Stone

Eric Lindell : Vocals/guitar Ivan Neville: Vocals/keyboards Stanton Moore: drums Robert Mercurio: bass Dragon Smoke is a band that formed as part of the New Orleans Jazz Fest tradition known as the “Superjam”. The “Superjam” idea is to put together a band of people who don’t normally play together and see what happens. With the dual vocals of Neville and Lindell, matched with the Galactic rhythm section, the band quickly realized, “We are on to something” and has played every Jazz Fest since it’s inception in 2003. This inception took place at the famed Dragon’s Den, hence the name of the band. The music centers around Lindell’s blue eyed soul , Neville’s funk and R&B, and Galactic’s groove. Besides a few trips to the West Coast, this band has been strickly playing in New Orleans. With everyone in the band being a leader on their own, it is rare to get this band together. And when it does, it shows that these guys are really having FUN! From the interplay between the members, you would think that Dragon Smoke has been playing shows forever. Dragon Smoke is looking towards the future, with plans to write and record an album and to do more touring outside of New Orleans and the Bay Area. So be on the lookout for the Smoke—IF YOU SEE SMOKE, YOU KNOW YOU WILL SEE FIRE!