Events

This is a special event!

On 5th May, Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday will showcase the best of underground New Orleans at St. Olaves, a derelict manor near Tower Bridge, London. Taking you off the beaten path, Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday seeks out the weird and wonderful and explores the eclectic and eccentric sights and sounds of the city with an amazing transatlantic musical showcase mixed up with secret rooms, Creole food and Southern Comfort cocktails.

Originating from New Orleans, Southern Comfort has forged strong connections with the city’s musicians, having flown artists to the UK to perform at Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday events for the past three years. Now, following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina last year, the connections have taken on new significance. This year, Southern Comfort will continue raising awareness of, and celebrating the City's musical heritage by inviting musicians to perform alongside their British peers at a series of Fat Tuesday events.

Spearheading this celebration is New Orleans commentator and legendary music writer Nik Cohn, author of Awopbopalopa and the recent critically acclaimed Triksta. Cohn will provide a spoken word account of New Orleans culture and life since Katrina featuring British rapper Rodney P, Diane Charlemagne and Triksta rappers Shorty Brown Hustle, Snoop and DJ Chicken from New Orleans. The collaboration will be produced by Skitz and The Sea. Nik Cohn has been published in the National press both sides of the Atlantic and has been central in bringing New Orleans' artists to this event and introducing UK hip-hop duo Rodney P and Skitz to local ‘bounce’ artists on a trip to New Orleans.

Nik Cohn comments:
“I've been obsessed by New Orleans and its music since childhood and have lived there, off and on, more than 30 years. In the last few years I spent much of my time there working with rappers like Shorty Brown Hustle and Snoop. When Katrina struck, I was in New York, revving up for another round of recording. When we talked on the phone, they told me their world - black New Orleans - was gone. Music used to be everywhere - gospel in the wooden churches, old soul records playing on front porches, rap blasting out of the gangstas' cars. Today, the silence is so profound I can hear a scrap of rag flapping in a thorn bush.”

Fresh from a name change and the release of their new groove-fuelled album ‘A Night on Earth’ Crazy P will be performing live in the main room in addition to Sunday Best and Bestival creator and Radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank. Also in the main room, alongside the New Orleans showcase will be one-man-band, human beatbox and sometime Crash Test Dummies member Son of Dave. Hotly-tipped covers band Barefoot will provide a soundtrack of well-known dance tracks re-worked in various styles from 1930's jazz to Latin, showcasing their very own phenomenon of concept clubbing in the process.
In the DJ room, with amazing views of Tower Bridge, composer and music aficionado David Holmes, whose funk and disco-infused sounds have seen him score films such for Ocean Eleven will be joined by French trip-hop extraordinaire DJ Cam and rising stars Mr Lip and Grand Son.

David Holmes comments: “New Orleans holds a very special place in my heart for a number of reasons. When I first went there 7 or 8 years ago, within 4 days I had been blessed by the great 'Ava K. Jones', the high priestess of voodoo, received my first and last mojo and bought some of the most amazing art… If we don’t support the New Orleans people and their music, we’re gonna lose it for ever! There’s only one place to be on the 5th May.”

It’s not just the music that makes this event special, Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday draws on influences from the infamous New Orleans Carnival Mardi Gras, so expect a sea of masked faces and recently-shot New Orleans Lomo photography and footage mixed by VJs-to-watch, Preamptive and Chris Keenan.

In the third room, interactive theatre company Gideon Reeling will create a surreal parallel party of seedy jazz and speakeasy ambience where the line between performer and audience is blurred to invisibility. Come, don a mask and navigate your way through a labyrinth of themed rooms where dark corridors, mysterious secret rooms and unexpected fun are all part of the evening’s offering. Elsewhere ‘Last Night A DJ Saved My Life’ author and music aficionado Bill Brewster, will be found in a far off corner of the venue DJing with the Idjut Boys to guests lucky enough to discover it.

Jody Hanson, from The Louisiana Office for Tourism (UK) comments:
"Showcasing the exceptional talent of New Orleans' musicians overseas is vital in raising awareness of the City's strong musical and cultural heritage. For the past 2 years, Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday has been pivotal in providing a UK platform for our artists. Their continued generosity and support will enable artists to share their music and experiences in an international arena."

Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday London is the ninth in a series of parties held across the UK. For those unable to attend this event, you can catch Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday at various UK festivals this summer. For the latest information, as well as your chance to secure free tickets to this event, log onto www.fattuesday.co.uk.