2016 NOLA Jazzfest Lineup, Predicted Today!

Soon the lineup for the 2016 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will be announced but we got the early scoop...

Actually, no we don't but since it is fun to predict, lets look into the crystal ball and guess who will be and who should be playing. We will exclude local acts (even though they are the main reason we go) lets just talk about the bigger national touring artists for now....

To get in the southern festive NOLA mood, here is a great video done by Jeronimo Acero that my friend the fantastic Lu Brow sent north to warm me up during the winter.

a glimpse of LOUISIANA from Jeronimo Acero on Vimeo.
Now on to the predictions:

So here are some guesses (educated or not) who will be playing: 
Van Morrison:

He falls into both categories, should and will be. Our sleuthing turns up he has shows announced in Atlanta and Boston at the end of April. What is a jaunt down to NOLA to headline the second weekend?

The Arcs

With Dan Auerbach putting The Black Keys on hold, an earlier slot on say the Gentilly Stage seems about right for The Arcs this spring.

The Drive-By Truckers:

It's been a while since these southern lads have geared up for the best festival in America, and their current tour ends on the 17th of April, so a festival date would be a pretty perfect way to wrap things up.  

Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats:

Very popular and seem like a perfect fit for Jazzfest this year. This song would be ringing in the fairgrounds and long into the night around the quarter.They are playing Coachella, so they would likely have to be on the second weekend, which is free currently for them.

Tedeschi Trucks Band

A perfect festival band and one that fits gorgeously into Jazzfest. After seeing them in 2015, we would love a repeat performance in 2016 down south...hmm getting close to jamband land here...

Dead & Company

While "The Grateful Dead" may have played it's last show (whatever that means) the members still tour and we wouldn't be shocked at all to see the waves of tie dye invade the fairgrounds for a headlining set. Hmm...Which leads to...

Widespread Panic

Because...well don't they play every year?  Since that seems like a safe bet, let's go out on a limb for the last guess at who will be playing this upcoming spring....

Aretha Franklin

Franklin, canceled playing the festival two years in a row '09 and infamously at the last minute in '10 but time heals all wounds (at least that's the lazy slogan). The Queen of Soul could be a huge headliner, but would the fest take her back? She does have 2 shows scheduled already this year. 

And to finish up who will be playing it is a safe bet that both BB King and especially Allen Toussaint will be getting the All-Star Tribute Treatment, so we hope to be able to see each of these.  Wouldn't Aretha kill on both/either as well?



Now some personal choices of who we would love to see and should be playing:
Jack White/Raconteurs/Dead Weather:

Duh...We love all of it, but with White on live hiatus we doubt it happens...can always dream.

Sleater-Kinney

The group came back with a vengeance last year and a cool festival slot would bring some hipness to the fairgrounds, but we doubt they play. Touring Australia in March is the last thing publicly planned for the Northwest rockers.

Hall & Oates

Hell they are playing MSG, why not Jazzfest?

Black Sabbath

This is their last tour...why not play the best? Well for one reason, they will be playing that weekend in Australia. 

Spoon

We predicted them last year, and no dice, but we love this band and the first time we caught them was at Jazzfest, so we would love to do that again. Unfortunately no tour-dates seem to be announced for these fine fellows.

And we will end with our same prediction as always....

Prince....Because he is funky: