ODDS OF A 2021 NOJF?

[jjazznj]

I would like to at least see some type of small outdoor fest this Fall here in town. Something, anything! Luckily Honey Island Swamp Band @ The Mint got moved to tomorrow from Tues so at least that's something and Cha Wa next Tuesday.

[TornAndFrayed]

I dont think there is any chance of JF happening.

[chopitulas]

I thought Bruce and the E Street Band might be candidates for 2021 with the new record and all but I read they don't plan to tour until 2022...

[McGregor]

Bruce turned 71 today fwiw.

[HankAndLeeStamper]

Bruce turned 71 today fwiw.

Hmm. He better stop, children, what's that sound..... I've been thinking about this question more broadly and I think if i were the king of NOJHF i would either be planning for an October 2021 festival or taking another full year off to reinvent myself completely. If anything this plague may force the festival to deal with its demographics relating to age of performers and age and race of attendees. Is this a classic rock festival with a local undercard, or is it something more meaningful than that? In retrospect, should people like Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones taken over the Acura stage when we lost artists like Aretha and Ray Charles? Or is the Acura stage only for people who put asses in the seats?

[AFew2Many]

Obviously, the further out the date the more likely it will happen, April 2021 50-50, October 2021 %75, April 2022 100%. and Elton John won't be headlining any of those dates.... from the USA Today "The pop icon announced Wednesday that his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour” will return to North America on Jan. 19, 2022, in New Orleans."

[kh1958]

I'm not feeling very optimistic about 2021 NOJHF, but I nonetheless have my (cancellable, non-prepaid) hotel reservations in place. But I won't be in a rush to make any plane reservations.

[Jim]

I don't think there is any chance of Spring 2021 happening. Earliest is Fall 2021, most likely Spring 2022.

[duende]

I find myself unconsciously adding 2020 into the years I "attended" Jazzfest. It seemed like a real thing. My ten-years-expired passport can apparently wait a bit longer to be renewed, and I just have to decide if/when I pursue that whole "real ID" thing at a DMV office. The zip-off travel pants & luggage industries must really be at the desperation point right about now.

[BostonDavid]

Hmm. He better stop, children, what's that sound..... I've been thinking about this question more broadly and I think if i were the king of NOJHF i would either be planning for an October 2021 festival or taking another full year off to reinvent myself completely. If anything this plague may force the festival to deal with its demographics relating to age of performers and age and race of attendees. Is this a classic rock festival with a local undercard, or is it something more meaningful than that? In retrospect, should people like Charles Bradley and Sharon Jones taken over the Acura stage when we lost artists like Aretha and Ray Charles? Or is the Acura stage only for people who put asses in the seats?

Great description of JF since about 1996: “a classic rock festival with a local undercard.” Of course, the “local undercard” is fabulously deep and rich and broad and that’s what makes Jazz Fest Jazz Fest. I would like to maintain the local undercard, but minimize the BNAs and add heft to the middle range acts. I think that’s where JF has suffered over the years as the BNAs suck all the oxygen (and money) from the other non-local performers. The “unknown” greats I discovered at the Fest were always one of the best features for me. It doesn’t happen much anymore.

[bRETT]

I thought Bruce and the E Street Band might be candidates for 2021 with the new record and all but I read they don't plan to tour until 2022...

They were indeed planning a 2021 tour (per Rolling Stone article) but are looking to 2022 now.

[Marignygregg]

Great description of JF since about 1996: “a classic rock festival with a local undercard.” Of course, the “local undercard” is fabulously deep and rich and broad and that’s what makes Jazz Fest Jazz Fest. I would like to maintain the local undercard, but minimize the BNAs and add heft to the middle range acts. I think that’s where JF has suffered over the years as the BNAs suck all the oxygen (and money) from the other non-local performers. The “unknown” greats I discovered at the Fest were always one of the best features for me. It doesn’t happen much anymore.

The BNA's get people there. The undercard keeps em coming back. There are SO many acts that people would never know about without the BNA's. Just the way it is. You take away the BNA's, the local acts suffer. We already have a 'French Quarter Festival' for those who just want the undercard. Of course, FQ Fest owes a debt of gratitude to the BNA's at Jazz Fest as well.

[BostonDavid]

The BNA's get people there. The undercard keeps em coming back. There are SO many acts that people would never know about without the BNA's. Just the way it is. You take away the BNA's, the local acts suffer. We already have a 'French Quarter Festival' for those who just want the undercard. Of course, FQ Fest owes a debt of gratitude to the BNA's at Jazz Fest as well.

The finances are what they are. I know there is a lot more competition in the music festival world (not at the moment, of course) than in the early Fest days and I know that the Fest had some hard financial times and made some decisions for economic reasons. I get all that. I’m talking about my personal experience as a music lover at Jazz Fest and I know that doesn’t count for much. JF has always had national and international acts, it’s just that the emphasis has gone towards popularity rather than quality or connection to New Orleans. There are a lot of super-talented acts who labor in relative obscurity and could be greatly appreciated by the JF crowd. FQF is strictly local so that isn’t really comparable.

Could Jazz Fest thrive with less emphasis on BNAs? Well, the folks running it don’t seem to think so so that’s that. I was just responding to the comment I quoted. I don’t expect any changes.

[chopitulas]

Also FWIW, part of why I mentioned Bruce is that there was some comment about them waiting til 2022 being the expectation 2021 will still be difficult at best.

[cp_deb]

My ten-years-expired passport can apparently wait a bit longer to be renewed, and I just have to decide if/when I pursue that whole "real ID" thing at a DMV office.

I can't imagine having an expired passport. I'm chomping at the bit to leave the US as soon as humanly possible. And unless you intend to drive to jazzfest next time, you're going to need a pssport or Real ID.