CONCERT RECAP: Galactic Mardi Gras 2012 Run at Tipitina’s Uptown

Saturday photos by Wesley Hodges || Lundi Gras photos by Ali & Mike Kerr @ Southern Exposure Photography. Continue on for a review, videos, photos and the setlist from the evening (including all the special guests)!

Galactic’s annual tradition of playing a special Saturday show at Tipitina’s and an extra special all-nighter for Lundi Gras continues to get bigger, better and more star-studded with each passing year. For the 2012 edition, the band was celebrating the release of their critically-acclaimed Mardi Gras-themed release Carnivale Electricos. Like the increasingly epic shows celebrating the passing of each fiscal year in New Orleans (the calendar flips on Ash Wednesday right?!), Galactic is constantly in motion, arriving in town each year with a different cast of special guests and touring constants (this year, Living Colour’s Corey Glover has taken the place of Cyril Neville as lead vocalist on many tour stops and helped hold down these shows with his golden pipes and the local funk quintet nodded to Glover’s band each night, playing a fairly spot on, rockin’ version of their hit single “Cult of Personality”. Of particular note, rapper Mystikal joined the band on Saturday night for a couple tunes, roaring along with his unmistakable voice on “Shake Ya Ass” and “Bouncing Back” and receiving arguably the biggest crowd response of the two-night run (although Glen David Andrews crowd-surfing b-ball goal dunk move has to be up there).

Galactic with Corey Glover @ Tipitina's Uptown - 2/18/12 || Photo © Wesley Hodges

The Lundi Gras show, in keeping with tradition, didn’t get under way until 1:30 a.m. as the drum-heavy samba funk of “Magalenha” introduced a new facet of Galactic right out the gate. Three joy-filled sets would follow, going until the break of a sun-filled Mardi Gras Day until the appropriate new Lundi Gras closer, slow-burning gospel instrumental “Ash Wednesday”, led the loyal crowd back out in the street for one final day of Carnival. Words can’t really do much justice to the Lundi show, just peering below at the set list one can get a feel for the epicness of the whole event.

As an utter state of lawless debauchery gripped the city around (and the Rouses’s parking lot), Galactic zoned in a weary, yet still moving late night crowd. Those who come out for the Lundi show are willing to make a final push even with little left in the tank to see something truly special (appearances by Harry Connick Jr. and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson), ephemeral (the feeling of it all) and uniquely celebratory (even for Mardi Gras). Special guests on Lundi Gras included The Soul Rebels, Casa Samba, David Shaw (The Revivalists) and Maggie Koerner, the one-and-only Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Corey Glover and John Michael Rouchell (Mynameisjohnmichael), Harry Connick Jr. and Ivan Neville and the New York Maracatu Drummers, some planned, but according to the set list, not all (Connick was not on original set list). Once again, Galactic delivered more than enough to keep legs moving, eyes wide open and folks grinning from ear-to-ear until the break of day. The interesting, multi-cultural new sounds meshed wonderfully with the 18-year old bands now classic older catalog, signifying a band hitting a new stride, following yet another creative muse, and thoroughly re-igniting at least one fan’s loyal appreciation of the band yet again. Can’t think of a better way to cap off yet another unforgettable Carnival season.

Galactic @ Tipitina’s Uptown – 2/20/2012 (Lundi Gras) – Set List

Set One

Magalenha (w/ Casa Samba)
Blackbird Special
Out In The Street (w/ Corey Glover and John Michael Rouchell)
I Don’t Know What It Is, But It Sure Is Funky (w/ Corey Glover and John Michael Rouchell/ALL VOX)
Never Called You Crazy (w/ Corey Glover)
Karate
Carnival Time (Al “Carnival Time” Johnson)
Dumptruck
Go-Go
Kashmir (Zepp – w/ Corey Glover)
Goin’ Down (w/ Corey Glover)
Hey Na Na (w/ David Shaw and Maggie Koerner)

Set Two

Shibuya
Balkan Wedding
Manic Depression
What Is Success? (w/ Corey Glover)
Heart of Steel (w/ Corey Glover)
Ha Di Ka (w/ Corey Glover)
Hook & Sling (w/ NY Maracatu Drums)
Technocheck Collision
2 Clowns > Doo Rag > 2 Clowns
Crazyhorse Mongoose
This Is The Way We Roll
Break In The Road (w/ Corey Glover
Cult of Personality (w/ Corey Glover)

Set Three

Can I Be Your Main Squeeze?
Boe Money
Hamp’s Hump
From The Corner To The Block (Boe)
Brass Band Song
Ash Wednesday Sunrise

To check out a review from the 2011 Saturday Mardi Gras show, go here.

About the author

Wesley grew up in coastal Georgia and is a former resident of The Music City and The Big Easy where he helped get LMB NOLA off-the-ground after launching in January 2011. Over the past few years, he has also contributed steadily to JamBase and Relix Magazine. Recently, Hodges moved on to L.A. where Abita Beer is hard to find, costs about $6 if located and impromptu parading in the streets will most likely get you arrested on the spot.

 

Tags: Corey Glover, Corey Henry, David Shaw, favorites, Galactic, Harry Connick Jr., Living Colour, mynameisjohnmichael, The Soul Rebels, Tipitinas