Hypno Nun brings a riff-forward, garage-psych grind to The Den on Friday the 13th at 8 pm, leaning into big fuzz, reverb-soaked leads, and a rhythm section that never lets the throttle down. They play loud and tight, with hooks that cut through the noise and a sly sense of menace that suits the date. Expect snarling vocals, surf-tinged guitar runs, and the kind of punchy tempos that turn a barroom set into a sweaty little riot.

The Den at Howlin' Wolf is the smaller side room of the Warehouse District staple, a low stage and brick-lined bar where locals road test new songs and touring bands stretch out after-hours. The PA hits harder than the size suggests, sightlines are easy, and the bartenders keep it moving. It is a hang as much as a venue, perfect for fuzzed-out rock and late Mardi Gras blowoffs without the sprawl of the main room.

Flow Tribe anchors the post-parade throwdown at Howlin' Wolf, bringing the band’s high-octane New Orleans funk rock with rubbery bass lines, congas, and big sing-along hooks. They thrive in Mardi Gras mode, mixing second-line swagger with rock guitar and dance-floor breaks. Kota Dosa opens with a psych-tinged stew of jazz, blues, and heavy grooves, setting the table for a night built on sweat and syncopation.

Howlin' Wolf is the Warehouse District’s workhorse room, a big stage and broad dance floor built for brass blasts and funk marathons. The PA is stout, the sightlines from the mezzanine are clean, and the staff runs a tight ship on busy parade nights. It is where local heavyweights stretch out and touring acts come to test themselves against a New Orleans crowd.

Grammy-winning Louisiana modernist Chris Thomas King brings his trio to Snug Harbor for a 7:30 set, folding Delta grit and modern rhythm into sharp, cinematic blues. Raised in the Tabby’s Blues Box lineage, he bridges tradition and innovation with supple slide work, hushed storytelling, and urbane swing. In this stripped setup, the songs breathe, shifting from acoustic hush to amplifier growl without losing the thread.

Snug Harbor on Frenchmen is the city’s quintessential listening room, a small, focused space where the music sits front and center and chatter stays at a minimum. Two nightly sets, table seating, and attentive sound make it ideal for nuanced players and vocalists. Grab dinner next door and settle in early if precision and dynamics are what the night demands.

HaSizzle brings the raw bounce and call-and-response firepower to a daytime Endymion throwdown, with Rusty Lazer on the decks and Levee One Sound System pushing air like a mobile earthquake. This is New Orleans party DNA: booming beats, sweat-slick choruses, and a dance floor that never cools down. A proper parade-day staging ground with DJs and MCs dialing the vibe from early afternoon.

Chickie Wah Wah sits on Canal in Mid-City, a comfortable room with a real dance floor, strong sound, and a staff that knows parade days as well as weeknights. The booking leans roots, funk, and neighborhood dance parties, and the space flips easily from seated shows to full-on movers. On Endymion Saturday, its location is clutch and the vibe stays friendly even when it is packed.

Vocalist Ten Spencer brings a glowing blend of jazz, R&B, and neo-soul to a 4:30 to 6 pm happy hour set, fronting a tight trio with Karen Shiraishi on piano and Nick Salcido on bass. This one is free and first-come, a chance to catch her phrasing up close as she moves from tender ballads to pocket-heavy tunes without showboating. Intimate, early, and focused on songcraft and groove.

Snug Harbor’s bar and dining rooms hum in the late afternoon, and the Music Room keeps the same attentive sound and seated focus you get at night. It is compact, acoustically behaved, and set up so every table feels close to the band. Arrive early, settle in, and let the room’s unhurried rhythm ease you into the evening.

Gabrielle Cavassa returns to home turf with that intimate, breath-close delivery that won the Sarah Vaughan Competition and put her on Joshua Redman’s Blue Note projects. She bends melody like conversation, favoring space, tone, and lyric clarity over flash. Expect original material alongside reimagined standards at 7:30, with a late set to follow, all anchored by a band that listens as hard as it plays.

Few rooms reward vocal nuance like Snug Harbor. The low ceiling, tight footprint, and attentive crowd turn soft dynamics into a shared hush, and the engineers know how to keep voices forward without smothering the band. On Frenchmen, it is the spot for serious jazz sets before the street gets loud.

Femmes, Thems & EDM centers a queer dance floor with DJs Phoenix Phantasma, Warm Advice, and DJ SPZM threading lush basslines, emotive builds, and percussion that thumps without bludgeoning. It is house and adjacent, tactile and warm, built for eye contact and sweat. Dress codes are feelings, the tempos glide, and the vibe is care-forward and body-positive from open to close.

Santos Bar sits on Decatur with a dark, low-slung room, a punchy system, and lights that keep the corners moody. The calendar swings from punk to rap to late-night dance, and the staff keeps the energy loose but respectful. It is a compact space that gets loud fast, perfect for parties built on connection rather than spectacle.

Nola Synth Cult’s Modulation Sessions bring hardware to the forefront. Oscillation Communications works live with vintage and modern machines, building evolving electro and techno sketches in real time, while J.dub.L represents three decades of jungle in New Orleans with rolling breaks and sub pressure. It is a producer’s night that still aims squarely at the floor. Music starts at 9 pm.

Gasa Gasa on Freret is a neighborhood club with an artist’s sensibility, a tidy stage, and a sound system tuned for clarity more than sheer volume. The room holds a couple hundred, the walls wear murals, and there is usually a breeze coming from the back patio. It is where local scenes cross-pollinate and oddball bills make perfect sense.

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk hits the late slot at Tip’s, double-bass attack locked under greasy clavinet and guitar fuzz. The band’s modern Crescent City funk is thick and elastic, built for long forms and communal shouts. Soul Brass Band opens with parade-season fire, brass and drumline swagger setting the room to a simmer before the headliners take it deep.

Tipitina’s is Uptown’s beating heart, a big wood-floored room at Tchoup and Napoleon where hometown funk blooms and tourists learn fast. The stage is high, the PA is honest, and the sightlines are better than they look. On Mardi Gras weekend it turns into a pressure cooker in the best way, with staff who know how to keep the train on the rails.

Dad’s Ball returns with a ripe theme and a mixed bill that moves between live grit and club heat. BAAB and Tasche and the Psychedelic Roses bring guitar-laced soul and psych-tinted rock, while Bouffant Bouffant, Female Trouble, B.Ames, and Hollagraham steer the night from disco curveballs to ballroom-ready edits. Doors at 9 pm, costumes encouraged, energy high till late.

House of Blues on Decatur is the polished counterpoint to the scruffier rooms nearby, a two-tier main hall with crisp sightlines, beefy production, and quick bars. It handles hybrid bills smoothly, flipping from bands to DJs without killing momentum. Expect a crowd that dresses the part and a staff that keeps things moving even as the hour gets late.