Tonight, Hurray for the Riff Raff plays d.b.a., Susan Cowsill is performing at City Park's Botanical Gardens, and Delfeayo Marsalis is at the Ogden. Happy Birthday to bluesman Robert Cage, born April 4, 1937. Now, more to do this Thursday.

If you haven’t used up all your energy catching cabbage, find another green outfit and hit the streets for St. Patrick’s Day. From Finn McCool’s to the Ninth Ward, New Orleanians are doing it big. Mardi Gras Indians are showing off their feathers and beads for Super Sunday in Central City. On this day in 1999, famous piano man Eddie Bo lost all of his possessions in a fire that destroyed his home. Now, time to plan out your St. Pat’s.

The year in New Orleans music was full of Grammys, viral videos and unfortunate losses. It all adds up to a historically insular music scene on the verge of getting the national recognition it's always deserved. We look back at 2012 and look ahead to 2013:

by Brad Rhines

Jazz Fest offers plenty of fun in the sun for weekend warriors, but for daytime drinking and midweek music, you’ll have to head to the Bywater.  The 7th annual Chaz Fest happens on Wednesday, May 2, and was originally devised as an alternative to the big show at the Fairgrounds.  Intended as a venue for local artists who couldn’t get booked for Jazz Fest, Chaz Fest was started by Alex McMurray, who named the event after his friend and Tin Men bandmate, the beloved Washboard Chaz Leary.  

Today, the French Quarter Fest explodes into its second day with a lineup much bigger than yesterday's, Hurray for The Riff Raff have a record release party at the Allways Lounge, and the Royal Teeth have a Zoolander throwback party at the Republic. This day in history, Legendary record producer and owner of famed J&M Studios Cosimo Matassa was born in New Orleans (1926), and in the 1964 Grammy Awards Louis Armstrong picked up the award (his only Grammy) for Best Male Vocal Performance for "Hello, Dolly." Click through for more.

Today, Oscar nominated documentary shorts screen at the Prytania and Hurray for the Riff Raff plays at d.b.a. with the Tumbleweeds, but earlier in time, Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" hit #1 on the pop and R&B charts (1959), Carole King (1942) and Alice Walker (1944) were born, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky died (1881). Now here's more about today:

by Cate Czarnecki

FRENCH QUARTER - For your edification, there are a number of things that people want you to know about the Thursday night's One Eyed Jack's headliners, the Alabama Shakes. The first, namely, is that they're from northern Alabama. Other things include their rave endorsements from taste making outlets such as NPR's All Songs Considered, New York Times music critic Jon Pareles and Paste Magazine. Further proving that they can hold their own in the hype department, they managed to stand out in a commercial that featured diamonds.

Today, the Dirty Dozen return Uptown, Southern Rep kicks off its weekend-long New Play Bacchanal and Hurray for the Riff Raff celebrates St. Claude. On this day in Louisiana history, the state government was moved upstream from New Orleans to Donaldsonville (1830),  Fats Domino recorded "I'm Walkin'' with Cosimo Matassa at J&M Studios (1957), and Kinks frontman Ray Davies was shot in the French Quarter (2004). Now back to today's movements:

Halloween weekend in New Orleans is in full swing, and the big Saturday night party will keep going well after City Park empties out for the day. Check out a few offerings for the rest of us:

Hola Nola, and hola Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Lee Segarra. Still riding high after opening for Ani Difranco last week at the House of Blues, and about to embark on a ten day European tour, this country/rock/honky tonk assembly is (grass)rooted in NOLA atop two self-released albums- 2008's It Don't Mean I Don't Love You and 2010's Young Blood Blues.