Today, Jazzfest shows begin before the gates of the Fair Grounds are opened. Kermit and his band steal away to Armstrong park for Jazz in the Park, Jimbo Mathus brings the Mississippi rock to Chickie, and The Grandmothers of invention get the Quarter all Zappa'd up. This day in history, Galvez siezed 11 richly laden English ships on the Mississippi River (1777), and Trumpeter Tannon "Fish" Williams (Soul Rebels Brass Band, Brass-A-Holics Brass Band) was born in New Orleans (1975). Now click through to check out the prelude to the cubes:

Today, Mary Devon-Dupuy told us all about the Backbeat Foundation and their multivenue, 45-concert JazzFest series. Well, we've got a little lagniappe to go along with that feature. NoDef has a free ticket to the series' first show at The Temple - Friday (4/27) night's Carolina Chocolate Drops outing. Just click through to answer a question and you could win:

It's almost time to throw open the gates of the Fair Grounds, and that means it's time once again to lock down the surrounding areas and institute the Clean Zone. Though the area of Bayou St. John and Fair Grounds isn't on the docket to become a Hospitality Zone, the city is still sending agents to the area to keep all the outside-the-gates commerce on the up and up. "The City will aggressively enforce the rules against transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly selling their products within the festival’s 'clean zone,'" a statement issued late Tuesday by the Mayor's office said.

While the Fairgrounds shuts down early in the evening, veteran fest-goers know the music never stops during Jazz Fest.  Throughout the city, clubs and venues are putting on shows every night of the week to keep the party going for locals and visitors alike.  NoDef rounds up this year's best off-track bets. 

The reason for one of yesterday's surprise JazzFest cancellations became a little clearer today, and, as many feared, it's sad news. Levon Helm is in the final stages of a battle with cancer, according to a message posted on his website. The former drummer and singer for The Band was diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s. He fought the disease off and resumed enough strength to play once again during a stint that included record two late-career albums and a memorable performance at the 2010 edition of JazzFest.

JazzFest announced more lineup shuffles Monday morning, as two of the Fest's prime music legends said they wouldn't be playing this year at the Fair Grounds. Levon Helm, who was scheduled to play a set with Mavis Staples and his band on Saturday, May 5, will be replaced by the Warren Haynes Band. Meanwhile, Bunny Wailer, an original member of Bob Marley's reggae combo, will be replaced by Marley's son, Ziggy, whose Wild and Free Tour was already scheduled to come through New Orleans during JazzFest.

When Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers touch down at the Fair Grounds in a couple weeks, their sound may be lacking some its usual vintage. A Culver City, Calif., burglar jacked five of the famed band's 1960s guitars last week, including Petty's famous, jangling Rickenbacker (circa 1967).

Eddie Vedder and his ukulele will not appear at JazzFest after all.The Pearl Jam frontman, who was set to play a headlining Thursday, May 3, set on the Acura Stage, will not play, according to a statement from the Vedder camp. Vedder has temporary nerve damage in his right arm from a back injury he sustained earlier this year, and will not play any of his U.S tour dates that were lined up until the fall.

Today's release of this year's JazzFest cubes also bled over to the vaunted official festival clothing. For its 2012 line, BayouWear has gone to the squares The Fair Grounds have played host to plenty of avid music fans looking to beat the heat traipsing around in patterns line crawfish, gator and even pianos at sea. But never before has the infamous BayouWear taken the unthinkable step of blending all three. That is, not until this year's Jumble Ya-Ya pattern.

FAIR GROUNDS - For weeks, you've been looking at this year's JazzFest schedule, trying to piece together your own itinerary. But something has been missing. Well, Quint Davis knows that a list will never do. Today, he's ready to put some boxes around his schedule.