Michael Patrick Welch, NOLA reporter, novelist, and teacher recently released an updated version of his guidebook, The NOLA Underground Guide and a ten-years-in-the-making novel, Y'all’s Problem. 

Over the weekend, producers did a dry run of Voodoo fest. Those passing City Park would be excused for failing to notice, however, as the proceedings ran only on the Interweb. As a result of this second life simulation, the schedule is now completely filled out, and the fantasy fest seshes can now begin. (Find the full grids here.) The spectre of schedule conflicts haunts any festival rollout, but those aren't today's big news. Instead, it's all the big names that appear on the ground's smaller stages.

In Britian you're revered as one of the greatest songwriters in recent history. But come to New Orleans and you're just another target for a mugging. Ray Davies, who inked some of the best chamber pop the world has ever seen as the frontman of The Kinks, was shot here in the French Quarter in 2004 while chasing a pursesnatcher after he was robbed. Ever since he was mended up at Charity Hospital, Davies has continued to suffer from the wound, he told Q Magazine recently. He had a blood clot in his leg from "residue" that is still left in his leg that forced him to miss gigs in November, among other flare-ups.