Maple Leaf Bar facts for kids
The Maple Leaf Bar is a famous music spot in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. It's a place where people can listen to live music every night. It's also a bar and hosts other fun events.
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History of the Maple Leaf Bar
The Maple Leaf Bar is located on Oak Street in the Carrollton area of New Orleans. It first opened its doors on February 24, 1974. This makes it one of the oldest music clubs in the city that has been open continuously.
From the very first night, the club has had live music. The Andrew Hall's Society Jazz Band played on opening night. They performed there every Saturday for seven years! Many older, famous musicians also played there. These included members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Music and Performers
The Maple Leaf Bar is known for many different music styles. You can hear blues, funk, R&B, rock, zydeco, jazz, and jam bands. It's a great place to experience the rich music culture of New Orleans.
Many famous musicians have played at the Maple Leaf. Some of these include James Booker, the Rebirth Brass Band, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Walter "Wolfman" Washington. Other popular groups like Papa Grows Funk and The Radiators have also performed there often.
The bar has also been a special place for young bands. Students from Tulane University, Loyola University, and the University of New Orleans often formed bands and played their first shows here.
In recent years, some bands have played regularly each week. These include Tank and the Bangas and The Revivalists. George Porter Jr. still plays there every Monday night with his band.
More Than Just Music
The Maple Leaf Bar is also a place for poetry and fashion. Poet Everette Maddox loved the venue so much that his ashes are buried in the bar's outdoor patio area. The club hosts poetry readings where people share their poems. It also has fashion shows, which are fun events to see new clothing designs.
The Krewe of OAK is a local parade group. Their parades start and end at the Maple Leaf Bar. They also hold their special Krewe Ball party there.
Reopening After Hurricane Katrina
The Maple Leaf Bar had to close for several weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. The owner, Hank Staples, stayed in the city to protect the bar. He promised to host the first concert in New Orleans after the big storm.
On September 30, 2005, Walter "Wolfman" Washington played the first show at the Maple Leaf after Katrina. Many reporters and camera crews came to record this important event. The band's instruments were powered by a diesel generator. This was because most of the city did not have electricity yet. The concert was stopped by the police because the city had a curfew. Electricity came back to this part of the city about one week later.
Live Albums Recorded Here
Many musicians have recorded live albums at the Maple Leaf Bar. This means their performances at the club were recorded and released as albums.
- James Booker / Resurrection of the Bayou Maharajah (1993)
- Rebirth Brass Band / The Main Event: Live at the Maple Leaf (1999)
- Papa Grows Funk / Live at the Leaf (2006)
- Joe Krown, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Russell Batiste, Jr. / Live at the Maple Leaf (2008)
- New Orleans Suspects / Caught Live at the Maple Leaf (2012)
See also
- List of jazz clubs
- List of music venues
- Rebirth Brass Band
