Where can I hear live music in New Orleans tonight?

Somewhere in New Orleans, live music is happening tonight, guaranteed. Frenchmen Street in the Marigny has a dozen venues within three blocks. Beyond that, the music spreads across the whole city: Tipitina's and the Maple Leaf Uptown, Bacchanal and Vaughan's in the Bywater, Kermit's Mother-in-Law Lounge in Treme, Chickie Wah Wah in Mid-City, Preservation Hall and Fritzel's in the French Quarter, and dozens more. The list on this page shows what is actually booked tonight, updated daily.

What time does live music start in New Orleans?

Early sets start between 5pm and 7pm, prime time is 8pm to 10pm, and plenty of rooms have music past midnight. New Orleans treats the night as running until 6am, and so does this page: shows listed after midnight belong to tonight.

Is live music in New Orleans free?

A lot of it is. Many bars and clubs have no cover, especially for early sets. Where a show has a listed price, this page shows it. If you catch free music, tip the band; that is how the free-music economy works here, and most tip jars take Venmo.

Live Music in New Orleans Tonight

Q: Do I need tickets in advance?

For most neighborhood shows, no; you walk in. Ticketed rooms like Tipitina's, the Fillmore, the Civic Theatre, and Preservation Hall can sell out, so buy ahead for touring acts and weekend shows. Where a ticket link exists, it is on this page.

Every show on our citywide calendar for tonight, Sunday, August 2

Updated daily. All times are New Orleans local time (Central). Shows after midnight are part of tonight; the night runs until 6am here.

New Orleans has live music every single night of the week, and most of it never makes the tourist guides. This page pulls tonight's shows from our citywide calendar, which aggregates listings from hundreds of venues: the Frenchmen Street clubs, the Uptown institutions, the Bywater bars, the Treme lounges, the French Quarter jazz rooms, and everything in between. Cover charges are listed where venues publish them. Plenty of shows are free; when they are, tip the band.

Tonight's Shows: Sunday, August 2, 2026

32 shows on the calendar tonight

4:30 PM James Jordan & Lawrence Sieberth at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro

4:30 PM Personal Space at Cafe Negril

5:00 PM Preservation Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford at Preservation Hall

5:00 PM 2nd Annual Wet Hot American Summer Camp Showcase, Fundraiser & Talent Show at Okay Bar

6:00 PM Treme Brass Band at Spotted Cat Music Club

6:00 PM Ryan Robertson Jazz Quintet at d.b.a.

6:00 PM Jam Brass Band at Balcony Music Club (BMC) Free

6:00 PM The Andre Lovett Band at 30/90

6:15 PM Preservation Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford at Preservation Hall

6:30 PM Personal Space at Cafe Negril

7:00 PM David Sigler at Bacchanal

7:00 PM Father Ron at Buffa's

7:00 PM Van Ella Bordella (burlesque) at Allways Lounge & Cabaret

7:30 PM Richard 'Piano' Scott at The Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta

7:30 PM Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band: Spirits From Both Sides at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro $41.30

7:30 PM Preservation Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford at Preservation Hall

8:00 PM Kris Tokarski at Dos Jefes

8:00 PM Swing Night (live music & dance lessons) at Allways Lounge & Cabaret

8:45 PM Preservation Legacy Band ft. Gregg Stafford at Preservation Hall

9:00 PM Shorty And The Giants at Balcony Music Club (BMC) Free

9:00 PM The Body with BIG|BRAVE at Gasa Gasa

9:00 PM Ado Soul & The Tribe at Cafe Negril

9:00 PM Greg Mendez with Maria BC and Rui Gabriel at Siberia $22.44

9:00 PM Pat Casey & The New Sound at Spotted Cat Music Club

9:00 PM Izzy Chase and Making Space at Saturn Bar $12.47

9:00 PM James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band at BJ's Lounge

9:00 PM Ryan Long at Three Muses

9:00 PM Manic Mixtape at 30/90

9:30 PM The Jump Hounds at d.b.a.

9:30 PM Vincent Hsu & Soy La Ley Afro-Cuban Jazz Band: Spirits From Both Sides at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro $41.30

10:30 PM The Grammy Winning Hot 8 Brass Band at The Howlin' Wolf $24.94

11:00 PM Ado Soul & The Tribe at Cafe Negril

Highlighted times are after midnight. Always confirm times and prices with the venue before heading out.

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Good to Know

Where should I go for live music tonight?

Depends on the night you want. Frenchmen Street packs a dozen venues into three walkable blocks and something is always on. For destination shows, check the listings above for Tipitina's, the Maple Leaf, Preservation Hall, and the theaters. For a more local night, look for the Bywater, Treme, and Mid-City rooms in the list; smaller crowds, often no cover, and some of the best musicians in the city.

What time does music start?

Early sets start between 5pm and 7pm, prime time is 8pm to 10pm, and plenty of rooms go past midnight. The highlighted entries above are after-midnight sets that belong to tonight.

Is it free?

A lot of it, especially early sets in neighborhood bars. Prices above are shown where venues publish them. Free show? Tip the band. Most tip jars take Venmo.

Do I need tickets in advance?

Walk into most neighborhood shows. Buy ahead for ticketed rooms and touring acts; those links are in the listings when they exist.