New Orleans Airlift is hosting a multi-weekend concert series that showcases what local musicians worked on during the lockdown.
The series is called Sonic Remedies, which has featured concerts each Friday through Sunday since the first show on November 6. Two shows each day fill guests’ sound-deprived souls with the latest and greatest of New Orleans’ local talent. We all had one hobby or another to help fill the time we were stuck at home during the lockdown, and many musicians are ready and excited to share what they’ve been working on.
Sonic Remedies is hosted by Airlift, an artist-driven non-profit organization, and will take place at their flagship site, the Music Box Village. If you’re not familiar with the Music Box Village, it is essentially a whimsical playground for all lovers of sound.
The quirky space is occupied by interactive “musical houses” made in collaboration with artists of all kinds, representing what they call “musical architecture.” Invented instruments are built into walls, ceilings and floors, waiting to be played by visitors. It’s an absolute gem of a space that celebrates collaboration in creativity, free expression and experimentation.
The Music Box Village opened in 2016, becoming Airlift’s first permanent space. However, Airlift’s Music Box concept and experimentation with “musical architecture” was first featured in 2011, with The Music Box: A Shantytown Sound Laboratory. It was a huge success, drawing the attention of 15,000 visitors and over 70 musicians over the course of nine months.
The project appeared again in City Park in 2015 (The Music Box Roving Village), and even had performances by world-renowned artists like William Parker, Solange Knowles and Wilco.
Early this November, after having to close its doors due to the pandemic, The Music Village reopened so that New Orleans can get a taste of the local musical brilliance they’ve been missing. Some of the amazing artists featured so far include Louis Michot, Black Magic Drumline, Helen Gillet With Mike Dillon, and Ha Sizzle.
It’s a limited reopening, but Music Box Village’s 13,000 square feet of space allows for safe social distancing (capacity is set at 70 guests per set). There are also safety measures in place respecting all City, State, and CDC guidelines.
Sonic Remedies will be using a new pay-it-forward ticketing model. General admission is $15, but guests who can pay more are encouraged to do so. Tickets that are purchased at $30, $60 or $100 will go towards free tickets for those who cannot afford it as well as helping to keep the Music Box Village alive. Concert dates currently listed are November 27-29.
Where: 4557 N. Rampart Street
[Featured image: The Music Box Village]