new orleans mardi gras indian rhythm section

Sunday, September 13, 2009

9/3/09 at MiMi's

Here's some footage of the ensemble doing "Shallow Water" "Early in the Morning" and reminding you that the big chief like plenty of "firewater"

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Indian Rhythm Section sat in on Papa Mali's gig last night at Tipitina's. We got the place lit up good! Matt Perrine on that brass bass laid waste to the place. We didn't get out of there till 3 a.m. The crowd was totally on it. When we broke it down during "Early in the Morning" the whole room was hollering out the chant. Monk came on, left, and came back three or four times. Much love for Mali, much love for everybody who came out and made it happen. Our next gig is at Mimi's in the Marigny on Thursday, the 3rd and listen for our radio appearance on WWOZ 90.7 wednesday.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

upcoming gig

We'll be at Mimi's in the Marigny on thursday, september third, let's say... 9:00 in the p.m. You'll find Mimi's at the corner of Franklin and Royal. We'll have a nice line-up for the show, featuring the return of chief Roddy, back after a tour that took him to the west coast.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Just A Little While Ago

Roddy and Dr. John at Handa Wanda in 2007. That's Papa Mali in the Back ground.

Early June

Pete and Yeti rolled with the Uptown Swingers and T.B.C. Brass Band for a minute. The Swingers looked sharp and T.B.C. was hotter than hot. We hooked up with Roddy later and went looking for some action at second and dryades, wasn't nothin' shakin'.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

hey now

Friday, July 17 , 10:00 pm

Indian Rhythm Section at the Dragon's Den

435 Esplanade Ave

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Hey Now

Saturday, July 11, 10:00

Indian Rhythm Section at the HiHo lounge 2239 St. Claude avenue

Monday, June 1, 2009

super sunday 2009

Part of the Rhythm Section rolled with Creole Wild West this past sunday. That's Kerry looking fierce and playing fiercer. There aren't any good pictures of Pete showing up yet. We really got rolling at Orleans and Claiborne. big props to T and Hustleman for rolling in those hundred pound suits.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

3/4 into may

We might have a record deal. Crossed fingers and all... Looks like Indian practice is on at Handa Wanda. Yeti was all up in it last sunday. Roddy, Geechee, and Damon were on it too. Look for it this sunday at 2425 Dryades after the sun goes down.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Halfway Through May

The Indian Rhythm Section is doing it's off season work. We're drafting some new players, and looking at the free agents. It looks like uptown super sunday is going through it's ritual postponement phase. It likely won't happen untill the 31st. It's going to be rough on the guys in suits. We have no plans to back any gang in particular yet. We'll see. Count on us to be there.

A Little Bit About Us

We are the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian Rhythm Section. Formed and led by Eric Boudreaux, known as "Yeti", we are the premier Mardi Gras Indian drummers. Individually or as a unit we have backed nearly every uptown Indian gang. We lay down the propulsive grooves that move the singers and dancers, big chiefs and "spy boys" at carnival. We are the soul of mardi gras.

Yeti came up in the Calliope housing projects which were destroyed by hurricane Katrina and the resulting flood. As children Yeti and his group made Indian suits from cardboard and pieces of real Mardi Gras Indian suits that were worn out and cast off at the end of the season. They played drums made from cardboard boxes, or buckets. On carnival day they would go and meet their counterparts from other parts of the projects; their territories defined by "driveways" like the adult indians territories were defined by streets and neighborhoods. As children they played out the ritual and pageantry with the passion of the generations that came before them.

The Indian Rhythm Section at it's pre-katrina peak could field as many as 15 drummers as it did for the funeral of Allison "Tootie" Montana, chief of chiefs, in 2005. We are the house band at Handa Wanda, which is ground zero for uptown indians, providing the music for the weekly Indian Practice. We are perennial favorites at The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, having played ther every year since 1977. As a group we were the only local act to play twice at the festival this year; once as the Indian Rhythm Section and again as the Black Eagles, with Chief Roddy as leader. in addition to our ensemble playing, individuals from the group played in at least a dozen different shows over the festival's two weeks.

We were chosen as the band to back both the uptown and downtown Indians at the Festival New Orleans produced by A.E.G. in London last year. We also were part of the halftime show, along with the Rebirth Brass Band, when the New Orleans Saints played at Wembley Stadium.