The 19th annual Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest will be held this year on Friday, May 30th through Sunday, June 1st, 2008 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, New Jersey. While Michael's homegrown festival has always featured a number of Cajun and zydeco performers, this year's musical line-up includes a number of notable blues performers, including Nappy Brown and the phenomenal guitarist Tab Benoit.
Origins of the Crawfish Fest
A displaced native of Baton Rouge, Michael Arnone hosted the first Crawfish Fest in 1989. That first event was a small crawfish boil for 70 friends with 300 pounds of crawdads and a big pot of jambalaya, with musical entertainment by Peach Fish Pie and Bayou Midnight. The festival rapidly grew into a three-day weekend party with thousands of participants. Although the festival still features a lot of delicious food - this year's menu includes boiled Louisiana crawfish, crawfish pie, alligator sausage, shrimp creole, fried chicken, and, of course, jambalaya among its offerings - the festival's musical line-up is every bit as tasty!
Michael Arnone's Crawfish Festival 2008
Although musically the festival has traditionally had a Cajun slant, this year's show features an impressive line-up of top-notch performers covering styles from New Orleans funk and R&B to Cajun and zydeco, as well as roots-rock and blues. The Radiators, the funky Meters, and New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint will headline the festival, while notable blues artists like the Nappy Brown Orchestra, Tab Benoit, Guitar Shorty, and Little Freddie King will also share the stage.
With 36 performances on 4 festival stages, this will be the biggest and best Crawfish Festival yet! Other performers confirmed for this year's festival include:
- Mitch Woods & the Rocket 88s
- Donna The Buffalo
- Keith Frank & the Soileau Zydeco Band
- Roddie Romero & the Hub City All Stars
- Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners
- Bonerama
- Railroad Earth
- Louisiana Red
- Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys
Notable Performers
Singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist, Allen Toussaint is considered an American musical treasure. Toussaint has collaborated with the likes of Elvis Costello, the Meters, Dr. John, Robert Palmer, and Labelle, and as a songwriter, his tunes have been recorded by singers like Irma Thomas, Aaron Neville, Ernie K-Doe, and Lee Dorsey, among others. A dynamic live performer, Toussaint has mixed New Orleans jazz, R&B, and funk into an incredible musical gumbo for over 40 years.
The funky Meters continue the same New Orleans funk tradition that Art Neville had in mind when he formed the original Meters during the early-1970s. Neville, a star of the New Orleans rhythm & blues scene since 1954, and a member of the acclaimed Neville Brothers, fronts a talented group of musicians kicking out the universal sound of funk, R&B, and raucous jams.
Southern blues legend William "Guitar Shorty" Kearney got his start as a teenaged guitarist for the Walter Johnson Orchestra. He recorded his first single in 1957 for Cobra Records, with Otis Rush on second guitar, before touring with the Ray Charles Band. Louisiana legend Guitar Slim hand-picked Kearney to tour as his opening act, and throughout the 1950s and '60s, Guitar Shorty toured with a veritable who's who of blues, R&B, and soul artists, including Sam Cooke, Lowell Fulson, B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, and Otis Rush. Signed to Alligator Records, Guitar Shorty continues to record, winning a Contemporary Blues Album award for his 2007 album, We The People.
Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and living in the New Orleans area, guitarist Tab Benoit has quietly earned a reputation as a skilled six-string technician, talented songwriter, and mesmerizing live performer. Pursuing a unique vision of swamp-blues with healthy Texas blues-styled guitar pyro, and a touch of funk, soul, and country twang, Benoit's albums typically include a mix of original songs and inspired cover material. In the sixteen years since his debut recording, Benoit has released fifteen critically-acclaimed albums and has toured constantly, making him one of the most prolific and hard-working bluesmen in America today.
The King Crawfish Krewe
A special Friday night event will be restricted to campers and King Crawfish Krewe ticket holders and will feature performances by the Radiators, Donna The Buffalo, and Mitch Woods & the Rocket 88s. The limited edition three-day VIP ticket includes all-you-can buffets on Saturday and Sunday, a covered viewing area, and other perks.
The Tipitina's Foundation will host a special VIP party on Sunday, June 1st at the Crawfish Fest, with a portion of the ticket proceeds going to benefit the foundation's work to support the Louisiana music community. The party will include a two-hour buffet of delicious Cajun food.
Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest will also feature booths with Louisiana crafts and glasswork, t-shirts, and African art. Camping is available; for full details on the event, check out the Crawfish Festival website.
