We got your weekend: The sound of music…and then some

Join poet Ed Skoog and his former NOCAA students at Room 220’s Wednesday Poetry Happy Hour.

Wednesday / ConVERS(E)ation and cocktails : Room 220 invites the public to join them for cocktails, discussion, and verse, with readings from special guest-poet Ed Skoog, author of poetry collections Mister Skylight and Rough Day. Skoog will be joined by a varied compilation of his former NOCAA students, including: several poets, an author, a teacher, a cook, and a mystery guest — all of whom will also present. The event is free and open to the public; donations encouraged.

The event will be held from 7 – 9 PM at Press Street headquarters (3718 St. Claude).

Wednesday & Thursday / It’s not work if you enjoy it : The Marigny Opera House (725 St. Ferdinand) hosts the world-premiere of LABOR: Songs for Unmaking a Living, an original compilation of songs in the American popular canon presented through nine distinct perspectives aimed at illuminating and challenging our expectations about the ways we both shape and are shaped by our vocations. The show, created by New Orleans-based composer Tucker Fuller and poet Megan Levad, will be performed by performed by the New Resonance Orchestra. Tickets are $20 ($10 for students).

Wednesday & Thursday / Let me show you what country is : Like some sort of riddle (i.e. What do Phish, Allen Toussaint , and Christina Aguilera have in common?) the Jazz Fest lineup typically errs towards random. However, one musical genre that consistently remains untapped is country.

If this years Jazz Fest’s lineup of VH-1 reruns has you seeking some mediating variety between weekends, don’t miss the three-day Country Fest (real Americana country, not Taylor Swift) at the Allways Lounge (2240 St. Claude) that began yesterday. Long-timers and up-and-comers, alike, will perform, including Lost in the Holler and Square Dance Modern on Wednesday and Lee Walker and The Good Gollies on Thursday. Both sets begin at 8:30 PM.

The show must go on: The official Jazz Fest shows at the Fairgrounds end early-evening, but that doesn’t mean we all throw on sweats, flip on Netflix, and retire at home for the night. So if you’re festin’ after-hours…

• Wednesday – Sunday: Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse is not only aware of the post-Fest crowd; they’re also keenly familiar with the early wave of Jazz Festers who are in need of a musical relocation by 5 PM. Subsequently, they will be offering After Dark concerts, a (naturally) jazzy selection of evening and night shows, all geared to fit Jazz Fest after-plans of all sorts. Through Sunday, the Playhouse will be hosting regular post-Fest (8 PM) and almost-post-Fest (5 PM) jazz shows, which will include performances by the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys, Leon “Kid Chocolate Brown,” the Mumbles, and more. For the earlybirds, drinks will be offered through 7 PM at the $5 Playhour price. $15 cover (at the door) Wednesday; free and open to the public all other nights.

Thursday evening, catch a Trombone Shorty performance and support local musical programming for the youth.

Click here for a complete lineup.

• Thursday: Jazz Fest has likely done you good; now, you can do some good too. The second-annual concert, Shorty Fest 2014, held by The Trombone Shorty Foundation from 8 PM – 12:3- AM at Generations Hall (310 Andrew Higgings Hall), will support local youth music performances and programs. The benefit concert, which will include three stages of performances by local up-and-coming music students, will be headlined byTrombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue. Guest artists including Soul Rebels, Original Pinettes Brass Band, New Breed Brass Band, and special performance by the Trombone Shorty Academy with Music Directors “Big Chief” Donald Harrison, Jr. and Detroit Brooks, and special guest Dr. Lonnie Smith on the Hammond B3 organ.

Tickets start at $45 for general admission ($55 at the door).

• Friday: Finally home from a lengthy tour, Mississippi Rail Company returns to NOLA for a special post-Fest show at Gasa Gasa (4920 Freret Street). Featuring an opening act from Lost Bayou Ramblers, an additional 3-piece horn section, and new material, this musical after-party will not disappoint.

The show starts at 9 PM — which allows you enough time to catch the last Jazz Fest acts and still hail a cab Uptown. Tickets ($13) available here. The show starts at 9 PM.

For more after-Fest highlights, check out our Post-Fest show guide.

Twelve Mile Limit will hold a trivia event for Star Wars nerds Sunday night.

Sunday /Let the force be with you : Unless you’re Superfester (NOLA’s version of Superman, whose only Kryptanite is (non-Lundi Gras) Monday mornings), you’ll likely need both superpowers and some solid vegetative time to make it through Sunday evening.

As part of their weekly pub quiz, in conjunction with Geeks Who Drink, Twelve Mile Limit (500 S. Telemachus) presents the Star Wars installment, starting at 6 PM. Trivia will cover the original trilogy — Episodes IV, V, VI (for geekily inquiring minds: No, comics, video game material, or prequel facts will be included in the trivia). $5 admission (at the door) for each player. Teams of two to six players; the winning team wins the entire entry-fee pot (usually in the hundreds). As with all Geeks Who Drink trivia quizzes, participants are encouraged to dress to theme.

Chelsea Lee is associate editor at NolaVie. Email comments to her at chelsea@nolavie.com.