What could’ve been a fun night in New Orleans, Louisiana, became memorable for the wrong reasons after a brawl broke out on the street between brass band members and some bar owners and their employees. Apparently, the bar owners grew impatient and annoyed at the Second Line band for hogging the spotlight away from the indoor band they hired to play in their venue. Thus, chaos ensued:
The incident took place in Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, specifically in front of a bar named Favela Chic. Apparently, there was already a prior band that also “disturbed” the bar’s own event inside, and when the second line band came around, the bar owner and employees were having none of it. The white bar employees then confronted the black brass band members, practically shooing them away so as not to disturb the bar’s indoor band and poach the audience. This didn’t end well, of course.
“Guy with the drum started the violence,” points out leave_ur_echochamber
“Bards always choose violence,” jokes maruhchan
It appears the brass band’s drummer laid his hands on one of the bar employees by swatting away his shades from his face. The bar employee then retaliated with punches, and the fight between the two broke out, with other brass band members stepping in, most likely to break up the fight.
Thankfully, the fight didn’t last long, though it’s not clear what kind of agreement or truce was brokered between the bar and the line band. The incident has since sparked a debate about the gentrification of bars in New Orleans, while others have hurled insults at the bar owners, even though the fight was initiated by the band members.
People are Torn About Who’s Right
Turns out people’s opinions on the matter are as loud and chaotic as the brass band’s tunes because many New Orleans locals and frequent tourists swear that parade bands are part of the local culture. Hence, the brass band members felt like they were in the right and didn’t want to yield to the bar owners.
The bar owners, however, were worried that their own audience indoors was getting poached by the Second Line musicians, hence why they asked their employees to shoo them away. But apparently, it’s also common for parade bands and public performers to play in front of other businesses as they have done so for decades. Hence, some New Orleans locals defended the band:
“Why even reside in New Orleans if the culture is a nuisance to you?” questions gomisssparkle
“The brass and jazz bands of New Orleans are very intertwined and are an integral part of the city’s history. When the Axeman of New Orleans offered to stop killing, he didn’t ask for a damn flute player,” says Nadia Symphorien
Others were more diplomatic about their approach, saying that if a line band is causing a nuisance, then perhaps a more peaceful compromise could’ve taken place. Favela Chic could’ve just easily closed their doors to shut the outdoor music out, or maybe even talked to the band properly; meanwhile, perhaps the band members shouldn’t have instigated a fistfight, at least according to a New Orleans local:
“If there was an event going on that the music was interrupting, I’m sure they could’ve settled this a better way. It’s all about how you approach a situation,” suggests downtowntyce
