Must-see entertainment in New Orleans

New Orleans has a strong theatrical bent; numerous local theater companies and a few large venues for touring productions frequently stage shows. Student…

Charlie’s is so grungy it could start a band in early '90s Seattle. Acts you’ve likely never heard of (plus some you might know) tromp on the stage,…

The New Orleans Opera rarely causes much of a stir, but remains an important part of the local culture. Productions are held just about anywhere, from the…

Named for New Orleans' own Queen of Gospel, the Mahalia Jackson is one of the city's major main-stage venues. It often features performances ranging from…

The Barrel is roughly the size of its namesake: you can fit perhaps a dozen customers in here without going elbow to elbow. It fits in musicians, too, who…

This old movie house has been around since 1914, and screens independent art films, classics and mainstream releases. One of the finest spots to catch a…

This intimate little art deco–style theater is a joy (ha ha) and hosts acts ranging from comedy to brass band shows to EDM (electronic dance music)…

This small live-performance venue hosts an eclectic mash-up of shows, ranging from live storytelling to bounce DJ nights and from slam poetry to amateur…

This is where the leather-and-denim community meets to rub each other’s stubble. Much more of a locals’ scene than similar spots in the Quarter.

This is the performing arts venue for the University of New Orleans' theater program.

You’d think all manner of vice would be welcome in the Big Easy, but Harrah’s, near the foot of Canal St, doesn’t get much local love. It’s a big casino –…

This classic Tremé dive is a hit-or-miss experience. Great bands play here – Corey Henry and the Treme Brass Band, to name a few – and on some nights the…

While Banks Street Bar is a quintessential neighborhood dive, it’s also renowned as a good place to catch local music seven nights a week. It's famous for…

The Rock 'N' Bowl is a strange combination of bowling alley, deli and huge live-music and dance venue, where patrons get down to New Orleans roots music…

This funky theater shows all kinds of independent and fringe theater shows, but it's best known for its in-house puppet company, which performs with and…

We're unsure what is most interesting at this performance and drinking space inside an art gallery: the art, the music or the patrons. Come for an…

This 5½ story IMAX theater sits beside the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. It shows frequent nature movies and kid-friendly Hollywood blockbusters…

This 5000 seat stadium is the home base of the New Orleans Jesters, the local development soccer league team. It's also immensely popular with the city's…

The screens at this multiplex are small, but if you're without a car in the Quarter or CBD, this is the closest available movie theater. Shows the usual…

True to its name, Rare Form sets itself apart from nearby Frenchmen St music venues by hosting its shows in an outdoor courtyard. Bypass the food, order a…