TulaneLSU's Top 10 French Quarter street performers February 2020

Dear Friends,

One of the lesser appreciated gifts New Orleans gives the world at Mardi Gras and during the weeks of French Quarter and Jazz Fests is street art. During these weeks, the world's best street performers flock to the French Quarter and dazzle.

I walked nearly 25 miles on Saturday, some of them in the Quarter. It was such a beautiful day, the type of day that makes you grateful to exist. That time walking allows one to collect his thoughts while opening the imagination to the wonders of creation. I think many of our ails could be healed by the discipline of walking.

There are many great months in New Orleans. As our world warms, what has traditionally been a bleak and arctic month has turned into the new November. February has entered my top three months to spend in New Orleans. It used to be one of the worst. This year has not disappointed. Looking at the forecast for next weekend, it again appears we are set for a treat.

While I walked the streets of the French Quarter, I took pictures. I saw many inspiring things. Some other scenes were sad and disheartening, but I shall not dwell on those things. Wasn't it St. Paul who wrote:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

Walking and dwelling on these things, this is the medicine we all need a little more.

TulaneLSU's Top 10 French Quarter street performers, February 2020:

10. Painted flower gifter



My good friend, financial adviser, convenience store guru, and builder, stout, tells me that you have to make a series of very poor decisions to become a painted street performer. That may be the case, but this individual brings class to self paint as street art. The others simply paint themselves and act like clowns. She moves gracefully and returns a gift for donations.

9. Stilted clown



8. Uncle Old Thyme



7. Jumpers



These guys have been doing a show for over a decade. The core of the show is 90s style racial stereotyping comedy, which puts the largely white crowd at rest, as he makes jokes of a philosophy many in the crowd unknowingly have. Because the speaker is black, the crowd thinks it's okay to laugh, and they do. Thirty minutes of tasteless and certainly not PG-rated humor later, the crowd is literally lining up to hand over twenty dollar bills that the collectors shove in plastic bags. It looked like they collected a cool grand for this show. The climax of the show is a two second jump over a few participants, which is hardly visible unless you have a front row seat.

The jokes haven't changed much in a decade and the show is less physical than before. The city should not allow them to block Jackson Square like they do. I have heard some of the leader's amplified obscene jokes even as I sat praying in the Cathedral. They make difficult entry into the real reason -- St. Louis Cathedral -- people are there.

6. Plastic bucket drummers



I saw no less than 10 makeshift drummer bands, all with drummers around the age of 10, this weekend. Hard to argue that it's unhealthy, although, I'm not sure Bourbon St. introduces these children to the best of characters. I saw some sloven drunkards offer them and a tap dancer beer. I made sure the offer was not accepted and corrected the miscreants.

5. Mardi Gras dancer bringing the Gospel



Her moves were clean and her music pointed to Christ, as did the words on her bicycle.

4. Tap dancer



Tap dancers were legion in the Quarter this weekend. This kid was the best I saw. He went furiously for five minutes straight. His passion was as great as mine at the JCC sockhop where I unveiled the NOLA Shuffle in 1996.

3. Magician



I believe his name was Trey and he was quick and entertaining.

2. Magician 2



He's been doing the Jackson Square circuit for a few years and each year his show improves. It's worth watching for 15 minutes when he's on.

1.Mark Riggs




Mark is the consummate street performer. A smile as big as a plate and a gentle manner, he can handle a heckler and gravity as well as anyone. He has been working the New Orleans scene for 24 years. His show of ladder pin balancing and unicycle sword juggling is the best I've seen.

There were so many more performers. Here are just a few others:

11. New Age parade



I don't know if these guys are jokingly marching the Quarter or are serious. There are children involved so I hope it's just for fun. I've seen them marching the last few weekends, so this is an ongoing thing.

12. Balancing Act



I'm seriously considering borrowing this idea and doing this for tips next weekend. It seems simple enough. Perhaps if I include a sign that says, "TulaneLSU needs his F-350 repaired" I might get more money. But I might also get bloodied by my detractors.

13. Riverwalk Gospel singer



She sang the same words for five minutes: There's power in the blood of Jesus. Her voice wasn't the best, but message is always greater than delivery.

14. Another magician



15. Monk gift giver



This fellow was doing everything he could to tie bands around people's wrists. For what purpose?

16. Digusting mobile



I would say it got its just reward in the form of a parking ticket. But it just sat there. The city needs to start towing these guys.

17. City tow trucks


After calling them to have #16 towed from Chartres, I noticed they moved briskly, faster than many police.

18. Snakes on a Segway



19. Street poems



These guys write poems for money. But I like the picture because there are some nice looking hats in it.

20. Rouses band



Jackson Square's reign as the center for street music has slowly slipped as the other performers and people without shelter have moved there. The corner in front of Rouses is almost always hopping.


Friends, I hope you enjoy your week.

Faith, Hope, and Love,
TulaneLSU