Doors 7PM Show 8PM
General Admission: $15ADV / $20DOS
Reserved Balcony Seating: $25ADV / $30DOS
Drawing on the traditional jazz heritage of their hometown of New Orleans, the Hot 8 Brass Band are renowned for including elements of funk, hip hop, rap, and its local variation, “bounce” in their music. The collective earned a win in the 64th Annual Grammy Awards 2022 for their feature on John Batiste’s ‘Album of The Year', following the nomination of their ‘The Life & Times Of…’ LP for ‘Best Regional Roots Album’ in 2013.
Transcending genres and trends, Hot 8 have performed and collaborated with the likes of Jon Batiste, Blind Boys of Alabama, Basement Jaxx and Alice Russell, and provided live support for Mos Def, Lauryn Hill and Mary J Blige. Since forming they have established a decade-long affiliation with actor/BBC 6Music DJ Craig Charles, among other tastemakers, DJs and journalists worldwide. After a festive appearance Live at Maida Vale for Lauren Laverne (BBC 6 Music), the Hot 8 Brass Band performed for Jools Holland's annual Hootenanny on BBC Two to welcome in 2019. Later that year, after taking to the stage at the BRIT awards in February, Hot 8 Brass Band were invited on the European leg of George Ezra’s tour.
HISTORY OF HOT 8 BRASS BAND
Inspired early by the music of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band, original bandleader Bennie Pete worked to bring together members of two existing bands at Fortier High School - the Looney Tunes Brass Band and the High Steppers Brass Band – to form Hot 8 Brass Band in 1995. They gained local recognition playing on the streets of their hometown, in Second Line Parades and at traditional Jazz funerals. Cutting their teeth by playing mainly pop/soul cover versions and traditional pieces, they also developed a repertoire of original material.
The release of their first album ‘Rock With The Hot 8’ was impeded by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 as the lives of all band members were heavily impacted and the band’s career progression was put on hold. During this time, Bennie Pete and his bandmembers used their music to support and rally the displaced community, via various charity and community initiatives.
In 2007, multi-instrumentalist and producer Quantic picked up on Hot 8 Brass Band’s cover of “Sexual Healing”. Playing it live at a DJ set in New York, the track gained an unprecedented round of applause and Quantic sent it to Paul Jonas and Robert Luis at Tru Thoughts Records in Brighton, UK. The pair travelled to New Orleans with the intention of meeting and signing the band, beginning a long and ongoing partnership between band and label that started with a reissue of ‘Rock With The Hot 8’.
The success of ‘Rock With The Hot 8’ – including the band’s renowned cover of “Sexual Healing”, as well as the Snoop Dogg cover “What’s My Name (Rock With The Hot 8)” – paved the way for the band’s second album ‘The Life & Times Of.. The Hot 8 Brass Band’. Released in late 2012, the LP was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Regional Roots Music Album. The first in a two-part set of albums, it was closely followed by sister release ‘Tombstone’ in 2013. Hot 8 Brass Band celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2015 with the release of ‘Vicennial’, featuring raucous cover versions and original numbers. This milestone release gained positive coverage from high-profile publications including The Sunday Times, Independent On Sunday, Songlines and Metro.
In 2017, Hot 8 Brass Band celebrated the live music of New Orleans, with a studio album that focused on capturing the spontaneous live energy of their street performances. Gaining the band further media recognition from The Guardian and The Australian, the release followed a sold-out show at London’s Roundhouse and an appearance at Glastonbury Festival. Their midday opening of the West Holts stage attracted the largest crowd in the stage’s history. They went on to play other large festivals and outdoor events including Fuji Rock, Roskilde and WOMAD.
In 2017, Hot 8 Brass Band celebrated the live music of New Orleans, with a studio album that focused on capturing the spontaneous live energy of their street performances. Gaining the band further media recognition from The Guardian and The Australian, the release followed a sold-out show at London’s Roundhouse and an appearance at Glastonbury Festival. Their midday opening of the West Holts stage attracted the largest crowd in the stage’s history. They went on to play other large festivals and outdoor events including Fuji Rock, Roskilde and WOMAD.