What To Do? Tuesday's Pick: Celebrate Mardi Gras

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

​

Celebrate Mardi Gras @ Various Locations

With the hot flush of underdog love filling everyone's hearts after the Saints' improbable Super Bowl victory (so conveniently close to Mardi Gras!), you can bet there'll be a lotta people pretending to be Big Easy expats on this year's Fat Tuesday. Luckily for these folks, the Crescent City's Dirty Dozen Brass Band marches its legendary jazz-funk parade music through the Independent tonight, with former Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste stirring up his own funky trouble as the opener; if you can't afford round trip tix to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, this is a mighty fine substitute.

A number of clubs are also sharing in the celebration just a few blocks east on Fillmore Street, including Bohemian Knuckleboogie's horn-blaring blues at Rasselas, Black Quarterback's Afro-futurist jams at Yoshi's, and more.

Valencia Street has two venues hosting two different types of Fat Tuesday events: there's a Latin carnaval party featuring Boca do Rio and Forró Brazuca at the Elbo Room, while Amnesia sticks to American soil with the soulful California Honeydrops and the cinematic, Tower-of-Power-meets-Tom-Waits drama of Damon and the Heathens.

Even Ruby Skye gets into the game, with the Jazz Mafia's tuba-honking Brass Mafia ensemble venturing into a club where usually only cologne-soaked DJs dare to tread; when they're done playing, jump directly across the street to Biscuits & Blues, where frequent local performers the Fat Tuesday Band finally get to play on the date for which they're named.

Finally, if you're in the East Bay, head to Ashkenaz for their weekly cajun/zydeco night, today featuring the Creole Belles and Aux Cajunals.

For more Tuesday night recommendations, check out our calendar picks.