New Orleans · Nightlife

726 St Peter Street in the French Quarter: traditional New Orleans jazz played acoustically in a small room, several short sets a night from around 5pm, roughly 360 nights a year, drawn from a collective of 50-plus local players. Reserve through the venue's calendar — walk-up space is limited.

618 Frenchmen Street, open daily 6pm–1am and from 2pm on Saturdays. Live music most nights plus a beer and whiskey list that is reason enough to arrive before the band; cover depends on the act.

623 Frenchmen Street in Faubourg Marigny, open 2pm–2am daily. Trad jazz, blues, funk and klezmer in a room about the size of a living room; strictly 21+ with a US photo ID or foreign passport (photos of IDs are refused) and a one-drink minimum. Go early or expect to stand.

501 Napoleon Ave uptown, a ride out from the Quarter. Touring and local acts across brass, funk and rock, plus a Free Friday Concert Series that is the cheapest good night out in the city.

8316 Oak Street uptown, one of the city's longest continuously running live-music rooms, with something on most nights: rotating local line-ups Tuesdays, an organ-led Wednesday with Joe Ashlar and Stanton Moore, and Josh Paxton's Booker & Beyond on Thursdays.