They were coming to the Twin Cities to trumpet the lingering need for repair to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Now they don't even know if their own houses will be standing by the time they take the stage tonight -- or if they'll even be able to get home Tuesday.
"We're essentially stranded here," said Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, one of a couple dozen musicians scheduled to perform at an invite-only Friends of New Orleans concert tonight at First Avenue in Minneapolis.
The all-star crop of NOLA musicians -- including soul legends Irma Thomas and Marva Wright, members of the Meters, roots-rockers Tab Benoit and Anders Osborne and jazz star Henry Butler -- arrived Sunday after playing in Denver during the Democratic National Convention.
"I just finished fixing up my house from Katrina," drummer Johnny Vidacovich said. "It took me three whole years. And now this happens."
Some of the musicians considered bowing out of the gig, said band manager Reuben Williams, but they realized there was as great a need as ever for their concert here.
"People say we should move our houses to higher ground, but the point is you can't just pick up and move the culture of New Orleans, which is exactly what we were coming here to promote," Williams said.
Other RNC-related parties are altering their plans for Gustav. The Spirits of Minnesota bash scheduled Monday night at Solera has been renamed the Spirits of the Gulf Coast and will be a fundraiser for the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.
Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658
