

Raekwon’s voice is as strong as ever, and Ghostface sent chills up the spines of the faithful fans. As more and more members joined - U God, RZA and the GZA - the set was what fans hoped for. Wu-Tang Clan and The Soul Rebels headlined the Congo Stage, providing a true collaboration that can only happen at Jazz Fest.

Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict Her set was a combination of newer material and her hits like “Truth Hurts,” “Good as Hell” and “Juice.” She covered Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop” and part of Coldplay’s “Yellow.” She broke out her flute because “It’s about to get real jazzy in this bitch.” It was everything fans had anticipated and more. She admitted, “I’ve been on tour but, bitch, ain’t nothing like being at Jazz Fest.” Photo Credit: Amy Harris/The Travel Addict She was set to headline fest 20, so the fans really packed in to partake in Lizzo’s performance.

She was a little late starting the set, but admitted to being “hung over as shit” from celebrating her birthday the prior evening with a night out in the French Quarter. Depending on your perspective, the crowds were having a lot of difficulty getting to the stage. She seems to be an icon in the making and it has been a long road to fame for the star. Opening day had a plethora of big-name artists starting with Lizzo who brought out a huge crowd to see her debut performance at the festival. The weather was perfect on Friday with sunshine and a breezy mid-70’s day at the track. It was a glorious start that began Friday. Fans came out in droves to relish many genres of music across 13 stages over three days in the post-pandemic celebration. The 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival kicked off on Friday at the New Orleans Fairgrounds and Racetrack.
