Loyola University Hosts “Behind the Mask” to Kick Off NOLA Funk Fest, Presents “Pass the Torch” Stage for Third Year in a Row

Big Chief Juan Pardo and four other big chiefs from the city’s Black Masking Indian culture will tell their story through live music, dance and suits on Oct. 16 at Loyola University as the kickoff event to NOLA Funk Fest.

The two-hour event, called “Behind the Mask,” will take place at 7 p.m. at Roussel Hall. WGNO’s LeBron Joseph will moderate “Behind the Mask,” which will provide a rare glimpse into the Indians’ beautiful and secretive tradition, and be filmed for a documentary, said Jonathan McHugh, the Hilton-Baldridge Eminent Scholar/Chair in Music Industry Studies at Loyola.

“We are honored to host the kickoff event for NOLA Funk Fest, and to celebrate an integral part of New Orleans music history,” McHugh said. “And we are excited that Loyola’s film and music programs can help chronicle the Black Masking Indian narrative and its culture bearers as told through stories and songs.”

Now in its third year, NOLA Funk Fest is a three-day music and cultural festival occurring Oct. 17-19 at Spanish Plaza – a change from previous years when the event was held at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

This year’s lineup includes performances from Master P featuring the Soul Rebels, Dumpstaphunk’s tribute to Sly Stone, Galactic with Irma Thomas, Maggie Koerner, Erica Falls & Jelly Joseph, Funky Meters 2.0, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, The Rumble, Erica Falls & Friends and many more.

Loyola’s School of Music and Theatre Professions is sponsoring the “Passing the Torch” stage – one of the three stages at this year’s Funk Fest.

“Loyola is honored to partner with Funk Fest to curate our ‘Passing the Torch’ stage for the third year and now, in its new Spanish Plaza location,” McHugh said. “We are excited to have more than 50 of our student artists and alumni performing at one of the city’s premier festivals.”

NOLA Funk Fest also will feature special tributes, musical revivals, and multigenerational performances that showcase the rich legacy of Louisiana music. Among these are a Masking Indian Village, featuring interactive opportunities to learn more about a cherished and unique fixture of New Orleans culture.

NOLA Funk Fest is a project of the planned Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience, dedicated to preserving and promoting the cultural legacy of the region.

For more information, including three-day and single-day tickets, please visit https://www.nolafunkfest.com/. Tickets to “Behind the Mask” are included in the VIP Packages, and students with a college ID can attend the kickoff event for free.

About the College of Music and Media
The College of Music and Media is comprised of two schools — the School of Music and Theatre Professions and the School of Communication and Design. Students who choose to study in the college prepare for careers in music, theatre, music industry, design, fine art, filmmaking, strategy, mass media and more.