“It’s a Mardi Gras experience that hangs around all year long, a funky, feather rufflin’ extravaganza good for second line strutting no matter the season.” – No Depression

New Orleans’ GRAMMY-nominated supergroup The Rumble is more than just a band — it’s an opportunity to be immersed in a wholly unique facet of New Orleans culture. Composed of Second Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr. of the Golden Eagles, trumpeter Aurélien Barnes, trombonist José Maize Jr., bassist TJ Norris, guitarist Ari Teitel, keyboardist Andriu Yanovski, and drummer Trenton O’Neal, they fuse iconic New Orleans funk in the vein of The Meters and The Neville Brothers with electrifying brass and the singular visual splendor of the Black Masking carnival tradition. The Rumble’s recent album, Stories from the Battlefield, received a GRAMMY nomination for “Best Regional Roots Album 2025.” Their live show is a symphony of rich colour and propulsive sound, with each member sharing vocal duties and engaging the audience in the classic Mardi Gras Native-American-style call-and response chanting.

Formed in July 2023, the James Vickers Band is an up-and-coming, blues-rocking collective based in Nanaimo. Their first eponymous EP released in 2024, with a full album coming soon. Led by 15-year-old Gitxaala, Heiltsuk, Haida Nations and UK rising star, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter James Vickers, this stellar band includes guitarist Carson Maertz, drummer Sara Varro, and bassist Rick Becker. Vickers made his public stage debut at age eleven and has since gone on to perform at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January 2024. He has also opened for the legendary Jim Byrnes, Crystal Shawanda, and Wide Mouth Mason. Last presented by the Victoria Jazz Society at Harbour Blues ‘n Roots Festival 2025 in an outdoor performance that floored audiences, James Vickers now returns to open for The Rumble in Bullen Park!