A Boyband Mardi Gras

Concert Date: February 20, 2023

Location : Convention Center, New Orleans, LA

This past February, I traveled to New Orleans for the first time for Mardi Gras. I felt excited and nervous. I wasn’t not quite sure what to expect. 

The real reason behind my Big Easy trip was  my favorite boybanders: Erik-Michael Estrada of O-Town, Jamie Jones of All-4-One, Ryan Cabrera, Jeff Timmons, Justin Jeffre, and Drew Lachey of 98 Degrees. They were scheduled to perform at the Krewe of Orpheus Mardi Gras Ball. The last time I saw the guys perform was at the Christmas shows in the Buffalo New York area. Also, Joey Fatone of NSYNC and Darren Criss were serving as Monarchs of the Krewe of Orpheus. A great excuse to travel to NOLA! 

I was also happy that my concert friend, Margaret from New York, decided to join me on this trip! 

Chaotic Arrival

I flew in three days before the concert. And my first impression of New Orleans was wow! 

The city was in the midst of Mardi Gras celebration. After I arrived, the uber took almost an hour to get to my hotel. Traffic was significantly backed up. Some roads were closed because of parades. Streets were filled with people heading to Mardi Gras festivities. I ended up walking part of the way. Fortunately, I checked into my hotel safely and intact. I decided to stay in and order takeout.

We stayed at the Sonesta ES Suites in the business district, which was approximately a 5-10 minute walk from the concert venue. The hotel was located further from the French Quarter but we didn’t mind. At least we were away from the noise and crowds.  

Being A NOLA Tourist

On Saturday morning, after Margaret  arrived, we decided to  explore the touristy spots of New Orleans. We visited  Jackson Square and Bourbon Street (no we didn’t stop for drinks). We also walked around the French Quarter where we watched some street performers. We then explored some Flea markets along the Colonnade. On Sunday, we ventured out to the Garden District and saw gorgeous mansions.  

During the day, we found the city not too crowded so we were able to make our way around the city. Majority of New Orleans is very walkable. The city only became crowded in the later afternoon when the parades started. That’s when we had to make detours.  And there were so many parades! More than I’ve seen in Disney theme parks! 
We also got really lucky with the weather. It hardly rained in New Orleans. Also it wasn’t too hot and not too cold (at least by our NorthEasterners’ standpoint). 

Along the way, we ate delicious  food   New Orleans is known for. We definitely stopped  for some beignets at Cafe Beignet. They were scrumptious and worth the long liner! We devoured every bit. We purposely made reservations at Emeril’s restaurant, Meril.  We also enjoyed Creole food at Top Chef Nina Compton’s restaurant. Her goat curry with gnocchi was so comforting. We did have to wait two hours. But we didn’t mind. The restaurant had a huge window where we had a full view of the Mardi Gras Parade . So we benefited from a free show of the Krewe of Endymion Parade which saluted  poets. 

Preparing For The Concert

The day of the concert, Margaret and I decided to take it easy since we knew we were going to be up and dancing all night. In preparation for the festivities, we took an afternoon nap after lunch and drank a huge cup of coffee before heading to the party. 

Since this was a formal ball, we dressed to the nines! Though we both opted for flat shoes knowing we’d be standing most of the night. 

Krewe of Orpheus Ball 

The Krewe of Orpheus of Ball took place at the New Orleans Convention Ernest N. Morial Center. The convention center is huge and definitely large enough to hold both a  party and a parade!

Fortunately we got a table close to the pathway of the parade. We did experience a snafu while at the party. We found out that the party was not serving any FOOD! Unless you were a VIP. We were completely thrown off. What party does not provide food? Especially when tickets were at a high price and it was going till 3 am?!  We ended up getting pizza close by which was fortunately delicious and filling! We did not let this snafu ruin our night. 

Luckily, the parade lifted our spirits by delivering energy and excitement that we put aside the food incident. 

This was the first time I ever saw an indoor parade! The  floats were so colorful and elaborate! And there were so many! Beads were being thrown everywhere! I felt like the parade wasn’t going to end.  We saw 98 Degrees, Erik, and Jamie ride in one float, throwing beads. We shouted their names in trying to get their attention! Joey and Darren came on separate floats.

The Concert

The concert began after the parade finished. Since the concert section was a general standing format, Margaret and I managed to maneuver our way to the front so we could get a full view of the stage. And I’m glad we did! We were close up to the stage and saw the boys clearly with a huge crowd behind us. Erik even recognized us and was in total shock we were there! 

Photo Courtesy of Margaret Wahl

The guys’ vocal harmonies sounded amazing as usual. The guys clearly put their hearts and souls into the performances. Also their choreography and synergy thanks to Lea Lachey (Drew’s wife) was on point. And despite the screaming crowd, we were able to hear them sing clearly. (also helped we were in the front) 

The setlist included a combination of All 4 One, 98 Degrees and O-Town songs. They sang Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche), I Swear, All Or Nothing,and I Can Love You Like That. My favorite performance was definitely I Do (Cherish You) and The Hardest Thing because Jeff sang Nick’s solo parts. Jeff’s vocals were a fine substitute as was Jamie and Drew’s.

Ryan sang his two hits “All the Way Down” and “True” and definitely gave his all.  Always love his guitar playing. Drew actually joined him on “All The Way Down”. It was a very TRL moment!

Joey Fatone’s performances really impressed me. It was the first time I saw him sing as a solo act. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Last time I saw him onstage was at NSYNC’s No Strings Attached Tour and a 2021 LA Fundraiser with Lance Bass, Nick Carter and AJ Mclean. But, Joey is a true showman.  I really enjoyed his jazzy version of NSYNC’s Tearin’ Up My Heart. Of course he performed Pop and Bye Bye Bye. He even did a “grudging” performance of BSB's "I Want It That Way. Darren Criss played his guitar in the background. Joey just had so much energy and really connected with the crowd as he moved around the stage. 

Overall, New Orleans was a crazy fun adventure! The Krewe of Orpheus Ball was non-stop joyous entertainment. I was surprised Margaret and I were not tired at all when we returned to the hotel.  I recommend visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras at least once and take time to explore the city. Also definitely take lots of rest and eat before the ball.