Final Four Weekend, Finally!

Ok, so if you didn’t catch our last post, we mentioned how New Orleans is just too easy to love. Well, for the life of us, we can’t think of another way to start off this new post except by reiterating, that seriously, New Orleans is just too easy to love. And then remind you that literally, it’s incredibly, too easy.

We just couldn’t be happier to be hosting the Final Four as we round out March Madness this weekend. New Orleans actually feels an extra sense of connectedness with March Madness as we believe that if college basketball didn’t exist, New Orleans likely would have coined the term March Madness for itself – because when Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day both fall in March, we’re quite certain there’s no place madder (in the best sense of the word, of course).

So this whole weekend, we will be welcoming Kentucky (who’s new state motto is apparently: Occupy Nola), Kansas, Ohio, Louisville and orphaned college basketball fans from across the US to our great city. And until the beginning of this week, LOC was 100% dedicated to showing each and every one of you why this city is so amazing. That was until The Big Dance Concert Series was announced on Monday and caused everyone at LOC to be like… whaaaaaaaaaaa? So, we’re sorry outta towners, but we’re gunna be kinda busy this weekend, like, enjoying ourselves.

But calm down, don’t think that you’re going to drown in Bourbon juice on Bourbon Street just because us trained lifeguards won’t be watching over you. Follow our suggestions in this post, as well as our visitor’s checklist (aka the previous post) to get the most out of this fabulous weekend in Nola.

So we actually finished retyping up the whole weekend’s schedule on this post, but it became annoying and redundant so we’re going to refer you to this site: http://www.ncaa.com/info/basketball-men/d1/schedule if you need super intense information. We’re guessing that if you’re in town for all the basketball events this weekend that you are already aware of all the basketball events this weekend.

At LOC, we’re more concerned about The Bands, The Tailgates, The Partying, and finding a bar for The Games.

The Bands:

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will each have their respective concerts at Woldenberg Park (the huge area on the Riverwalk, in the French Quarter). We’ll be there each and every day and we think you should be too.

Friday from 4-10pm kicks off the first of three completely opposite concerts with Cowboy Mouth at 6:15pm and KISS at 8:30pm.

We’re currently a little confused as to why no one we know is royally taking advantage of going to see this concert tonight. Let’s review: it’s KISS, it’s FREE, and for a city that's well versed in dressing up in flamboyant costumes for just about anything, KISS should hold a special place in our hearts. And it isn’t truer in anywhere than in Nola that… “We like to rock and roll all night… and part…of… everyday…”

Saturday things are running earlier from11am – 430pm with opening act Artic Monkeys and headliner The Black Keys. LOC is super pumped for this concert because after seeing them at Hangout Fest last year, we know that The Black Keys “get us”. Because in Nola… “we wanted love… but we needed alcohol… most of all…”

Sunday rounds things off on a lullaby-high from 3-10pm with Jimmy Buffet reminding us that life in Nola is best when enjoyed carefree and relaxed (or as we like to say: Big and Easy). And this seems to be particularly easy for us in Nola when we’re… “Wasted… away… again… on Margaritas…”

The Tailgates:

Before the games on Saturday and Monday there will be “Tip-Off Tailgates” at Champions Square (in the CBD across from Superdome). We will be there and we suggest joining us. We also suggest drinking beforehand, as any beer ever purchased in Champions Square has been notoriously overpriced.

Saturday:

*      1:00 p.m. Tailgate opens to the public
*      1:30-2:15 p.m. DJ. Scotty B
*      2:30-3:15 p.m. Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
*      3:15-4:15 p.m. Pep Rally featuring Final Four teams

Monday:

*      4:00 p.m. Tailgate opens to the public
*      4:20-5:15 p.m. Musical Act No. 1
*      5:15-5:55 p.m. Pep Rally
*      6:15-7:00 p.m. Better Than Ezra

The Partying:

You really won’t have to worry too much about finding a place to party in the city this weekend. As if we didn’t have enough bars to keep everyone occupied, the Final Four is producing a plethora of additional alcohol-consuming events to attend. And let’s not forget that you can drink in the street – so you can literally have a beer in your hand/pocket/purse at any given moment. Thus, you have no excuses. And if for some reason you find yourself creating an incredibly inaccurate excuse as to why you cannot find a fun place to party, Stop! Right there! Don’t Move! Pull that beer out of your hand/pocket/purse. Drink it! Don’t move! Drink it all! Right there! There ya go, you are currently standing in the best place to party in the city. Way to go, champ!

(But if necessary, please refer to our previous post which provides a checklist of things to do in New Orleans, complete with fun bars to go to. Or ask the drunk person standing next to you what he did to achieve his current blissful state. )

The Games:

Saturday: Semifinals 5 & 730pm

Monday: National Championship 8pm

Note: for the fans of the teams, these restaurants will serve as home base away from home this weekend:

• Kentucky at Huck Finn's Cafe in the French Quarter
• Louisville at Lucy's on Tchoupitoulas
• Ohio State at Poppy's in Spanish Plaza
• Kansas at Crazy Lobster in Spanish Plaza

However, we have no idea where/how this was decided - so don’t become dependent on making it to these bars, go where the wind takes you and/or where you see 50+ people in your college’s colors in the French Quarter and your guaranteed to have yourself good time.

LOC will probably be posting up somewhere uptown on Magazine Street, away from all you psychos. That is unless we drunkenly accidentally purchase an allegiance-producing-t-shirt at some point throughout the weekend. Which in reality, isn't all that unlikely. Because we like being psychos as much as the next guy.

So go get ‘em college basketball fans! We’re glad to host you this weekend! Just remember to tell everyone what a fabulous time you had when you return home… and don’t let whether your team won or lost determine your everlasting sentiment toward New Orleans. That is unless you’re the newly crowned National Champions, in which case you should attribute all of these wonderful feelings to our city... and of course to LoveOurCityNola…

“Laissez les bon temps rouler”

          - LOC Alums from schools that aren’t good at basketball.

PS: to all y’all cream of the crop basketball players in town this weekend. We extend our warmest welcome and really, really hope that you enjoy your time here. Because we would like for you to come back here and play for the Hornets. Like, tomorrow.