Trombone Shorty set to hit Festival stage

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will be bringing their blend of blending funk, soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock to the Festival stage today.

The legendary New Orleans band will be joined by the opening act, Big Boi. 

Tickets for the show, which starts at 7:30 p.m., are available.

It was after midnight when Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews stepped offstage at the House of Blues in New Orleans when he had an idea for a new song right after the show. So, Andrews and the band went straight to the studio and recorded it that night.

"We were still sweaty and buzzing from the energy of the gig, and we definitely carried that vibe into the session with us," Shorty said.

When you listen to "Lifted," the group's second release for Blue Note Records, you’ll hear that same ecstatic energy coursing through the entire collection. Recorded at Shorty’s Buckjump Studio with producer Chris Seefried, the album finds the Grammy-nominated NOLA icon and his bandmates tapping into the raw power and exhilarating grooves of their legendary live show, channeling it all into a series of tight, explosive performances that blur the lines between funk, soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock. 

The writing is bold and self-assured, standing up to hard times and loss with grit and determination, and the playing is muscular to match, mixing pop gleam with hip-hop swagger and second-line abandon. Wild as all that may sound, Lifted is still the work of a master craftsman, and the album’s nimble arrangements and judicious use of special guests — from Gary Clark Jr. and Lauren Daigle to the rhythm section from Shorty’s high school marching band — ultimately yields a collection that’s as refined as it is rapturous, one that balances technical virtuosity and emotional release in equal measure as it celebrates music’s primal power to bring us all together.

Shorty began his career at age 4 performing with Bo Diddley at Jazz Fest, has since collaborated with artists across genres, including Pharrell, Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He's performed at major festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo, and has made multiple appearances at the Grammy Awards and the White House.

In New Orleans, Andrews now leads his own Mardi Gras parade and hosts the annual Voodoo Threauxdown shows. He's also taken over the closing set at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

"Lifted" was recorded at Andrews' own Buckjump Studio in New Orleans' Lower Garden District. The album features guest appearances from Gary Clark Jr., Lauren Daigle and the New Breed Brass Band.

The concert is a seated and standing show, meaning the area in front of the stage is general admission and is standing and dancing only.

Early entry and sponsor gates open at 5:45 p.m.; general admission and season pass gates open at 6 p.m. Music begins at 7:30 p.m.

Free parking is available at Sandpoint High School, 410 S. Division and a free SPOT bus shuttle service to and from Memorial Field runs continuously from 4 to 11 p.m.

Information: Festival at Sandpoint, festivalatsandpoint.com