We are honored to announce that the Tipitina’s Foundation is inducting Amoeba Music into The Tipitina’s Foundation Wall of Fame tonight in New Orleans during their annual event, Instruments A Comin’!

The Tipitina's Foundation was founded before Hurricane Katrina (in 2003), and is committed to preserving Louisiana culture and musical heritage. Of course when the storm ravaged most of the city, the need for resources for displaced musicians and a community place became even more crucial. The Tipitina's Foundation continued to serve unemployed musicians, as well as raise money to replace instruments, and keep the spirit of Louisiana culture alive and well and in the hearts of all New Orleans residents.

In 2005, Amoeba began hosting regular charity auctions to raise money for Gulf relief efforts post-Katrina. In addition to the money raised during the auctions themselves, Amoeba has matched the winning bids dollar for dollar, doubling the money for the Tipitina's Foundation. We also share our love for New Orleans with a Mardi Gras party each year, complete with beads and a parade.

Music is an integral part of New Orleans culture and a huge part of the spirit of one of the most beloved American cities. Keeping that spirit alive and thriving is a huge focus of the Tipitina's Foundation and we are humbled and thankful to be a part of that community.

Today happens to be International Jazz Day, and one of the richest American cultural exports is jazz music. American jazz and blues are the foundation of our cultural heritage---so we celebrate that today. 

ALLIGATOR PAH FILEZ GUMBO! TCHOUPITOULAS WHO DAT BOOGALEE? ONCE AGAIN AMOEBA MUSIC MOS’SCOCIOUS, FIXIN’ TO PASS A GOOD TIME DOWN BY THAT OLE BAYOU LOS ANGELEEZ. TRUE DAT, YAT?
From Pan’s lips to our ears, these words of Cajun sacramental blessing ring out through the eons of celebration here at the big easy Amoeba Music, here in the City that Public Transport Forgot. Once again, winter with its cares and sub-70 temps has crept away on little cat feet, Spring has sprung, and as the great mudball we call Terra hurtles in its gyre towards the sun, we mark the turning of the season with a grand fais do-do that is suitable to the season. Before the ashes of Wednesday mark thy brow, toodle thyself down to the great creaking music emporium where the pagans await thee, ready to robe mask and bead thee, wanting only to draw thee into their voodoo jamboree of horns, floats, gumbo and confetti, shiny green gold and purple mylar waving in the southland breeze. Lose thyself in epic indulgence before the self-denial of Lent, followed of course by the rebirth of Bacchus X. Dionysus Ludo, who shall lead us prancing sun-roasted into Summer! It’s Mardi Gras at Amoeba -- ritual madness awaits!

Said weary mylar was resurrected as always from the depths of the Amoeba warehouse, and let shine once more. The Amoeba parish was coated in the sacred colours of purple gold and green, bedecked with more layers of party store finery than a muffuletta sandwitch or an etouffe. We immersed ourselves in the funky backwater sounds of Dr. John, Professor Longhair, the Wild Tchoupitoulas, Preservation Hall, the Meters, Fats Domino, and Lee Dorsey. We lashed ourselves with the fennel rod, donned the goatskin, drank the day’s wine and prepared ourselves for rejoicing!

Celebrate Mardi Gras at Amoeba Hollywood with our annual celebration of Fat Tuesday and New Orleans’ musical legacy on Tuesday, February 21!

Plus, shop at Amoeba Hollywood on Fat Tuesday to help musicians and New Orleans artists! A portion of the day’s proceeds will be donated to the Tipitina’s Foundation in New Orleans. So visit our New Orleans section on Amoeba.com  or pick up some new music and movies at Amoeba Hollywood and help keep the music playing! 

Fat Tuesday festivities will include:

• Amoeba DJs spinning New Orleans party music starting at 3pm
• A photo station on the stage to take a Fat Tuesday picture
• Mardi Gras Gift Bags for kids
• Our home grown parade at 4:30pm with beads and revelry
• Bring your instrument and play "When The Saints Go Marching In" with us
• AND enter to win our Fat Tuesday Grand Prize: 2 tickets to fly to NEW ORLEANS!

All are invited – bring your instrument and join us for the joyful cacophony! 

If you've never been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, read a quick primer on the Mardis Gras Indians. If you've never been to Amoeba on Fat Tuesday, take a look at what you've been missing:

Text by Lauren
Images by Jessica Teller

When Amoeba’s natural tendencies to draw and congregate music and culture from the world over combine with live spectacles, partying, and silly hats, Mardi Gras is effectively in (dis)order. This is exactly what happened on Fat Tuesday! Need more convincing? Do you want more evidence of the fun that was had? Read on, fellow reveler.

The day began as usual, but with an extra fresh scent of king cake and King Terry in the air! DJ Humble Bee was spinning amazing jams ranging from marching band covers of “Sexual Healing” to classic dance joints made for movin’. Then, as the clock struck 4:30, the Amoeba House Band burst through the Jazz room and onto the rock floor, where golden trombones and wee, polished piccolo trumpets blared into the air. Guitars, mandolins, and banjos sang as the drums kept beat, and the clarinet went strolling through the whole march. Cats put on their dancin’ shoes and let the good times roll. Dozens of musicians joined in the parade, including guys and gals from Vaud and the Villians, who positively dazzled onstage later on in the day.

Hundreds watched and experienced the joyous gathering of merrymakers as the spirit of N’awlins was brought to Los Angeles. Out on Sunset Boulevard, people, masks, and floats abounded, all covered in beads and confetti! Friends past and present were celebrating and celebrated, and floats commemorating our friend Lee “Flash” Gordon and Captain Beefheart kept us all close at heart and in spirit. The classic Yellow Submarine made its annual jaunt ‘round the record store in high fashion, as always, and Karen even managed to give beads to passers-by--in the middle of the road, in their cars—naturally.