The Shadow People Ep14 - Jazz Fest Highs, Tourist Lows & Why America Looks Bad Abroad

Jazz Fest is over and The Shadow People are back—tired, reflective, and ready to speak on it. In this episode, hosts Derrick Freeman and Nigel Hall share raw, funny, and emotional stories from this year’s Jazz Fest, including a show-stopping set with Nikki Glaspie and their crew at the Maple Leaf. They get personal about sobriety, creative evolution, and what it means to perform with your real-life friends.

But it’s not all love and light—we also get real about the chaotic behavior of out-of-towners, including the now-infamous plaque theft incident at Tipitina’s. Plus: your comments on the Shedeur Sanders Short stirred up some heat, so we read them live and respond in classic Shadow People fashion.

This one goes deep—from musical brotherhood to American arrogance to why playing with your day-one people hits harder than any stadium tour ever could.

🎥 Filmed at Brown Hound Sounds Studio in New Orleans
🎧 Thanks to Crescent Canna
✉️ Contact: [e-mail]

👇 Chapters / Timestamps:

0:00 – Opening disclaimer & sleepy introductions
1:22 – Jazz Fest reflections & gratitude
2:41 – Derrick praises Nigel’s unforgettable performance
4:50 – Singing with Nikki Glaspie & band chemistry
8:15 – Musical roots and deep bonds with longtime friends
11:45 – Why music with friends hits harder
13:50 – Why some musicians won’t be on this podcast
15:00 – Mental health, sobriety, and the podcast’s real mission
17:13 – Derrick’s Jazz Fest misadventures
20:00 – Losing your wife at a gig and finding yourself on Frenchmen
23:40 – Sobriety, gigs, and setting boundaries with promoters
25:40 – Derrick reflects on aging, exhaustion, and grace
27:04 – “Festing in Place” and missing the real Jazz Fest
28:06 – Shoutouts to Jameson Ross & singing drummers
30:00 – A live sip of Crescent Canna’s THC water ("Sexy Zexi")
31:40 – The New Yorker invasion & American behavior breakdown
34:00 – Respecting New Orleans vs. disrespecting the culture
36:00 – The Tipitina’s plaque theft scandal
39:00 – “Be Nice or Leave” and why it matters
40:50 – Tourists vs. humility: how to earn a place in NOLA
42:00 – Rage Fest or Jazz Fest? The cultural identity problem
44:00 – Playing Quincy Jones badly at 4 a.m.
46:00 – America’s image abroad & why we must do better
48:00 – Cultural preservation isn’t optional
50:00 – Closing the episode & looking toward future guests
51:30 – Reading the Shedeur Sanders backlash comments
57:00 – Final thoughts on Shedeur, Deion, and football media bias
1:03:00 – Wrapping up & gratitude for Jazz Fest performers (and slackers)

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