Cajun Music in Louisiana

A fiddle scratches out a sweet wail in a sweatbox dance hall. The wheeze of a button accordion adds a waltzing rhythm. These are the beginning bars of Cajun music, the aural legacy of rural southern Louisiana. It’s a soundtrack that can alternately move you to tears or intense dancing (and sometimes both) in the space of a few bars.

Who are the Cajuns?

Many people think the terms ‘Cajun’ and ‘Creole’ are interchangeable, but they actually refer to two distinct populations. In Louisiana, Creoles are either the descendants of 18th-century French and Spanish colonists, or racial mixes of African Americans, white Louisianans, and sometimes, Native Americans. The Cajuns, on the other hand, descend from Francophone refugees who fled the maritime provinces of Canada after they were conquered by Britain during the Seven Years’ War (also known as the French and Indian War).

These maritime provinces (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia) were, under French rule, known as Acadie, and the refugees deemed themselves Acadiens (Acadians). A homeless population of Acadians searched for a place to settle for decades until seven boatloads of exiles arrived in New Orleans in 1785. By the early 19th century, some 3000 to 4000 Acadians, or Cajuns as they became known, lived in southern Louisiana. Some farmed rice, some worked crops and livestock on the prairies, and some occupied the swampland, where they eked out a living based on fishing and trapping.

Cajun vs. Zydeco

Cajun music tends to be built around a fiddle and accordion; modern ensembles often add a bass and rhythm guitar, and sometimes a drum set. Traditional songs address subjects such as frontier life, death, love, and even the supernatural. For example, the Cajun classic Hippy To-Yo tells a story of ghost dogs.

Zydeco, conversely, merges Cajun instrumentation and techniques with African-influenced beats and rhythms. Ensembles originally comprised a fiddle, diatonic button accordion, guitars, and a triangle, with the rhythm section usually including a frottoir: a metal washboard-like instrument that’s worn like armor and played with spoons. Consequently, the end result is a genre of music made for dancing.

Where to Hear Cajun Music in New Orleans

Cajun music pops off in New Orleans here and there, but the most consistent show in town is at the Rock ‘n’ Bowl. On Thursday nights, this bowling alley-turned-main-stage-venue hosts a zydeco act that’s been consistently wowing audiences for years. Patrons flow in from across the city and suburban parishes to engage in a massive dance party; when your feet wear out, you can hit the bowling lanes.

Mulate’s restaurant in the Warehouse District isn’t exactly a hole in the wall with sawdust on the floor; the sort of place many picture when they imagine a Cajun dance hall. Despite the tourist-y vibe, you can catch live Cajun music here any night of the week.

The other sure shot means of hearing zydeco and Cajun music in New Orleans is during Jazz Fest. This is the city’s iconic music festival, and one stage – the Fais Do-Do stage – is a nonstop showcase of the best of Louisiana’s Cajun and zydeco sound. Consequently, locals tend to flock to the Fais Do-Do stage as it often serves as a respite from the larger main stages, with dancing always in abundance.

Lafayette, Breaux Bridge & Henderson

About three hours west of New Orleans lies the city of Lafayette, which is the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun country. Lafayette and nearby Breaux Bridge feature several excellent venues for Cajun music, but by far the most famous is the Blue Moon Saloon. Check the website for Cajun music events, as the lineup is often eclectic. Regardless of what’s playing, a show here is always a winning proposition.

La Poussiere provides a more traditional Cajun dance hall experience (and attracts an older crowd), reeling in audiences for over five decades. Randol’s is a seafood restaurant and dance hall combo that hosts Cajun bands seven nights a week. Be prepared to get up and dance or have your excuses ready.

In the Cajun Prairie

North of Interstate 10, bayous and swamps give way to grasslands, prairies, and, yes, dancing cowboys. The small towns of Opelousas, Eunice, and Mamou are a hotbed of Cajun and zydeco music, featuring museums, radio shows, and venues dedicated to the genre. The ideal time to visit all three communities is Saturday, when you can enjoy a live show at Fred’s Lounge, follow it with the Cajun jam at the Savoy Music Center in Eunice, explore the local museums, and dance the night away in Opelousas.

Fred’s Lounge, Mamou

On Saturday mornings, this smoky bar hosts a packed Cajun music concert that draws crowds from across the state, many of whom speak Louisiana French as a second, if not first, language. Doors open around 9 am, and shortly after, attendees are dancing to boot. Therefore, it’s a step back in time; a reminder that for all Louisiana is a part of the USA, the Cajun frontier is very much its own entity. Fred’s Lounge is located at 420 6th St in Mamou; the music usually wraps around 1:30 pm.

Eunice

Saturday is also the day to head into Eunice, a short drive south of Mamou, where the Savoy Music Center, an accordion factory and shop, hosts a Cajun-music jam from 9 am to noon. Anyone can join in, although be warned: only one triangle player is permitted to jam at a time. The shop sells Cajun music CDs and instruments.

After the jam, learn more about Cajun instruments and famous players at the Cajun Music Hall of Fame and the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center. The latter holds a Cajun French demonstration at 1 pm on Saturdays, as well as a music, food, and culture demonstration at 2:45 pm and 4 pm.

When Saturday evening rolls around, it’s time for the ‘Grand Ole Opry’ of Cajun music. At the Liberty Theater, locals gather to dance in front of the stage where a variety of bands play for the broadcast of Rendez-vous des Cajuns, a live musical variety show aired on local radio starting at 6 pm.

This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2018.