Downtown Lafayette Unlimited and Downtown Alive! presenting sponsor Evangeline Maid will premiere the second DTA! House Session virtual concert—starring Zydeco musician Horace Trahan—on Friday evening at 7:00 PM.
The DTA! House Sessions are a series of virtual Friday night concerts that aim to bring the music of local musicians into the homes of people across Acadiana. The main goal of the DTA! House Sessions series is to raise money for Downtown Alive! musicians and others who have lost out on income due to canceled gigs. The live videos also provide a source of entertainment and community connection for Acadiana residents confined at home during the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
The DTA! House Sessions series began on Friday, March 27 with a performance by Lane Mack that had over 4,000 people tune-in on Facebook alone. This Friday’s broadcast featuring Horace Trahan will be the second in the series that the organizers of Downtown Alive! plan to do each Friday night as Acadiana shelters in place. Two more House Session broadcasts are planned so far, with Louis Michot of Lost Bayou Ramblers to play on Friday, April 10 and Corey Ledet, a.k.a. the, “Accordion Dragon” who will perform on Friday, April 17.
The second DTA! House Session will feature a live performance by Horace Trahan this Friday, April 3, at 7:00 PM. The performance will be broadcast via the Downtown Alive! Facebook page as a live video and will be shared on the Downtown Lafayette website and social media channels following the livestream. The live stream will also be broadcast on AOC 1 (LUS 3 or COX 15). Audience members are encouraged to leave tips for Horace and his band or purchase DTA! Merchandise (of which a portion of sales will go to local musicians).
“Downtown Alive! is a cultural institution in the Lafayette and Acadiana community,” said Anita Begnaud, CEO of Downtown Lafayette Unlimited and the Downtown Development Authority. “We were bummed to cancel the Spring season of DTA!, but our non-profit organization has pivoted to providing support for Downtown businesses and musicians who are suffering during these unprecedented times.”
“Providing an outlet for the community to ‘come together’ using social media to support our local musicians and enjoy some incredible music is the least we can do right now to help keep the community united.”
Downtown Alive! presenting sponsor, Evangeline Maid has also gotten involved by pledging to donate coveted Evangeline Maid gear to audience members who donate or tip during the live feed. In order to win, viewers must send a message to the Downtown Alive! Facebook page verifying their contribution, and the first three to do so will receive an Evangeline Maid hat or T-shirt as a reward for their support of local musicians.
DDA encourages the community to make it a family event by gathering around the phone screen, laptop, computer, or TV screen where the live feed can be cast. Tune-in at 7:00 PM on Friday night and enjoy the unrivaled Zydeco party sounds of Horace Trahan!
Where to watch: www.facebook.com/events/243390586799264/
