The sounds of New Orleans come to South Main tonight at 8pm as the Oxford American magazine presents the legendary ensemble Dirty Dozen Brass Band at South on Main’

In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, but antiquated, traditions at the time: Social and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to a time when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements.

Brass bands—the earliest predecessors of jazz as we know it—would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges and then, once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant dance tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets.

By the late ’70s, few of either existed. The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band and, over the course of these early gigs, the seven-member ensemble adopted the venue’s name: the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Thirty-five years later, Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world-famous music machine, whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances. They have revitalized the brass band not only in New Orleans, but around the world, progressing from local parties, clubs, baseball games, and festivals in their early years to touring nearly constantly in the U.S. and in over thirty other countries on five continents.

The Dirty Dozen have been featured guests on albums by popular artists including David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Widespread Panic, Modest Mouse, Dave Matthews Band, and The Black Crowes.

Tickets to Dirty Dozen are at http://www.metrotix.com, or by calling (800) 293-5949. All patrons require a ticket for entry. Tickets are general admission and are $25 each. Seating at tables is limited and available on a first-come, first-seated basis when the doors open at 6:00 PM.

No reservations are being taken ahead of time. To ensure the best possible seat, plan to arrive when the doors open. The concert starts at 8:00 PM, with food and drinks available for purchase at that time.