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Wednesday, November 11, 2026Nov 11

Critic’s pick: New Orleans Suspects with Paul Barrere, Fred Tackett at Chattanooga’s Riverbend Festival

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new-orleans-suspects-with-paul-barrere-and new-orleans-suspects-with-paul-barrere-and
photo The New Orleans Suspects are, from left, CR Gruver, Jeff Watkins, Reggie Scanlan, Jake Eckert and Mean Willie Green.

Riverbend 2014June 6-14 • 21st Century Waterfront, Chattanooga, TNView in depth coverage

Bonnaroo 2014June 12-15 • Manchester, TNView in depth coverage

If you’re studied up on your musical history, this recommendation is pretty much a no-brainer.

On the one hand, you’ve got The New Orleans Suspects, whom you might remember as the N’awlins-based super group that brought a bit of that city’s distinctive funk to bear on the Scenic City last year as a headliner of the Riverfront Nights concert series.

Think of the Suspects as the Big Easy’s version of The Traveling Wilburys or Velvet Revolver, an all-star ensemble whose members have ties to some of the biggest names in New Orleans music, including The Neville Brothers, Outformation, The Radiators and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Also, some cat named James Brown, who I hear was pretty good.