Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews may perform for thousands of fans around the world at festivals and international locations, but he still delivers great shows at small hometown venues.
It’s all the same for Andrews, whose band Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will perform at Tipitina’s in New Orleans on Sunday.
“We’re just playing music,” Andrews said. “When I hit the stage, I already see Tipitina’s as being the Super Dome.”
Sunday’s performance marks the sixth time the band has headlined the annual Trombone Shorty’s Bacchus Bash. The show takes place just before the band leaves for Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Spain.
But first, Andrews will take perhaps his biggest stage yet: the White House. The D.C. concert on Feb. 21 will celebrate Black History Month. Other renowned musicians on the bill include B.B. King, Jeff Beck and Mick Jagger.
“I’m excited to perform at one of the most prestigious shows I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.
The New Orleans native is no stranger to big shows. One of the largest shows Andrews recalls was the crowd of between 600,000 and 800,000 spectators he played for with Lenny Kravitz at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He also performed with world-famous acts like U2 and Green Day at the re-opening of the Super Dome in 2006, and he recently performed the national anthem at the Giants-Falcons NFL playoff game.
Though he’s familiar with high-profile shows, Andrews said New Orleans will always require his A-game.
“If we play somewhere else and the night before and we thought we played a good show, we’ll have to out-do that when we get to New Orleans,” Andrews said. “The most important thing about [the city] is that New Orleans won’t lie to you. If you suck, you suck and they’ll let you know.”
The city is also supportive. He said the area often buzzes about the band’s upcoming shows and draws a large crowd.
“Everybody’s following what we’re doing,” he said. “It’s a great honor to be followed by the city, my hometown.”
While Andrews approaches each performance similarly, some places are especially memorable.
“Japan is at the top of the list right now,” Andrews said. “The people really react and are really attentive to the music. I could move my foot a certain way and they would jump in awe.”
Andrews said his identity as a musician remains the same despite the growth in popularity.
“People are starting to catch on to what we’re doing, which is an amazing blessing,” Andrews said. “We’re doing what we’ve been doing for years.”
What his band has been doing is unique, mixing elements of funk, rock, jazz and even rap. But Andrews believes his band still has a long journey ahead.
“The beginning hasn’t begun,” Andrews said. “We’re just getting started in my head. We’re doing well and a lot of people are coming to support us but there are still some more levels we have to go to. That’s what we’re working toward — getting better as musicians and bringing New Orleans music to another level.”
 
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Contact Austen Krantz at [email protected]