This week Vermilionville will host the Backyard Series: La musique Swamp Pop tonight starting at 6:30 p.m. along with its first Swamp Pop Night featuring Willie Tee & the Cypress Band with Warren Storm this Friday.
The Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism's Backyard Series, a free monthly lecture series focusing on in-depth topics concerning Louisiana's many cultural details, will be held tonight at the Vermilionville Performance Center at 6:30 p.m. The topic for August is Swamp Pop.
While Swamp Pop never particularly caught on outside of South Louisiana and East Texas, its roots in the New Orleans style of R&B along with traditional Cajun, Creole and French Louisiana music in general secure it as a staple of the Acadiana music and cultural scene.
Dr. Shane Bernard, author of Swamp Pop: Cajun and Creole Rhythm and Blues, goes in detail about the evolution of Swamp Pop from its origins in the 1950s and early 60s to how contemporary artists are playing it today.
Swamp Pop pioneers Rod Bernard and Johnnie Allan will also be on hand to discuss their beloved genre and mingle with its fans.
Vermilionville will also host an event complementing the Swamp Pop discussion this Friday with its inaugural Swamp Pop Night featuring a performance from Willie Tee & Cypress Band along with special guest Warren Storm. Doors open at 7 p.m. for this smoke-free, all ages show with music beginning at 8 p.m. Admission is $15 and food and drinks will be available for purchase.
For more information on both events visit Vermilionville's events page here or call 233-4077.