Legendary New Orleans Music Club Tipitina’s Purchased by Galactic
Tipitina’s, one of New Orleans’ most iconic music clubs, has been bought by one of the city’s most revered funk bands, Galactic, according to The New Orleans Advocate, which reported the story on November 30. The band bought the club from Roland Von Kurnatowski, the embattled businessman who has owned it since the 1990s. The deal reportedly closed on Friday, but principals involved in the sale would not comment on the story, according to The Advocate.
The sale means that one of the city’s most venerable music venues will be run by musicians who understand it better than most. Galactic is considered by some to be the club’s house band, having played there for 20 years, including annual Halloween, New Year’s Eve, and Mardi Gras shows.
Founded by local music lovers in 1977 to honor New Orleans luminaries including piano legend Professor Longhair, who penned the club’s namesake song, Tipitina’s has had its ups and downs. Throughout the years the club has hosted local and national acts such as The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, The Meters, and The Radiators, all of whom earned their chops there.
More recently, Von Kurnatowski ran into financial difficulty and faced multiple lawsuits against his business ventures, which also include real estate development and interests in The Orpheum Theater, which he sold. He also had difficulty paying a number of artists, including The Radiators, according to The Advocate.
The sale does not include control over Tipitina’s Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Von Kurnatowski, which provided musical instruments to local schools. Stay tuned for more details.