(Photo from jxn.ms)
- Crawfish season in Mississippi signals the shift into warmer weather, longer days and weekends spent outdoors.
If there’s anything that can cure the winter blues, it’s the smell of crawfish boiling. That scent alone brings with it the promise of spring. It’s good eating and, like any good party, you’ll need some music to go along with it.
Crawfish season in Mississippi signals the shift into warmer weather, longer days and weekends spent outdoors. This year, Cathead Distillery is marking the season with a five-date Spring Crawfish Boil Series.
Beginning Saturday, February 28 and continuing March 7, March 14, April 4, and April 18, the distillery (located at 422 S Farish Street in the heart of downtown Jackson) will host all-day boils from 12 to 9 p.m., with live music starting at 2 p.m. The events are free and open to the public, with crawfish available pay-by-the-plate.
This year’s music lineup is a strong one. Spotlighting Mississippi musicians, this is certainly worthy of pulling out your calendar and marking the dates. You won’t want to miss a single show.
Kicking off the season on February 28 is the Cary Hudson Band. Cary began his career as a singer/songwriter when his band placed third at the Sumrall High School Talent Show in 1980. He played in The Hilltops in Oxford throughout the 80s with John Stirratt (currently bassist with Wilco). The band called it quits in 1990, and Cary moved to Los Angeles with John’s twin sister, Laurie, in 1990. He returned to Oxford in 1992, touring nationally with Blue Mountain, and signed with Roadrunner Records before starting his own label, Black Dog Records, with Laurie. Blue Mountain toured the U.S. and Europe through February 2013.
Cary has won numerous awards and has recorded several successful albums. He’ll bring his own unique sound to Cathead with his Cary Hudson Band.
The Eric Deaton Trio will bring the blues to Jackson on March 7. Eric moved to Mississippi from North Carolina after graduating high school. He apprenticed with Junior Kimbrough, RL Burnside, and other masters of the hypnotic, backwoods strain of blues and has become a torchbearer of the North Mississippi Hill Country blues tradition. He interprets his electric juke joint upbringing with unexpected dashes of psychedelic funk, East Indian sitar drones, and nods to the blues’ West African roots.
Eric has performed and recorded with artists including The Black Keys, Hank Williams Jr., Jimbo Mathus, T-Model Ford, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, the North Mississippi Allstars, and many more.
Davis Coen’s music is described as “twangy country – bluesy roots.” His newest album, Live at Proud Larry’s, is compiled from multiple shows at the iconic Oxford music venue.
Next up is That Bad Band, formerly known as Bad Bongo, they now call themselves simply, That Bad. The Lafayette, Louisiana band will bring their eclectic jazz fusion sound to Cathead on April 4, just in time to usher in Easter.
They released their first single in 2021 and have already wowed audiences around the southeast with their diverse blend of genres including jazz, rock, soul, funk, R&B, and more. Their dedication to their craft and pushing boundaries has made That Bad a force to be reckoned with.
Wrapping up the series on April 18 will be Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies. Joe Austin hails from Pontotoc, Mississippi and he was immersed in music from an early age. Blues, Gospel harmonies in church, and “finger pickin’” on the front porch with family and friends. Joe learned to pick from his grandfather, one of the first crop dusters in the state. Joe learned to fiddle and began to find his niche.
After living and playing music in Nashville, Memphis, and Texas, he returned to Mississippi and now lives in Oxford, where he is working on his first full-length album with his band, The Tallahatchies.
Once again, put these dates in your calendar. Crawfish, adult beverages, and live music is a fine way to usher in spring.
February 28 – Cary Hudson Band
March 7: Eric Keaton Trio
March 14: Davis Coen Band
April 4: That Bad Band
April 18: Joe Austin & The Tallahatchies
Beyond the food, the series underscores how Cathead continues to operate as both a distillery and a community gathering space, championing local musicians while keeping Mississippi traditions alive and accessible. The Frozen Honeysuckle Lemonade, a longtime crowd favorite, will be featured throughout the series and has become something of a seasonal staple at the distillery.
Susan Marquez
