New Orleans has always been a bastion of indigenous culture in the face of increasing homogenization in America, so it's apropos that even our most famous fast-food chain oozes local flavor. For three decades, Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits has been an indelible part of the local landscape, offering fuel for Mardi Gras parades and family dinners alike in the form of spicy fried chicken and homegrown side dishes such as Cajun rice and red beans and rice. Popeye's memorable television commercials have also helped its brand recognition, featuring Louisiana sounds and scenery, and local icons singing the praises of Popeye's. The franchise has also spread the gospel of Louisiana throughout the world, and now boasts more than 1,650 locations throughout the United States, as well as 21 countries. This Sunday on the Riverfront along the French Quarter, Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits is celebrating 30 years of business with a huge FREE FESTIVAL featuring some of New Orleans' biggest musical names. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band -- currently celebrating its 25th anniversary as the city's premier brass band -- kicks things off at noon and is followed by Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters at 1:30 p.m. (Dopsie's acrobatic stage moves can be seen in a recent Popeye's ad campaign.) Dr. John follows at 3 p.m., a natural choice as his gravelly voice has been a signature of the "Love that Chicken from Popeye's" tagline for years. But the festival's biggest coup is a rare headline appearance by the legendary Fats Domino (pictured), who takes the stage at 4:45 p.m. Domino's live shows are increasingly rare these days, and every performance by the Fat Man is an event to be treasured. The festival is free, with food and beverages available at standard prices. As expected, Popeye's will be cooking up a boatload of fried chicken -- 24,000 pieces, to be exact. The chain's expanded menu will also be available, with catfish po-boys and jambalaya on hand. The festival promises some quintessential New Orleans moments: Imagine spreading out a blanket on the bank of the Mississippi River, having a two-piece spicy dinner with red beans and rice, and hearing Fats Domino sing "Blueberry Hill." -- Scott Jordan

The News 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Oct. 23-26; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27 Tulane University, Newcomb Campus, Dixon Hall, 865-5360 A quick flip through the cable news channels, especially in today's perilous global climate, is a study in how graphics and titles blur the line between news and entertainment. Maybe this is why Tulane's Department of Theatre & Dance is dusting off Paul Schierhorn's "pop opera" The News, a parody of modern journalism that hasn't been performed in America in 17 years. The News earned composer and lyricist Schierhorn a Tony Award for Best Original Score. As an associate professor of theater at Tulane since 1988, Schierhorn has directed a number of works, including last spring's An Enemy of the People. Dance faculty member Beverly Trask directs the choreography. Actors include Kristen Faucher, Greg Morabito, Kit Patterson, Chad Pentler, Sarah Reardon, Nick Reginio and Alysha Rooks. Tickets $10 general admission, $8 Tulane faculty and staff, $6 all students and seniors. -- Frank Etheridge

Kenny Claiborne Band 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23 Check Point Charlie, 501 Esplanade Ave., 949-0797 The Kenny Claiborne Band is a great antidote for a quiet Wednesday night. Known simply as The Bone, Claiborne plays guitar, sings and writes, and has been in the underground New Orleans music scene for nearly 20 years. Claiborne performs nothing but his own original, quirky songs, backed up by Joel Web on bass, L.J. Lambert on guitar, and Damon Shea (formerly of Tribe Nunzio) on drums. Their music incorporates rock, blues and funk, all funneled together into a backdrop for Claiborne's knitted web of funny, cynical, disturbing lyrics sung in a happy and upbeat mode. These guys have been playing together since early childhood, which explains the great rapport in their musical exchanges. The band's gigs are few and far between, so bring your dirty clothes to Check Point's back-room laundromat, sit up front with a brew and enjoy the KC Band. No cover. -- Manny Lander

DJ Elisa's Going-Away Party featuring Bamboula 2000 9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23 Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-TIPS Bamboula 2000 headlines a going-away party for DJ Elisa on Wednesday at Tipitina's. For more than 20 years, Elisa Abolafia has been a vital supporter of the reggae and Latin music community. In December 1981, she started broadcasting her "Best of Reggae" show on Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight, and the program has been an instrumental vehicle for local reggae acts, as well as presenting the best in national and international reggae. In 1987, she formed Tropical Zone Productions, providing booking services for New Orleans' many Latin bands. Abolofia is now moving to Tampa to work as a booking agent for Skipper's Smokehouse, so the reggae community is saying thanks to her with a grand send-off at Tipitina's. Bamboula 2000 headlines, and the talent roster includes members of Revealers, Irie Dawtas, Irie Vibrations, Zion, Jah Imani, and former members of the Shepherd Band all participating in an all-star reggae jam. DJ Ray will also spin a variety of Caribbean sounds. No cover. -- Jordan

Voices of Hope Gala and Silent Auction 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 24 Jackson Brewery, Riverview Room, 600 Decatur St., 416-7032 In terms of a shared purpose and mission, the Children's Choir of Getsemani from Chinandega, Nicaragua, and the United States-based relief organization Amigos for Christ are a perfect fit. And in that spirit, the choir, currently embarking on an international tour "to promote peace and diversity," as well as raise awareness and funds to fight poverty in their home country, will perform at the 2002 Voices of Hope Gala and Silent Auction, Amigos for Christ's primary fundraiser. The choir, composed of 15 boys ages 10 to 16, returns to New Orleans after a successful visit last October for two weeks of performances from Oct. 15-30 at area churches, schools and festivals. They're sponsored locally by Amigos for Christ, which under the direction of missionary Father Marco Dessy has completed several relief projects in Nicaragua. The gala features food from top local restaurants and a variety of drinks. All proceeds go to combat poverty in Nicaragua. Tickets $75 per person, includes food and open bar. -- Etheridge

Ben Folds, with Duncan Sheik 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24 McAlister Auditorium, Tulane For years, Ben Folds has thrilled many (and annoyed more than a few) with his sometimes-brilliant, geeky excursions into Todd Rundgren piano-pop territory. Folds' dangerous juggling act of near-punk-rock assaults on the keys with wistful ruminations can buckle under the weight of his ironic mindset, but his utter fearlessness ultimately wins out. The maturity that surfaced on last year's Rockin¹ the Suburbs becomes even more apparent on his recent live CD, Ben Folds Live a crystallization of last year's solo tour. The singularity of his fills, trills and thrills on piano have so much meat on the bone -- whether ripping through the dizzying "Zak and Sara" or almost grinding to a crawl on "Jane" -- that there's no need for a bassline or a drum kick. Even more intriguing is Duncan Sheik, who gives sincerity a good name in the land mine-filled world of folk popsters (or is that pop folksters?). Sheik has had critics wondering whether he's a pop craftsman, introspective rocker or pure troubadour. He balances all three nicely on his recent Daylight, which picks up steam as it progresses, especially with the bossa nova-tinged "Memento," in which Sheik frets over a relationship hanging in the balance: "Loose talk of hearts and heads/ Of sleep in other beds/ It's better left unsaid." Tickets are $15 and are available through Ticketmaster (522-5555). -- David Lee Simmons

Boo at the Zoo Early admission 5 p.m., general admission 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Oct. 25-26, and Thursday, Oct. 31 Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., 896-9373 Now in its 16th year, the annual Boo at the Zoo has become a favorite for parents and their trick-or-treaters. Designed as a safe outlet for children up to age 12, Boo at the Zoo transforms the pathways of Audubon Zoo with family-friendly frights and Halloween fun. Attractions include treat-or-treat houses offering candy, the Mombasa Ghost Train, Sheriff Foti's Haunted Hall, games and entertainment with children's performers Dennis and Co., Papillion and Johnette Downing. And for parents, the real treat is that all the attractions and candy, except for concessions, are free with admission. Boo at the Zoo is a fundraiser for The Parenting Center at Children's Hospital, Audubon Zoo and ABC 26's Children First. Open for three nights, early admission, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., is $15 per person; general admission, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., is $10 per person. -- Etheridge

Joseph Arthur, with Johnny Society 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 The Parish at House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Singer-songwriter Joseph Arthur tours in support of his (hopefully) soon-to-be-released CD, Redemption˙s Son, Saturday at The Parish at House of Blues. Joseph Arthur's gotta be the least-known musician to have an album declared the best of the year (Entertainment Weekly, 2000) and to have a magazine call him "one of the last true artists left in the world" (Alternative Press). Can you say "critics' darling"? But for good reason: Come to Where You Are was about as good as advertised with Arthur's Leonard Cohenish vocals channeling raw moments of self-doubt and regret. ("In the Sun" is a polished gem, with the frighteningly hummable refrain, "May God's love be with you ... always.") Once known as the first rock artist to sign with Peter Gabriel's Real World label, Arthur's back, more or less, with Redemption¹s Son -- though its status is unclear. Produced by Tchad Blake, Son is available only as an import, and a Real World representative said he didn't know when it will be available domestically. Too bad; Redemption¹s Son shows Arthur moving from regret to the title's key emotion with seamless moments of reflection. Look for it. Tickets $8. -- Simmons

Billy Bragg featuring Ian McLagan 10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-TIPS Billy Bragg is a paradox of a British folk-punk icon. Forging his career in the '80s, Bragg drew heavily from American roots traditions, but sang lyrics about British society and politics. He didn't find his way into the American consciousness until the late '90s. Bragg is known best by young Americans for his collaboration with alt-country giants Wilco on 1998's Mermaid Avenue, a tribute to Woody Guthrie (Bragg's principal idol), and its follow-up, 2000's Mermaid Avenue, Vol. 2. Now, Bragg tours in support of England, Half English, his first solo effort since 1996. The album takes its title from Ian MacInnes' collection of essays about the increasing cosmopolitan character of England. Bragg is joined by veteran Brit-rock keyboardist Ian McLagan. Opening band Twinemen is a soothing sax-rock outfit featuring Dana Colley and Billy Conway (formerly of Morphine) and guitarist/vocalist Laurie Sargent. Tickets $18. -- Cristina Diettinger

Lords of Acid 10 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF If sex sells, then Lords of Acid should have Britney Spears beat. Well, maybe if they were a little cheerier. But they're not. A pillar of the 1990s acid house explosion, Lords of Acid are the quintessential Euro-trash dance band, complete with sex, drugs and darkness. After all, the core members of the band met while huddled beneath a DJ booth during a club brawl in Brussels. Largely engineered by Belgian studio giant Praga Khan, who picked up an affinity for industrial sounds while strapped to his construction-worker mother's back as a child, Lords' material features club hits like "Rough Sex," and "I Must Increase My Bust," from their 1991 debut, Lust. Latter-day Lords material shows some progression via Khan's industrial influence (1994's Voodoo-U even dons KMFDM-style cover artwork). Since their last studio album, 2001's Farstucker, the Lords have released a series of "stript" (Lordspeak for instrumental) versions of previous albums. Tickets $20. -- Diettinger

Robert Colescott -- Recent Paintings Through Oct. 28 Arthur Roger Gallery, 432 Julia St., 522-1999 Robert Colescott's paintings have been called everything from hilarious to disturbing, and in fact they often are both. Filled with outrageous ironies, they are cartoonishly expressionistic visions of life as it is lived by blacks and whites, women and men, oppressors and victims of the present and past. So much potential for conflict might have turned out grim, but the California-born artist's parents were from New Orleans, so his large, flouncy canvasses are also filled with music and humor, with paint that flows like saxophone riffs doused with Tabasco sauce. It's his own take on modern times, a kind of second line composed of heroes and villains, emperors and beggars, love, war and jazz -- all of which led him to become the first African-American artist to represent the United States in a solo exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Now, at age 77, he's seen it all. -- D. Eric Bookhardt