The New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Keith Spera has a review of Saturday’s Jazz Fest show: “Jimmy Buffett and NOJO close out Saturday”

Say what you will about Buffett and his music: The man knows how to work a Jazzfest crowd. That he appears to be having as much, if not more, fun as anyone is key.

In his final 40 minutes, he broke down “Come Monday” to acoustic guitar and steel drums; showcased a singer he met in a bar on an African island; led the most exquisitely un-P.C. sing-a-long “Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw?”; and cut loose Lafayette slide guitarist ace and frequent Buffett collaborator Sonny Landreth on “Southern Cross” and a grunged-up version of Landreth’s own “U.S.S. Zydecomobile.”

That’s when the party really got started. Buffett spotted an audience member wearing a T-shirt that read, “Helping Rebuild New Orleans one margarita at a time.” “I will trade you these flip-flops,” Buffett said, pointing at his own feet, “for that T-shirt.” Recognizing a one-of-a-kind Jazzfest souvenir when offered one, the guy accepted. Buffett immediately donned his new, slightly too big, “funky” T-shirt and kicked off the audience participatory “Fins.”

Buffett had one final surprise: Accompanied only by Allen Toussaint on the electric piano, he sang “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans” as the sun set on Jazzfest. “It’s hard work leading a band on a Saturday night,” Buffett had said earlier. He makes it look easy.

Moments after the set ended, Jazzfest security stopped pedestrian traffic on the dirt track. A convoy of vehicles sped from the Acura backstage area. Buffett himself hung out of the passenger window of the lead SUV. His fans cheered as he passed within high-five distance on his way out of the Fair Grounds — he waved and yelled back at them.

Read the entire review here.

See more photos from the 2008 New Orleans Jazz Fest in our Photo Gallery.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band will perform at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival this evening.

The pre-concert tailgate party starts at 6 pm ET, with Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band taking the stage at 6:30 pm ET.

You can listen to the show live on Radio Margaritaville on the web at www.radiomargaritaville.com or on Sirius 31.

Also, the festival will be carried on AT&T’s Blue Room. Listen here.

You can follow along with the set list and chat with other parrotheads during the show on our Discussion Board.

Freddy and the Fishsticks aka Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band rocked the Margaritaville Cafe last night in New Orleans, Louisiana in a benefit for several causes.

The set featured a few surprises, including “Last Man Standing,” last played in Aspen on December 22, 2006; the live debut of a track featuring Jimmy from Sonny Landreth’s new album entitled “Howlin’ Moon”; and the return of the Jesse Winchester song “L’air de la Louisiane,” last played in St. Barths in 1999.

View the entire set list here.

Did you attend the show? Share your thoughts on our Discussion Board or post your photos in our Photo Gallery.

The 2008 “Year of Still Here” tour will kick back up Saturday Night with a show at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Get your tickets now!

Freddy and the Fishsticks (better known as Jimmy Buffett and a condensed version of the Coral Reefer Band) will play a special show at the New Orleans Margaritaville Thursday night.

Proceeds from the show will benefit BORN (Better Opportunities Right Now) and NOAAHH (New Orleans Artists Against Hunger & Homelessness).

It appears that the show will not be aired on Radio Margaritaville, so if you attend the show please help us out and provide the set list.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band continue their Year Of Still Here Tour tonight with a show from the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Charlotte, North Carolina.

You can listen to the show live through Radio Margaritaville on the web at www.radiomargaritaville.com or on Sirius 31.

The pre-show will begin around 7:30 pm EDT and Jimmy will take the stage shortly after 8 pm EDT.

Follow along with the set list and chat with other parrot heads during the show on our Discussion Board.

Other shows this week: Thursday, May 1st – Margaritaville Cafe, New Orleans; and Saturday, May 3rd – New Orleans Jazz Fest, New Orleans (Get Tickets).