OffBeat (music magazine)

OffBeat is a monthly music magazine in New Orleans, Louisiana, first published in 1987.[1] The magazine mainly focuses on the music scene of New Orleans and Louisiana, the region's culture and its cuisine. The magazine covers a wide range of local music including R&B, blues, brass bands, jazz, cajun music, zydeco, rock, hip-hop, Mardi Gras Indian, funk, and independent singer-songwriters.

OffBeat
Editor-in-chiefJan V. Ramsey
CategoriesMusic magazine
FrequencyMonthly
Year founded1987
CompanyOffBeat, Inc.
CountryUnited States
Based inNew Orleans
LanguageEnglish
WebsiteOfficial website
ISSN1090-0810

Created by Jan V. Ramsey in 1988, OffBeat's support for the local music community has greatly contributed to the promotion of the scene and music in general in New Orleans and throughout the state of Louisiana.[2] The magazine is published by OffBeat, Inc., offering club listings and music reviews covering local independent labels for the New Orleans community and Louisiana music-lovers. Ramsey remains the publisher and editor-in-chief. OffBeat was the first magazine in New Orleans to return to publishing after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, despite losing all its staff and its printer.[3]

OffBeat is distributed free of charge in metro New Orleans in records stores, hotels, and social spaces. Editions for non-New Orleans residents are available for purchase. The magazine has subscribers all over the United States and worldwide.

Every spring, OffBeat publishes two special issues: its "French Quarter Festival Souvenir Guide" in early April; and a special Jazz Fest issue, the "Jazz Fest Bible", with complete day-by-day schedules of festivals, detailed information on performers and club listings, and in-depth interviews with local musicians and cultural standard-bearers.

In addition to the monthly magazine, OffBeat presents "The Best of the Beat Awards"[4] to celebrate local music and musicians, and also publishes the "Louisiana Music Directory,"[5] an online directory containing listings of bands, musicians, record labels, and clubs in the state.

The magazine also offers the "OffBeat Weekly Beat," a free weekly email newsletter with breaking news and current music listings. The magazine's website was the first magazine website online in the state of Louisiana, and is popular with lovers of New Orleans and Louisiana music and culture worldwide. In 2010, OffBeat launched an iPhone application, OffBeat Mobile,[6] to keep its readers apprised of events in New Orleans music.

OffBeat is featured in the HBO series Treme. Its editorial resulted in the creation of characters (such as "DJ Davis McAlary", in reality local musician/DJ/writer Davis Rogan), and storylines in the series.

References
  1. Edward Komara (28 October 2005). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Psychology Press. p. 757. ISBN 978-0-415-92699-7. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
  2. "The good fight: Jan Ramsey keeps music journalism alive in New Orleans". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  3. Times-Picayune, Keith Spera, NOLA com | The. "Looking back at the first 25 years of OffBeat magazine". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
  4. "Best of the Beat Award Winners: Complete List". OffBeat Magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  5. "Louisiana Music Directory". OffBeat Magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  6. "OffBeat New Orleans Music Mobile iPhone and Android App". OffBeat Magazine. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
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