Public recordCompiled from 8 credited sources · Updated Oct 8, 2026
Happy Talk Band
Folk & acoustic band from New Orleans, LA
Happy Talk Band is a four piece Americana group from New Orleans fronted by songwriter Luke Spurr Allen. They formed in 2001, have released four albums, and despite their name, most of their songs are a bummer.
- Shows on record
- 60+
- Rooms played
- 30
- Cities
- 8
- Releases
- 4
- Last show
- Apr 6, 2023Gasa Gasa
About
Happy Talk Band is a band from New Orleans, LA, tagged country, folk, folk, world, & country by its sources. Shows on record run from 2008 to 2023, across 30 rooms in 8 cities.
- Happy Talk Band is based in New Orleans — MusicBrainz
- Luke Spurr Allen: lead vocals — MusicBrainz
- Alex McMurray: guitar — MusicBrainz
- Happy Talk Band has 3 release group(s) on MusicBrainz spanning 2004–2010 — MusicBrainz
- Happy Talk Band has 355 listeners on Last.fm — Happy Talk Band on Last.fm
- Happy Talk Band has released 2 recordings between 2005 and 2007 — Happy Talk Band on Discogs
The summary is assembled from the record fields and shows on this page; each fact listed names its source. See Sources & corrections for what each source supplied.
Shows
60+ on record · SongkickNo upcoming shows on record.Know of one? Tell us
Shows per year
- 20083 shows
- 20094 shows
- 201024 shows
- 201116 shows
- 20128 shows
- 20132 shows
- 20201 show
- 20221 show
- 20231 show
| Date | Venue | Billing | With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 6, 2023 | Gasa Gasa · New OrleansSupportwith Early Day Miners, Slow Rosary | Support | Early Day Miners, Slow Rosary |
| Aug 20, 2022 | The Howlin' Wolf · New OrleansSupportwith June Star | Support | June Star |
| Feb 22, 2020 | The Goat · New OrleansSupportwith Shark Attack | Support | Shark Attack |
| Jun 14, 2013 | The Den at the Howlin' Wolf · New OrleansSupportwith Low Cut Connie | Support | Low Cut Connie |
| May 2, 2013 | Siberia · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Vagabond Swing, Johanna Divine | Headliner | Vagabond Swing, Johanna Divine |
| Nov 16, 2012 | Siberia · New OrleansSupportwith Nick Jaina, Stacks | Support | Nick Jaina, Stacks |
| Oct 21, 2012 | House of Blues - New Orleans · New OrleansSupportwith Band of Horses | Support | Band of Horses |
| May 6, 2012 | Siberia · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue | Headliner | Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue |
| May 2, 2012 | ChazFest 2012 · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Apr 28, 2012 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith John Boutte, Andrea Williams, Morning 40 Federation, +3 | Support | John Boutte, Andrea Williams, Morning 40 Federation, +3 |
| Apr 6, 2012 | Siberia · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Sam Doores and Alynda Lee, Tuba Skinny, Meschiya Lake, +1 | Headliner | Sam Doores and Alynda Lee, Tuba Skinny, Meschiya Lake, +1 |
| Feb 3, 2012 | Vaughan’s · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Hurray for the Riff Raff, King James, Rob Cambre, +1 | Headliner | Hurray for the Riff Raff, King James, Rob Cambre, +1 |
| Feb 2, 2012 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Nick Jaina, Jon Cleary | Support | Nick Jaina, Jon Cleary |
| Nov 17, 2011 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Nov 10, 2011 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansSupportwith Alex McMurray | Support | Alex McMurray |
| Nov 3, 2011 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansSupportwith Alex McMurray | Support | Alex McMurray |
| Oct 21, 2011 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Hot Club Of New Orleans | Support | Hot Club Of New Orleans |
| Sep 23, 2011 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Hot Club Of New Orleans | Support | Hot Club Of New Orleans |
| Aug 18, 2011 | d.b.a · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jun 17, 2011 | Siberia · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Deluxe, Jai Young Kim, My Graveyard Jaw | Headliner | Deluxe, Jai Young Kim, My Graveyard Jaw |
| May 7, 2011 | Le Bon Temps Roule · New OrleansSupportwith Rotary Downs | Support | Rotary Downs |
| Apr 2, 2011 | Hi-Ho Lounge · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Apr 1, 2011 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Hot Club Of New Orleans, R. Scully, The Rough 7 | Support | Hot Club Of New Orleans, R. Scully, The Rough 7 |
| Apr 1, 2011 | All-Ways Lounge · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Feb 12, 2011 | Dragon's Den · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jan 26, 2011 | Siberia · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jan 21, 2011 | One Eyed Jacks · New OrleansHeadlinerwith R. Scully's Rough 7, Happy Talk, Testaverde, +1 | Headliner | R. Scully's Rough 7, Happy Talk, Testaverde, +1 |
| Jan 15, 2011 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jan 2, 2011 | Circle Bar · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Old, Felix | Headliner | Old, Felix |
| Dec 3, 2010 | Tipitina's · New OrleansSupportwith Supagroup, Brah | Support | Supagroup, Brah |
| Oct 29, 2010 | Voodoo Music Experience 2010 · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Oct 29, 2010 | All-Ways Lounge · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Honey Island Swamp Band, Meschiya Lake, The Little Big Horns | Headliner | Honey Island Swamp Band, Meschiya Lake, The Little Big Horns |
| Oct 8, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Grayson Capps, The Twilight Singers | Support | Grayson Capps, The Twilight Singers |
| Oct 1, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Hot Club Of New Orleans | Headliner | Hot Club Of New Orleans |
| Sep 18, 2010 | Club Garibaldi's · MilwaukeeHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Sep 17, 2010 | FitzGerald's · BerwynHeadlinerwith Eddie C. Campbell, Camille | Headliner | Eddie C. Campbell, Camille |
| Sep 16, 2010 | Reggie's · ChicagoHeadlinerwith Numbers | Headliner | Numbers |
| Sep 15, 2010 | Murphy's · MemphisHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Sep 11, 2010 | Hi-Ho Lounge · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Sep 10, 2010 | Grant Street Dance Hall · LafayetteHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Sep 4, 2010 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Aug 28, 2010 | Louisiana Music Factory · New OrleansSupportwith Roderick Paulin | Support | Roderick Paulin |
| Aug 28, 2010 | Tipitina's · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Alex Mcmurray Band, Alex McMurray, Carlo Nuccio, +2 | Headliner | Alex Mcmurray Band, Alex McMurray, Carlo Nuccio, +2 |
| Aug 26, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jun 24, 2010 | Saturn Bar · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Jun 17, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Paul Sanchez | Support | Paul Sanchez |
| May 28, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith R. Scully & the Rough 7 Cd, The Release, Morning 40 Federation, +1 | Support | R. Scully & the Rough 7 Cd, The Release, Morning 40 Federation, +1 |
| May 22, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith John Boutte | Support | John Boutte |
| May 20, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansSupportwith Morning 40 Federation, Guitar Lightnin Lee, King James, +1 | Support | Morning 40 Federation, Guitar Lightnin Lee, King James, +1 |
| May 1, 2010 | Private Event · New OrleansSupportwith Gravity A, Sick Like Sinatra, Signal Path, +1 | Support | Gravity A, Sick Like Sinatra, Signal Path, +1 |
| Apr 8, 2010 | d.b.a · New OrleansHeadlinerwith Jon Cleary | Headliner | Jon Cleary |
| Mar 14, 2010 | Dragon's Den · New OrleansSupportwith High In One Eye | Support | High In One Eye |
| Mar 12, 2010 | Blue Nile Upstairs · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Oct 31, 2009 | Hi-Ho Lounge · New OrleansSupportwith The Zydepunks, Debauche | Support | The Zydepunks, Debauche |
| Oct 30, 2009 | Voodoo Music Experience 2009 · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Oct 19, 2009 | Tipitina's · New OrleansSupportwith The Vampire's Assistant, Caddywhompus | Support | The Vampire's Assistant, Caddywhompus |
| Jan 31, 2009 | House of Blues - New Orleans · New OrleansSupportwith Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The New Orleans Bingo! Show, Little Freddie King, +3 | Support | Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The New Orleans Bingo! Show, Little Freddie King, +3 |
| Oct 24, 2008 | Voodoo Music Experience 2008 · New OrleansHeadliner | Headliner | — |
| Sep 28, 2008 | Mojito · San FranciscoHeadlinerwith Dos Four, Los Mios | Headliner | Dos Four, Los Mios |
| Sep 28, 2008 | Beckett's Irish Pub · BerkeleyHeadliner | Headliner | — |
Showing the latest 60 shows; the record holds more.
Where they play
30 rooms in 8 citiesRooms played most
- d.b.a · New Orleans14 shows
- Saturn Bar · New Orleans6 shows
- Siberia · New Orleans6 shows
- Hi-Ho Lounge · New Orleans3 shows
- Tipitina's · New Orleans3 shows
Cities played
- New Orleans53 shows
- Berkeley1 show
- Berwyn1 show
- Chicago1 show
- Lafayette1 show
and 3 other cities
Live history
62 shows on record- Shows counted
- 62
- First on record
- Oct 2007
- Latest on record
- Apr 2023
Shows per year
- 20071
- 20087
- 20094
- 201022
- 201115
- 20128
- 20132
- 20201
- 20221
- 20231
Top rooms
- d.b.a, New Orleans · 14
- Siberia, New Orleans · 6
- Saturn Bar, New Orleans · 6
- Hi-Ho Lounge, New Orleans · 5
- Tipitina's, New Orleans · 4
Top cities
- New Orleans, LA · 54
- Berkeley, CA · 2
- Berwyn · 1
- San Francisco, CA · 1
- Milwaukee, WI · 1
Often on the bill with: Hot Club of New Orleans, Alex McMurray, Morning 40 Federation, Rotary Downs, DJ Soul Sister, Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Happy Talk, John Boutté
Counted from the shows BandSlate holds; missing shows are not counted.
Releases
4 releases, 2004–2010Starve a Fever
2010 · Album
There There
2007 · Album
WTUL Songs From The Basement Volume 3: Into The Shed
2005
Total Death Benefit
2004 · Album
Lineup
- Luke Spurr Allen · lead vocals
- Alex McMurray · guitar
Airplay
No airplay on record.
Lineup history
2 members on record- Alex McMurrayguitartenure unknown
- Luke Spurr Allenlead vocalstenure unknown
Years come from public music databases. Where none says a member left, the end is shown as unknown; it does not mean they are still in the band.
Photos, art and posters
Sources & corrections
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | Artist facts |
| Happy Talk Band on Last.fm | Artist facts |
| Happy Talk Band on Discogs | Artist facts |
| Songkick | Show history, Show posters |
| Discogs | Credited on the record; no item on this page cites it |
| Genius | Credited on the record; no item on this page cites it |
| Last.fm | Credited on the record; no item on this page cites it |
| Wikidata | Credited on the record; no item on this page cites it |
This is a partial record of publicly documented activity. Missing shows, releases or members do not mean there are none. It does not confirm availability for booking.