Over the course of three decades, Galactic has become a cornerstone of New Orleans’ dynamic music landscape – the same world that brought them together in the ‘90s as a late-night funk outfit steeped in the unique sounds of their city. The musically adventurous group has evolved continuously since then, thanks in part to their penchant for collaborating with a wildly diverse array of guest artists. While those experiences have provided a steady stream of new musical perspectives and ideas to the group’s core sound, other elements of their work – like their new role as stewards of the historic New Orleans music venue Tipitina’s – have deepened their relationship with their city and its music community through the years, giving the band an even richer foundation for their ongoing explorations of new creative terrain. Audience With the Queen, Galactic’s forthcoming studio album with New Orleans rhythm and blues legend Irma Thomas, exemplifies all of that progress and more. Out April 11, 2025, the new album features Thomas’ Grammy-winning vocals on every track, marking a departure from their 10 previous studio LPs, most of which revolved around the band’s core instrumentalists – Ben Ellman (saxophones, harmonica), Rob Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (drums), Jeff Raines (guitar) and Rich Vogel (keyboards) – accompanied by a mix of different vocalists, including Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph and Josh Cagler.