Watch this space tomorrow for more photos from the 4th Annual Twin Cities Celebration of Hip Hop, which I wrote about in today's City Pages. I've been too preoccupied worrying about New Orleans to post more, but you need to have fun in life, too.

From inside the Superdome: People might have to wait as long as a week to be evacuated.

UPDATED 3:33 P.M. The water has stopped rising, but the looting seems to have just gotten started. Steve Perry at Blotter seems to think New Orleans has entered the past tense. Check yesterday's Complicated Fun for complete links, but the key places for New Orleans news are WWL-TV's online video broadcast, the WWL-TV blog, WDSU, WDSU video, the Times-Picayune blog, Fox, and Josh Britton's blog.

Meanwhile, let's focus on relief: Read more about the Sept. 10 Cabooze benefit below, and here's a complete list of charities from Instapundit, FEMA's list of suggested charities, Katrina help Wiki, harrowing article from the WSJ, Counterpunch on the "Reverence for Property over People," a photo of a levee breach, more on the looters today, news that White House will tap the Strategic Oil Reserve, Slate: "What's the Strategic Oil Reserve?", NASA photos of the flood, Did the Catastrophe Have to Happen?, the City of New Orleans official site, Rebuild New Orleans (disscussion at ILE), that Bush photo, American Idle's version, a 2001 article headlined "New Orleans Faces Doomsday Scenario," and more to come.

Thursday is Blog for Relief Day. One bit of good news from Katrina (thanks Corey Anderson): The halt of production on Road House 2. (Meanwhile, just the fear of suicide bombers has killed as many as a thousand in Iraq.)

Updates on my friend Machelle:

"I'm not sure who you are, but this is Machelle's sister Amy. I've talked to Machelle a couple of times & she's safe & fine. Her apartment was fine and she was biking around the city to check out some friends' homes & apartments. Just thought I would email to say that she's safe."

And:

"I just talked with Machelle. She's doing fine, but she woke up this morning to no running water. She said the water is rising and people are going crazy, but her building is still dry and safe because the police are living there, etc. However, at this point she is considering leaving, and she's going to talk with some friends who are still there. She's getting tired but is still perfectly fine."

Rebith Brass Band Benefit

Organizing partly though this thread, locals the Jack Brass Band (review of recent show here) plan to turn their Sept. 10 Cabooze show opening for New Orleans legends the ReBirth Brass Band into benefit for storm relief. I just talked to Phil, and it's news to him, but he's all for it. He says he's still regrouping with band members. Today he's on his way from Atlanta to Dallas. Trombonist Stafford "Freaky Pete" Agee posted on the thread with this humorous message: 

"this is ya boy stafford freaky pete safe and sound in houston tx. i am looking foward to doing the tour but i have one problem i dont have a trombone if there's anyone who can help me please post a message or email me at stafford_agee@yahoo.com"

Here's the press release for the show:

OPERATION BRASS AID

September 10th ReBirth Brass Band Show to Raise Funds for New Orleans Storm Relief Efforts

Members of local act Jack Brass Band and The Cabooze will accept donations for OPERATION BRASS AID on behalf of the SBC. Jack Brass and The Cabooze have hosted many well-known acts from New Orleans and are committed to helping out their hometown in this time of need.  We would like to show our friends from �Orleans and The Rebirth Brass Band what a charitable group of music fans we have in the Twin Cities. Last time Rebirth came thru Minneapolis, over a dozen fans from the 6^th & 7^th wards and the Treme neighborhood followed them to the Cabooze bringing the crescent city�s brass band party atmosphere. Now we want to give a little something back to these good people.

VENUE:       The Cabooze

DATE:          Saturday, September 10th

ARTIST:      REBIRTH BRASS BAND w/ Jack Brass

TICKETS:    $12.00

AGE:            18+

DOORS:       8:30 PM

UPDATE 3:25 P.M. Eerie video feed from Interdictor's 11th floor hideaway on Poyadras Street, on the corners of Camp and St. Charles. Notice there's few people and no cars. Plus, more on police looting, NYT: Louisiana and Mississippi each have more than 3,000 National Guard troops in Iraq.

UPDATE 3:33 P.M. From my email: "Good news at last * our dear Katy Reckdahl, with baby and Merv in tow, somehow got a ride to Baton Rouge and they are currently either en route to dry and stable Phoenix, where her sister Beth and many baby supplies await them, or they will be sometime today. I didn't talk to her directly; her mom called me. We know nothing more yet, other than that all three are healthy if not exactly happy. Will continue to update you all."

UPDATE 4:30 P.M. About my friend still in New Orleans: "I just wanted to send a quick update from Machelle. Thanks for all of your concern. At this point Machelle is remaining in New Orleans with her friend Felicity and her entire family. The flooding never reached her apartment, and the house she's staying in now is even further from the flooding. No electricity or running water are definitely complicating things, of course. They have also cleverly parked her car under a fallen tree in the yard to make it look unattractive to people who think a car with gas is a hot commodity.

"The most immediate problem/fear for Machelle was the rioting and looting. She contemplated leaving the city today, but people were being carjacked trying to leave the city. Machelle felt is was much safer to wait for the troops to arrive and get that situation under control. She feels they are safe & "have plenty of guns in the house." They seem to be safe and have the supplies they need for now.

"Machelle also said that they were possibly going to be interviewed by ABC News radio... she was hoping to even make it on the evening news. I haven't heard any more details about it yet."