Wow. I can't believe it's been over a month since the last post.I recently got back from the 1st Weekend at New Orleans Jazz Fest. I felt very fortunate to go. My awesome wife, 34 weeks pregnant at the time of Jazz Fest gave me her blessing to go since my favorite band (My Morning Jacket) was playing in my favorite city. It was the perfect "last hoorah."
I went down with three friends I've known since high school. It was my 3rd trip to New Orleans and my first to Jazz Fest. Before I get started on the festival itself I have to mention the ultimate Jazz Fest pregame. Liuzza's by the Track is the place to be before and after the day. Probably the best Bloody Mary's I've ever had. Below is a pic of the post-fest activities. It's like a big street party.
Like any other festival the biggest regret you have is that you wish you saw more people, especially smaller, local acts. Regrettably, for lack of a better term, we spend a majority of our time at the two bigger stages. We wandered around for the first hour checking out the end of the Treme Brass Band. They ended their show with a Second Line parade around the tent they were playing in. I really wish I saw more of them. I think we caught the last song. We settled in for the Cowboy Mouth set. I was a little buzzed already but they were the most ridiculous band ever. I have to leave it at that. After that we went across to the Gentilly Stage which is where My Morning Jacket was going to play in about three hours. But first on that stage was Better Than Ezra. The three guys I went with were more in to them that I was. I'm not going to lie and say that I don't like them. I do own CDs and have probably seen them 4 or 5 times but they are one of those bands that I kind of out grew I guess. Regardless, I had a nice buzz on and they actually did play a very fun, festival friendly set. I felt like the Boston Red Sox having to play the Royals in the last game of a series when I have to play the Yankees the next day. I probably overlooked them more than I should have. They put on a good show. Unfortunately for My Morning Jacket but fortunately for me, after Better Than Ezra finished a lot of the crowd started trekking to the other side of the fairgrounds to see Simon and Garfunkel who were scheduled opposite MMJ on the main stage. We scooted down about 6 or 7 rows back of the railing the non-VIPs were allowed to get to. If you've read this blog before you know I'm going to say they were awesome. And they were. Their setlist is below and it was a pretty picture perfect festival set if you ask me:
and here's their performance of Golden. It's a little shaky. It's a handheld, I had a beer in my other hand and I was barefoot in the mud:I'm not going to really recap the Sunday. We hopped around and saw some smaller tents. Saw Shawn Colvin at probably the 6th biggest stage at the festival which kind of made me sad for her until I realized that I have to go back and work in an office and she gets to go to another venue and play music for people. Sunny Came home rocked though. The day ended kind of weird for me. Darius Rucker closed out that Sunday on the same stage the MMJ did the day before. He's extreme country cheese now but the idea of sitting on the lawn with a box of beers sounded pretty good...until Darius Rucker started up. Like Better Than Ezra before but to a greater extent, I had Cracked Rear View but I had severely outgrown Hootie and The Blowfish so even the chance that he's take a break and play Let Her Cry did zero for me. I realized that I couldn't end my festival experience with him so I got up and packed in as much as I could in my last hour. A song or two in the People's Health Economy Tent for some Louis Armstrong Tribute, The Hot 8 Brass Band at the Jazz and Heritage Stage, Jonny Lang in the Blues Tent and even hear Whipping Post by what ever version of The Allman Brothers was playing across the fairgrounds from Darius Rucker. I did get back in time for Darius Rucker's closer which, to his credit, was a cover of Purple Rain. Great time all around though. If I ever get back to Jazz Fest I'm definately going to use my last hour of that Sunday as my example of how I should do it from now on.
At the risk of making this way too long, some other New Orleans tidbits:
-Treme on HBO could not have come on at a better time for me. I think I'm obsessed with New Orleans. Not just the debaucherousness of Bourbon Street and all that. The culture and the music seems like you are not even in America.
-I finally got down to Frenchmen Street and it's definately how I want to spend most of my nights in New Orleans when I get back.
-I didn't think Bourbon Street would be my scene anymore. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to enjoy it. Maybe it was because my experience prior to this trip was Mardi Gras in 2005 and it was overwhelming at 26 so I assumed it would be more so at 31. A not overly crowded Bourbon Street is more my thing.
-Pat O' Briens never gets old. Hurricanes and the flaming fountain are the best.
-Oceana Grill on Conti Street (right off Bourbon) is the best breakfast in the French Quarter.
I've only been there three times now but I really need to make New Orleans a bigger part of my life.
