johnnyk and johnny gumbo at Rhythm & Roots Festival, Charleston, RI

Fantastic weather, great music, good food/drink! Great day at the Rhody shore, Gumbo resplendent in his JazzFest piano shirt and Johnnyk in my red Louisiana Music Factory shirt. This year we changed our arrival time to mid-afternoon to conserve energy, hoping that the strategy will allow us to stay for the last artist, Keb Mo (a favorite of Marcia V). Our late arrival means that our seating is in the back of the park, closer to the beer/food than to the Mohegan Sun main stage, but not to worry, we stake our spot (a cold Red Hook IPA in hand) and listen to the end of Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans' set of R&B/soul/funk while perusing the festival program.

As Donna the Buffalo starts their set, it's time for some food. The line for the cajun shrimp, jambalaya, etc. is quite long, so we opt for the offerings on either side, Gumbo getting some chicken/rice while I grab us a half-rack of ribs. We share a picnic table with a couple from Connecticut who, noting our spiffy shirts, tell us they have done JazzFest and also have come to Rhythm & Roots for years dating back to when it was held somewhere in MA. We all agree that it will be some time before we attend another festival in New Orleans.

We are not limited to hearing the music from the outer reaches. We have options. So we make our way over to the dance tent, located to the right of the main stage, where we find a pole to lean against, where the stage is in clear sight, to enjoy the music and various other activities. Zydeco dancing at these things is a whole separate cultural experience. Johnny Gumbo now fancies himself an accomplished dancer and he suavely offers his services to one of the many lasses lining the edge of the dance floor - and she accepts. The floor is tightly packed with all age combinations imaginable because the dancing is the deal, so if you can, you're a hot commodity. I'm content (not that I have a choice) to observe the novices, the timid, the prim and the peacocks revolve sweatily around the floor to the infectious beats of Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys.

Beers refreshed, we take in Marcia Ball's set. "Her Tallness" conveys her sadness and concern about the events in New Orleans, but is resolved to be upbeat and optimistic about the future. Her rendition of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927 (they're tryin' to wash us away)" is touching. Love Marcia.

It's getting late. Keb Mo remains, but we're fading a little, so we walk around to stay focused. Keb starts his set and we listen to a few tasty offerings from the back. I make a mental note to revisit his CD as we call it a day and pack up our stuff. We tried to get a group together this year, but it didn't work out; going to try again next year. Later.

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This is a three-day event, held at Ninigret Park, which Gumbo and I attended last year and loved it. We discovered Rosie Flores there and I got to see her again at Cafe Nine in July (review); this year highly anticipating the performances of Donna the Buffalo, Marcia Ball and Keb Mo. Unfortunately, we must miss the Labor Day Weekend extravaganza at the Walden/Gorecki compound, but they will probably survive without us. See youse later!

MOHEGAN SUN MAIN STAGE
12:00-12:45 POULLARD, WATSON & ADAMS
1:00-2:00 ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS
2:15-3:15 GENO DELAFOSE & FRENCH ROCKIN’ BOOGIE
3:30-4:30 PAUL CEBAR & THE MILWAUKEEANS
4:45-6:00 DONNA THE BUFFALO
6:15-7:30 STEVE RILEY & THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS
7:45-9:00 MARCIA BALL
9:15-10:45 KEB’ MO’
ROUNDER RECORDS WORKSHOP STAGE
1:00-1:45 HONKY TONK & OLD TIME: The Wilders
2:00-2:45 MUSIC OF CANRAY FONTENOT: Poullard, Watson & Adams
3:00-3:45 FIDDLE & BOW: Greeley, Nevins, Ellis, Gellert
4:00-4:45 CAJUN & ZYDECO ACCORDION: Riley, Delafose, Legé
5:00-5:45 MEET THE G’EARLS: Uncle Earl
6:00-6:45 THE SPANKERS UNPLUGGED
REDHOOK DANCE STAGE
12:00-12:30 ZYDECO DANCE INSTRUCTION W/ JIM CHRISTENSEN
12:30-2:00 ZYDECO DANCE STYLES W/ ZYDECO HOGS
2:30-3:00 CAJUN DANCE INSTRUCTION W/ ED SLATTERY
3:00-3:45 CAJUN DANCE STYLES W/ MAGNOLIA
3:45-4:30 MAGNOLIA WITH POULLARD, WATSON & ADAMS
5:00-7:00 ZYDECO DANCE W/ CREOLE COWBOYS
7:30-9:30 HERD STAMPEDE W/ DONNA THE BUFFALO
10:00-12:00 FAIS DO DO W/ GENO DELAFOSE & FRENCH ROCKIN’ BOOGIE