It's another Tequila Sunrise...

Up late, for me, this sunny Saturday morning - it's past seven.  Peter beats me downstairs and tries to at least save me a chair in the hotel's small reception area,  The concierge guy lets me again use the desk. Once I've completed my Fazz Fest ramblings, Peter and I take a walk around the French Quarter.  It's hot already, but a brief shower, just sprinkles really, cool things off until the sun reappears.  (The same three hotel staff are watching me do this, wondering "What the hell does this guy do here for an hour every morning!")  ANYWAY, after about an hour walk, Peter heads back to the hotel for some reading and relaxation.  The Studs are later risers, then they run around the neighborhood just enough to look sweaty.  We are not fooled.  I continue my walk out by Esplanade at the east end of the quarter, phoning The Reet to inform her that all is fine and dandy.  Then a call to say hi to Peter's daughter Kay, owner/creator of A Curated World (shout out, Kay).

Menu at Mahoney's

Once we are all organized, we cab over to Mahoney's on Magazine for some po-boys.  This place has received some noteriety since being featured on Diners, Drive-ins & Dives and the Shoe Ladies were raving about their recent meal.  Barry orders food enough to keep us there until early evening.  Great stuff, tho'.  I'm going on memory (and limited knowledge), but there was an amazing concoction of fried oysters, fried green tomatoes, cole slaw and more; a fried chicken livers (I passed, but the others thought a bit overcooked); a honey ham; and a roast beef.  Oh - and they're HUGE!  Thank god he didn't order sides!!!!!  I can't move!

It's now about two and we can't find a cab to the Fest.  We walk.  We search.  We walk.  We call.  We walk.  CAB!  Whew!  We pick up a couple to make a full cab, which triggers a can-u-top-this golf course dialogue amongst Mark, Barry, New Couple beginning with Pebble Beach (yes, Pebble is nice, but Spyglass is soooooo much harder).

Allen Toussaint in crowd

By the time we get to the Fair Grounds, we've missed Allen Toussaint (and I'm sure he missed us too), but catch a taste of Anders Osborne finishing up at Gentilly.  There are A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE!  We all agree that the Eagles set will be viewed from afar as people are already camping on the race track.  Over to the Blues Tent for a few Carlos Santana-like guitar riff from Bombino of Niger, then to the Jazz Tent for John Boutee's wonderful take (with awesome chorus) of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.   Very cool.  I love this guy.  He finishes with the theme to the HBO series Treme. Peter and I run into the always impeccably attired Allen Toussaint as we make our way around the track.  Just a touch of Irma Thomas while going to Fais Do Do for Steve Earle.  The Pool Hall Studs have opted for the 'sample everything in the place' approach for today.  A text from Mark says that Aaron Neville (who can be cloying at times) is awesome in the Gospel Tent.

Shoe Ladies at Steve Earle

We find some shade on the fringe while waiting for Steve Earle's set, but then decide to bore our way closer, making enemies as we proceed (sorry, buddy, didn't mean to step on your spread-eagle leg that blocks the path.  Oh yeah, yours too!  We are stymied.  Damn.  Hey, JK, over here!  The Shoe Ladies call us over to their little blanket island in the sea of humanity!  PERFECT!  They are here for Earle and then for favs Lost Bayou Ramblers for the close.Steve Earle & the Dukes w/ special guest The Mastersons (whew!) are really good; nothing revolutionary (except some occasional rhetoric), but solid and thoroughly enjoyable.  Well, I want to see some Eagles; I don't care.  Peter is game, so we thank the SL for their hospitality and walk the track into the crowd at Acura (estimated at about 65,000- just there!).  Peaceful, Easy Feeling, Witchy Woman....the hits keep coming.  But kinda boring, playing everything note for note.  Plodding.  Come on, guys, you're really good- take some chances!  It will be a long set and Mark says Warren Haynes is killing at the Blues Tent, so I drag Peter over there, where we see Mark (without Lisa), Kenny and Kippy.  Where are the Studs?  Hey, we're now over at The Eagles at Marshall's spot at gate 4.  You idiots!  Back to Acura where we squeeze into Marshall's camp for the finale.  Joe Walsh saves the day, playing a bunch of James Gang stuff (Rocky Mountain Way, Funk #49, etc.) and just being the band stud.  Encore at 6:45??  WTF?  There are no encores here, just play the songs!  They come back for Jackson Brown's Runnin' Down the Road and closed with (I guessed wrong with Tequila Sunrise, Mark, the bastard, guessed right) Desperado.

The Studs have their annual dinner event with Marshall, so Peter and I grab a beer at Crescent City, then a forgettable dinner at the Corner Sports Bar.  Peter still has life and goes off on his own, but I'm in bed at 10:30.  I've been out ridin' fences for so long now.  Night.

65,000 estimated crowd at Acura Stage for the Eagles