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| Po' boys at Erin Rose |
Erin Rose over on Conti Street is our destination for lunch and it's a great one. Fabulous po' boys are sold way in the back of this tiny, loud (manager says she wants some noise in the place, meaning someone better fire up the jukebox or else; we comply with a little Fats Domino and James Brown), very crowded bar. We get our order and devour those bad boys. Great call, Barry, good start. Off to the Fairgrounds.
Our first stop is the Iguanas at Gentilly. We love the Iguanas, have seen them many times here and at Cafe Nine in New Haven for some great shows. We all agree that they sound good, but for some reason, they are not doing it for us today. After a half hour, we're looking for something else.
Which brings us to Laura Bell Bundy. Who? Exactly. Says here in the Jazz Fest app that she's been on Broadway and has a country album. Okay, we're game. She must be decent, being on the Acura Stage and all, so we make our way along the muddy track and enter along the right side for a listen. Then we check our listings again. WTF? The music is a mixture of rap/pop-country stuff while the very hot/barely-clad Laura bumps and grinds for our viewing pleasure. On one side of me, Mark is making noises like he's going to barf, while on the other, Barry thinks she's fantastic. With all due respect to Barry's excellent taste in music, she really sucks!
To ask forgiveness for watching Laura, Mark and I slog over to the Gospel Tent to cleanse our music souls with Betty Winn & One A-Chord. Feeling clean again, we dash over to catch up with Barry for The Mavericks. As good as Patty Smith was on Thursday, these guys are even better! There are like a dozen guys up there having fun, playing a kind of Tex-Mex, Los Lobos, Doug Sahm mix that is truly wonderful. They seem to be having as great a time playing as we are listening! They close with a never-ending version of their hit, All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down (which Mark thinks would make a great wedding song).
Papa Grows Funk is next up at the Congo Square Stage. Always solid. I get a text from Mickey Rice that he's going to catch Papa tonight at the Howlin' Wolf. I haven't met up with Mickey since I arrived, but maybe on Saturday at the Fest. Back to Gentilly to catch longtime favorite, Marcia Ball, who has Joe Krown playing the Hammond B organ. If you ever get a chance to see the Joe Krown Trio with Walter "Wolfman" Washington and Russell Batiste, take it! To close out the day, I'm the only one who wants to see Willie Nelson (along with some Jimmy Cliff), the others opting for Maroon 5. Willie is in fine form, going non-stop from one hit to the next, while doing some mighty fine pickin'. Johnny Gumbo would have loved it. Back through the mud to Congo Square just in time for The Harder They Come, The Harder They Fall and It's Gonna Be a Bright, Sun-Shiny Day. Jimmy Cliff, with no remaining dreads, sounds in excellent form with a fine band and backup singers.
We meet up back at the Seahorse just outside the entrance, then walk a few blocks to try to catch a cab. The cab drivers are forbidden to do this, they are required to get in line and take passengers in order. We find a willing cabby who takes us and a young couple from Chicago, but he gets screwed as a cop pulls up and gives him a $300 fine. Poor bastard. Back to the hotel to catch the second half of the Celtics-Knicks over some pulled-pork nachos, which tasted much better than the game's outcome. Good night.
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| "Her Mother was a mudder." |
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| The fabulous Mavericks at the Acura Stage. |
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| It's gonna be a bright, sun-shiny day - Jimmy Cliff at the Congo Square Stage |
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