Molly’s (Jim Monaghan’s) Irish parade

Whichever name you call it by, this was its 32nd year. Molly’s at the Market is an Irish pub with game nights, neon cluttered walls and a jukebox full of rock and local favorites. It’s also where the parade was born, begins and ends. A friend of mine from college had just arrived in New Orleans for her first visit to the city. After lunch at K. Paul’s, a visit to Jackson Square, Photoworks Gallery and Maskarade mask shop (all from my list of Fav Things), we headed over for her first parade – ever. The parade is short on floats but big on fun and she loved it.

Her favorite thing was the dance troupes including Girlz N Motion, Muff-A-Lottas and Star Steppin Cosmonaughties. I also got photos of the Kazoozie Floozies, Irish Zulu, Young Pin Stripe Brass Band, Celtic Highlanders, Bearded Oysters, DancingMan504 and the Abita Queen Bees – who wear adorable in their bee costumes and beehive hairdos.

Afterward, we headed to Frenchmen St. to see Glen David Andrews play at Three Muses. The venue is a small supper club so rather than the rowdy, rafter-shaking show we wouldn’t gotten down the block at d.b.a., we were treated to a more sophisticated roster of standards and local favorites. Never one to shy away from his audience, Andrews came into the crowd to sing, toting his trombone, and even sat at a nearby table to croon for awhile.

A highlight was definitely when Andrews invited his 15 year old cousin, Revon Andrews, to perform a trombone solo then the two dueled. Trombones are such showy instruments. With the light hitting the brass slide-bars as the dueling trombonists wielded their instruments like swords, it actually looked like a battle at times. It warms we to see yet another new Andrews kid rising up, learning from his elders and taking on his legacy. Glen David Andrews and his amazing band have a new CD coming out soon, Redemption. I was allowed to visit the studio during one day of recording so I’ll share some video and photos from that as soon as I get a minute.

We ended the evening with a short trip down Bourbon St. because everyone needs to see it at least once. After a day of meeting characters and seeing people in costume, we ended the night with a photo with Ashley the Traffic Tranny. It was a very “Only in NOLA” day. My friend said she hadn’t had that much fun in years. I couldn’t wait to see how she’d react to the next day’s fantastically fun Irish Channel Parade.