Downriver Festival

This was my first time attending the Downriver Festival, now in it’s 3rd year at the U.S. Mint. The free fest offered lectures and historical walking tours focused on the importance of the Mississippi River and its contributions to the city’s culture. There were also food demonstrations and plenty of live music. We caught part of the Panorama Brass Band and missed most of Eddie “Lil Fats” Domino before settling in for the Colin Lake Band.

Jazz Fest from a Distance

The 45th New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival started last weekend treating hundreds of thousands of guests to artisan booths and demonstrations, fest food and cooking demonstrations, pop-up book and CD stores, interviews with musicians and, of course, over a dozen stages playing up to 8 shows each a day. I think that comes out to somewhere around 400 different concerts over the course of 2 weekends all on the Fair Grounds Race Course. But what if you couldn’t get here? Or what if you’re one of the locals fed up with yet another price hike? (It’s up to $65/day at the door now). You may not be able to eat the food or watch the Mardi Gras Indians parading past, but you can still hear Jazz Fest in a number of ways.

Wednesday at the Square with Anders Osborne

YLC Wednesday at the Square is back!!! Colin Lake got the season off to a great start with his funk-rock flavored show. It’s still odd to see a guy play a seated guitar but the rest of his band keeps the stage hopping. Lake came from Oregon to New Orleans in 2009 – the same year I arrived.

The event continues to make improvements. My favorite new thing is that, thanks to “The Square” and iPads, they accept credit cards for ticket sales. The event is free but food and beverages are purchased with tickets and the ticket proceeds go to the Young Leadership Council, the group responsible for the lights on the Crescent City Connection bridge among other things. They’ve raised more than $25 million for community projects in the New Orleans area since 1986.

Spring in New Orleans

The annual Spring Fiesta parade marks the coming of Spring and brings a whole new meaning to having flowers delivered. The Treme Brass Band led the horse-drawn carriages carrying women in hoop skirts and men in suits. Rather than beads, the paraders tossed fresh roses, carnations and daisies which I gathered into a bouquet. It may have been  colder than it’s been all year, but the flowers and the bouquet of women in pastel-colored flounces brought sunshine to my day.

Uncle Lionel’s Second Line

Friday the 13th was a lucky day for most New Orleanians. First, there was the good news that quarterback Drew Brees finally signed his contract with the Saints. Even without our coach, now we can go back to believing that we could have the first team to ever play a Super Bowl on their own turf. Geaux Saints! Who Dat!?!

It was raining cats as we made our way to Tuba Fats Square in the Treme, a memorial square dedicated to the preservation of music from the historic Treme neighborhood, the first black suburb in America.  Musicians played in the crowded Candlelight Lounge next door, the home of Uncle Lionel‘s regular Wednesday gig with the Treme Brass Band, as people from all over the city gathered to second line in memory of their favorite Uncle.

French Quarter Fest 2012 – Day 2

Friday was another amazing day at French Quarter Fest. The weather was, again, amazing. We started with a yummy Cochon de Lait Po-Boy from Love at First Bite ($7) as well as a Combo of Shrimp Cakes and Cajun Shrimp Bowl ($7) from Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Then it was off to see the Irene Sage Band Tribute to Coco Robicheaux. The music was great and the recently-passed Coco would’ve certainly been pleased but the highlight was definitely the bees. Yep, the bees.