This was such a fun weekend! I took a couple hundred pictures so it might take me a few days to post them all. In a nutshell, we were hired to play at an 80th birthday party for a retired lawyer/real estate developer, John Cummings, and we were actually part of his birthday present. Mr. Cummings is a big Willie Nelson fan and enjoyed the band a great deal. He even offered to fly us out again to have an actual concert at this venue. We said we'd think about it. (Just kidding, we'd love to!)
Using his own money, Mr. Cummings opened the nation's first museum devoted to slavery at Whitney Plantation. He struck me as a real "all men are created equal" kind of guy and just wanted to advocate the truth about slavery practices in the South before the Civil War and how shamefully this nation acted for decades. We did not get a chance to tour the museum, it just didn't fit in our agenda. Perhaps next time.
But let's begin this weekend at the beginning. John (keys) and I drove out to LAX early Friday morning.
This fly date was a treat because we flew in the day before the gig instead of the morning of the gig. It gave us an evening to enjoy the town before our gig. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
We flew Southwest for this trip. They have pretty good fares but I don't like the "cattle call" style of boarding they use. The only advantage is if you're flying with a group you can head toward an empty part of the plane and sit together. Here I am waiting with John and Dave (drums).
It was a pleasant flight. Here we are flying over the Mississippi on final approach into New Orleans Airport (MSY).
The event staff sent a car for us. Mike (git) and Dave pile in after we load all of our instruments and luggage into the back.
I just wanted to take a picture of a sign with "New Orleans" on it. We're heading right downtown.
We got a good view of the Superdome and downtown on our way to the hotel.
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn right on the edge of what is known as the 'Warehouse District'.
Our venue was directly across the street.
I know, it looks like a warehouse. That's because it is, or it used to be. Now it's just a big empty room that can be decked out in any theme and used for any event.
This was our bellman, Kevin. He wore many hats around here and was great at giving us all the inside information so we could avoid all the tourist traps in town.
Here's another view of the hotel. It took up the entire block. This is looking up Peters Street toward the Warehouse District.
Another view of the event venue with the little sign on the door.
Here's a view of my room. My Carvin LB76 got to sleep in its own bed this weekend.
And here's the view from my room. I could see a bit of down town.
After we stowed our gear in our rooms we went across the street to see how the preparations were going.
The PA was here but not fully assembled. The drums were here but not the rest of the backline.
So we just hung around for a bit, asked a few questions, answered a few questions, checked out the place, and generally just got in the way.
This is the event venue's official logo.
Before we left they raised the speaker arrays. You also see a big video screen behind the stage. This is going to be nice!
Our curiosity satisfied, we began our night out on the town by stopping in the local hangout just down the block.
The Corporation Bar and Grill did serve food but I didn't try the soup of the day.
Bob and Bill, of the event staff, had told me of a couple of interesting places across the river to have a drink and a bite to eat so we walked down to the nearest trolley stop on the riverfront at Julia street and hopped on board.
These ladies had a nice accent so I figured they were locals and asked them where we could pick up the ferry. It turns out that Marsha and her twin daughters were visiting from Mississippi but they had a map. They were very nice and helped me to figure out that we needed to get off at the Canal street stop to take the ferry.
When we got to the ferry landing the boat was on the other side. It figures. Since most of the gang was already hungry we just strolled on down Canal street and stopped in a place called The Creole Cafe. I had the red beans and rice with andouille sausage and alligator sausage. I sprinkled on some of the local Louisiana hot sauce and really enjoyed it.
I also enjoyed a side of jumbalaya, another rice dish with a mixture of shrimp, sausage, chicken, and whatever else was in the kitchen.
This place was authentic enough, I suppose, but being right on Canal Street it was a bit touristy. But since I was raised on beans and rice, I really enjoyed it. Hey, it's beans and rice. It's hard to mess that up.
After supper we took off for Bourbon Street. Not too far off Canal Street is Music Legends Park. I would've liked to have lingered here but the rest of the gang wanted to get on down Buorbon Street.
Behind these statues was a really good jazz combo playing a mix of traditional New Orleans jazz and jazz standards.
There were lots of performers on Bourbon Street, just about one "ensemble" on every block that didn't have a bar with a live band. We saw a lot of kids busking with drums or even just buckets.
Behind Roger and I a crowd had gathered to watch a couple of hip-hop dancers.
As we walk down the street it starts to get dark. There are lots of bars here with live bands. With that and the buskers on the street it was quite the cacophony of sound.
There are tons of gift shops, palm readers, showgirls, eateries, massage parlors, etc. It was actually a little bit seedy but the crowds were friendly and having a good time.
There are a lot of hotel rooms down here too. You see a lot of their guests hanging out on the balconies watching all the people go by.
I had to take a picture of this place because this was the sixth Willie's Chicken Shack that I'd seen since we left the hotel. They're like Starbucks, one on almost every corner.
Mike and Roger called it an evening but Dave, John, and I weren't done yet. We stopped at this place called The Cornet so John could have some supper. He didn't eat with us earlier. We ate out on the balcony and watch all the people go by for a while.
In the picture above you see a line going into a place called Preservation Hall. That is one of the coolest places in town to see some great music. Most of the bars around Bourbon Street are owned by three or four corporations and are all managed to maximize profits. They cater to the baby boomers so much that the bands have to play certain songs a specific number of times a night. I can't tell you how many times we heard "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Brown Eyed Girl". Bourbon Street ain't what it used to be.
This was a very popular locally brewed beer, Abita Amber. I enjoyed several over the weekend. It was served everywhere we went.
You could drink in the street but everything had to be in plastic. Guess which beer was mine?
Since Dave and I had already had supper, we decided to have some pecan pie for dessert.
While we were dining a carriage strolled by. They looked like they were having a pleasant evening.
This was our server, Rachel. She was a delightful young lady and was very helpful pointing us tourists in the right direction toward other things we wanted to see tonight.
After leaving The Cornet we walked toward the river to pick up Decatur Street. While we were walking through the French Quarter we happened upon a lovely couple who had just gotten married. How cools is that?
We also passed by a club with a band that was not playing the usual cover band repertoire. All of a sudden, the bass player took a solo.
It just so happens that the Cafe Du Monde is on Decatur and that's where I wanted to pick up some beignets.
The line is always long and we didn't want to wait for a table. I found a server who didn't seem too busy and asked if he could help us out. He said "no problem" and got me three orders of beignets in no time. I tipped him well and we were on our way. Dave and I wait for our order.
A beignet is a French donut, just another version of fried bread. This bag has about a half cup of powdered sugar in the bottom. So you close the bag and shake it to distribute the powder and then eat them while they are warm. Man, they really are great, better than Krispy Kreme!
We continue on down Decatur Street and find the cigar shop that John wanted to visit. He's been here before.
John picked up a couple of nice cigars and then we walked on down the street to find a nice place on the sidewalk to have a drink and enjoy a smoke.
As we walked there were fireworks going on over the river. Who doesn't love fireworks (besides your dog)?
We found a nice spot to have a drink and enjoy our smoke. As I was taking this cigar-selfie I was photobombed! How cool is that?
This cigar was the finest I've ever smoked. They hand roll them in the shop right there. I think it's a $10 smoke.
We made our way back to Canal street on our way to the hotel. I took this picture just so I could ask "How do you pronounce that?"
It's something like "choop-ah-too-luh" in case you were wondering.
The next day I slept in late. I'm getting old and it takes me a while to recover. By the time I awoke and got cleaned up I was ready for lunch. I went down the block to another local place, the Diamond Street Bar and Grill.
I had a nice sausage po'boy sandwich and another Abita Amber.
After lunch we gathered at the venue four our sound check.
This is Jeff, running the FOH and monitors. Dave is just waiting for someone to say, "Give some kick drum!" Jeff was a great guy who used to mix and tour with national acts like Styx.
Dave's backline kit and his monitor setup. Why do drummers always get a subwoofer under their monitor? Just lucky, I guess.
Mike gets his backline Twin Reverb set up. His Gibson 335 got smashed by the airline on the band's trip to Chicago (I didn't go on that one) so he's using his Strat until his settlement check arrives and he gets his 335 fixed.
This was my backline rig. I was given the choice of an Ampeg SVT Pro or this GK700RB. What can I say? I'm a GK kind of guy. It sounded really good.
As we are sound checking I take my usual amp-selfie. Jamie accidentally photobombs, but I don't mind. This young lady knew her stuff and was a pleasure to work with.
Mike and True Willie hammer out some chord changes and intros. Jeff is mixing with his iPad.
It looks like Mike and Willie have their notes worked out. Willie had a backline amp too but decided not to use it and just go direct. That way he had more room on stage. It was a "Twin"-sized Roland guitar amp.
John tickles the ivories during sound check. John brought one of his keyboard and his sound module. The rest was backlined for him.
We are moving right along with our sound check. There were gremlin-y little things that had to be worked out with keyboards and Willie's monitor/IEMs.
Jamie takes care of a problem with the kick drum mic. Seems the diaphragm went out on the Shure Beta so it was swapped out for something else, an AKG or Sennheiser.
On the screen behind us was shown scenes from old westerns, Willie trivia and concert footage, etc. This happened to be a scene from "Blazing Saddles".
Here's a shot of the venue from my mic. As you can see it was pretty large. However it did not sound like a gymnasium. There were acoustic treatments and baffles to soak up the frequencies instead of reflect them.
About the only thing reflective was the concrete floor. It sounded really good in there. Here I am with a picture of True Willie on the big screen behind me.
It looks like we are starting to wind down our sound check. Johnny is leaving the stage.
Another shot of the venue from the floor. The staff has started to decorate.
Looking back at the stage.
After sound check I wanted to walk down to the river. As I made my way to the riverfront I found this little park dedicated to Hurricane Katrina.
I had to walk around all the convention centers to get to the river walk. It was a good hike. But I got to see the Mississippi up close and personal.
This is the bridge that take the I-10 across the river from New Orleans. That is one interstate that goes all across the country from Santa Monica, California to Jacksonville, Florida. Here I am between the bridges. I could have hopped that little fence and gone for a swim. I decided not.
This looks like one tired little tugboat making its way home after a long, hard day's work.
This is Mother River.
On the way back to my room I found this informational marker. It was interesting.
I got cleaned up and dressed for my gig. I stopped by the rooftop pool to snag another selfie.
OK, let's start the gig. By the time I arrived the party had already started. Guests were eating, drinking, socializing, etc. Here they are lined up at the bars. There were three bars serving the event tonight.
I went upstairs to our green room and took a picture of the venue looking back toward the buffet in the far corner on the other side of the stage.
In the green room Mike and John were already chowing down.
So Dave and I made our way over to the buffet. There was snap beans, shrimp, beef, sausage, rice and beans, hummus and pita, salad, BBQ ribs, etc.
I didn't want to eat a lot before we played so I just has salad, green beans, a little beef, a little shrimp, a little sausage, and a little hummus and pita bread.
There was an Easter egg hunt for the kids tonight. The Easter bunny showed up and let me take a selfie with him.
Do you remember Kevin from the hotel? That's him in the bunny suit. It's not too creepy, is it?
Yes, we're all chomping at the bit to get on stage and do our thing. But it's a party and the schedule is pretty loose. Johnny checks in with Jamie to talk about video cues and stuff.
Jeff and Jamie look like they are ready to rock. They both have the same frame of mind we do. "Sure, it's a small party but let's have fun. We're getting paid the same as if there were a thousand people here" - kind of thing. It was a fun little event, with a big budget.
We had an opening act. This fellow owns a few car dealerships in the area and is a friend of Mr. Cummings. He sang a couple of old standards, "Cuando, Cuando, Cuando" was one of them. I thought he was pretty good.
This is the birthday boy. Mr. Cummings is the gentleman in the white suit. He was such a charming cliche and I think he enjoys playing the part. He really is an old school Southern gentleman. He and his lovely wife Donna danced a few and had a good time.
Here's a couple of action shots I was able to take from the stage. Willie sings and plays the intro to one of his songs and gives me a few seconds to snap one.
John has a long intro to his solo number so I snap another.
The rest of these were taken by Jamie who used my point-n-shoot and her iPhone.
"To All The Girls I've Loved Before" always gets a good response. I've actually started to sound a little like Julio Iglesias. Another one we just started doing for this gig is "Highwayman". I really like that song because it tells a good story and we all get a chance to sing. Except for John. He doesn't sing. If you ever heard him sing you'd know why he doesn't sing. (We love you Johnny!)
The cake has just been brought out and everyone gathers to sing "Happy Birthday". There were eight cakes with ten candles each. Mr. Cummings went all around the table and blew out all the candles. A great cheer followed.
Thanks for sticking around. We've just finished our show, struck our gear, and left the stage. It's so nice not having to haul all that stuff around. My thanks to the hard-working sound and stage crew. All those guys were great.
Mike and Dave are now enjoying some birthday cake. I think I'll have a couple of pieces too.
I forgot to get a picture but fifteen bushels of clams were prepared and served at the clam bar out front. I was told they were excellent but I did not try any. But I did get a picture of Willie and all the young ladies.
The next morning we were up at zero dark thirty to take our taxi to the airport.
I snapped another picture of the Superdome in the sunrise.
I also had to take a picture in front of the Saints store in the airport. I've been a Saints fan since their very first game in 1967.
The flight home was uneventful. Then we boarded a shuttle back to the off-site parking. The LAX circle was a zoo on Easter Sunday. Here's John, just chilling.
Once we were out of the airport we made good time getting home. I got home intime to take my family out for Easter Sunday supper. Then Monday comes again and it's back to the grind. I've got another show with True Willie on Saturday at a real nice theater in Laguna. Then Sunday is Downtown Disney with the KRB. I hope you've enjoyed my little journey. We certainly had a blast. Thanks for looking!
Thank you for your indulgence,
BassCliff
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