Winter Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 (edited) TR: Gettin Funked up at Jazz Fest All right, so I know it aint climbing related, but I figured y'all wouldnt flame me too bad for posting something a bit off topic. I got back from 4 days at Jazz Fest in Nawlins on Sunday night. For those of you that have been there, you know why Im so stoked (and a bit .. uhhh ... forgetful) this morning. I headed down there for a bachelor party for two friends from college. Between 15-20 other folks from school had promised to show up, and I was really looking forward to catching up with these guys. It had been several years since I had partied with most of them. I arrived on Thursday afternoon, after a three hour layover and a 1.5 hour delay in the Dallas airport. Freakin incompetent airport had us second in line on the runway for about an hour. My four-beer lunch helped to dull the pain a bit. I got in and went to check out the four bedroom townhouse we had rented. Nice. We hung out there for a couple of hours until most of the people showed up. From there we went straight to the live music. Jazz Fest consists of partying under a scorching sun and hot weather from about 1 pm until 7 pm. You go home and puke, shower, maybe sleep (depending on what you got in you), maybe eat (again depending on what kind of buzz your working) and then head out to another show at 10. The night usually consist of a 10 pm, a 2 am and a 5 am concert. Thursday we hit, I think, Lush for the first show. They had a kick ass funky groove goin on with a woman playing lead on the sax. Then we hit Karl Denson at House of Blues .. I think that was a 2 am show, but I ain't sure anymore. After that, Im pretty sure we went the Howlin Wolf to check out Zigaboo. We called it a night after walking home in the blinding light at about 8 am. Friday consisted of three hours of sleep and an early trip to the fairgrounds for Los Lobos (awesome), Robert Randolph and the Family Band (also super high energy) and Ben Harper (can't hang with the funky psychedelic groove everyone else laid down). Friday night was the hardest partying of the trip. It started with Widespread Panic at the Municipal Auditorium, into Galactic at some small theatre. By the time I got to Galactic, I didn't really know where I was, but they played an amazing show and the most professional well put together performance of the weekend - what I can remember. Then we went to Da Funky Butt to hear the Cosmic Crewe. This place was small and super weird looking. They played in an upstairs room - real small, and they were dressed up as fucking aliens in material that blended into the floor. Unbelievable. I honestly thought we were going to take off at one point. Then I came out and still thought we were at Galactic. The highlight of the night was Keith pissing in a garbage can at some point during the night. At leat he didn't shit his pants. I guess he's matured a bit over the last ten years. From there we headed back to the Howlin Wolf to see Vinyl, a young band from SF. They also got on the funk with a strong horns section and lit it up. I finally figured out what the hell was going on and enjoyed it all until they shut it all down around 8 am. Saturday I got about 4 hours of sleep and finally landed at the fairgrounds around 2-3 pm. We caught the Funky Meters (spin off of the Neville Brothers) and Widespread. Wow! Many people were flying super high even after a long long night on Friday and it never let up. Saturday night we had dinner at Arnaud's, a fancy dig in the French Quarter. I don't think they really enjoyed our company that night. Doug left them a pile of puke in the corner as a little thank you present. Saturday night it started all again. We went to Café Brasil after dinner to catch a bit of Tea Leaf Green. From there we went to Tipitinas Uptown to see Karl Denson again at 2 am. This guy and his band are a must see if you get them in a good venue. Karl plays a mean sax, and rest of the band supports him with strong work. The whole place was dancing and going crazy. Unfortunately he cut the show a bit short to catch a 7am flight, and we couldn't get him to change his plans. From Tippy's we headed over to the Maple Lead to see Vinyl play a late show starting around 5 am. They played even better then they had the night before, and they made up for Karl's early departure. The Maple Lead is small and intimate, and we were right on top of the band. Oh yeah. We finally made it home at 8-ish. Sunday, I thought I would get a bit more sleep, but it didn't happen. We again woke up after a few hours sleep and went straight to the fairgrounds. I got a free ticket from some stranger, and we enjoyed Topaz ( I slept through half of that), the Radiators, the Neville Brothers and the Buddy Guy band. Wow - quite a line up. Sunday night we went to see the Funky Meters. If you ever get a chance, check these guys out, as well as the Neville Brothers. The Nevilles really set an amazing funky precedent in New Orleans and all these young upstarts laying down the 7 am grooves on X are just following in their footsteps. The Nevilles are the original New Orleans shit. After the Meters, we went to check out Zigaboo at the Howlin Wolf. Tea Leaf Green was due on next, at about 7am, but I finally had to leave. I had a plane at 9 am, and I needed to shower and catch a cab to the airport. I couldn't believe I was actually tearing myself away. Having to leave all my friends during the middle of a morning show, with all of us in a 4-day haze, felt like walking out of the party of history at the end of time. What the hell was I thinking? Anyway, I managed to make it to the airport on time but hadn't slept in about 18 hours. I had to buy one of those dumb neck pillows, because I knew I was gonna be out for about ten hours. We arrived in Dallas, and I awoke to the sounds of the laughing stewardesses waking me up, because everyone else had already left, and they were cleaning the plane. I finally got home after another layover in Salt Lake City and collapsed into the car. Oh man. That was perhaps the best weekend I've had in a long time. Something about live music and travel touches in me the same sense of adventure, spirituality and freedom that climbing does. I also got to reconnect with more than a dozen real close friends that I haven't seen in years. We were able to reaffirm our friendships and create new memories that will last until the next time we get together. So the moral of the story is GO TO JAZZ FEST! Wow. Don't go unprepared. Can you stay up until 8 am with the kids? If not, ya better bring along some help to see you through. It'll be worth it. Oh yeah, and the last thing .. and perhaps the one great motivator. I have NEVER seen such a staggering collection of beauties in my entire life. I don't know if its Nawlins or the music, but the hotties outnumbered the guys. And they're all wasted. Edited May 6, 2003 by Winter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 Nice TR Winter. I plan to get down there someday for the fest. Glad to hear Vinyl is still getting a groove on and pleasin' the crowds. I know the base player. They are an awesome group of guys who just started grooving in a garage about 5 years ago and decided to start a band. I've missed their last 3 performances here in Seattle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 Jazz Fest is amazing! So is Panic, Galctic, and Karl D. Sounds like you definately made the late night rounds. People go to Nawlins once for Mardi Gras, but keep comin' back for Jazz Fest if that says anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 ooh the memories... iwent last year and three years before that... Jazz fest is definitely one for everyone's tick list... don't even bother with mardigras WInter- how was wp w/o mike houser (RIP--- ) they fukin saw them the first jazz fest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGowans Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 Winter said: Oh yeah, and the last thing .. and perhaps the one great motivator. I have NEVER seen such a staggering collection of beauties in my entire life. I don't know if its Nawlins or the music, but the hotties outnumbered the guys. And they're all wasted. Dude, I went to university in Thibodaux, Louisiana, 45 mins SW of N.O. for 3 years....Nawlins sux ass if you're there for longer than a weekend. The chicks are pretty decent, but the beer goggles invariably elevate them to "babe" status. During Mardi Gras this year, i got a TR from one of my buddies...turns out one of our buddies got a hummer from a dude dressed as a chick. He had no idea...beware of overly thick Beer Goggles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted May 6, 2003 Author Share Posted May 6, 2003 Widespread kicked ass. I always thought they were too loud for their venues before Houser died. He was a great guitarist, but I think they sound better now that they aren't on 11 all the time. They turned it down a bit, and it sounds better. Nawlins may suck ass but Jazz Fest is the shiznit. Most of the hotties must've been from out of town, although I met couple of sweeties from Nawlins ... and they didn't have dicks ... although I didn't really check either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 I have to disagree. I think Panic has lost their heritage when Mikey died. I enjoyed their loudness. No one else was out there doing it. I think they help spawn jam bands for the 21st Century. Winter, now that you have experienced JazzFest you are now primed for Bonnaroo! Went last year and by far the best music festival I've ever been to. Blows Jazzfest out of the water (think Jazzfest times 10 but on a farm in TN instead of NO). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted May 6, 2003 Share Posted May 6, 2003 ryland_moore said: I have to disagree. I think Panic has lost their heritage when Mikey died. I enjoyed their loudness. No one else was out there doing it. I think they help spawn jam bands for the 21st Century. Winter, now that you have experienced JazzFest you are now primed for Bonnaroo! Went last year and by far the best music festival I've ever been to. Blows Jazzfest out of the water (think Jazzfest times 10 but on a farm in TN instead of NO). they are having bonnaroo part deux omfg.... better rent your RV now. holyshitola... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter Posted May 6, 2003 Author Share Posted May 6, 2003 Aw man I know. I would love to go to Bonaroo, but alas I'll be climbing. I think climbing is easier on the body and less risky then partying at the shows. It definitely kills less brain cells unless your above 7000 meters. hmmm ... climbing vs. concert-going ... I've gotten hangovers, partial deafness, heat exhaustion, lost brain cells, vomiting, etc etc etc from shows. I've gotten a broken heel (from indoors), scrapes and bruises but no major injuries from climbing. I had pretty much ditched the shows, but I think now I'll have to make time and money for both again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_Schuldt Posted May 9, 2003 Share Posted May 9, 2003 Check out wwoz.org a public radio station for New Orleans that broadcasts on the net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted May 9, 2003 Share Posted May 9, 2003 they are having bonnaroo part deux omfg.... better rent your RV now. holyshitola... Too bad. They sold out all 70,000 tickets in the first weekend! I will be in Alaska for this one, but last year's Bonnaroo was f'in awesome! And you can go climbing too! Only 20 minutes away from Foster Falls 1 hour from T-Wall and Sunset and plenty of waterfalls and deep pools to soak in to get rid of the shakes from the concert. Hell, you could just go to Foster Falls and climb underneath the overhanging waterfall and drop back in the pool like in Master's of Stone! [/img]http://www.friendsofscsra.org/images/fosterpc.jpg[/img][/url] Steep sandstone, deep pools, excellent music, and plenty of What could be better? Oh yeah, hot hippie girls naked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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