NOLA

In the Big Easy for a conference this week and met up with my old buddy Paul for dinner and music last night. We walked along Bourbon St. just to say we’d done it and then headed into the Marigny, which is way better. Even Wikipedia recognizes it as a place haunted by locals and “knowledgeable” out of town visitors.

Started at Buffa’s. One big dinner and a few beers later, the band set up and they were amazing. This blurry bass player gives an idea of the vibe… And will remind me of my increasing unsteadiness as the night went on.

We met up with some of his National Guard buddies and hit the Apple Barrel, the Spotted Cat, and finally Vaso’s. In each place the music was great but by the time we got to Vaso’s it was really great… 9 or 10 guys jamming hard, with a funky jazzy groove. They were really really tight and they were really really loud… It wasn’t really music you could dance to (except for a couple of drunk girls who gave it the old college try) but it was impossible to stay still, and so everybody just kind of grooved in place.

Just another Saturday night around these parts. Wow.

Paul has Army stuff today, including a ruck march, and I can only offer one word of advice: hydrate!