We had a WHOLE MESS of Fun - Bonnaroo 2014 - Manchester, TN - June 12-15, 2014

Bonnaroo is an annual music festival held in Manchester, Tennessee. The origins of the festival are in jam bands and folk rock, but it's popularity has grown the festival to one of the premier summer music festivals in the world, drawing much larger acts such as Eminem, Metallica, the Black Keys, Jay-Z, Arcade Fire, Red Hot Chili Peppers and this year - Jack White, Kanye West and Elton John. The festival got its name from New Orleans musician Dr. John and his album "Desitively Bonnaroo". It started as a festival dedicated to honoring the rich music tradition of Louisiana - shown today through performances such as a 'Superjam', performed by many different artists of different genres. My first journey was in 2013 (before this blog began) and here is my account of Bonnaroo 2014! Enjoy!

With hopeful anticipation from my readers, IT'S HERE!! THE BONNAROO POST IS FINALLY HERE! IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!! It took much longer than I originally expected with most of my summer being taken up with other travels. But never fear. Bonnaroo 2014's adventures and happenings are still fresh in my mind and I'm stoked to share the funk with y'all!

This year got off to a bit of a rough start but in only the comical way that I could. I needed to go across town to pick up the rental car for the cheap price we got for a week. Anyone in DC knows going from Capitol Hill to Cleveland Park on the Metro at rush hour AIN'T NO JOKE. I needed to get the car by 7pm or else the place would be closed and I would need to go back the next day. There was no time for that since we were leaving for 'Roo the next day. I left work a bit late, was wearing high heels, and ended up sprinting up the Van Ness Metro station escalator, past a Golds Gym and to the Days Inn where I needed to pick up the car. I arrived just as the person at Budget Rent-a-Car was getting in his car (and he wasn't exactly friendly on the phone when I told him I was running a bit late). Sweating profusely and all my breath gone, I asked him if he would help me. What a mess. At the end of the day...WE GOT OUR JEEP! Unlike last year, there were 4 of us going in the DC car to Bonnaroo - me, Becca, her boyfriend Clint and Becca's business partner (and new Bonna-friend) Kate! Figured we needed more than an Elantra this year...

The crew from DC was otherwise pretty similar - Kevin and Aubrie met us at Becca's, along with Kevin's roommate at the time, Tra'Don. I'm not sure where to start when describing Tra'Don - artist, character, legging aficionado sums it up. When I first met Tra'Don, I thought he was joking with me - I can understand since I have a generally humorous demeanor. However, I soon learned that this is Tra'Don 24/7 - perfect Bonnaroo companion.

From the photo above, you can see the Bonna-crew from 2013's Bonnaroo adventure. 2014's adventure was based much upon this group. Kevin and Becca had ventured to Bonnaroo in 2011 and I was convinced that next time the opportunity came around, I would tag along. In 2011, it was just Kevin, his sister Michelle and Becca. 2013 would mean a much bigger crew of about 12. Fellow musical soulmate, Jordan, (a friend from South Carolina) is also an avid Bonnaroo attendee, so he was part of the 2013 crew, along with hometown friend Michael. They invited some friends from Florida, the Engler sisters, whom I would bond with and become besties (honorary Engler sister, Nora). Another South Carolina friend, Steven, joined with his friend Jeff. Bonnaroo 2013 vets Megan and Jeff couldn't make it this year, and more friends Kim and Kate joined.

Bonnacrew 2014!

Bonnaroo 2014 was both an epic music festival and friend reunion - one of my favorite parts about Bonnaroo. It is a time for friends to come together and enjoy great live music, while making memories at the campsite, Silent Disco, among other things. We arrived Wednesday night, as the campsites open Wednesday and the festival begins on Thursday and ends Sunday night. Thursday acts as a day to get your bearings in Centeroo, see some good acts and wander into the wee hours of the morning. I was reunited with my soul sisters, the Englers, and we caught up on life, as I haven't seen either of them since I visited Erika in San Francisco earlier this year. One of the Bonna-crew's favorite bands, The Wild Feathers, were opening the festival so we had to get a move on.

A unique thing about this year's Bonnaroo was that the 2014 World Cup was just getting started as the festival itself began. Bonnaroo had set up a viewing area for people to go watch the games whenever a game of their choice was on - basically a huge projection screen with a field for people to sit out and watch the games. Live music and soccer? IS THIS UTOPIA!? So my USA gear game had to be ON POINT.

Thursday was a chill day of music - The Wild Feathers followed by ZZ Ward. Wild Feathers was the perfect way to start off the festival, with raw alt-country music that a good majority of our group knew. ZZ Ward gave us girls, especially the 'YANGLER' sisters (myself, Krista and Erika) somethin' to jam out about. ZZ Ward has a fabulous soulful voice that goes perfectly with girl power rock songs - perfect for post breakups and such. So we did as any strong women would do and rocked our socks off.

ZZ Ward

Wild Feathers

The rest of the day didn't have any shows I was really into so I took the day to wander aimlessly around Centeroo. Kevin, Tra'Don, Aubrie and I wandered and got a little drunk along the way. Turned out that later in the day, a band named High & Mighty Brass Band was playing at the Christmas Club Barn, which was the only air-conditioned place in Centeroo and Christmas-themed. It had a Brooklyn theme as well, with all Brooklyn beers. High and Mighty Brass Band also happened to be from Brooklyn, and since Tra'Don was the sacred prince of Brooklyn, of course he knew a few of the band members. As you can imagine, the only air-conditioned spot at Bonnaroo proved to be quite a popular place. After a few drinks, I was bold (and annoying) enough to tell the Bonnaroo event staff how I really felt about not letting us in: "YOU JUST LET A WHOLE MESS OF PEOPLE IN AND CAN'T LET US IN?!" Not sure I'll ever live that little number now - Kevin and I still joke about that proclamation of frustration. We finally got in and it was one of the funkiest moments of Bonnaroo. High & Mighty were a New Orleans brass band with a ton of interactive call-and-response. They definitely have the hipster qualities of a Brooklyn band, which gave them a cool twist. And of course, after a long day (nevermind a long weekend) of watching music in the hot sun, air conditioning was a nice change of pace. 

 High & Mighty Brass Band

Next was some Pusha T for the hip-hop component of the day. They had some good anthem type stuff (THAT'S THAT SHIT I DON'T LIKE!). Afterwards, we made it back to the campsite for some low-key jams. Kevin had his guitar so we had some sing-alongs - we even had some passers-by join the fun. The best was when our campsite neighbor, Sammy Rogers, joined the jam as a musician and it became THE BROKEN COMPASS SOCIETY-SAMMY ROGERS PROJECT.

Kevin & I - musical soulmates

Aubrie & I - hippie soulsisters

Friday was a semi-busy day, and also a big day for USA in soccer. This was USA's first game of the World Cup so the whole crew wore their best USA gear. Unfortunately, I missed the first show of the day that I wanted to see - St. Paul & the Broken Bones - but that's OK since I got to see Vintage Trouble. This rock-and-soul outfit from Los Angeles has a flamboyant singer with a hipster band with a country blues sound. I wrote about them in a previous post, so you have an idea of their fun, bluesy sound - but seeing them at the Bonnaroo Which stage was the unique part. They were one of the earliest shows of the day and they still had everyone jumping - this is quite the feat. Next for me had to be Big Sam's Funky Nation - obviously, anything with the word 'funky' in it had me sold. Turns out Big Sam also plays in New Orleans brass band Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Although muddy and rainy, this was the closest I was able to get to the What stage my entire time at Bonnaroo. Big Sam definitely brought the funk, especially with an encore of Purple Haze. I joined Kevin for a bit of the Wood Brothers and then folks broke off for different shows. Erika, Krista and I went back to the campsite for a bit to eat, rest and prep for Kanye. Later on, the rest of the crew met back at the campsite to get ready to go to Kanye together. The grounds where Bonnaroo is held are in the mountains of southeastern Tennessee. That being said, it can be pretty cold at night, which in 2013 I was completely unprepared for. For the night shows we knew we would need to be prepped with jackets, pants, etc.

USA Day!!

Becca, Aubrie and I at Kanye!

Many of us weren't too psyched for Kanye, as he had a certain reputation at Bonnaroo. In 2008, Kanye was following Pearl Jam at the Which stage. There were a few issues with this - 1. Kanye was NOT on the main stage - second biggest, but that's obviously not good enough for Kanye, and 2. the Bonnaroo crowd is historically more of a Pearl Jam crowd than a Kanye one. When Pearl Jam went over on their set time by half an hour, this displeased Kanye very much. So much so that he delayed his set start time several hours. With so many shows to plan around when attending Bonnaroo, 2008 Bonnaroovians were not happy about this change in schedule. All of this in mind, I was shocked that Bonnaroo had invited him back and moreover, I was surprised he accepted. The accepting, loving hippie crowd at Bonnaroo was not so accepting of this lineup decision. There were more "F**K KANYE" posters than I could count.

Well done, sir. Some 'F**K Kanye' swag.

Nevertheless, we were willing to give him a shot. We weren't expecting much because of the aforementioned so this was our chance to relive our college years with some old school Kanye hits and let loose. Despite his weird Yeezus persona, we were able to do just that. Then Kanye showed his true colors. There was some speculation that Kanye would retaliate against those hatin' on his 2008 antics. And he did. In the middle of one of his '808s and Heartbeats" numbers, he stopped dead and started yelling "WHERE DA PRESS AT?!", inferring that the press had been talking shit about him. As this had absolutely nothing to do with his performance, the audience was rightfully confused. But since everyone was having a good time reliving their college days, they let this one slide. Then came the big one: Kanye proclaiming that he was the "#1 muthaf**ckin' rock star on the planet!" Music fans at Bonnaroo were NOT havin' this. The "F**K KANYE" chants began and the crowd quickly thinned out. I was happy to leave early since the Superjam with Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi and Chaka Khan was next :)

Some of the Bonnacrew Silent Discoing - (from left) me, Clint, Becca & Kevin

This Superjam was the show I was most excited for at Bonnaroo. I knew it would be packed and I knew I would be committing a cardinal sin of concertgoers - pushing to the front of the stage in front of people who had been waiting for hours - but I didn't care. This was the Funk-and-Soul Superjam and I wasn't missing it. The Superjam is a concept started at Bonnaroo, with a group of diverse musicians playing a one-time-only collaborative performance. Often, it is so spontaneous, the artists and audience don't know where the show is going. It is the most anticipated performance at Bonnaroo. This year, the Funk-and-Soul Superjam featured Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Chaka Khan, Eric Krasno of Soulive, Karl Denson, bluesman Taj Mahal, and funkster Nigel Hall. I definitely got some dirty looks as I made my way to the front, but I didn't care - I was on cloud nine. I was among my people - baby boomers. Ready to hear some Sly & the Family Stone covers. I was not disappointed as they played I Want to Take you Higher and Respect Yourself. Chaka Khan stunned everyone with a Led Zeppelin cover. I can't even describe how utopic this show was.

Superjam - Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Saturday was a VERY busy day for everyone - Kevin, Aubrie and I had essentially the same schedule for Saturday so we stuck together most of the day. Since High & Mighty was so awesome on Thursday, we started our day with them. It was extra hot and sunny today - just as Bonnaroo should be. There was a show we were attending just about every hour on Saturday. New Orleans brass sounds were followed by the southern rock of Blackberry Smoke. They all looked like members of Lynyrd Skynyrd and was like the Allman Brothers reincarnated.

Besties reunited - Erika and me!

Yangler sisters! - Erika, Krista and me!

Tedeschi Trucks Band was one of my favorite shows of the day. It was on the large stage and it was another lovely sunny day. A great day for jam band music. We made our way to the What stage and setup, ready to get down. Kevin and I were immediately blown away with Derek Trucks' guitar playing. His wife, Susan Tedeschi, has a wonderful voice reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt and the remainder of the band are fantastic musicians - they are a large but necessarily so band. Simultaneously, I was getting tanner and tanner and my face was sufficiently melted.

Derek Trucks solo

Crew at Tedeschi Trucks - (from left) Kevin, Clint, me, Becca, Aubrie

We had about an hour or so to kill, so we kicked back and rested for a bit. There were lots of bands that our crew were interested in - Cake, Cage the Elephant, Chromeo - but this Bonnaroo had an 'old soul' theme for me. I could not deviate.

The next show I was amped about was John Butler Trio. Kevin had really talked up this show. I liked John Butler Trio fine, but thought he was just a hippie playing acoustic guitar singing about peace and protecting mother earth. Where these things are present in his songs, I had no idea what a talented musician he is. I looked on stage and saw a drumset, a bassist and John Butler with his guitar. The way he manipulated the sound with his pedals, it sounded like there were 3 guitarists on stage - I was looking around, curious where the other guitarists were. Kevin knew exactly what I was doing and just looked at me and nodded his head, as if saying "I KNOW." John Butler starts every show by thanking the native owners of the land the show is taking place upon - a practice that began in his native land of Australia. Every song he played was powerful and fun, but none was more impressive than 'Ocean'. This is a song in which he plays each part of the song by himself - the percussion, the guitar, the change in tempo and volume. The song is so complex it's amazing that he plays it by himself without the assistance of a looper. I left that show with my mouth open in amazement.

John Butler Trio

Ms. Lauryn Hill postponed her show, so we went over to see the Black Cadillacs (and a little of Lionel Richie) as we waited for Jack White. The crew would be meeting up again for Jack White - I liked Jack White from his White Stripes days, but didn't know much of his solo stuff. I had heard great things about his live shows, so I was interested. Started out a bit strange, with Jack White summoning us to look at the moon and how big it was that night, but then it played out to be one of the best shows I saw at 'Roo. Jack White's guitar playing is good, but a little shrill sometimes. His drummer was fantastic and he had some awesome chick musicians in his band, which I'm always game for.

Sunday was a relatively light day for me, so it was just nice to hang out with some of the crew and get my merch shopping done. Got to see a little bit of Lake Street Dive, with their funky country sound. Erika and I even got to do a little sun bathing and watch a little bit of the World Cup - a vacation from an already awesome vacation. We went to see a bit of Capital Cities - I'm normally not a huge fan, but live they are fantastic (obviously - they have a horns section). Kevin even got to play a Broken Compass Society song so he could win some new guitar strings - got himself some new fans. Next up were the Arctic Monkeys on the big stage and scoping out a spot for the final show of 'Roo - Elton freakin' John! 

The Yangler (i.e., Engler) sisters and I were going to meet up with the rest of the crew later, as we wanted to catch Amos Lee. We killed some time in the fountain where Krista drew the attention of Vance Joy with her modelesque curves (don't hate me Krista). Of course we would make friends with one of the bands while frolicking in a fountain. I can't hear Vance Joy on the radio without thinking of Bonnaroo.

Erika & me at the fountain!

Amos Lee was playing one of the final shows before Elton John - I thought this might mean he would play an abbreviated show, but this was definitely not the case. Amos Lee has a great band behind him and a great arsenal of songs to choose from. He allowed his band to shine, with the female bassist Annie Clements playing a bluegrass version of 'Single Ladies' and the rhythm guitarist singing a flawless version of 'Thinkin' Bout You' by Frank Ocean. He played the song that always makes me cry, "Keep It Loose, Keep it Tight", and even gave me the best hashtag ever, #sweatyasfuck.

Amos Lee- Windows are Rolled Down

  Elton John is a little fuzzy, as by the last show of Bonnaroo, I'm usually half-asleep for most of the set. From the songs I did see, he rocked it as I expected he would.

Overall, a VERY successful and memorable 'Roo. As 2014 was my second year, it was as much about the reunion with friends as it is about the music. I think this is important for me to remember about 'Roo (as well as life in general). I love live music and festivals such as Bonnaroo, but the friends that you share these things with are what really make them special. I won't be attending Bonnaroo 2015 due to some international travel to Paris in April (anyone who knows of any venues in Paris I shouldn't miss, hit me up!) but I am going to do my best to be back on the farm in 2016! Here's to Bonnaroo and the best Bonnacrew I could ask for! :)

New Guitar Prodigy - Marcus Machado

So I would consider myself a fan of guitar talent. You know - Carlos Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck...the list could go on. I'm also a fan of the latest "young guns" of  as Rolling Stone magazine has aptly named them - blues man Gary Clark Jr., the youngest funk guitarist ever Brandon Niederauer and now there's the Jimi Hendrix-meets-Stevie Ray Vaughn aficionado Marcus Machado. His style is clean and well...I just hope we see more from him real soon.



11 year old Brandon Niederauer joins Gary Clark Jr. on stage in Central Park this summer

 Enjoy, music friends.

 

A Little Bit Softer Now... Nora's Americana Music obsession

Hello music friends! I'm not sure if it's the cold weather or the yoga practices I've been participating in lately, but I've recently noticed that my Pandora station rarely deviates from the Jason Isbell station. This has meant a resurgence in my love of Americana and alternative country music.

Jason Isbell was once the frontman for the ultimate alternative country band, the Drive-By Truckers. He's moved on to a wildly successful solo career, as well as playing with another more rootsy band called the 400 Unit.

Americana music has always been a favorite of mine - Dan the Man started me young on bands like Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Joni Mitchell, John Mellencamp and Bonnie Raitt. What I love about it is it takes the wonderful storytelling that you find in country music and removes the cheesiness and ungenuine qualities (generally, Americana musicians are much better, skilled musicians than that of other country music). Now, some of my favorite artists are in the Americana genre - Nicki Bluhm, Jason Isbell, Amos Lee, Ryan Adams, Ryan Bingham. All have powerful vocals with soothing acoustic sounds.

I love the sense of calm I feel when listening to Americana - since there's always a good story, it's like a really good, short podcast with awesome musicians. Even on the rock n' roll end of the Americana spectrum - bands like Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers or the Black Crowes - its always easy to listen and makes me feel good. It incorporates all the elements of American music that I love - rock n' roll, some country twang in the slide guitar, R&B melodies in the piano and horn sections, the storytelling of folk music.

As we enter a cold season of semi-hibernation and holiday reflection, let yourself get cozy and enjoy some Americana sounds :)

Happy holidays friends!

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Goddamn Lonely Love

Jason Isbell - Elephant

Amos Lee - Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight

Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers - In the Mountains

HAPPY 65TH BIRTHDAY TO MY BEST FRIEND, DAN THE MAN!!

Funky friends - December 2nd is a very special day in my books - it's my best friend and father's birthday. 2014 marks a very special year for Dan the Man - the big 6-5! For those of you who have had the pleasure of meeting DT, I think you would agree with me in saying he doesn't look a day over 30. He's an avid ultimate frisbee player and lover of all things fun in life. He's the best concert companion a girl could ask for and he's the best travel buddy I know.

Kermit Ruffins & Rebirth Brass Band - Happy Birthday

In honor of my pops' birthday, and considering that I am the musical vagabond, I'm starting off my dad's birthday right with a little New Orleans horns birthday wish courtesy of Kermit Ruffins and a funky birthday wish courtesy of the late 
great Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix - Happy Birthday

I know this blog tends to have a sarcastic tone, but there is nothing sarcastic about this: DT, thanks for being the best dad and role model a girl could ask for. I'm a lucky chick :)

Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson's New Collaboration - Funkiest I've Heard in a While!!!

So I'm freaking out slightly over Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson's new funky collab - 'Uptown Funk' and 'Feel Right', featuring the one and only...MYSTIKAL!!

I love everything that Bruno Mars does live so when I saw that he performed this on SNL, I had to check it out. I had no idea he had tapped into everything that is funky and created something that Prince, James Brown and George Clinton would be more than proud of. Bruno Mars' musical style with his backup singers/dancers, the Hooligans, and London-based producer Mark Ronson come together perfectly. Mark Ronson puts on a stellar funk guitar performance to back up Bruno Mars' dancing theatrics and the horn section was as tight as any I've seen (and let's be honest - I would say I'm a self-proclaimed horn section aficionado).

The 'Feel Right' performance blew my mind, Mystikal doing a fantastic combination of his unique New Orleans-style rap and a James Brown performance that was borderline uncanny. I have a new respect for Mystikal.

This Mark Ronson genius doesn't end here - the much-awaited album "Uptown Special" is expected for release on January 27th, 2015. You KNOW I'm ready.

They came, They Saw, They Got REALLLL Funky - Marc Broussard & Mingo Fishtrap - October 2nd, 2014 - The Hamilton Live, DC

OK, Hamilton Live. You've done it. You've officially given me the best show I've ever seen at your fine, fine venue. Not a difficult feat, however, when you combine two of my favorite artists: one of the best funk jam bands right now out of Austin, TX - Mingo Fishtrap - and one of the most soulful voices of our time - Mr. Marc Broussard.

Yesterday (written on October 3rd - sorry for the late post), Mingo Fishtrap and Marc Broussard joined forces to bring funk and soul music to the ears of DC's finest music venue. I had seen Marc Broussard several times by himself and each show was a little different - I've only seen him play with a full band once at Antone's (in other news, Antone's opened a new location in the East Riverside area of Austin, TX - that stupid location has thankfully shut down and is returning to downtown Austin - LONG LIVE, LIVE MUSIC!!). Every other performance has been an acoustic solo performance at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis, MD - I adore this venue and most of Marc's acoustic ballads. However, I'm sure you know by now that I like to GET DOWN, so this acoustic setup didn't always do it for me. I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time at The Hamilton in June, and been a fan for about 3 years - I would gladly see them at least once a month. How beyond enthusiastic I was to hear that Mingo Fishtrap AND Marc Broussard would be touring together and - no, it can't be - PLAYING TOGETHER?! Best band ever. And they did not disappoint.

The Musical Vagabond with her bestie (by that I mean me and Andrea)

I arrived at The Hamilton about a half hour before doors even open (which I don't normally do because...I'm too cool, I suppose - and because generally it's a monumental waste of time). This time around, it was completely necessary. The Hamilton Live venue is in the basement of the actual Hamilton restaurant and for a 6:30 doors show, there was already a line up the stairs at 6pm. For some show like - oh I don't know - THE FOO FIGHTERS PLAYING THE BLACKCAT - this is nothing because there was a 2 block radius line around the venue (sorry, I'm pretty bitter). But for The Hamilton Live, which has up-and-coming acts or funk and brass bands with the limited following, this was notable. I was meeting Dan the Man and my bestie Andrea and husband Peter (new to the vagabond blog, but will make more appearances soon). They were all coming from College Park, so I was responsible for getting a good spot in the standing room only area of the Hamilton. The Hamilton Live has no reserved seats, so everything is first come-first serve.

We got a great spot, got some delish pizza and waited anxiously (at least I did) for the show to start. We were met with a lovely surprise named Andy Suzuki. He's a local guy from Rockville who played a short acoustic set, including a cover of one of me and Dan the Man's favorite songs by Amos Lee, 'Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight'.

After a short intermission, what looked and sounded a lot like a New Orleans Second Line began parading around The Hamilton. COULD IT BE?! - MINGO FISHTRAP! It was time. Rewind to about 3 months before this show to when I had seen Mingo Fishtrap for the first time.


I've been a fan for a few years, going back to my days in Austin. Austin has a unique but also predictable sound - outlaw country, Texas swing, folk, with a little twinge of hippie rebellion (see Willie Nelson). Some of the Austin bands I've come to love - The Band of Heathens, Reckless Kelly - fit this bill quite nicely. And THEN I heard Mingo Fishtrap for the first time. Were they all actually from New Orleans and just fell in love with Austin the way I did? Was James Brown reincarnated into a hippie white dude from Mississippi? I love everything about this band.

Mingo Fishtrap @ Austin's legendary Stubb's

  Luckily, my partner in crime Andrea was willing to go to the front of the stage, which at the Hamilton, means you are basically ON stage. Mingo Fishtrap brought the funk immediately. They played some of my favorites from their new album, 'On Time', as well as some stellar soul covers. There were even some fireside chats - obviously the best part of any show. My favorite was the prelude to performing the title track of their album 'On Time'. Lead singer Roger Blevins, Jr. started by talking about how he was discussing with a man at a bar - the best way to begin a conversation - how much they both despise shows like The Voice and American Idol and how you will never get someone as uniquely talented as a Ray Charles or a James Brown from a manufactured show like this. I COULD NOT AGREE MORE - I live my life wondering why a band like Mingo Fishtrap is in the background and some other choice artists (not naming names) are in the spotlight for far less talent. I couldn't even imagine how upset this fact made Mingo Fishtrap and bands like them everywhere. But Mr. Blevins, Jr. surprised and impressed me with his humble and kind attitude by saying that he can't be mad at someone for having their time to shine if he is indeed trying to do the same thing. He named the song and the album 'On Time' as an optimistic message to say I'm not shining quite yet but I'll be 'on time' when I do. I think we can all take a lesson from that type of optimism.

Mingo Fishtrap - "On Time"

After a few more funky numbers, it was time for the intermission between Mingo Fishtrap and the headliner - Marc Broussard. Initially hearing about this tour, I thought it was going to a be an opening act-headliner situation. MIND BLOWN: Mingo and Marc playing together. Meanwhile, Andrea and I had scored a sweet concert neighbor - older woman there by herself with what resembled an Indian sari and an African headwrap and some of the longest braids I've ever seen. The kind souls at the Hamilton let her all the way to the front middle of the stage where she comfortably placed her purse on the stage next to the amps (right in front of Marc's mic stand) and for all intents and purposes, had moved into the Hamilton for the night. When the music started she was my hero - some hippie arm motions, knowing every word to every Marc song AND every obscure Motown cover that I thought only a music nerd like myself - and my father - would know. Marc gave her a shout out a few times - pretty cute.

I digress - Marc started with a few of his popular slower songs, just him, his drummer and bassist. His band left the stage and he played a few heartfelt acoustic songs such as The Wanderer and provided some ammo for some audience call-and-response. When it was time to speed things up, his 3 piece band did not come back - no, no - but rather ALL of Mingo Fishtrap came on stage. Talk about a supergroup.



They really helped Marc rock out on his most popular number, 'Home', with a swampy, raw, bluesy sound. I've heard him do this song a few times acoustic and it does not do 'Home' justice. They KILLED some soul/Motown covers, one of Marc's most famous being 'Love and Happiness' as well as Bill Withers' 'Who is He (And What is He to You)'. Me and my older hippie spirit guide we rockin' this in the crowd. Totally normal. Then they went into Bob Marley's 'Waiting in Vain'. They do it all.

Mingo Fishtrap & Marc Broussard - "Waiting in Vain"

So much of this show was incredible, but the moment I think I had a cartoon-esque moment of my mind literally blowing up inside my skull was after Marc Broussard had introduced Mingo Fishtrap and walked off stage. Would it be totally insane to say that next, Mingo Fishtrap broke into a Lettuce funk cover? Well, my friends, it happened. I didn't know what to do. Me and Dan freaked. OUT.

As I stated in my opening argument, this was one of the best shows I've ever seen - definitely the best I've seen at the Hamilton. It's like these artists tapped into my soul and said "what would Nora like to hear tonight? Let's play THAT." Doesn't get much better. 

Vintage Trouble: Bringin' the Soul to DC, one Pelvis thrust at a time - September 18th, 2014 - The Hamilton Live, DC

(written last night - September 18th)

Minutes ago, I returned home from another successful father-daughter evening at the Hamilton with Dan the Man. Usually I wait a few days (weeks, months, what have you) to write my posts because it gives me time to reflect on what talent I've had the opportunity to witness. But whatever - I'm feeling motivated this eve.

Don't get me wrong - Vintage Trouble could bring the FUNK. But this band is full of special talent, with each of the four musicians dedicated to preserving true American soul music, and bringing their audiences a memorable performance with face melting guitar riffs, mind blowing vocals, killer grooves and of course - pelvis pushing.



I had seen Vintage Trouble at Bonnaroo several months ago and wanted to experience them in a smaller club setting. They were a blast at 'Roo but the big atmosphere took a bit away from their energy. It wasn't until I saw them last night that I realized just what energy they had. Dan and I started at MXDC, an upscale Mexican restaurant right around the corner from the Hamilton. They had a BANGIN' happy hour so we hung there and discussed family and work matters, fightin' the man, etc. until we needed to go to the Hamilton to boogie down.

The band looked like extras from Boardwalk Empire meets Almost Famous. To keep their 'vintage' persona alive, they all wear three piece suits to match their three-piece band of a drummer, guitarist and bassist. Then there is the powerful voice of of lead singer Ty that brings it all together. 

VINTAGE TROUBLE

Lead singer Ty looks like a miniature version of James Brown on uppers - in the best way possible. He jumped around stage like Mick Jagger and twirled around like a ballerina. It was exhausting to watch. They started with some tunes to get the crowd going, even a what-would-have-been love song from his father to his mother 'Nancy Lee'. Throughout the show he would describe their sound as being that which you would find in a 1950s barn dance - um...can I attend a barn dance? That sounds phenomenal. The Hamilton Live dance floor will suffice I suppose. They followed up these up-tempo tunes with some acoustic songs off their new EP like "Not Alright By Me" and "Nobody Told Me" (my personal favorite) - followed appropriately by the ever-so-conservative 'Pelvis Pusher'. They finished up the show with the slide-guitar power hour that was 'Run like the River' - one of the best guitar solos I've seen in a long time. At one point I stopped moving all together and I'm fairly sure I was just staring with my mouth open. MAD RESPECT SIR. Ty ran around stage a bit more before jumping off stage and running around The Hamilton Live - a 6'8" bouncer attempting to follow him around and failing miserably. The show closed with the band exiting the stage except for the drummer and a slow solo. It was a perfect ending to a great night of soul music.

I appreciate any band that brings soul music back to its home - 'MERICA. We can all revere the fairly recent new wave British soul invasion - Adele, Amy Winehouse (RIP), Joss Stone, Sam Smith - with their powerful and soulful voices anyone could have swore came out of 1950s motown. Now I'm not saying I don't like the British - I love me some football and blood sausage. BUT soul music is and of America and it needed to come home. In addition, I would argue that these British soul singers are so tied to their heros of Motown that they become very cover-heavy. I love a good cover, but it is refreshing to hear bands like Vintage Trouble, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and Allen Stone play all original music at their shows (or in Allen Stone's case, new arrangements of songs) and really make them their own, creating new classics for my generation.

Vintage Trouble played not one cover, with a nicely arranged set of party starters, acoustic ballads, call-and-responses, and -- more pelvis pushing.




(Sorry guys, these GIFs are just too good)

STEVIE WONDER ANNOUNCES 'SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE' TOUR!!! - Washington, DC, November 9th, 2014

OMG. OMG. OMG.

Thanks to my girl Andrea, I now am enlightened to know that the legend himself, STEVIE FREAKIN' WONDER, has announced a small fall 2014 tour of 11 cities - including DC on November 9th!

As soon as I found out, I rang up Dan the Man and let him know of this epic news. He then went into a chronicle of his childhood (one of my favorite traits about my old man) about how when he was 13, he was watching the Ed Sullivan show and Stevie Wonder made his first TV appearance playing 'Fingertips'. He explained his jaw dropping to the floor and thinking 'how can this blind kid make such beautiful music and all I can do is throw a baseball?' These memories and moments in time are what music is all about.




You best believe Andrea, myself, Dan the Man and Peter (Andrea's husband) will be attending this event in funky force.

We'll see how the ticket situation works out - I do have presale access, but if Verizon Center is asking me to pay with my first born child as they often do, I'll have to go the Sting/Paul Simon route and use my scalper hustlin' skills.

Brother Rod and Brother Carlos Breakin' it Down on a Tuesday - Santana & Rod Stewart - August 19th, 2014 - Verizon Center, DC

I know I owe you guys a Bonnaroo post, a Mingo Fishtrap post, and several others - sorry, so much to document and trying to make it perfect for my beautiful readers. So moving on to one of the most epic shows I've been to in a while.

Dan the Man and I are serious Santana aficionados so whenever he's in the immediate DC vicinity, you can usually count on us to be there jammin' with Carlos. This time around was no different. A few weeks ago though, DT informed me that we would be trekking to Buffalo so I would need to find a replacement. This was tough as I knew DT loves Santana and has always wanted to see Maggie Mae live, but no bother. I'll find a fun music friend to appreciate these 'old rockers' as my girl Morgan calls them.

Christine (from my Jazzfest adventures) didn't let me down. She was ready to jam.

Christine and me - ready to rock

Admittedly, our seats were quite high up at the Verizon Center, but Dan the Man planned it perfectly. Although high, our seats were to the side of the stage so as close as you could be. We tried to look cute to try to butter up some security guards as the show went on with hope that we could get a bit lower. BUT, the show was absolutely packed - as it should have been.

Santana started off the show, right on time at 7:30pm - kind of nice to get to a show when it says it's going to start and low and behold, IT ACTUALLY DOES! He started with a killer Latin-inspired jam sesh. There were 2 guitarist, including Brother Carlos, 2 vocalists and my favorite part of his set - FIVE drummers!! 3 actual drumsets and 2 conga drum stations. I felt like I was at a giant Carnivale party. After about 25 minute jam sesh, the crowd went wild and Carlos slowed it down for some Paul McCartney-esque fireside chats (thanks Kevin and Becca for giving this phenomenon an apt name). He goes into my favorite line of the night: "A lot of people wonder what me and Brother Rod have in common. We both like playing black music for white people." First of all, only Carlos Santana can get away with calling people 'brother' or 'sister' and then their first name - I want to begin this phenomenon. Christine and I have already started. Second, Brother Carlos has such a way with words when describing his music - what a gem. He played some of his classics like Black Magic Woman, Evil Ways, and Oye Como Va to get the crowd excited. Then he introduces 'Maria, Maria' by saying "me and Brother Rod also like to make the ladies go crazyyyyy'. Yes Santana, you do.


Santana - Oye Como Va

 One of the coolest parts of the shows was the video streaming behind the stage. Especially during the encore portion of Santana's show. The video of Santana's Woodstock performance began and then the band broke out in Santana's FULL Woodstock set. A good way to commemorate Woodstock's 45th anniversary the weekend before the show.


Santana's 45th anniversary Woodstock set

  Thanks for completely blowing my mind, Brother Carlos.

Brother Rod's set began about 30 minutes later and you would have thought you were at two completely different shows. Santana's stage set was very earth mother-friendly, in tune with Santana's "everyone is my brother and/or sister" vibe (don't think I've ever heard anyone refer to Stevie Ray Vaughn as Brother Stevie"). Rod Stewart's looked much more modern, a bit of an 80s feel, 4 less drum sets, etc. His band was also a bit different. By comparison, Santana's 1/5 drummer is a cool rocker chick with an afro who rocks super hard - doesn't surprise me looking at her that she is a phenomenal musician. Rod Stewart's band looked the Robert Palmer 'Addicted to Love' video with overly made up models making a weak attempt at fake-playing instruments but looking super hot. Rod Stewart's band was equally smokin' but 43095843098 times more talented. They had costume changes, danced like Beyonce, wore heels, and were unbelievable musicians. His backup singers should have record deals, his sax and trumpet players should be in a New Orleans jazz band, and they all should have model contracts. Looks can definitely be deceiving, but either way, I was floored.

Santana came out for a performance with Rod Stewart that made me melt - a cover of Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind". And of course Santana's guitar playing had me on the verge of tears. Brother Rod did a few more of his old standbys and then featured all the talented women in his band. He even gave one of the backup singers take the lead on a Tina Turner-esque cover of "Proud Mary". Enough time for Brother Rod to change into a shinier suit than he had on previously. Throughout the show, he would have some trippy and unexpected video backdrops (see below) that led me and Christine to think "man, didn't think Rod had it in him". The finale to his show was as a English soccer fan, he is known for having a bunch of signed soccer balls into the crowd. Well this AARP superstar didn't just throw them into the stands - he punted them across the Verizon Center. Ummm can I be like that when I'm +70?


Santana-Rod Stewart Etta James cover - "I'd Rather Go Blind"

Brother Rod's trippiest backdrop

After seeing Santana several times, I was so excited for this show for him and his fantastic live shows. But this is why I love live music - I go to a show expecting one thing and being pleasantly surprised by totally out of left field.

In honor of the 45th anniversary of Woodstock, I'm always blown away by the talent, consistency and respect for music these great artists have that are about my parents' age. I think about how when they wrote these classic arrangements, they were my age when I was in college. What was I doing in college? Being hungover eating DP Dough? But really. It is quite inspiring to see these people leading such cool lives with music at the center of them. I hope I lead half as cool a life as these cats have. It also makes me appreciate how my mom and my pops have always exposed me to different types of music and made sure I appreciate the good stuff - thanks guys! And thanks for the tickets, DT!

Fall 2014 - The Season of the Funk

OK, OK. I know that you're thinking EVERY season is the season of Funk for Nora Thomas. However, this fall it truly is. It seems like all of my favorite artists had a conference in Funkytown and were like "hey guys, Nora doesn't go to enough concerts as it is, so let's all go on tour at the exact same time!" Some people get amped about football season. And don't get me wrong - I also get very aroused by the thought of tailgating and football. But this girl can't wait for her fall 2014 concert lineup.

I'm not complaining. I always get bummed out when summer ends so a plethora of concerts is just the ticket (no pun intended). But seriously. I think I need to take a portion of my paycheck and put it all toward fall concerts. Because they will all be epic.

My fall season starts with 2 early fall shows at Merriwether - a goodbye to outdoor shows for the year. First are some classic rock icons - ZZ Top & Jeff Beck, accompanied by one my Austin blues guitar heros, Gary Clark Jr. Next is the Route 29 Revue with Amanda featuring Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and bluegrass jam band Devil Makes Three.

Gary Clark Jr - Born Under a Bad Sign

ZZ Top - Bonnaroo 2013

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue - St. James Infirmary

September gets busy with some solid shows at the Hamilton - Vintage Trouble, and New Orleans' funksters George Porter & the Runnin' Pardners. Next, I finally get to see the Black Keys live followed by a trip to NYC to see musical soulmate Kevin and see NEEDTOBREATHE live.

Vintage Trouble on Letterman

George Porter, Jr. & the Runnin' Pardners

NEEDTOBREATHE

  October opens with a bang with two of my absolute favs - Marc Broussard and Mingo Fishtrap - playing together at the Hamilton. I've been waiting to see them jam together and finally my wish comes true. Not exactly Disneyworld, but close enough for me. Soulful hippie Allen Stone plays a few days later at 9:30 club with Bad Rabbits.

Marc Broussard - Home

Mingo Fishtrap - Live at Stubb's

Allen Stone - Million

Halloween shall be epic. Lettuce AND Soulive are to play a Halloween set in NYC. These bands swap out members all the time, so to see them all together in Halloween garb will be a sight to be seen. Kevin, get ready for fall - 2 NYC trips in one season.

Lettuce - Live at Bear Creek

Soulive

  I go on a little break for most of November and then get crazy again with John Butler Trio and Wild Feathers in the same week!! AHHHH!!!

John Butler Trio - Ocean

Wild Feathers - Hard Wind

Check out the 'Upcoming Shows' section of Musical Vagabond to see if there are any you want to join in on.

NEW SEGMENT: Kevin Harrison's Lyrical Enlightenment of the Day

Everyone needs some encouragement in the morning when you have to deal with incompetent drivers/Metro riders/any annoying commute equivalent you deal with everyday.

Lately, my musical soulmate Kevin Harrison has been remedying my morning woes with some uplifting and comical lyrical text messages courtesy of some of our favorite bands.

He just started a new job at UNICEF in New York City to fund his other career as a musician and takes the East River ferry everyday from the hipster 'hood, Brooklyn, to Manhattan. In this time, he would text me some Chris Robinson wisdom via Black Crowes lyrics. As this trend has continued, we've moved on to other artists like Macklemore, American Aquarium...even 30 Seconds to Mars (I'm only OK with it because Jared Leto is my hippie fantasy man).

I thought all of my vagabond family could benefit from this lyrical therapy. So, Kevin Harrison's Lyrical Enlightenment of the Day segment on Musical Vagabond is born. Check back every day for a new lyric, as well as some textual commentary on said lyric.

(NOTE: I think this is even more appropriate since what is more 'vagabond' then taking a boat to work? Awesome.)

Enjoy your Fridays everyone, and keep on listening!

Y'ALL GET THAT CHICKEN - Some DC Ladies' Epic Trip to New Orleans Jazzfest - May 2-6, 2014

There are some trips that (a) foreshadow a long and prosperous friendship and (b) are really awesome. My latest trip to New Orleans Jazzfest was both of these things. I went with my soccer besties Natalie and Christine on an epic and somewhat spontaneous journey to New Orleans. We had all been to NoLa before but never for Jazzfest and never as a unified #horsebraiding unit. This was also all of our first foray into the use of AirBnB – staying in someone’s house when they may or may not be there. It’s wayyyy cheaper than a hotel (especially during Jazzfest) and so I was like why not? We are adventurous individuals – we can handle it.

Team Horsebraiding. Don't ask.

We embarked on our adventure Friday night, complete with an entire bottle of wine pregame at the airport AND wine on the plane (thanks, Southwest.) We arrived to the aptly named Louis Armstrong International Airport several hours later and head downtown in one of New Orleans’ finest taxicabs (pause for sarcastic recognition). All that we knew was that our AirBnB accommodation was right downtown on Canal Street a bit north of the French Quarter. What we didn’t realize is that it was an older house amongst the Tulane Medical School building complex. Needless to say, we were a little weirded out. BUT as soon as we walked in the house, we realized we made the right decision. The house was eclectic and looked like the apartment from Across the Universe (if only we had Sadie to hang out with). We stayed in one of the resident’s rooms, a girl with incredibly eclectic taste – wigs, vintage shoes, a Willie Nelson shrine in the kitchen, philosophical writings on the mirror. This chick was our kinda girl. Her room was HUGE – enough room for her queen bed and a double air mattress. There was more than enough space for the 3 of us and all of our festival stuff, as well as a huge bathroom for us connected to the room. Best of all? A dive bar next door named Handsome Willy’s with the best day-of-the-week promotion I’ve heard since Wu-Tang Wednesday at Satellite Room – ‘Funk N’ Crunk Fridays’. It’s OK – I know this is blowing your mind as much as it did mine. I want to make it my goal in life to start a Funk N’ Crunk Fridays trend at every bar I attend going forward. We called it a night fairly early by New Orleans standards since Natalie and Christine had to prepare themselves for their first big music festy.

The next morning we woke up refreshed and ready to go (and entirely too early because we didn’t go out). We met our eccentric AirBnB host. She gave us fantastic pointers about jazzfest and where to eat breakfast. Her suggestion led us to the Ruby Slipper, a locals spot a few blocks down from our little abode on Canal Street. They are famous for their larger than life biscuits – for good reason. These biscuits were as big as my head and weighed down with the most butter ever. We ordered 3 more for breakfast the next two mornings. After a Walgreens run for beer/sunscreen/Cliff bars, it was Jazzfest time.

Our house was near the French Quarter, but not necessarily near the Jazzfest fairgrounds. So getting to the fairgrounds was our first task. It turned out that from anywhere in New Orleans to the fairgrounds was just $5 per person each way – not bad at all for a major tourist attraction. The fairgrounds were quite a bit larger than we realized so we knew we would need to get our bearings first. We wandered, got a schedule and a beverage and made our way to the Acura Stage, Jazzfest’s main stage. I was the festival veteran of the group, so my Camelbak was the communal hydrator. We got to the Acura Stage in time for New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint to start his set. He went through several classic New Orleans jazz songs which was a poetic way to begin our first jazzfest. This was about noon, very early in the day for the festival, so the area around the stage was fairly sparse. Good news for 3 chicks whose first jazzfest it was. Allen Toussaint then announced that he had a friend that he’d like to bring on stage. I thought another New Orleans jazz legend. And this is where the Jazzfest surprises began. Allen Toussaint’s “good friend” was none other than Jimmy Buffet. Everyone was SHOCKED. I thought about Parrotheads paying hundreds of dollars to see Jimmy Buffet and I got to see him based on pure chance. Very cool. He sang a few songs and was on his way to continue partying at Jazzfest. The daiquiris needed refilling so we attended to that need. We wandered for a bit and even got to participate in a Jazzfest parade, complete with a brass band and steppers. Walking past the food vendors made me realize this wasn’t just any music festival – each stand was dedicated to some New Orleans culinary specialty – crawfish, etouffee, jambalaya, alligator pie, fried chicken – take your pick. My arteries were clogging with each new food option. Although we had tickets to a show later that night to see The Revivalists, they were also playing at Jazzfest at Samsung Galaxy stage, the other main stage at the festival. I had just seen them a few weeks before in DC so I knew how epic their shows could be. Nothing could have prepared me for their festival style show – so much energy and all the instruments sounded incredible in this setting. Best part of the show? 2 back-to-back Rage Against the Machine covers. If there was any doubt in my mind that I had made a good decision to come to Jazzfest, this doubt was on a plane back to DC.

Jazzfest - Day 1

Jimmy Buffet & Allen Toussaint - NBD

The Revivalists - Rage cover - Bulls on Parade - Minute 17:20

Speaking of Rage Against the Machine. Following The Revivalists set, we only had about an hour until Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band started at the Acura Stage. So instead of being inundated with Tulane students waiting for Foster the People, we made our way to Acura. It was unbelievably packed. Like Bonnaroo was never even this packed – I guess everyone else knew how sweet it was that the Boss was at Jazzfest for the price of a day ticket. The most annoying thing about Jazzfest is that they don’t limit where people set up chairs and such. So getting close to the front of the stage is a feat for those who don’t mind getting dirty looks from those in their tailgating chairs. We were in that category of people. We got as close as we could without suffering a claustrophobia anxiety attack and severely pissing off the people standing an inch from my face. The Boss was as incredible as ever, playing quite a few songs from the new album and then more recognizable songs like Hungry Heart. A few songs in, I realized this was not the typical E Street Band crew. There was a newcomer, none other than Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine. I just about fainted from shock. Probably the best way to end the first day of Jazzfest. After a while of looking at the guy in front of me’s neck, we decided to get some air and walk over to see Trey Songz. I really don’t wanna hear it, fellow music snobs. I couldn’t stand to be that dangerously close to some Jersey tourists’ B.O. for one more second. There was definitely more space at Trey Songz, the opportunity to see the sun begin to go down and some dancing. And Trey was as sexy as ever. Eye candy may have been better than the show, but that’s fine.

Best girls in the world

Trey Songz!

The Boss

We had tickets that night to an awesome show at the Joy Theatre featuring three prominent New Orleans acts – Earphunk, Motet and the Revivalists. We went to a standard (and overpriced) place for dinner in the French Quarter. After the server told us a good way to get a feel for local culture was to go to the zoo, it was definitely time to go elsewhere for tourism advice. The show started with Earphunk who rocked the Joy Theatre. The best of the night in my opinion. The theatre wasn’t full at all for Earphunk but I figured that was a result of them being the opener. The $4 Stellas definitely helped make the night more interesting. The Motet wasn’t really my style, but the lead singer definitely had stage presence. The Revivalists were the headliner, but I felt that for that venue, Earphunk stole the show. The Revivalists are definitely better suited for a large festival atmosphere than a smaller venue. It could have something to do with that fact that the theatre was half empty, but…I’m just sayin’.

Me & Dave Shaw from the Revivalists!

Sunday was to close out the 2-weeklong festival. Some of my favorite acts were to come. Let me preface this epic of a day by saying Natalie had casually been saying throughout the trip that her cousin was the significant other of the bassist in Arcade Fire. I knew songs by Arcade Fire but I was completely oblivious to how big time of a band they were. I guess I should have known by the mere fact that they were one of the headliners of the festival. Fail Nora. The early part of the day wasn’t too exciting musically so we did a bunch of the stuff that looked awesome but weren’t sure if we would get around to it – go to the zydeco stage, learn how to properly dance to zydeco music, go to the Native American village and watch a man move his feet faster than any human I’ve ever seen during a traditional war dance, eat Indian fry bread, eat other New Orleans food (namely crawfish), make friends while eating crawfish and…buy more sunscreen for Christine’s fragile Eastern European flesh.

Christine + Zydeco dancing

Nola parade

Native American traditional dancer

A few hours later, we made our way to the Samsung stage for the the funk fest began for the day with George Porter, Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners. Awesome I know. We were at front of the stage doing what I like to call Nora-funk dance. It’s really catching on I think. I wish I could go to shows like this all the time – all is right with the world at a funk show. Like all of the musicians we’d seen, these guys were insanely talented local musicians. After that funky dance party, we made our way to another one at the Acura stage and figured we would just camp out there for Arcade Fire and Trombone Shorty to close out the festival. Ian Neville’s funk project, Dumpstaphunk, rocked the Acura stage and I was finally able to hear my favorite New Orleans funk number, “Hey Pocky-a-Way”. I danced my life away for that one and had exhausted my Camelbak so I needed to take a few to chill. We waited about an hour for Arcade Fire. In this time, Natalie had been texting her cousin and she was able to get Nat a backstage pass for the show. Christine and I were able to get right to the front of the general admission fence as Nat went backstage to hang with her cousin and the rest of the Arcade Fire crew. Going into this show, I knew a few Arcade Fire songs but by no means was I a huge fan. I just knew they were a band made up of a bunch of people. From the beginning of their set, they were really playing into a New Orleans state of mind – parades, horns and drums, costumes, etc. What made it a great festival show was that even people who didn’t know their music that well could have a blast with it. They are so fun to watch because they all play so many different instruments. One song one of the band members may be playing lead guitar, and the next song they may be playing the steel drums. Great show.

Ian Neville's Dumpstaphunk


After Arcade Fire was the moment I’d been waiting for – TROMBONE SHORTY! It was also this moment that Natalie Benda asserted herself as best person ever. In other words, she graciously offered to allow me to use her backstage pass to see Trombone Shorty up close. I was officially freaking out. Nat gave me specific instructions on how to get side stage to where she sat and then how to get to the very front of the stage in the press area. Obviously I was going directly to the press area. I waltzed past several security checkpoints, right into the press area. This was literally right in front of the stage – in front of the VIP section – where all press and photographers were permitted to go. I didn’t know what to do with myself – should I take a ton of videos? Should I just dance my life away? Stare at Trombone Shorty incessantly? Well I decided to do all of those things (I think he looked directly at me…). Since I probably looked like a teenager freaking out at a One Direction concert, I stood out like a sore thumb and was eventually told to leave…womp, womp. So Christine could enjoy some of the VIP lifestyle, I passed the backstage pass along to her and Nat and I went back around to where the ordinary folk watched the show. I was pretty awe inspiring to see Trombone Shorty in his hometown close out Jazzfest like that – you could see how humbled he was to have such a crowd supporting him on a stage he only dreamed to play on growing up.

Literally that close to Trombone Shorty

Thanks for being awesome, Jazzfest!

Nat was our VIP party planner for the rest of the night by informing us that we’d all been invited to a private party hosted by Arcade Fire. Casual, right? We all felt like such VIPs for the night. None of us brought overly sexy clothes – since we thought we would be degenerate music festival goers the entire time – so dressing for the occasion was a bit of a struggle. (WHAT IF TROMBONE SHORTY WAS THERE?? I gotta make sure I look gooooood). Turned out we didn’t need to dress up at all, as the entire bar crowd was reminiscent of an Urban Outfitters ad – old hip hop, hipster threads and REALLY hipster drinks. Oh did I mention this was open bar? This was a much welcomed treat. For the next few hours, we mingled with Arcade Fire, their significant others and other hangers-on. This included Nat’s cousin who was SUPER cool. Could she just be my life spirit guide? Her fashion, her life course in Montreal – just all screamed cool. We even had a bonding moment rockin’ out to ‘No Diggity’.

Arcade Fire’s conga drum players set up shop in the corner, including a full drum set which super talented chick Régine Chassagne of Arcade Fire started jammin’. James Williams, local New Orleans celebrity, even showed up to show off his horn-blowin’ skills. This was what I wanted every night out in my life to be like – random jam sesh with a rock band and I’m just the audience. The girls and I made friends with James Williams, part of the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band. He was super cool and even offered to take us over to Frenchman Street, New Orleans’ live music hub. We walked in the Spotted Cat Club like we owned the place – James literally knew everyone. The scene is New Orleans is very cool – musicians walk in the various clubs with their instruments and sit in with whoever is playing that night. It’s so impressive that they can sit in with anyone and sound like they’ve been playing together for years. A perfect way to round out Jazzfest weekend.

Monday was our free day and the only thing I wanted to do was go to the famous Willie Mae’s Scotch House. They were famous to have the best fried chicken in the country. Obviously I was going. We walked through the Treme neighborhood which you could see had a ton of history in the city. About a block away from Willie Mae’s we knew we were close because a man on the balcony of one of the houses yelled down to us, “Y’ALL GET THAT CHICKEN!!” Yes. It was unassuming and not fancy at all – just as all the best places are. They had all the traditional southern sides and the chicken was unlike any I’d ever seen. Anyone who has had fish and chips knows what the fried beer batter coating looks and tastes like – and it’s delicious. The chicken tasted like it had this coating. It was delicious. We made friends with some local old men who told us how often they came to eat there. At total fullness, we exited the premises. 

Willie Mae's Scotch House chicken

 While waiting for Arcade Fire, someone near us told us that Magazine Street would be a cool place to wander, shop and eat. It was about a 15 minute cab ride from Willie Mae’s and a world away – much yuppier. Magazine Street was known for its shopping and restaurants. The vintage and antique shops were quite good. Since it was Cinco de Mayo, we figured it would be a good idea to find a semblance of a Mexican bar and drink margaritas into oblivion. Juan’s Flying Burrito would do the trick. This is also where we would meet our new bestie – Tyson. A 30-something, ex military guy from Madison, Wisconsin – I think Natalie met her Midwestern soulmate. He told us he was traveling alone and would buy us a pitcher of margaritas if he could sit with us. 4 hours later, we were best friends and drunk Christine had sufficiently freaked him out by asking about his management strategies of his real estate business. We even shared a cab to the airport the next morning.

A very early morning flight ended our New Orleans adventure, but this was one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken. There’s something to be said for good friends who you can travel with – and give you backstage passes to see Trombone Shorty. (LOVE YOU, NAT & CHRISTINE).