Miscellaneous

Today was the first Jazz Fest Thursday since Katrina. Thursdays were relatively low-key days. Today seemed to fit that mold. Here?s a short account of one attendee?s low-key day:

• Arrive some time after 11:00 a.m. Go first to the Gospel Tent to sit down and apply sun screen. While there, be treated to an uplifting performance by Charles Jackson & the Jackson Travelers.
• After the Jackson Travelers set, stock up the carry-around cooler with beer and snag some lunch: today, boiled crawfish. Go back to the Gospel Tent to suck the heads, pinch the tails, and listen to another uplifting performance, this one by the Melody Clouds.
• After the Melody Clouds finish, catch a little bit of the TBC Brass Band at the Jazz & Heritage Stage before heading to the Acura stage for Bonerama.
• See kick-ass one-hour set by Bonerama.
• After Bonerama, walk to the Gentilly Stage at the other end of the Fair Grounds, and arrive just in time for the start of Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers. On the way, pick up a Creole stuffed bread.
• As Kermit finished, be unaware that the best was yet to come. Go get a quick bite of food, then return to the Gentilly Stage for Randy Newman.
• Listen to Randy Newman deliver perhaps his finest performance ever at the Jazz Fest. The highlight of the day.
• Go home relatively early (6:00). On the way out, catch a little bit of Widespread Panic?s cover of Earl King?s classic ?Big Chief.?

Of course Randy Newman did ?Louisiana 1927,? and of course it drew some tears. Here?s a video of Randy doing the same song in Stuttgart.