JAZZ FEST! FINALLY!

Ahhh, the day finally arrives when I can meet up with all my new friends and listen to the great music!!!!

Friday.  I joined this website (yes, another one that has meetups).  It was the chat page off the NOLA Jazz Fest site.  The people on this site call themselves Threadheads.  I'd been talking to them online for about 6 months.  A planned pre-fest meetup at Liuzza's (by the Sauvage St entrance).  So great to put faces with names.  And, they all had lagniappes to give out (buttons, bags, little tattoo stickers, etc).  My hat is covered with buttons and flowers now.  Throughout the day at Fest and walking around the Quarter at night, people would see my hat and ask "Are you a Threadhead?"  and another new friend is made!  I had bought an Overpass ticket from the local jazz station, WWOZ.

  It was an extra $50, but it goes to the local station and I thought it worth it.  And, they also had a hospitality tent set up with fruit, coffee, water and most importantly, semi-private bathrooms (well, porto-potties)...much better than the main ones...but I will leave that go.. You all know what I mean.

It was a gorgeous sunny day.  Great weather for the first day of fest.  Got into the Fest.  First thing, hit the food market area for breakfast.  Crawfish enchiladas, yes, and damn were they good!  Then off to meetup with the Threadheads.  what a great bunch of people!  Wandered around from stage to stage with Janice, one of the girls I met.  stopped at the booths they have set up for all of the local artists.

  Got the most beautiful glass (perfume bottle and oil candle holder) from a vendor and Threadhead, Rosetree Glass.  Do a search on him.  He lives down there and creates gorgeous glass.we saw so many great bands...The Iguanas, Tab Benoit, Anders Osborne, Doyle Bramhall, Sheryl Crow...just the first day. 

Saturday - Second day...well, the weather wasn't so good this day.  Had my cheap dollar store poncho (invest in a better one)  and had to buy an umbrella there.  OMG!  so much rain, dancing around, getting muddy but having a blast!!!  Benjy Davis project  (now, I can't remember if Erik or Adam told me about these guys...I think), The Gospel Tent...so many acts there, Cowboy Mouth, Billy Joel.

  By the time Billy came on, it was a downpour, the rain was coming sideways, people body surfing on tarps, so much rain and mud.  We left part way through his act...got soooooo cold.  Back to the hotel, showered and well, went out drinking!!!!!

sunday, didn't make it to Fest.  Couldn't do another day in pouring rain.  And, I missed the one act that I really wanted to see....Elvis Costello and Alan Toussaint.  Ah well.   We were out walking the quarter, started to rain and of course popped into the closest bar.  Did I mention there was alot of drinking?  Yes, well, we continued on.  That night, met the cutest English guys in the Royal Air Force.  OK, being an American, I can't help but love that accent....they could utter gibberish and it would sound great!  Oh, and we adopted an army guy, Aaron, who was there just for the day.  He wound up having a great time!

Overall, I have to say this was one of the best trips I've been on.  I met the greatest people (TBers and Threadheads) and random locals and other tourists.  Such a social weekend!  Everyone should hit up Jazz Fest at least once in their lives.