Thursday, April 08, 2010

Festival view


For those of you who know where my new apartment is, you can probably guess what the picture is. For those of you further (farther? I prefer the Pranksters so further), I will explain.
It is the JazzFest blues tent and by today has been joined by both the jazz and gospel tents. I live directly behind the jazz tent, probably not 200 feet from it although I am a bad judge of distance so maybe its 100 or 500...
Whatever it is, except for a fence separating us, I am part of the festival now. Living with the sounds of trucks, people working to build those massive tents and music playing. quiet yet, but I know that will change come next week, when all of the staff come on site and the serious work starts.
I moved here with the full knowledge that this would be so. And that during the 7 festival days, I would be just about engulfed.
I did it because I have been a JF goer since 1981 and still mostly enjoy it. The food is the best our region has to offer in grass-sittin' food choices and although more locals should be playing the big stages (louder complaint every year, sadly), it is still a deal.
The attitude of a day long festival that closes at 7 pm is "go ahead and enjoy the city after you leave us". And the folks that come do just that. They walk (yes walk) or catch a bus or pile 6 in a taxi and head to Tip's, or dba or Carrollton Station and go hear MORE music, get MORE food. And they rent my friend's houses around here and have nice bbqs and porch sittin' before and after. And they love our city. They love it as close to how locals do as they can.
I look forward to being the front porch of Jazz Fest and if you come down Mystery and turn on Fortin, look for the red scooter and knock on the open door for a drink and a visit before you head in.
I'll be happy to see you....

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