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Apr102010
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Otra at FQF |
I went to the French Quarter again this afternoon for the festival. Dad had a doctor’s appointment on the west bank shortly afternoon and he agreed to give me a ride to the Algiers ferry. When I arrived on the east bank I wandered along the riverfront and made my way to the Musical Legends Park on Bourbon Street where Tom McDermott was getting ready to start. It’s not a very large area and quite a crowd had gathered. I managed to snag a chair in the back but with all the people, tables, chair and umbrellas in front of me, I was in no position to take pictures. Tom put on a good set although the crowd and tight quarters were a bit of a distraction. As I was leaving a half hour or so later I took a couple snapshots at the front.
I walked down Royal Street after leaving there and stopped to watch a street performer, Bobby Maverick, who had drawn a sizable crowd to his escape act. Eventually I made my way to Dutch Alley where the Doc Houlind International Jazz Band was about to get started.
I listened to them for a few numbers and eventually made my way to the pavilion stage on the riverfront where Otra, one of my favorite local bands, was playing this afternoon at 3:30. I arrived before the set started and snagged a spot right up front. Taking decent pictures was a challenge because of my distance from the stage and the musicians being in the shade in front of a bright blue sky. The music was awesome, though. I stayed for the whole set.
Following Otra I stopped at a nearby ATM and headed to Jackson Square where Irvin Mayfield and the NOJO All Stars were playing. The music was good although the set did have the feel of a commercial for all the acts at Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse of Bourbon Street. I couldn’t easily get close to the stage so I contented myself listening from a distance. Around 6:30 I left to go find a cab and get to work. I had to be at the station this evening from seven until ten… more or less.
It didn’t take long to get a cab and to the WVUE. When I arrived I changed into more suitable attire. I left some clothes there yesterday afternoon so I wouldn’t be walking around the newsroom looking like a bum. After I arrived I learned we wouldn’t be going on the air at nine as usual. A NASCAR race, the Subway Fresh Fit 600, preempted our broadcast and we didn’t go on air with our half hour newscast until about 10:30. I was finally free to go home sometime after 11. Jennifer, who anchored the news was looking for a ride home and I was going in her direction so I volunteered to share a cab.
Later that evening, I sorted through and uploaded the pictures I took earlier today although I didn’t actually get them on the website.