a bunch of brown-clothed hobo-looking kids playing old time jazz blues – turned out they had a ‘showcase’ show for the Fest sometime later – lots of brass and a dancing girl but the kid on a washboard with a tilted cap was the best
I think this was the band’s name – there were about ten men on the stage – all older gents, each with a different instrument – the music was so markedly better than what we’d been hearing pouring out of Bourbon St clubs, that we knew we had arrived at our first official French Quarter Fest stage – traditional jazz – I don’t know the proper terms but it’s the happy go lucky kind that makes me think of full dresses and big rivers – it was great!
[Austin, TX] retro music bores me more quickly than some of my associates but Wayne was kind of gripping – his voice was so quintessentially twangy and old-timey country, even though he’s not, plus he had an assortment of minor face ticks that kept you watching – very good “juke joint swing,” as he terms it, with lots of Hank Williams in there – will remain forever baffled by the Hawaiian-sounding lap steel accents of country swing music
[Sydney, Australia] a sassy vixen with a big red flower in her big blonde waves – she sang with the attitude of Amy Winehouse and the voice of Macy Gray and she danced like a little jogging train throughout the whole show – her backing band was sort of special, incorporating little jazzy bits
a fine boss-girl of a lead singer in her red dress with zig-zagging fringes and scattered arm tattoos – in addition to her solid version of low-toned female rockabilly vocalizing, she handled DJ responsibilities in between sets – the band was completed by an upright bass guitarist, drummer, and lead guitarist – some covers, old country, rockabilly, swing; and then a song where the vocalist left and the musicianship was turned up and it was very exciting psychosurf; and then our personal finale was a song that started like the Flipper song with “HA HA HA HA HO HO HO!” lyrics, was dedicated as “The Laughing Song” to the upright guitarist’s “partner,” and has been determined by the wonderous Google to be a The Residents song of the same name that is described as sounding like The Flipper song – it must be noted that the venue was satisfyingly swanky rock club and the environment on their ‘Swing Night’ was earnest, clean dance devotion with a crowd of youngsters, hipsters, oldsters alike
the more that I understand the sound of Texas swing, the more I appreciate this band – they elaborate on the sound and play intelligently and creatively – always based in country but sometimes leaning more toward the bluegrass then toward a solid swing song and then a waltz and then almost jazzy – they\”re very good musicians and make the song their own while maintaining its integrity – Jeremy, the lead singer\”s, voice might not be remarkable but what is remarkable is his deft management of the band and dedication to the music he loves