End of an Era: The Radiators and Fish Head Music make a last stand By Patty McGehee

All photos by Patty McGehee except the last one:

One cool Sunday night in the winter we drove  over to Lafayette to go to The Blue Moon Saloon to see The Radiators play one of the last shows that they were ever going to perform. They had been in the news and giving interviews telling the public that they were disbanding after all these years. Dan and I had been following them from way back when. We followed the musicians in their various groups BEFORE they had formed The Radiatiors. (Gosh, Dan  and I are getting old!)

On the long ride over we talked about our love of following the band members during their various incarnations:

Dan recalled following  them when they were The Dogs.  I don't recall The Dogs, but I followed  Dustwoofie around during my senior year of high school (1972) because my then boyfriend Phillip Richardson was in the band with Dave Malone.

I have vivid memories of Dustwoofie playing just before a concert at Tulane University to open for Chuck Berry. I was able to stand right in front of Chuck Berry and if I had wanted to, I could have reached forward and touched him because there was no stage. The band was set up at floor level against a wall.

I remember being impressed that Phillip was so talented. He was playing a steel pedal guitar in that band. He was a very good drummer as I recall and he played piano around his house just to please his mother. He had a sort of music studio set up in the above ground basement in his parents Old Metairie home. There was a drum kit, guitars, the steel pedal set up, and a kick ass stereo system down there.

Lots of jam sessions were held there. It is a great probability that Dave Malone was one of the musicians that jammed there.  I have no recollection of any of the names of the people now except one.  That is acoustic  guitar player/vocalist Garland Ogden. I got to know him very well because he was the boyfriend of my favorite friend, Wanda. Phillip went off to Austin Texas in 1973 to study music.  I lost track of him over the years. I believe I saw I him on Austin City Limits one time playing the  steel guitar backing up a woman vocalist. Garland is a policeman  these days.

I first saw The Rhapsodizers at Luigi's Pizza Parlor out near UNO on weekends when I went down to NOLA from Hammond where I was attending school at SLU. I was fascinated by Becky Kury, their Bass player. I started to look for their shows just to see Becky. I recall some shows at The Dream Palace. I went there with various dates, being more interested in the band than the boys I convinced to take me. Becky was so fascinating to watch.  When Dan and I got together, we went to see The Rhapsodizers at The Red Lion Tavern  in Hammond, La and at a "ain't dere no more" place in Abita Springs, La.  named "The Barn." It was close by where The Abita Brew Pub is now, as I recall. I was stunned and very unhappy to learn of Becky's death. She died of complications of her asthma. I walked around for about a week in shock. She was so alive and vibrant on  stage I could not imagine her being gone.

Four years after Dan and I got together, we moved to NOLA, got married,  and we spent a lot of time running around at The Maple Leaf, Tipitina's, The Dream Palace, and Jimmy's. By that time, The Rhapsodizers had disbanded and among lots of other performers, we saw The Radiators play a lot of gigs. Of course, we attended MOM'S Ball, also.This was the time of our lives when Dan and I seemed to dance together a lot and I have a lot of memories of us dancing to The Radiators. We were officially called "Fish heads " by our friends and of course were well versed in "The Laws Of The fish  philosophy:" Big fish eats little fish, so the little fish better run away or outsmart the big fish...... We spent Mardi Gras at The Dream Palace watching the band and all of the crazy goings on that went along with Mardi Gras back in those days.

Back to the show at The Blue Moon:
It was a very low key show for the Rad's that night. It was like being at a private party since The Blue Moon was filled up with only about 75 people.  The air was a bit damp and I found myself get very cold as the night went on. The band spent a lot of time hanging around  eating Jambalaya that was cooked in the kitchen. The show was sponsored by "Let's make it totally clear" and Dave Egan sneaked me out a bowl of it to to eat because I was starving.

Michael Juan Nunez

Dege Legg

 

Opening up for The Radiators was my good friend Michael Juan Nunez. He was  paired up for this gig with Dege Legg. They played an acoustic set that was astonishingly good. Right after they finished playing, Juan was headed out the door. I tried to get  him to stay, but he claimed that Sunday night at his home was special family time for Sunday dinner and he would not miss it for anything. His wife and girls were waiting dinner on him.

Catch Dege's latest news at  http://degeleggnews.blogspot.com/         
Catch Michael Juan Nunez at   http://www.michaeljuannunez.bandzoogle.com/fr_tae.cfm           

Talking with Frank:

We got to talk a while with Frank Bua about the band's breakup. He was sad that it was happening, but he assured us that he was not about to put up HIS drum sticks and he had every intention of forming some new venture as time passed, but at that point in time, he was unsure as to what that project would be. He said that Ed was just unable to continue. It was too exhausting for him at this point. I asked him to see that they played the song "Red dress." He said, "No way that's gonna happen. Ed hates to play that song." I said, "Well, then  that is a shame 'cause everyone LOVES it." He gave me a hug and then asked us to come visit his restaurant in Mandeville, La. "Man, I have the best food there. Ya'll come eat over there soon." He went on describing the menu and Dan promised to go one day soon.

Camille Boudoin and Dave Malon, Reggie Scanlan on Bass

Dave Malone and Frank Bua on drums

The Radiatiors put on a show that was probably the shortest Rads show ever played, but it was tight and clean. Dave did not seem to be enjoying it much. Frank smiled all night long. I especially loved when they played Dave's song,  "I don't speak Love," and "Where was you at?"  "Screwloose," was my favorite song of the night.  I did not leave disappointed. I had to work the next day so as soon as they stopped playing we had to get in the car and run for it.

His Holiness Ed Volker Preaches The Law Of The Fish at The Blue Moon Saloon

At Lafayette Square

Wednesday at The Square:

Later on in the Spring, at Wednesday At The Square, they put on an incredible show. It was a cool, rainy day and most people shunned WATS because they thought it was going to rain. It sprinkled a tiny bit but not enough to stop the show. We arrived early to put up some chairs. After being there for a short time, I realized I had under dressed and I was flat out cold. I was wearing flip flops, and a tank shirt.  I went back to the car and was happy to find that there was pair of socks and  my Aspen Crocs in the trunk along with a shawl and an extra shirt  I had left in there from the weekend before. Once I was dressed a bit warmer, I went back to find that a crowd of minimal size had come. It was a wonderful performance with the highlight that they performed "Red Dress." The crowd went wild screaming and jumping up and down. Of course, I was rail  hugging up front for a while screaming along with the die hards! We were with friends that we had met up with and we really enjoyed the afternoon.

The Rad's at Jazz Fest:

Later on in the Spring, people kept asking me if I was going to The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. I had been shunning it for years due to the fact that I just can't take hours in the heat and sun. I kept telling everyone, "No. I am not going." Well, to make a long story short, an old friend provided a close friend of mine with two tickets and a invitation to dinner with him after the last day of Jazz Fest. So, since it was supposed to be the last time the Rads played Jazz Fest I said, "Yes." Off we went to Jazz Fest and I don't regret it after all, but I did have to plan our strategy to not get heat stroke.

We survived the day by going to see most of the music that day in the Blues Tent.(I will blog about that later.) We left the tent in time to catch the close out show featuring The Radiators and we were amazed to find that we could actually walk up and rail hug up to the area for Brass Pass ticket holders.  We were as far up front as one can get without Brass Passes! The crowd was very excited and friendly.

The highlights of the show was the appearance of guest performers that enhanced the Rads prowess. Michael Doucet was playing  fiddle when they played  Dylan's "You ain't going Nowhere."  I was floored! It just kept getting better and better. Warren Haynes came up. Then a Conga player, who's name I don't know (Someone clue me in here!) and then the horn section from Bonerama.

Dave Malone  with Bonerama

Ed Volker

Warren Haynes, Camille Boudoin  and Dave Malone

Warren Haynes

I think the best thing they did that day was "Never let your fire go out," or maybe "River Run." But it knocked me out when they played "I like it like that," an old tune co written by Chris Kenner  and Fats Domino. Of people of a certain age, raised on New Orleans music, that songs speaks to the memory of the birth of Rock N Roll, NOLA style. The day was ending and my friend was weary and exhausted. So we slipped off to go eat our rendevous dinner At The Port Of Call with the man who gifted us the tickets.  The day's music was  ringing in our ears. I phoned Dan  while waiting for the entree's to arrive. I gushed to him about the show. He said he was cool as a cumber "lying on the sofa."
It was a wonderful day and I am glad I survived the heat and the sun to witness the goodbye, for me,  of special musical friends. The Last Watusi show was sold out and I did not have tickets, so this was My farewell. Goodbye, gentleman. It has been a fascinating time. You hold the top place in my memory banks as the best party band in my time.

Patty and Lana

Michael Juan Nunez and the American Electric Text and photos by Patty McGehee

One of my favorite bands to see is spearheaded by Michael Juan Nunez. He has Dudley Fruge on drums, and Chad Willis on Bass. Juan hails out of Erath, Louisiana. He is a devoted family man, but don't let that fact make you think he can't ROCK it hard as nails.

Juan plays a mean slide guitar and writes wonderful songs. He has payed his dues touring with Zachary Richard and others. The first time I can remember seeing him he was sitting in with Roddie Romero and the Hub City Allstars, a band that I follow around a lot. Juan caught my attention big time that day. I kept trying to remember where/when I had seen him play before but I could not put a finger on a specific place. After meeting Juan in person, (See previous blogs where I explain that ) Dan and I spent all last year and the first few months of 2011 following MJN everywhere: Biloxi, Hattiesberg, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs Miss., Abbeyville, Baton Rouge, Scott, and Lafayette, La.



                                                                               

View of the Sales Barn Interior: Note the cattle arena is under the stage .

My favorite show of the bunch was the Christmas show at The Richard Sales Barn, Abbeyville, La. also known as Bayou Legendaire. The Sale Barn is a converted cattle sale barn which has a amphitheater  like setting of wooden seats in the half round which creates a cozy intimate setting. It is very hard for me to describe this place. It is a "must go to see in person" venue. It is run by a non profit organization determined to maintain the music of Louisiana and the Sale Barn as  an historic building preserving the history of cattle as intertwined in Cajun culture.

At the Christmas show, Juan surprised us all by introducing a song to us about "this guy that really had a reason to have the Blues....." Then the band launched into one of the most hard core blues riffs  I have ever heard live...but...but....wait... SURPRISE! It was "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!" The song kicked off right at the moment Juan's wife, mother, and two daughters were walking in the place and the look on their faces was priceless.

He had kept that song secret from them as a surprise. It was fun to be a witness of his family's reaction to that moment.The feeling that I remember feeling the most is that at that point I felt like I was in the very best place I could ever be in that moment of time. Dan and I were cozy and relaxed, the show was great.

There were many memorable moments during our forays into the night to catch Juan. One of my overall favorite nights was a heavy Blues set performed inside at The Shed in Ocean Springs. Normally, the music there is performed outside, but the weather was cold so they set up inside.
Juan let a child play with the guitar at the end of the show, helping him get the feel of the slide. 

Dudley Fruge is a treasure. His style of drumming is all about the "details," the nuances that he eeks out of the kit. A ping here, a tap there, brushwork..... a backbeat when needed...

Voice of The Wetlands "Guitar Fight" with Josh Garrett

Voice of The Wetlands, Houma, La.

Gulfport with Drew Landry

Excellent Bassist - Chad Willis at Antlers. Lafayette, La.

MJN at Antlers Lafayette, La.

On the "Mainline"  during "Pocket Full of Jesus" - Michael Juan Nunez

Michael Juan Nunez

Chad Willis plays his heart out 

NJN at The Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, La. 

Another was the night we saw Juan at Somewhere's Else Lounge. No one was there that night except the staff, three other people, and us, but Juan, Chad, and Dudley played it as if they were in front of an arena. That show was extremely powerful and two of Juan's songs from that night stand out in my memory: "Rusted Blade" and "Pocket Full of Jesus."

Michael Juan Nunez and The American Electric was a major act during Festival International 2011. I was not there, however.  Plans changed at the last minute and we went elsewhere. After all, Lafayette is 90 minutes away and there were so many choices to make during festival season. I felt like a traitor....

I do believe it is a toss up for me to decide which of his songs I like the best, "Pocket Full of Jesus," "Rusted Blade," "Punks like You," or "Don't mind Gettin." I LOVE them all...There link to their  website so you may be able to catch one of their shows. http://www.michaeljuannunez.com


Patty McGehee

Kevin Sekhani at The House Of Blues Foundation Room, NOLA Dec.10th, 2010

I was looking at Facebook and Kevin sent out a message that he had some comp tickets for the show so I sent him a message. He put Dan and I on the list.

This was last minute, so we hurried up and got dressed and we were out the door at 8:45 headed to NOLA. We got to the Quarter about 9:05. As we were headed to One Canal Place to park, we got to see Chad Willis walking down the street with his Bass. We had seen Chad the night before at another concert with Juan Nunez, so it was a little surprise for us. Of course, we knew that these musicians all work together a lot. I was interested in hearing Chad play a different type of music.

Kevin Sekhani photo by Patty McGehee

Esther and Kevin photo by Patty McGehee

This was my first time going to the Foundation Room. It is a private club.  The decor is lavish, to say the least and The House Of Blues has spared no expense on this place. The area for the band set up is in front of the fireplace mantle. There are wonderful sofas to sit on. There are wall paintings, elaborate carved coffered ceilings, and nude statues in decorated niches  at the entrances to the rest rooms. The floor coverings in certain areas appeared to be real Persian rugs. I peeked into the dining room and it was lovely. I recognised several Saints players eating in the private dining nooks. Dan made a comment about them needing to be ready to play on Sunday and it was really a late night for them to be out.

Chad Willis photo by Patty McGehee

After looking all around,  we greeted the band and visited before the show. I teased Chad that I was "stalking" him because I had been to the last five shows he had played. We made small talk and Kevin explained that because the crowd was the "in and out" type, he would repeat his important songs when he saw waves of new people enter the club. The sets were not arranged concert style, but as background music to the happenings at the bar.

Greg Walls photo by Patty McGehee

We had to sit sharing a seat for part of the night until a group moved from a sofa and then we had primo seats right up front facing the band. It was like sitting in a comfortable living room. I was awed at how wonderful it all was. Kevin's band was made up of Kevin singing and on guitar, Chad Willis on Double Bass, Esther Tyree on fiddle, and Greg Walls on drums.

The music was very good, Americana style roots style music. Kevin had spent quite a number of years in Austin and the songs reflected that but that Lafayette roots style music rared its head up in the music. It was a very pleasing. To hear Esther's traditional Cajun style of fiddle right in the middle of the Austin sound made it unique. Chad is just about the best bass player I have heard in ages. He was awesome and Greg's drums were just powerful enough and did not over power the acoustic instruments.

Kevin's  song "Oil Field Tan" was wonderful. My favorite song of the night was "Wrong Direction." It has an emotional feel that seeps in your psyche. It got played a couple of times that night because of the changing crowd.

Esther and Chad did an intense jam at one point with emphasis on the fiddle. Esther shined. Kevin's voice has built in  heartfelt conviction: He writes all of this stuff. Impressive.

During a break, Greg Walls came over and talked to us about all of the projects he works on, including those with his other band, The Canes. It was good to get to know Greg a little better.


We left out the at night a bit shy of the end of the show. I was out of energy and had to throw in the towel. Dan drove us back to Ponchatoula. I laid back in my seat and drifted off to sleep.  I kept hearing that song "Wrong Direction" over and over in my head.

Since then, Kevin has been very popular in Lafayette and The Times of Acadiana  just published an article about his return to Lafayette from living in Austin. If you can, get out and catch one of his shows soon.

Patty McGehee

Michael Juan Nunez and Drew Landry-Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette La. 2/11/11

Michael Juan Nunez and Drew Landry

Written by Patty McGehee

Jonno, Juan, and Drew - photo by Patty McGehee

Dan, Larry, and I drove over to Lafayette Friday night to go to the Blue Moon to see Michael Juan Nunez and Drew Landry perform. In spite that it was a freezing cold night, about 100 people showed up to fill up the back porch.  The Blue Moon Saloon management had two butane heaters out there, but they barely made a dent in the chill.  

The three of us thought we were dressed warm enough, but since we rarely get below freezing temperatures here in South Louisiana, we were not prepared for the temperature as it dropped below freezing as midnight approached. I had on three layers and boots. It did no good. I got very cold in spite of this.

Patsy Grace and Jonno Frishberg took the stage first. It was hard to hear the performance because Patsy’s voice was not miked up very well and the crowd was not ready for a folk song type of performance at that point. I felt badly for her because the audience was too wound up to give her the quiet she needed to get her song across. After a few minutes the sound man upped the vocals and it made it easier to hear her beautiful voice.  It was bad circumstances. I was unable to take photos at that point because the digital camera had not cooled off to the temperature outside yet. Patsy did not introduce herself until she was almost finished. Later that night I asked her if she was scheduled to perform again sometime soon somewhere. She said, “No.” I think someone should have gone up before she started and introduced her. That would have been the polite thing to do.

Patty and  Drew  - photo by Dan McGehee

Drew Landry got up and sang two 

songs by himself. Drew writes songs 

with profound lyrics that have a 

deep connection to the soul of 

Louisiana. I am very much 

impressed by his writing abilities. 

Drew Landry - photo by Patty McGehee

After he was warmed up, it was wonderful to hear him play with a full band. Michael Juan Nunez was on lead, Chad Willis on bass, Jermaine Prejean on drums, and Jonno on fiddle. This set was fun to watch because Drew was excited and very happy to be on stage backed up by such talented friends. He played the song that he recorded with Dr. John about the oil spill. My favorite song was “Ninety Proof.” Drew gave me a copy of a CD with that song on it awhile back. I have wanted to hear a live performance of that song ever since. I was not disappointed.

Becca - photo by Patty McGehee

Drew sang “Would You Carry My Cross” accompanied by his mother, Becca Begnaud. She was beaming and very happy to be singing with her son. Becca and Drew sing harmony very well together and that was a treat. This is an especially well written, touching song. Drew’s dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named  Jackson was up on stage, getting into the action by stepping on Juan’s pedals, eating ice, and just snooping around. He finally went to sleep on top of Chad’s jacket right in the middle of all that music.

When writing his songs, Drew taps into the culture and traditions of native Louisiana, past and present. The next two songs he performed exemplified that experience. “Grobec,” the song also known by some fans as “The Game Warden’s song,” is haunting and forceful. It tells the story of a stubborn old timer that refuses to respect the importance of wild game conservation and lives to regret it. I really LOVE IT.

Juan and Drew - photo by Patty McGehee

The second song is about cock fighting. I think the lyrics go, “You can’t make a living with a chicken on a chain.” As I have mentioned before, cock fighting is part of my family history. I am not proud of it, but it “was what it was.”  The lyrics of  this song (written by a Mr. Richard) do not glorify it, either. It is about the sad fact that life fortunes and livelihoods were caught up in the ins and outs of gambling at the expense of the lives of chickens in a very inhumane manner. (Cockfighting was made illegal in Louisiana on August 15^th, 2008.)

Drew,  Jackson, the dog,  and Chad - photo by Patty McGehee

Drew Landry - photo by Patty McGehee

Jermaine Prejean - photo by Patty McGehee

The crowd was wound up and really into the performance, while taking turns huddled up to the butane heater. I found it impossible to get up under the heater because there were so many people there. I got progressively colder and colder as time went on.

Drew ended the set with a song named “The Family Farm” and stepped down to let Michael Juan Nunez set up for his part of the show. Juan’s show had the same lineup except for Joe Gary (Hawley Joseph Gary III) on drums. This was because Dudley Fruge is on a cruse with Roddie Romero and The Hub City Allstars. At first I was disappointed to see Dudley gone, but Joe made up for the disappointment when he kicked ass on several of the songs.  

Michael Juan Nunez - photo by Patty McGehee  

Juan’s set was very clean. He played quite a few songs: “Water and Steel,” “My Cadillac,” and “Bulldog Bite.”  His slide playing is impressive. 

Jonno was hanging in there adding a bit of psychedelic fiddle.Juan got the crowd wound up during "Pocket Full of Jesus,”  yelling into his “Mainline” telephone/microphone. The crowd loved it!

MJN on the Mainline - by Patty McGehee

Michael Juan Nunez - photo by Patty McGehee

Chad Willis -photo by Patty McGehee

In my opinion, the two best songs of the night were “Don’t Mind Gettin,’ and “Rusted Blade.” During “Rusted Blade,” Chad took out a bow to use on the double Bass and Jonno made these wicked noises with the fiddle that made that song just a might bit more sinister than it already is. It was amazing.  

Jonno Frishberg and Michael Juan Nunez - photo by Patty McGehee

  

After Juan’s set, Drew came back to do an encore of sorts. He began to play the crowd pleasers, like “Mid South,” a song about wrestling that requires audience participation. Everyone there knew when and what to sing. Almost at the end of the  the night, he played a funny off color song just for his sister, who was in the audience. It was hilarious.  The final song was the Bobby Charles Guidry tribute song, "He ain't worrin' no more."

As soon as the music ended, the people left abruptly. Usually after a show at The Blue Moon, people mill around and visit but it was below freezing and most people were miserably cold. I had an urge to high tail it to the car myself, but not before telling Juan goodbye. He was freezing cold and exhausted at this point. He hugged me and shook hands with Dan and Larry. After a few exchanges of pleasantries, it was apparent that he needed to just pack up and get out of the cold. We bowed out, telling him and Drew we would see them on March 11^th at Bourque’s Social club.

I tried to drive back, but while driving over the Atachafalaya Basin, I realized I was too tired to drive. Once off the bridge, I let Dan take over the wheel. I got in back and drifted off to sleep while the three of us were plotting out next trip to see Juan at Bourque’s on March 11^th. I slept all the way back home. It was a very good night and I think somewhere around Baton Rouge, I began to get the feeling back into my frozen feet.

Joe Gary on drums way in the back - photo by Patty McGehee

The Wayne Blue Burns Band at The Wild Salmon, Lafayette, La. 1/28/11

Tee Don Landry invited me to The Wild Salmon to see his band, so we slipped out of Ponchy around 7:00 Friday night and drove over to Lafayette just in time to have a short visit with the band members before they kicked off a set of traditional Blues, Delta style. In an area of Acadiana where Cajun and Zydeco music is King, it is refreshing to see a   standard Blues band for a change.

 Tee Don Landry was on drums, Wayne Blue Burns on lead and rhythm guitar, Bobby Matthews on bass, and Matt Vogel was on rhythm and lead guitar. Tee Don is an accomplished rub board player who says that the drums are his favorite instrument to play. Tee Don, Blue and Bobby have impressive credentials. They have  toured with several legendary Louisiana bands in the past. Blue toured with Clifton Chenier, Ernie K Doe, and Buckwheat and  and Bobby toured with Sunpie Barnes and Nathan Williams. Tee Don played rub board with Lynn August, Zydeco Joe, and the Creole Zydeco Farmers.Matt Vogel is the young blood here, holding his own with the big dogs very well.  Rather repeat what has been written down before, I will include a link to their web bio so you can see for yourself how impressive their collective talents are.

We got to The Wild Salmon just after 9:00 expecting the band to be up and running. Instead, the band was having an issue with the set up. They had sent a sound man over earlier to set up, had done a sound check and all was well. They had left and relaxed the afternoon away to find that someone had come to the club after they had set up and had taken a section of the sound system off of the premises.

So Mojo, who was working the sound system, had to piece together things at the last minute. The band was unable to kick off the gig at 9:00 as they had planned, due to no fault of their own. Tee Don visited with us for a while explaining the problem. I spent the time wandering around taking in the place. It is a large place, very messy, with lots of stuff covering the walls. I went into the bar area to find very friendly people raging in age from 21 to 80, all relaxing together and getting along just fine. People were fast to introduce themselves to me and the bar staff waited on me quickly.

I was taking in the stuff on the walls, an eclectic mix of Americana folklore from vintage TV, Nascar, old  Rock n roll pictures, photos of patrons and beer posters. Assorted junk lined the walls arranged in no logical  fashion.  Dan and I found a table second back from the band and found two chairs that looked as if they might just hold us with out breaking. Most of the furniture had seen better days.

After getting situated, I left Dan at the table to go meet Blue and Matt. Blue is tall and lean, in great shape for his age. Matt is even taller an seemed relaxed and ready to play. Bobby slipped in right before they started and I was unable to meet him at that time. Tee Don was telling me all about the band and everyone's connections to the music world. It was fascinating stuff. At that point, Mojo was working hard to straighten out the snafu with the sound system. In a little while, he had the band do a necessary sound check and they were prepared to be up and running in no time.

Meanwhile, I slipped back to watch and visit with some boys playing a game new to me. They were playing Beer Pong. They had a ping pong table set up with cups of beer on each side. They threw the ping pong balls, trying to get them into their opponents cups of beer. If the ball went in your opponents cup, the opponent had  to drink the beer. The object was to get the opponent drunker than you were. It looked like  all four  guys were getting equally drunk to me. They  were washing the balls that fell on the floor in a cup of beer on the side. It was hilarious stuff.  It got sillier and sillier as time went on. They were very nice to me and explained it all to me and even offered me a chance to play with them. I would just have to buy six beers to be "in." They were using Pabst Blue Ribbon cans at the time, and red and blue cups. Their t shirts were all splashed up with beer and they seemed to be having the time of their lives. I bowed out and went back to sit with Dan.

The band kicked off their first set to play standard blues. It was a clean set, with Matt and Blue taking turns on lead and rhythm. I was pleased to hear that Matt was holding his on with sophisticated  rhythm that backed up Blue's lead quite well. Tee Don had great timing, the bass and drums holding down the groove in synch. Blue sang  the Blues  standard "The Thrill is Gone" with a hint of vibrato at the end of the phrases that made it become his own.Dan and I were in agreement that the set was tight and well done.

Bobby, Blue, Tee Don and Matt by Patty McGehee

Tee Don Landry by Patty McGehee

Bobby, Blue, and Tee Don by Patty McGehee

Blue and Matt by Patty McGehee

Blue Burns by Patty McGehee

The band took a break and Tee Don came over and we visited for a while. He introduced me to Mojo. I then realized that Mojo was the MUSICIAN Mojo of the Bayou Gypsies, a band that I have heard of but have never gotten to see. He explained that he was off on the road most of the year and did not play locally. We  began discussing all sorts of stuff about touring, who knows who and other assorted stuff. Tee Don had to slip off to get out of the cigarette smoke for a while. I got to talk to Blue again, and I met Matt and Bobby.

Matt, Patty, and Bobby

Tee Don, Patty, and Blue

The second set kicked off and two other musicians showed up and the  show shifted into another groove. There was a third guitarist, Norman "Slim"  Hammer and a harmonica player named  Sonny J. This set was not as dynamic as the first set because the two newcomers did not know how to enter in and out of the Jam as well as Matt and Blue did.  It was still good, but the real hard core synch was gone and the band focused on being a dance band. The crowd was up and  dancing, having a ball.

Bobby  Matthews by Patty McGehee

Blue and Matt by Patty McGehee

The smoke got thick and  I had to retreat out front to get away from it. Young women were piling in at that point, paying their cover, and walking back to watch the Beer Pong players. I guess we watched about 20 young women come in at that time. After a break outside, where we could still hear the music very well, we went in and stayed back towards the door getting fresh air.  Dan and I found ourselves dancing a bit. The band covered "I got Loaded," which was a crowd favorite.

Mojo, Patty, and Slim

Bobby and Patty

Second break found us and all of the band outside getting away from the smoke. Bobby and I had a long conversation about how he had stayed home not touring for about 15 years and was eager to get back into  touring again. We visited and had a nice time out there for about a half hour, taking photos and just talking. The band went back for a third set and Dan and I stayed for about three songs. I had about enough. It was late, about 12:30 by then, and I was staring at the reality that we had an  hour and a half ride was ahead of us.

It was hard to slip out without saying goodbye, but I knew I had some things to do Saturday morning that meant I had to hit the road. As we walked out, I looked back to see that three couples were up and dancing. The place was packed and everybody was having a great time.

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