Mardi Gras

Today I find myself in Nashville, once again, due to a gig cancellation and the desire to spend some time with family in Austin while the band moved down the road to Houston. Flying to Nashville to catch a ride to NOLA with friends proved to be the cheapest option for my ever tightening musician's budget.

Our horn section in the South, The Horny Toads, will be joining us on Friday in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, as well. They will add that extra kick to a couple tunes as we open up for the ubiquitously funky Russell Batiste (Funky Meters) and George Porter Jr. (Meters).

Although our gig scheduled for Thursday was canceled, we can now arrive in New Orleans mid-week and begin promoting what should be one of the most fun shows we've ever played.

Friday is not only our debut in New Orleans as new residents, but the unofficial weekend-start to Mardi Gras. For those of you who don't know what Mardi Gras is, come out the cave! What we have here is the best party in America, one that is fun for all-ages despite the traditional boobs-for-beads stereotype which prevails.

Sure, debauchery is a key word when talking about Mardi Gras. The wider implications for the city of New Orleans however, should silence any moral judgments about who Mardi Gras is "good for". Mardi Gras is not good, but great for all New Orleanians. Not because they receive four dedicated days for drinking (they drink when they want, anyway), but because of the economic impact and publicity which New Orleans desperately needs.

Beyond infusing cash into the city and bringing in tourists from around the world, Mardi Gras also resets the city-clock of NOLA. After Mardi Gras, things halt to a standstill. Over the course of the year, beginning with Jazzfest in May, the city begins to bloom, then flourish, then overtake itself with revelry in time for next year's Gras.

In light of the fact that we have several dozen bodies who plan on crashing at our newly acquired house in New Orleans, I say, the more the merrier. So grab a drive-thru daquiri, come on Uptown, and check out the best party in America.