Day Four – April 7th

I am up at 7A.M. and head down to St Charles for the Street Car ride to Canal Street. Café Maspero is a familiar café/bar on Decatur and the food is good so this is my breakfast stop. Omlette with cheese, mushrooms, bell pepper and a side of hash browns. Looks like it is going to be a fine day. A couple of the last FQF have had some bad weather.

I like reading signs around these here parts as they tend to be on the humorous side. I just saw a sewerage truck cleaning out a street porta loo. On the back it read ‘within this little tank lies a lot of political promises.’ Spot on I’d say for politicians the world over.

Had a wander through the French Market. One stall was selling deep fried peanuts. Yep, the whole peanut has been deep fried, you eat the shell and all!

Walked passed Kate’s favourite place, Cafe Du Monde. The line to get into the place must be over 100 people. Bloody tourists are everywhere. Not only is the FQF a big draw card it is also Spring Break.

I saw the head crew member at the main Abita Stage and said hello. Jeff knows me from all the years I have been coming and he very kindly gave me a musicians pass to back stage (something he would do for each day of the festival). He is a real nice guy and introduces me to a lot of people as his Down Under friend.

I headed to another stage (GE Digital) to sit in the shade and listen to the Organic Trio. Jazz Fusion and great players. My head is spinning out a little, I think I took to many anti-inflamatories. It pisses me off no end that after I have been walking for 10 minutes and my right knee aches like buggery again.

There is a new stage at this year’s FQF at the bottom of Toulouse Street. I wanted to see a little of Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns. To my surprise I saw Stu and Carol working security there and it was great to catch up. Then back to the Abita stage for some of Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles. The great New Orleans guitarist ‘Detroit’ Brooks came over to welcome me back to ‘awlins which was nice.

I then headed to the House of Blues to catch Jonathon ‘Boogie’ Long and got talking to a David Jefferson. David is a veterinarian and a blues tragic. He will be at Jazz Fest and asked me to keep in touch so we can meet up. Bought my first C.D. of this trip and had Jonathon sign it for me. He gave me his card as he is real keen to get to Melbourne.

I moved from where I was standing at the House of Blues as some young college types just wanted to talk the whole time the music was on. Why do people got to a gig to talk!! Finished off having a few drinks with a couple from Dallas. They were fun to talk to. The had been to Sydney so know a little about Oz.

Then took a long walk down to the Mint where there is a music stage either side of the historic building. Saw a little of Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes. Bad Ass New Orleans funkin’ rock.