Thunderstruck

Sweatin' in the Big Easy

By Steve Beard and Troy Meier

Entry 10. Thursday, October 21, 2004

Click photos to enlarge

We lounged around our room till almost 2 p.m. watching TV and lazing around like old men. Our room at the Dauphine Hotel seems so comfortable right now -- and it is air conditioned. It is 91 degrees outside, with 87 percent humidity. It is sultry, sticky and yucky.

They call New Orleans the Big Easy, but when you walk around in some of the alleyways off of Bourbon Street when it is this hot it becomes the Big Stinky. Nevertheless, we braved this beastly heat and I sweat like a leaky pipe. We trekked on over to Central Grocery, an eclectic Italian market that serves muffuletta sandwiches. It is huge and one served both of us. The muffuletta has Genoa Salami, Ham, Swiss or Provolone cheese, Mortadella, and Central Grocery's very own special Olive Salad. It is really quite good and has single-handedly placed this place on the map for tourists from all over the world.

If you are looking for attentive service with a smile, go somewhere else. They know that they have a good thing and they are not worried about treating tourists like tourists. Who cares? If you want love, stay home and cuddle with your dog; if you want a great sandwich, visit Central Grocery. Despite the fact that they have a mail order business, they do not have a website.

I think it is this hot while we are here to remind us that hell will be worse if we spend too much time on Bourbon Street. I am kidding but we braved the oppressive heat and trooped on over to the Mississippi Riverbanks and spoke to a street musician named Jacob who moved here from Chicago a year ago. Working on the street has got to really suck in weather like this, but he told us that he is surviving. God bless him.

We were getting hit on by a street grifter who was trying to guess where we had purchased our shoes (a shoe store, ha ha ha), so we ducked into the Cigar Factory and let the air conditioning wrap us up in its sweet freshness. They have two workbenches where half a dozen men are cutting and rolling premium cigars. I love the smell, and I appreciate their artisanship. Two of the saleswomen began chatting with us as we looked over their mini New Orleans Cigar Museum. Misty and Francis showed us around the shop and gave us great advice about stuff to do in the city and our purchases.

On our way to the Louisiana Music Factory, an incredible record store that specializes in regional music and sells Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker t-shirts, we ducked into the House of Blues and saw that the Neville Brothers were going to be having a cd release party that night. The Neville family has been a New Orleans music institution for more than 50 years. When we inquired about getting tickets for the show, a sweet woman from the HOB gave us two tickets. We were so stoked. The Neville Brothers in New Orleans. Righteous deal.

After wringing out our clothes and cleaning up, we headed back over to the House of Blues for dinner. One of the guys that Troy had wanted to see while we were in New Orleans was Jeremy Lyons and the Deltabilly Boys. Guess who was playing during dinner at the HOB? You guessed it, Jeremy Lyons. We introduced ourselves before his set, and he seemed to be genuinely surprised that Troy knew who he was. What a great guy. He is a Delta and country blues guitarist who is able to blend rockabilly elements into his show.

The House of Blues continues to be one of my all time favorite dining experiences. Despite the fact that it is a corporate music dinner chain, I was pleasantly blown away by the atmosphere and food a few years ago while I was in Las Vegas. They have just celebrated their 10 year anniversary in New Orleans. With over 1,000 pieces of folk art, HOB is one of the largest public displayed collections in America. I just can't get enough of this stuff. The ceiling is a display of more than 100 bust reliefs of African American music legends (and the Blues Brothers, of course) so that they can be properly immortalized.

There is a heaven/hell, angel/demon, good/evil vibe that runs through the HOB and its merchandise ("On a mission from God," "Serving your soul since 1992," etc.). According to their purpose statement, HOB wanted to present "live music with southern-inspired cuisine in an environment celebrating the African American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art." Part of their mission is "to promote racial and spiritual harmony through love, peace, truth, righteousness, and non-violence." Additionally, HOB is the only dining concept in America that presents full-on gospel music concerts at their HOB Sunday Gospel Brunch that "nourishes the body and soul."

I had Creole Jambalaya with shrimp, chicken Tasso ham, Andouille sausage and roasted green onions, while Troy had Talapia, the fish of the day. They were both first-rate.

We went over to the concert hall and it remains one of my favorite places to catch shows, as long as you are not wanting to sit down. Virtually anywhere that you stand at an HOB venue you can see the stage very well.

The surprise of our New Orleans experience was the opening act for the Neville Brothers, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Orleans Avenue. The band members range from 16 to 21 and they were some of the most electric entertainers we have ever seen. Nineteen-year-old Troy Andrews is simply the most unbelievable trumpet and trombone player I have seen since watching Satchmo videos. While jazz funk is not our first musical love, we were both simply spellbound and seduced by the talent of this young and impressive act. Andrews does some of the most amazing things with the trombone that it left us speechless. He has a palpable charisma and sense of confidence and purpose in front of an audience who was obviously there to see the Neville Brothers. Be on the lookout for this incredible cat.

What can I say about the Neville Brothers? The Big Man was looking out for us and we are deeply grateful to have been able to see all the brothers on one stage in their hometown. This was a first for us as they played some of the songs off their brand new cd, Walkin' in the Shadow of Life. "You're living blind, open your eyes, crossroads are waiting / It's in your hands, make a choice, but make the right one / The moment of truth is going down, you'd better be ready," they sing on their title track.

It was unforgettable to hear Aaron Neville sing his hit, “Tell It Like It Is.” Even more electrifying, however, was his rendition of “Amazing Grace” a cappella. The place was silent, and people were wiping tears from their eyes. It was really quite divine.

Aaron checked himself up for drug rehab 20 years ago and credits his Roman Catholic faith for saving him from heroin addiction and depression. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported: “In Britain, many social workers have sent Neville’s CDs to suicidal patients as spiritual medicine, hoping his voice will quell depression. In India a bridge has been named for him. Doctors at the Betty Ford Clinic, in California, sometimes use his gospel CD Devotion to comfort addicts in detox.”

After the show, I got to meet them and have them sign my CD. You are never going to stop the funk as long as the Nevilles are walking the streets of the Big Easy.

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