So many years ago I hate to admit it, I was driving home to New Orleans from Florida. I’d been at Ft. Walton Beach on a college break, and the drive seemed endless. It was spring, with that warm - but not yet hot - heavy Gulf air that barely moves the leaves on the trees. A very dark night.
I pulled off the highway just west of Biloxi at some little hole in the wall bar, just planning to take a break for a few before finishing the little remaining trip.
I hadn’t been there ten minutes when some guys came in, also apparently on a road trip – and suddenly there was a lot of noise and motion. They were, it seemed, carrying some sound equipment and instruments, and they felt like partying - and man, could they party!
I got home that night very very late – cuz “those guys� turned out to be the Neville Brothers, and we had a blast in that little podunky place.
That night is one of my enduring memories of the Gulf Coast; casual beyond belief, friendly, spontaneous, surprising. I’ll always associate home with the Neville Brothers - which makes it hard for me to imagine them in Austin and points beyond. Permanently. Sigh…
It’s not something we like to hear, but it’s true — New Orleans doesn’t really support local musicians. I have to believe, however, that it’s as much the fault of clubs who don’t get shows started until well after 10:00.
http://www.counterpunch.com/neville12162005.html
Hi Schroeder,
You and da po’ boy are both right about that. NOLA really doesn’t support local musicians, but then, not very many places do. It’s a really tough occupation to be successful at, and all towns are full of musicians who don’t make it. Starting shows after 10:00 does smack of bias toward party-hound tourists, though, I have to agree. Certainly I wouldn’t be able to hit those clubs to see anybody. Just too darned late.
In all fairness, though, Austin is not a bad choice for a musician. They’ve had a really great thing going over there since long before Katrina hit.
Still - some things just have more emotional baggage than others, and memories carry a lot of weight. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to think of the Neville’s as Texans, even as I wish them success.