Jazz Fest Y2K... oh wait, we meant 2K12!
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If a dream of the 90s is alive in Portland, then consider Jazz Fest a dream of the double-Os: a time when people were surprised we survived Y2K and people believed that a group of Friends in Manhattan could hang around drinking coffee all day and still afford decent apartments.
New Orleans Jazz Fest is a 10-day music festival that started in 1970 and has been rocking the music scene ever since. While big name musicians do roll through town for it (Zac Brown Band, Bruce Springsteen and the Eagles), we happened to opt for the day that took us back to when we still had braces.
Remember when people didn’t have cell phones, or they just refused to work? Remember when you got dropped off for the outdoor concert by your friend’s mom? Remember when you snuck liquor in to avoid paying (or because you were just too young)? Remember when disposable cameras were your only camera? Remember when you used to dance around without your shoes and not worry about tetanus? Oh those things happened at Jazz Fest, and it was amazing. Our playlist for the day included Better than Ezra (love you Dawson’s Creek!), My Morning Jacket (does anyone remember what the hell they sing?), and Ne-Yo (yes, still swooning and crooning, and we loved it).
Despite all the similarities in our current lives to those of when we loved Titanic, things have definitely changed. We have lovers instead of crushes, friends visit us from far away and we have really fun bosses. Liz ran into a former fling in front of the pedophile lost children’s tent – the guy running it was wearing a Santa outfit…, Spin magazine took a photo of Liz’s new braided up-do for cool N’awlins street style, Erin booty bumped with her boss at the outdoor Sissy Bounce party, our third wheel was a friend from Philly needing a break from the hustle and bustle of the east coast (and the hustle and bustle of a bad relationship!!), and we all got memberships into the newest Free Hugs society.
But the best part of Jazz Fest, like any organized event in New Orleans, is outside of the actual event. Erin danced with small children on the sidewalk (sounds creepier than it is), we passed by dozens of crawfish boils, and ended the night with a good old fashioned dance party that shut down the street and involved a make-shift fashion show with the always-entertaining locals. And the beautiful day ended with a group of handsome tourists…. which is where our next adventure begins.
Rating: 3½ out of 5 suitcases
Erin: We failed to mention it in this post, but Jazz Fest is really a great day to see some great local musicians. We saw the Preservation Hall Band, Trombone Shorty, Steve Earl, some Mardi Gras Indians, and sweated and danced our booties off to the Lost Bayou Ramblers – my favorite part of the day.
Liz: I’m still caught up on why my former fling was at the lost children’s tent – this either means he has children, is in fact a pedo, or wanted to sit on Santa’s lap. Regardless, I am glad it is over.
PS---Stewey, we love you.
