we went to new orleans on the last tour. the club was closed until later... we had no where to go but to wander. i think a lot of people are like that in new orleans. we walked the streets, passing through so many smells a square block. creatures and characters in bright colors and sounds. it was very colorful in all respects. the sun started to go down and the vampires came out, peering from behind the corner a couple blocks ahead... and behind. then we were lost. we had walked an hour, taking whichever turn we felt was deeper into the belly. but now... it was completely dark. and the smells, sights and sounds changed.
the club was a total bust. every time we play new orleans we're just in the wrong place at the wrong time. the dragon's den.... downstairs, while a heavy band played directly above us. it was alright, we got really drunk... and then their beats and key was fucking us up royally. we had a lot more fun after ward. went down the street to an 'open' jam where our friend was a regular. by 'open' i mean, this is where all the jazz players test out new people... find new members... find who to avoid.... like the left handed upside-down guitar player that had just grasped the concept of the up stroke.
we finally retired at 3 to our friend's place pretty close to the city. all night he had been talking about this sandwich that would change your life, and how he had to have one. the jazz sandwich... only in new orleans. the hugest, hottest, most wonderful sandwich ever. ham, turkey, swiss, shrimp.... and some other animals as well. at 4 am... we went back out to get this sandwich. it would feed a family for a whole day. we just split it. good lord. it was amazing, but jesus. we had to eat the whole thing or Damien would have been hurt. so we did. we enjoyed it... but our insides would not return to normal for many days with a kale only diet. consequently... he ate the whole thing by himself.
in the morning we went for coffee and walked through this other side of town, i forget which street exactly, but it was completely different in the daylight. vibrant under blue sky.
one of our hobbies on the road is to find and photograph grafitti. we were super excited to be in new orleans for this having researched some of the banksy work. we saw a lot while walking around, and even more grey squares from the grey shadow... or ghost or asshole... whatever his pseudonym is.
but to find a still intact banksy stencil we would have to continue with wheels... all around the city. through the 5 o'clock traffic, under and over and between overpasses/underpasses/inbetweenpasses. crossing over our tracks many times, through the city, down the main roads, up one-ways and alleys... until...
just on the outskirts of the high rises, in a neighborhood you wouldn't suspect, behind a house, in an empty lot thick with tall soft grass... there was a slab of concrete with weeds growing through the cracks, and a random wall, with the concrete crumbling in parts to reveal the red brick underneath... there it was.
it was amazing. we took numerous pictures of it, for it and with it.
then headed back into the traffic out of town and over the miles and miles of bridge over small swamp cities.
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