Open Thread - 7-14-23 - Zydeco Party
What is zydeco music? Wikipedia says this.
Now, that tells you kinda what to expect your ears to hear, but neglects to tell you what your eyes see, and your how your heart fills with passion and love.
On the last day of my vacation we went to a bar/restaurant on Taylor Bayou at LaBelle, Texas, near Beaumont, to listen to Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners at the Pine Tree Lodge. Listen to music, feed the gators, the usual stuff, was the plan. We got there early, scored a table ate a slow lunch, and by 2pm., the place was packed, standing room only, and the band started playing. Except, the leader of the band, the star, could be heard, but not seen. You could hear him playing the squeezebox along with the band, but there was no LeRoy. Hmmm...Well, his grand entrance was to hook up his accordion to blue tooth allowing him to make his approach to the dock via a swamp air boat from down the bayou! He got off onto the deck of the restaurant without missing a beat, wandered through the crowd, made his way to the stage, and the crowd went wild, stayed wild for the next 4 hours.
We sang and celebrated everything from love, crawfish, dancin', and the leader of the band pointed out the oldest person in the place, a 94 yr old woman, and he dropped his accordion, grabbed her hand, danced, and just begged us to honor her for her time and life on earth. Then, he resumed singing, playing using his accordion as his dance partner.
The concert was a party. How to feel at weddings, birthdays, holidays...His showmanship was extremely professional, as was his and his band's musicianship.
Midway in the show, he took a hundred dollar bill from his wallet and had a waitress come to the stage where he announced that it was first come first serve for shots until the hundred bucks ran out. How many entertainers have you seen do that!
Well...I wish you you all could have been there to party with us.
This clip will have to do.
A short clip taken by someone that posted it on Facebook.
:55
I am the goofy woman dancing with Leroy Thomas just before the short clip ends.
A longer clip taken by Dear One. It's the same tune-dance from a different angle. In the background you can see the bayou and the deck railing which overhangs Taylor Bayou where folks go to watch and feed the gators.
5:26
Check out Leroy Thomas, from Elton, Louisiana.
I bought this CD:
ZYDECO PARTY!
And, do remember, talk about all things, as this is an OT.
Comments
Good morning, everyone!
Hope you are all looking forward to a great day!
What's up?
Stay cool. Take that at least two ways, ok?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good Morning
Thanks for sharing the Zydeco fun!
Today we are blessed with passing showers
which helps to keep the temps down.
Thanks for the OT, OTC.
Our spring was unusually rainy,
but summer is upon us in full force now.
It is so hot, so humid, it takes your breath away. The long range forecasts predict rain 10 days from now. Must work hard watering, and earning $ to pay the water company bill.
Thanks for dropping in!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
the skies are crying
but not sadly
we have a 100' deep well
so paying for water is not an issue
nor sewer, trash collection and other
municipal 'services' as we do that on-site
in part, it is why our tax rate is small
compared to the more developed towns around
speaking of which, gotta go to da' dump
(transfer station) after unloading the van
I have city water and sewer
at my office, but my home is outside the city limits, so I have a septic tank.
Our water table is very high, and I have friends that stick a long pipe into the ground, put a pump and spout on the end, and voila! water!
My experience with wells is that all it takes as a rat, snake, or wasp nest to screw it up. And it always screwed up on a holiday when all the well installers and repairers were closed.
My parents actually petitioned the city to run a water line to their home in the country.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Met a guy
named Alex MacDonald in NOLA: he's the frottoire player with The Daywalkers. This is from 2013, and he's a lot better now...
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
Cool!
It had been ages since I heard one. Nice to hear one played again at the party.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Double Bayou Blues Hall
Your writing about the fun times on Taylor Bayou listening to zydeco music brought back memories of our good times at the Double Bayou Blues hall outside of Anahuac, Texas. Pete Mayes, a man that had grown up there had gone on to become fairly famous for his music with his band, Texas Houserockers. He would come back to Double Bayou usually for Easter and Christmas holidays and play at the Double Bayou blues hall. Historically, the Double Bayou Blues Hall was known on the Chitlin Circuit as a safe place for Blacks to play their music in the early days.
When we knew he was in town, we loaded up from Smith Point, Texas and headed to Double Bayou to hear him. Always something on the grill outside as you came in for eating and inside the great time dancing and listening to his music. The place always looked like it was about to fall down but inside low ceilings and great dance floor made for a great evening. The Houston Jazz Society would bring a bus full of people to listen and dance as well as the locals and the rest of us.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful time on your vacation!
Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.
This ain't no dress rehearsal!
Wow!
I went to a really cool restaurant/bar in Lafayette several times, had the experience of black guys playing zydeco for a predominately white crowd, no problems at all. Decades ago, can't remember the name of the place now.
Sounds like you had a blast, and that was a cool venue.
I think we might try to catch this band when they play at a venue in Crosby in a few weeks.
I haven't been to Anahuac in forever, but have family there. My uncle was the mayor for years and years. Makes me wonder about the town. Uncle was a real hillbilly, and that is being kind.
Thanks for dropping by!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Laissez les bons temps rouler !!!
Rockin' Dopsie, "Boozoo" Chavis (Uncle Bud), Buckwheat Zydeco, Beausoleil......good stuff.
Just saw
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers at "Day of Rock" in Denver last month. My gawd, the energy on that stage...
Twice bitten, permanently shy.
How fun!
The energy at the show spread throughout the whole venue. There were couples that I guessed to be in their 60s who stayed on the dance floor for the whole 4 hr gig.
That is a sure sign the music had an amazing effect.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Woo hoo!
Great artists.
I hope the genre never dies.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning otc et. y'all. Happy Bastille Day, vous'all!
Seems fitting for all that Acadian music going down.
The OT directs us to talk "about all things", which is one hell of a topic, but, whatever. FWIW, all things are events, but yet again, all things are illusion. Regardless of those eternal truths, it was once held that it was "turtles all the way down" and, ergo, arguably everything is turtles, and even the great Biblio babbles about "the voice of the turtle", which makes it da kine gospel, so there it is:it's all turtles or, alternatively all is turtles
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
so when one goes turtle up it is like
when a turtle is flipped over and unable to right itself
on the other hand
I would think so. I know that the phrase "(to) turn turtle"
if used to designate a canoe or other vessel which has managed to wind up inverted.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
turtle dum
turtle dee.
The last time we were at the bayou bar, there was one gator, maybe 50 turtles. Some little kid told me how he rode one in the bayou.
Now, if that story is true, his parents must want him to be gator food.
When he grows up, he will likely become a used car salesman.
Take care, pal!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
That most hilarious of video-makers, the Critical Drinker --
made it onto Russell Brand's podcast!
"The most revolutionary thing one can do is always to proclaim loudly what is happening." -- Rosa Luxemburg
wonder if anyone is covering the French Revolution?
heard Macron ordered 130,000
cops mobilized for the occasion
I haven't heard a thing
and would appreciate any suggestions you or anyone has as to a site that is covering it.
Macron is an awful man.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
this is from Le Monde
Bastille Day celebrations cancelled
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/07/13/french-towns-affecte...
What !
Can you imagine cancelling 4th of July celebrations?
Wow!
Thanks, friend.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
WHAT?
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I think of dawn's meta
and her husband a lot. The dream of ex-pat to beautiful France has to be working out badly for them, becoming a nightmare.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
I will watch it after work today.
The last time I went to a theater to see a movie was 2009.
I haven't had cable or satellite tv in over 10 years.
Movies were getting rather shitty even back then.
My favorite actors and actresses are all old and decrepit.
Is anybody excited about Harrison Ford's new Indiana Jones movie?
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
No.
No. They're talking about the new Mission Impossible movie. New talk about Disney product will begin when and if Kathleen Kennedy is no longer being employed by Disney.
"The most revolutionary thing one can do is always to proclaim loudly what is happening." -- Rosa Luxemburg
Makes me want to dance - with two crutches - it works
what breaks first, my legs or the crutches ?
If Leroy Thomas
could make a dance partner out of a squeeze box, you ought to be able to partner up with your crutches!
I hope the crutches give you both stability and mobility.
Nice of you to drop in, and hope you enjoyed the music.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good morning mimi. Preferably break neither.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Small world
When I was working in Cameron, Louisiana (not all that long ago), I'd travel from Houston to there partly on Texas highway 73. I always knew I was getting closer to Port Arthur when I'd cross Taylor Bayou. Don't believe I've ever made it to LaBelle, but I've been close.
Looks like everyone "passed a good time," as the Cajuns would say.
Hey, buddy!
Great to hear from you!
La Belle appears to be one road running parallel to the bayou, a few houses, and one restaurant. We were told about this place by the Gulf Coast Museum in Port Arthur. Seems the well known cajun and zydeco venues in Port Arthur were out of business, so this was the closest one.
Lots of regulars show up week after week.
And yes, we all "passed a good time".
Well, I am closing the office, ready to start my weekend. No telling where we will go or what we will do!
Hope you and your wife are doing great!
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
hey good to hear you here again
it's been awhile. Like you, I travelled those roads. From Bayou LaFourche to
Greens Bayou with many points in between. Lafayette, Morgan City, Houma,
New Iberia, Cameron, Abbeville etc. Acadiana is a wonderful cultural mix.
My brother lived in Houma
for a couple years when he worked in the oil patch.
He said he regularly hit every bar in town, and never heard any cajun or zydeco music at all.
Odd.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
yeah, Morgan City was an outlier
in so far as local culture went
got busted once in Berwick for
trespassing after calling out a
crooked card game
oops.
Shit happens.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Good afternoon traveler, happy Bastille Day
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Ok, it is coming back to me
That bar I went to 4 or 5 times in the 80s, early 90s, in Lafayette, featured some band by some family, the Cheniers.
I enjoyed them before they hit the big time.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
Leaving you all with a classic
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981