2004 New Years Eve Trip to Lafayette, Louisiana

 

by Sandy Greenwood

 

Just in case you haven't already heard, the Gainesville Zydehogs had a fabulous trip! Now that my reentry is complete and I've found a moment to breathe, I want to share some of it with you all. While we tagged along on Bob and Tim's Excellent Adventure, Bart definitely did everything he could to help us all enjoy the experience to the fullest. He had maps, directions and schedules and always seemed to know what was happening and where the best dancing was. The words "Thank You" just don't seem enough, somehow, but I'm at a loss to come up with anything better.

 

What I still remember most of the weekend is discovering how different each event was. The bands were different, the venues different, the dancers were different and the atmosphere was different everywhere we were. I went expecting only to dance and immerse myself in the culture; for some reason I just did not anticipate such marked uniqueness at each stop. Even though some of the dancing was not quite as enjoyable as I would have liked, I wouldn't trade even one experience of the entire weekend. Not only did I learn much, I can now say I've done it!

 

About twenty of us from Florida gathered in New Orleans on Thursday before New Year's Eve. Seven rode in Karin's RV and the rest flew or drove. We had dinner at Ye Olde College Inn, a NOLA (New Orleans, LA) institution now owned by Rock and Bowl, where we were pampered by the staff - and dinner included admission to Rock and Bowl! We danced downstairs (Bowl Me Under) at the Rock and Bowl that night to Roy Carrier and his band. Evidently upstairs next the bowling lanes is really the experience to be had,     Bart and Sandy  but for some reason, they booked zydeco downstairs that night. It was great fun and a fabulous way to get the blood flowing again after a long day traveling. There were some familiar faces from Dance Vortex and definitely people from all over the country.

 Bart and Don - What are they doing?

Friday morning we toured the French Quarter, ate muffulettas and beignets, found some live music, danced again and generally played tourist. I bought pralines. Yum!

                                                                            Sandy, Jolaine and Karin

Friday afternoon we drove to Lafayette and that night danced Cajun    at Mulate's to Lee Benoit. We met up with the Birmingham, Atlanta   and  Portland groups and had a fabulous time. For the rest of the big New Year's Eve celebration, we headed to Whiskey River Landing in Henderson and danced to Geno Delafose. (The folks in the RV pretty much split - some thought Geno was the best band of the weekend and the rest went with Lee Benoit.) The dance floor was pretty crowded, but Bart said he's seen it five times as full. My poor brain can't even begin to imagine it! What a way to ring in the New Year. It just can't be beat.

 

Saturday Starts With Fred's

 

Those of us with enough energy (or sleeplessness!) left at 9                                                                  Bill pointing to Fred's plaque

and drove an hour to Fred's Lounge in Mamou (the real story behind this can be gleaned by reading Dane's story! KK). It is definitely an experience not to be missed. It was a linoleum dance floor with a bar on one wall with the band backed up against the opposite wall and smack dab in the center of the floor! We danced on three sides of the band in spaces about four-five feet wide. The band was great and the triangle player had such bad sense of rhythm he played the whole time with a wooden stick! It was rewarding to see such caring and gentle spirits. Tante (pronounced Tahnt) Sue is just as historic as the building and in fabulous health for her 80 years. She sang several songs and frequently took shots from a bottle of Hot Cinnamon Schnapps (yummy!) from a specially made holster tied on her leg. At one point we all formed a line behind her holding onto the shoulders of the person in front of us, ran out the doors and around the building several times while the Mardi Gras song was played again and again. She ran so fast we had difficulty keeping up with her!

 

Tante Sue "playing" the accordion on her t-shirt (what a site)               

 

We stopped for lunch in Eunice on the way back and were delightfully entertained by Jane from Birmingham. She is a true southern belle and regaled us with stories of the past, her mama and proper etiquette while we waited an eternally long time to be served. I laughed uproariously and truly enjoyed getting to know her. 

 

Following a brief rest, we drove to Roy Carrier's Offshore Lounge for dancing that night. The first band played tight, deep music and some of us stayed to hear Keith Frank. We met more folks, experienced that setting and some of us drove to Hamilton's to experience yet another venue. Curly Taylor's music was lighter and happier (imho), the air cooler and atmosphere more polished. More great dancing and more fun!

 

Sunday Started with Lunch and Dancing and ended with Dinner and Dancing

 

Sunday morning we relaxed and didn't rush to go anywhere. We were back at Mulate's by noon for a Cajun pick up band. This one was fabulous! The drummer was from Steve Rileys' band, the accordion player was Jimmy Breaux of the world renowned Beausoleil (pronounced Bo-so-lay), the fiddler had a fabulous voice and the guitar player was from some other band. We had more great food there and wonderful dancing until mid-afternoon.

 

From there we went to Vermilionville and the Acadian Village. Some of us toured the historic village and others (me!) spent the whole time dancing. The band was great, the floor and building are beautiful and the friends once again made the experience spectacular. The accordion player spoke much Cajun and it was more than a pleasure to listen to him!

 

We then killed some time at Target, picking up a few items waiting for 6:00 to roll around so we could get into Randol's. There we had dinner, met many folks Bart already knew and had more fabulous fun Cajun dancing to the Lucky Playboys, comprised of former members of File', Ward Lormond & d'Jalmah Ganier, with a hot new sound. We left after the last tune and long goodbyes, more than ready for rest, but high on the dance endorphins.

 

Thanks to Bart, as well as Tim and Bob, and...!

 

Hopefully, you'll be enticed to join us when we go again. If I have anything at all to say about it, we'll be there again to see in 2006. I've left out many colorful details (drinking beer at 10am at Fred's, spaghetti arms and Bart's 7am wakeup call, to name just a few); there is just so much one can communicate in an email message. This trip definitely goes down in my history book as one of the finest memories of my life and as one of my finest dance experiences. Thanks to Bart, Tim and Bob for putting it all together. Thanks to all the guys who danced with me and put up with my missteps and sometimes extended periods of trying to find the groove (I will blame it on sleep deprivation, anyone buying that?!

 

Thanks to all my friends for sharing it with me. You're part of the memory, too, and I appreciate the texture you added, the connections we strengthened and the many ways you helped me fully experience the intensity of all the moments. I am fortunate you are in my life.

ZYDECOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  aaaaiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Don't miss the next one!