Louisiana: Cigars and Guitars

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

September 2017


On a pleasant Saturday afternoon, after I'd spent the morning dancing at the new-to-me location for the zydeco breakfast in Breaux Bridge, I visited the LA Brewery in Arnaudville for its weekly music draw.

A bucolic scene:

I arrived early; Major Handy and his most wonderful and versatile band were setting up:

Major Handy and the Louisiana Blues Band at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

It was durn hot, but I got a good seat in a rocking chair by the fan.

Major Handy and the Louisiana Blues Band at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

But whoa, whoa, whoa ... what was this shiny thing rolling in?

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

The band continued getting itself sorted.

Major Handy and the Louisiana Blues Band at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

And I went over to investigate this flashy object.

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

A mobile cigar room!

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

It's the Smokin' Room.

I chatted with the owner and he kicked one of my assumptions to the curb right quick. I'd figured that he'd have to pay the business owners (in this case, the brewery) some sort of compensation for setting up shop there. But no! The Mobile Cigar Lounge has a sizable number of patrons who will go where the lounge goes. So, actually, the Mobile Cigar Lounge brings customers to the business!

Mobile Cigar Lounge at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

 The owner, John Johnson, relates the story of the lounge's pregnancy and birth here.

 I don't smoke cigars, but I do like shiny things, so the Mobile Cigar Lounge was mighty cool.

Lil Buck Sinegal at the LA 31 Brewery, Arnaudville, Louisiana. September 2017.

But Lil Buck Sinegal, playing with Major Handy's band on this day,  is cooler.

Colorado: Denver: A Lil Louisiana at Station 26

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

You know the value of crawfish when there's a scale on the table.

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

Murphy and I + two nephews and a niece went to the Station 26 Brewery in Denver one windy, chilly weekend day - the brewery was having a Louisiana music-and-food day!

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

Oh, it did the soul some good to hear a little zydeco, even though it was via muzak. A live band played later.  Ever since I heard Sorry About Your Sister perform at the Bad Ass Music Festival, I've been very fond of the double bass.

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

And I loved seeing this box percussion, which Las Cafeteras introduced to me. Or was it Jarana Beat playing Dolor de Aqui? Aieee. Either one will do it for you.

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

Of course, there was the beer. We had to try several.

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

Zydeco and crawfish day at Station 26 Brewing, Denver, Colorado. May 2016.

But my favorite thing at Station 26 may have been the pretzels. They're in giant plastic kegs, free for the taking. Salty. Dark wheaty. Crunchy.

Colorado: Lyons: A Lil' Swing

Katie Glassman and Snapshot, Lyons, Colorado. May 2016

My sister, "Murphy," and I checked out the band at Oskar Blues Brewery in the nearby village of Lyons.

Katie Glassman and Snapshot played.

Kick.

Ass.

Here's a taste of the band playing an Americana standard, Orange Blossom Special: 

The sparseness of the audience was a sadness.

But thank goodness Murphy and I got to immerse ourselves in the talent of these musicians.

A number of Orange Blossom Special covers here.