Voodoo Fest
What an incredible weekend! Definitely one of the top five ever. I need to write this shit down so I don't forget everything that happened.
Thursday night, met up with Claire and Jessica at Hole in the Wall, got a pitcher, and waited till midnight. Midnight, walked across the street to the Texan office, met up with Ramon and Callie. The jumpoff express was supposed to leave at midnight, but Reggie was nowhere to be found. (Our carriage? A seven person white minivan with the Daily Texan logo and 'Student Publications' in orange on the side.)Around 1, Reggie shows and we hit the road to pick up way more passengers than can comfortably fit in the fan.
At 2 AM, 9 bodies and suitcases packed in, we finally start on our way to New Orleans. The energy is up and everyone is awake for the first 2 hours, and then the normal human sleep cycle starts to kick in and people are passing out left and right. I keep the flow of Capri Suns to Ramon steady, but even so, at 4:30, once reaching Houston, he asks me to take over the party bus. I had offered my services, because I thought my van driving experience could be of use, but I have never driven vans at this time of night on Houston highways full of curves and speeders and low lights. But I do it, and dammit, I do it well. I just keep pushing myself to keep going until the sun comes up. When I see the sunrise, my heart lifts up and I get a second wind. I push that baby over the state line and keep it at 75 until we all agree to a stopoff at the Waffle House. Weirdest jukebox I ever seen, and a tired waitress named Roxane. Back on the road.
It seems like no time at all before we're seeing Mississippi River right, the Superdome left. Get to the hotel, the Pere Marquette. We unload, run upstairs, begin the long process of 8 people taking showers, and wonder how we'll all fit in these 2 beds. Around 3, we head out for Voodoo. Dr. Dre and blunts in the van, sunshine everywhere. At Voodoo, we saw the Soul Rebels Brass Band, some Latin shit, Lez Zeppelin, who were incredible, M.I.A, Rage Against the Machine, and then home again. After several juice boxes of wine, swigs of Tullamore Dew, and many double-fisted beers, we are all so crunk. But it goes nowhere because we're also exhausted. Friday night ended in a Domino's pizza and ESPN in the room.
Saturday- Up and at 'em. The 4 girls got the beds the night before, the 4 boys slept on the floor. Very considerate. We're up and dressed; first stop, Dixie Gyros. Red beans, rice, po'boys, etc, etc. Then we start pounding the pavement in search of a costume shop. We get sidetracked at the Crazy Korner, and stop for some beers and dancing. Continuing on, we head towards the waterfront, enjoying the beautiful weather and company. We stop for a roll in the grass at Chartres Cathedral, where a wedding is being accompanied by brass band before our eyes. After some more goofing, we head back to the hotel to rejuvenate ourselves for the evening. Saturday night was the big night for Halloween in the Big Easy, so we knew we would need to conserve our energy for that. Around 7 we began to prepare ourselves , and at 8, Chris, Reggie, Jose, Claire, Jessica and I headed out in search of a nice place to eat dinner. After a wonderful Italian meal, with plenty of beer, we went to Bourbon St. Always different yet exactly the same. We go into a blues bar, and I ask Reggie to dance. He was shy but how can you say no to a woman in a nurse outfit? We slow danced to Dizzy Gillespie. After a little more good clean fun, we hit the street again. Wandered aimlessly up and down, drinking liquor drinks from our purses. Finally Ramon and Callie join us, and we go into a strip club. Some serious, serious talent in there. We were cheap and in awe and we just stood along the bar and didn't do much to pay those ladies ways through college. When we got bored of some real booty shaking, we hit the street again and ended up in a bar having some sort of hot girl contest. Of course, we got in on the action, which was a little embarrassing, and Jose and Chris made damn sure every second of that got documented. Then on to the next dance club.
Lots of people, lots of sweat, lots of grinding, lots of balcony. We keep going and dancing and going and drinking and then I suppose at some point we decided to go back to our room at the hotel. Everyone wanted to get high, but I wanted to walk around with Reggie, so him and I left them to their business. We strolled the streets for about an hour, and then went to the hotel's minigym and made it our VIP room for 2. Just chatting about music and life. At almost 5, we decided to go back to our place. The beds are already full, of course, and we made a pallet on the floor. A little cold, so lots of snuggling! I was delighted, of course.
Sunday- Time to go home. A long morning of searching for iPods and shoes and jackets. The room smells like a dirty armpit ashtray, a combination of so many people living right on top of each other and smoking cigarettes and weed like hey there are no rules this is New Orleans. Hangovers , each and all. The long trip ahead is calling our names, but we slowed it down and drank some mimosas and played pool until we really, really, really had to go. Some major frustrations with internet access as we tried to send in the article and photos from the trip for the Monday issue of the Daily Texan. Somehow, it all got in, and somehow, we arrived safely back in Austin at 4:30 AM.
Our group was such an amazing mix of people, like the Platonic grab bag. I couldn't have designed a better time if I tried! I am a little sad that it's over now. I can't believe it happened! We did it, New Orleans!
O and here's the article that ran in the paper, written by Ramon. Be sure and check out the photo gallery, too.
http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/10/29/LifeArts/Voodoo.Experience.edgier.Than.Acl-3062268.shtml
Thursday night, met up with Claire and Jessica at Hole in the Wall, got a pitcher, and waited till midnight. Midnight, walked across the street to the Texan office, met up with Ramon and Callie. The jumpoff express was supposed to leave at midnight, but Reggie was nowhere to be found. (Our carriage? A seven person white minivan with the Daily Texan logo and 'Student Publications' in orange on the side.)Around 1, Reggie shows and we hit the road to pick up way more passengers than can comfortably fit in the fan.
At 2 AM, 9 bodies and suitcases packed in, we finally start on our way to New Orleans. The energy is up and everyone is awake for the first 2 hours, and then the normal human sleep cycle starts to kick in and people are passing out left and right. I keep the flow of Capri Suns to Ramon steady, but even so, at 4:30, once reaching Houston, he asks me to take over the party bus. I had offered my services, because I thought my van driving experience could be of use, but I have never driven vans at this time of night on Houston highways full of curves and speeders and low lights. But I do it, and dammit, I do it well. I just keep pushing myself to keep going until the sun comes up. When I see the sunrise, my heart lifts up and I get a second wind. I push that baby over the state line and keep it at 75 until we all agree to a stopoff at the Waffle House. Weirdest jukebox I ever seen, and a tired waitress named Roxane. Back on the road.
It seems like no time at all before we're seeing Mississippi River right, the Superdome left. Get to the hotel, the Pere Marquette. We unload, run upstairs, begin the long process of 8 people taking showers, and wonder how we'll all fit in these 2 beds. Around 3, we head out for Voodoo. Dr. Dre and blunts in the van, sunshine everywhere. At Voodoo, we saw the Soul Rebels Brass Band, some Latin shit, Lez Zeppelin, who were incredible, M.I.A, Rage Against the Machine, and then home again. After several juice boxes of wine, swigs of Tullamore Dew, and many double-fisted beers, we are all so crunk. But it goes nowhere because we're also exhausted. Friday night ended in a Domino's pizza and ESPN in the room.
Saturday- Up and at 'em. The 4 girls got the beds the night before, the 4 boys slept on the floor. Very considerate. We're up and dressed; first stop, Dixie Gyros. Red beans, rice, po'boys, etc, etc. Then we start pounding the pavement in search of a costume shop. We get sidetracked at the Crazy Korner, and stop for some beers and dancing. Continuing on, we head towards the waterfront, enjoying the beautiful weather and company. We stop for a roll in the grass at Chartres Cathedral, where a wedding is being accompanied by brass band before our eyes. After some more goofing, we head back to the hotel to rejuvenate ourselves for the evening. Saturday night was the big night for Halloween in the Big Easy, so we knew we would need to conserve our energy for that. Around 7 we began to prepare ourselves , and at 8, Chris, Reggie, Jose, Claire, Jessica and I headed out in search of a nice place to eat dinner. After a wonderful Italian meal, with plenty of beer, we went to Bourbon St. Always different yet exactly the same. We go into a blues bar, and I ask Reggie to dance. He was shy but how can you say no to a woman in a nurse outfit? We slow danced to Dizzy Gillespie. After a little more good clean fun, we hit the street again. Wandered aimlessly up and down, drinking liquor drinks from our purses. Finally Ramon and Callie join us, and we go into a strip club. Some serious, serious talent in there. We were cheap and in awe and we just stood along the bar and didn't do much to pay those ladies ways through college. When we got bored of some real booty shaking, we hit the street again and ended up in a bar having some sort of hot girl contest. Of course, we got in on the action, which was a little embarrassing, and Jose and Chris made damn sure every second of that got documented. Then on to the next dance club.
Lots of people, lots of sweat, lots of grinding, lots of balcony. We keep going and dancing and going and drinking and then I suppose at some point we decided to go back to our room at the hotel. Everyone wanted to get high, but I wanted to walk around with Reggie, so him and I left them to their business. We strolled the streets for about an hour, and then went to the hotel's minigym and made it our VIP room for 2. Just chatting about music and life. At almost 5, we decided to go back to our place. The beds are already full, of course, and we made a pallet on the floor. A little cold, so lots of snuggling! I was delighted, of course.
Sunday- Time to go home. A long morning of searching for iPods and shoes and jackets. The room smells like a dirty armpit ashtray, a combination of so many people living right on top of each other and smoking cigarettes and weed like hey there are no rules this is New Orleans. Hangovers , each and all. The long trip ahead is calling our names, but we slowed it down and drank some mimosas and played pool until we really, really, really had to go. Some major frustrations with internet access as we tried to send in the article and photos from the trip for the Monday issue of the Daily Texan. Somehow, it all got in, and somehow, we arrived safely back in Austin at 4:30 AM.
Our group was such an amazing mix of people, like the Platonic grab bag. I couldn't have designed a better time if I tried! I am a little sad that it's over now. I can't believe it happened! We did it, New Orleans!
O and here's the article that ran in the paper, written by Ramon. Be sure and check out the photo gallery, too.
http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2007/10/29/LifeArts/Voodoo.Experience.edgier.Than.Acl-3062268.shtml