This weekend was pretty darn quiet. I watched movies. I read. I drove from house to house to house taking care of animals. One would wonder why I am so tired. Mainly it is because I don't sleep well when I am not at my house. I also need a bit of noise when I fall asleep. I have had neither for over a week. If I get 3 hours of solid sleep? I consider it a good night right now. Yes I did go and see some music this weekend. It was the same person both nights.

Friday night I went to Carrollton Station to see Paul Sanchez play solo. Saturday night it was d.b.a and Alex McMurray sat in. I know I have said this before, so I will sound like a broken record. If you have never EVER seen a Paul Sanchez gig you need to check him out at least once. You will either get it, or you won't. Which is fine. I have seen some of the "regulars" show up with someone new to check out Paul's music and more often than not you start seeing those people again and again, and then they start bringing people. Not everyone knows who Paul is, some do and therefore don't want to check him out thinking he is doing what he was doing before. See for a really really REALLY long time, Paul was in the band Cowboy Mouth. A rock-n-roll band. Some people often say a college band. Some people (myself included) started getting bored at the shows, with the same things being said and done over and over. (I know a lot of bands do this so it isn't a dig against CM) You are either really really in the mood for one of their shows, or not. Anyway. Over a year and a half ago Paul left the band among some disputes. I don't know the full story, I don't want to know the full story, I don't NEED to know the full story. There is no law that says I can't enjoy both. Sadly CM very rarely seems to play in town anymore (like a certain trombone band I know) ;) Paul however has taken off with his solo shows. He has played Jazz Fest (okay three and a half songs before the rain forced them to stop) French Quarter Fest, Wednesday in the Square, the upcoming Voo Doo Fest. He is playing all across the country. Sometimes like on Friday night it is a solo show. Just Paul, his guitar, his songs, his stories. (point in case, I know most of the stories by now. Sometimes he gives a bit more information, but I always laugh) Sometimes it is a different musician sitting in. Could be another guitar player, could be a horn player, could be just about anyone. In the past he has had Susan Cowsill, Matt Perrine, Craig Klein, Shamarr Allen, James Andrews, Todd Duke, Alex McMurray, David Torkanowsky, Sonia Tetlow. Sometimes it is a duo, sometimes a trio, and if you are catching a festival show chances are pretty good you are going to see the Rolling Road Show. Now the Rolling Road Show consists of the above musicians, mixed and matched. Whoever is in town. And you know it is going to be an amazing show. Not only will Paul do his own music but he makes sure to showcase who ever is playing with him. Paul is a true troubadour. His songs and his stories are like a warm hug.

Paul and I knew each other as acquaintances before the storm. After the storm I helped gut out his and his wife's home. It was one of the hardest houses to work on. Not because of the muck and the nastiness but because I knew whose items it was I was tossing out on the curb. It was a pretty emotional day for everyone both happy and sad. I rarely miss one of Paul's shows because like I said, it is a warm hug every time. You just need to let the music sweep over you and take you away. Paul knows that I was the local merch person for Bonerama so from time to time he will ask me to sell CDs for him as well. He would often make comments that if he could afford me, he would hire me full time. Paul has found a way to make us both some money, so as of this weekend, I am under his employ. No this isn't something that I can live off of, but it is a start. He gave me a bunch of CDs this weekend and I am going to get them into stores, bookstores, coffee shops, where ever I can. I will get a portion, he will get a portion and the store selling will get a portion. So it is a step in the right direction.

Seeing how the job search isn't going any where fast, it could be the only income I have coming in here. I have been sending out resumes for a month and a half and have only heard back from a Temp Company. That was legitimate anyway. So I will keep chugging along trying to find something. Only a few more weeks to go. Only as slight panic setting in.

Posted by: Stacey at 09:00 AM
Category: Bonerama , Everyday , French Quarter Fest , Jazz Fest , Music , Music Fests