Friday night a week ago. Fixin’ to rain. Enough chill in the air that a night at Papa Mojo’s Roadhouse seems … well, fittin’ somehow. Some good old Cajun cookin’ with a lot of smokin’ music along with good friends Robert, Susan, and Adam (who make damn good running buddies, if I may say so myself) had all the makings for a hot night out. I’d never seen Pagan Hellcats, but with a name like that a person could get expectations, doncha think? After all, I was the instigator and my reputation was at stake. Would these people ever follow me blindly out into the world of local music again if the band sucked? Not freakin’ likely.
A bowl of crawfish Étouffée later and as the band set up, my confidence was sitting as pretty as the glazed cornbread on the table. But, just because I had had a glass of the house Cab, I reminded myself … good-lookin’ musicians and reputable instruments do not a good band make. Case in point – Hanson. Or Milli Vanilli. Don’t get me started ….
What a wonderful surprise! Mel even hung around to jam with them. If you haven’t seen them, go. If you have, go again. GO rediscover these “bluesy, rootsy rockers” … after all, my rep is on the line here.
THIS & THAT
Chirba Chirba!
What do you get when you have four friends who love to eat and make dumplings? If this was a band, Chela Yu, her dumplingness, would be “the girl singer.” But since this is a food truck, you get “Chirba Chirba” (translation: Eat, eat!). Chela and the boys, Yin Song, Nate Adams, Ali Safavi, make up the Dumpling Squad. If you’ve missed one of their dumpling raids, tsk, tsk. Now get out there and find them. You will NOT be disappointed. And listen to my SideDish interview with Chela airing Sunday, 11/27 on 1360WCHL.
Am headed out tonight to Cat’s Cradle with my friend Larry to hear Hayes Carll, a singer/songwriter from Texas. Know next to nothing about him, so stay tuned.
Y’all know you can click on these to watch and listen, right?
I’ve Got This Friend (The Civil Wars), Driving North (Chris Pureka), Honey, Honey (Feist), Lost (Anouk), Running on Faith (Eric Clapton)
FOODIMENTARY
Nov. 8 is National Cappuccino Day!
Nov. 10 is National Vanilla Cupcake Day … better go warn my favorite folks at Sugarland!!