Going Local

When Lithus and I first moved to NOLA, we talked about wanting to get out of the Quarter. Wanted to not only hang out in the CBD. Wanting to learn the city away from the tourist spots. But the Quarter is fascinating and so much happens there. And then it became comfortable. And "our" spots were in the Quarter and the CBD and the buses are inconsistent and unreliable and then we weren't home often and, and, and, and...and suddenly. we realized that we rarely stray beyond our little circle.

That just wouldn't do.

Last night, we discovered The All Ways Lounge. (Note: If you click around the site, it's NSFW. The pictures I'm about to post are slightly NSFW, depending on how picky your work is.) The Quarter and the CBD, it's not. It's not even Frenchmen Street. It's the All Ways Lounge.

The band opening the evening was Ford Theatre Reunion. They describe their music as "circus freak music." I describe them as heavy metal zydeco. Personally, I think either works. They are a little bit genius, and reminiscent of the Dresden Dolls, for those of you who know them. Crazy talented. With a lead singer who reminds me so much of Starbuck when we were 16, that I had to keep reminding myself that this young woman and I don't know each other and it would be weird for me to go hug her (Note: these are not our pictures, nor are they from last night. They are, however, of the group and the singer, so that's something).

They were a serendipitous delight, however, because we had gone to see Clue: A Burlesque Mystery. Seriously. The board game Clue, performed in burlesque. And it was burlesque, not a strip show.There was a juggler, who took off an article every time she "accidentally dropped" a ball or a knife. There was an aerialist. There was even a fan dance.

At the end, for curtain call, they lifted the "no photography" rule, but not the "no flash photography" part of it. Thus, the not-very-good pictures. But you'll get the idea...

There was even a dose of universal justice dished out. A couple was there, so much in costume that I originally thought they were part of the show. He in his modernized 1890's finery; she in her 1940's rockabilly hybrid. Everything was over the top. Nothing was genuine or authentic. Every expression and movement was studied and projected. They were gorgeous caricatures, just like the performers of the evening. And as I became aware of the fact that they weren't a part of the show, after all, I still thought they were cool. After all, I understand deciding who you are going to be for an evening and going with it. Until they showed themselves to be asses. Pouting. Disrespectful. Assholes. Just because the place got crowded and those of us at tables had to adjust in order to see the stage. Finally, she had had enough and, with great dramatic flair, tapped a man on the shoulder and demanded that he clear her entire field of vision. And her male counterpart laid hands on the poor guy who just wanted to bring his friends to a show. At that point, the sound tech/d.j./bouncer stepped in and you can guess who got thrown out. A good reminder to us all: Karma is enough of a bitch; don't be one.

It was a great night. Getting out of the Quarter is highly recommended.