Tag: a minute in

A Minute in New Orleans with Sarah Quintana and Michael Doucet

Posted on by Editor

This is Sarah Quintana, singer/guitarist in Michael Doucet’s new solo project, Lâcher-Prise, and I love being a tourist in my own hometown, New Orleans. Michael and I met one Mardi Gras day, following a brass band through the French Quarter. Music is everywhere! Cajun and zydeco dancing, good Creole cooking and historic scenes. Here are some of our favourite places to perform, shop and eat!

Michael loves to go to Cane and Table on Decatur for his favourite Cuban cocktail, the Hotel Nacionale. Marjie’s Grill on N. Broad is one of his favourite places to eat. I sing for the Sunday Brunches at Emeril’s Delmonico. The atmosphere, the menu and the live music make this one of the best dining experiences in New Orleans.

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One of our favourite clubs to play at and go dancing is d.b.a. on Frenchman Street. They have a wood floor series in the early evening that is acoustic and magic, dance lessons, lots of craft beer and rocking late-night shows. Need a coffee fix? Spitfire Coffee in the French Quarter is Michael’s favourite espresso bar.

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Water here, Water there! My favourite neighborhood is Bayou St. John in Mid-City. Get your tour of frontier New Orleans by boat! Book a Kayak tour from Kayakitiyat! If you go on a gallery art walk down Royal Street in the French Quarter, stop by Antieau Gallery to see the artist who created our cover art for our album.

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Photo credit: Daniel Kadar

A Minute in Boise, Idaho, with Eilen Jewell

Posted on by Editor

Welcome to “A Minute In” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Eilen Jewell takes us on a tour of Boise, Idaho. The singer-songwriter just released her newest album, Gypsy.

My hometown of Boise, Idaho, is a cheerful little place. In fact, visitors to our fair city, or those who have recently relocated, often find the friendliness a bit off-putting at first. Queues tend to move more slowly than in most places, often due to the simple fact that people like to chat and exchange pleasantries. In this regard, there’s an innocence to my hometown, elements of bygone days still intact

But there’s a lot more to Boise than friendliness and a slow pace. We also have nearly boundless outdoor space within arm’s reach. We have great parks and libraries and historic buildings (including one the oldest synagogues west of the Mississippi). We have delicious, award-winning food, two thriving farmers markets, more amazing breweries than you can shake a stick at, and local wine that rivals California’s, in my humble opinion.

This is not the cornfields of similar-sounding Iowa or Ohio, though they are lovely places in their own right. This is Idaho, as in the Rockies, as in mountain lakes and whitewater rivers. This is where I keep returning to, especially when I’m in dire need of some elbow room, and always when I need to write.

Here are some places and activities that I recommend to anyone lucky enough to visit my hometown:

Rediscovered Books (180 N 8th St.) is a sweet bookstore in the heart of downtown, offering new and used titles of all kinds, but very well-curated. If it’s not quality they don’t sell it, and everyone in there really knows their books. They have fun events on a regular basis, including book signings and story time for kids. It’s where I do nearly all of my Christmas shopping every year.

Boiseans almost always use cardinal directions. The mountains are north, so as long as you can see them you can’t get lost. And you can almost always see them. So, moving slightly east from downtown we encounter the historic Basque District. For those unfamiliar, the Basque Country is that mountainous region of northern Spain and southern France. Many folks of Basque descent made their way to southern Idaho over the generations, mainly to herd sheep.

They stayed and thrived, and now Boiseans are very proud of their Basque heritage. We even boast of being the only town in America with a mayor who is fluent in Basque, Mayor Dave Bieter. You can learn about all of this at the Basque Museum and Cultural Center (611 W. Grove St.). For an authentic Boise Basque culinary experience, go to Bar Gernika (202 S. Capitol Blvd.) and order croquetas with a kalimotxo to wash them down.

Head just a bit south from there and catch a movie at The Flicks (646 W. Fulton St.). I love this place. They specialize in indie, foreign, and art films and often screen great documentaries. I like to enjoy a glass of wine while I watch. And their cookies are delicious too.

Next take a walk through nearby Julia Davis Park, and maybe check out one of our lovely museums there, like the Boise Art Museum (670 E. Julia Davis Dr), or perhaps the Idaho Black History Museum (508 Julia Davis Dr.). Then be sure to connect with the Boise River Greenbelt, just on the other side of the park from there. You’ll have over 30 miles along the river to bike or walk or birdwatch or whatever floats your boat. (You can even boat.) I always see wildlife along the river, even bald eagles once in a blue moon.

Head west along the Greenbelt and you’ll be able to quench your well-earned thirst at Lost Grove Brewing (1026 S. La Pointe St.), a fun neighborhood brewery my friends started a few years ago. They always have a solid variety of fresh brews on tap and a cheerful bartender or two to guide you through the selection process. By the way, Idaho is 10th in the nation in breweries per capita. Yeah, we like our beer.

Scoot a bit north of there, to what is known as the Linen District, and check yourself into The Modern Hotel (1314 W. Grove St.). Not only do they have one of the best restaurants in town, a killer cocktail menu, original artwork in each unique room, and a campfire out front on most nights, they also have gnome statues in the restrooms that hold up little turntables for your musical enjoyment while you powder your nose.

Just west of there is the Record Exchange (1105 W. Idaho St.). How do I sufficiently describe my love for this place? It has been the pulse of Boise’s music scene and all things good since 1977, and it’s one of the best indie record stores in the country. It’s also a really fun spot to catch an in-store performance by both local and touring acts.

Last but not least, no trip to Boise would be complete without a visit to our beautiful foothills and historic Hyde Park (1413 to 1620 N. 13th St.). This is a charming little neighborhood in Boise’s quaint north end, where I grew up. Nearby Camels Back Park (1200 Heron St.) never fails to deliver. Hike all around those gorgeous trails, then up the big hill and enjoy a sunset with the best view in town.

 

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A hike a day keeps the blues away ☀️

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Because we’re on the western edge of the Mountain Time Zone, the sun sets very late in Boise in the summertime. On a clear day, and most days are clear in Boise, you can still see a bit of light around 10:30 p.m. As you watch that sun sink down over the horizon, congratulate yourself on a day well spent in one of the prettiest little cities on earth. And come back soon. Just promise not to tell too many people.

Here’s a list of songs I’ve written that were directly inspired by Boise or the surrounding area:

“My Hometown”
“Always Coming Home”
“Kalimotxo”
“Boundary County”
“Half-Broke Horse”

 

A Minute in Nashville with Chuck Mead

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

“I have a lot of people ask me, ‘Where do I go when I come to Nashville?’ and my answer is always, ‘Well, what are you into? Music? Food? Underground sex scene?’ I don’t know much about that last one there, but there sure is a lot to do in Nashville these days. Top-notch dining, a bunch of clubs and bars, and spectacular musicians of all types.” – Chuck Mead

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Lower Broadway
You have to see Lower Broadway at least once during your visit. This is where honky tonks line both sides of the street and the people and music spill out onto the sidewalks. Robert’s Western World is the must-stop on the street. It’s my old stomping grounds where my old band BR5-49 got our start. Traditional honky tonk played the way it’s supposed to be — with heart. Layla’s next door is an excellent place to be as well.

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Ryman Auditorium
These honky tonks are all in the shadow of the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium — another must-see downtown. And while you’re in that neck of the woods, see The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where you can follow the progression of country music from the beginning right up to today’s stars.

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Honky Tonk Tuesday at American Legion Post 82
If you’re around on a Tuesday night, go to the American Legion Post 82. Just driving into the parking lot takes you to another world. Make your donation at the door (unless you’re a veteran), grab a nice cold, cheap beer, go dance your ass off to some really fantastic old school country music, and don’t forget to tip the band!

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The Grand Ole Opry
It pretty much goes without saying that if you come to Nashville, a visit to the Grand Ole Opry should be on the itinerary. It’s the show that made country music.

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Third Man Records
But it’s not all hillbilly music – there’s Jack White’s Third Man Records for a killer record store experience and it’s always great to go see Thee Rock n Roll Residency at the Mercy Lounge whenever they’re in town.

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Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish
Nashville is pretty famous, food-wise, for its hot chicken. There are a few ways to go — Prince’s is the original and is great of course (if you order the hot – you have a stronger constitution than me.) But my favorite hot chicken in town is Bolton’s. I suggest a taste test!

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Margot Cafe
If you’re looking for a world-class dining experience, may I suggest Margot Cafe in Five Points in East Nashville. Margot serves up fancy French-type food combined with down-home Southern heart; fresh, local cuisine with a menu that changes all the time, and a terrific bar as well.

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Mas Tacos
Also on the Eastside is Mas Tacos. This is my go-to place for times when I say to myself, “Man, I sure could use some more tacos.” Great food. Great vibe. Groovy courtyard.

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Here are other places I recommend: Grimey’s Record Store (made by record people for record people); The Basement and The Basement East – always a variety of different kinds of great live music both places; Germantown Cafe, fresh and modern American cuisine; First Tennessee Park, right across the street, where you can take in a Nashville Sounds baseball game (if it’s in season, of course); and many others you can look up on your phone yourself. Check out the music listings and see if I’m playing anywhere. If you see me, say “Hey!”

Photo credit: Joshua Black Wilkins

A Minute in West Virginia with Charles Wesley Godwin

Posted on by Amy Reitnouer

Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns musicians into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Charles Wesley Godwin takes us through West Virginia, a state that inspired much of the music on his notable new album, Seneca.

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Mountaineer Home Football Game
There’s no place like Morgantown, West Virginia on a football Saturday. I once heard that Morgantown accounts for one percent of the nation’s beer sales on game day. I have no idea if that’s true, but I like it. Make sure you don the ol’ gold and blue, haggle with a ticket scalper, bring a case of beer and you’ll be sure to get invited to join a tailgate in the Blue Lot. Afterwards, go fill up at Black Bear Burritos and continue drinking your face off with dozens of WV craft beers. A wise man once said, “They shouldn’t have played the ol’ gold and blue!” – the late, great, coach Bill Stewart.

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The Purple Fiddle
Tucked away in beautiful Thomas, West Virginia, The Purple Fiddle is putting on some of the best shows in the country almost every night of the week. If you want to experience a little piece of Appalachian heaven, go dance your boots off at a Purple Fiddle show. Then, be sure to take the weekend to enjoy Thomas & Davis, Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley and Dolly Sods. The owner, John Bright, has his ear to the ground like no other. He was opening his doors to bands like The Avett Brothers, Greensky Bluegrass and countless others back when they were being passed over by comparable venues. The Fiddle has welcomed me ever since I got started, and I’m very grateful for that.

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Fly-Fishing
There’s no better place to wet your fly line than West Virginia. Of course, I might be biased, but West Virginia’s got some of the most beautiful trout streams and rivers in the world. Go fishin’ on the North Fork of the South Branch, Elk, South Branch of the Potomac, Dryfork, Cheat, Greenbrier, Potomac, Shenandoah, New and countless other rivers. Find yourself a nice little tributary and you can catch native trout all the way up the holler. Hell, come see me and we’ll fish Seneca Creek.

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Muriale’s Restaurant
One little-known fact outside of our borders is that West Virginia is home to a huge (by West Virginian standards) Italian population in north-central WV. Like a monument to their greatness, Muriale’s Restaurant stands in Fairmont right next to Interstate 79, calling all travelers to her great table. If Muriale’s could speak, I’d imagine she’d cry out her own version of Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus.” Something along these lines, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to try the meatball, the wretched refuse of your teeming states. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I will feed them well!”

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Seneca Rocks
Standing high above the land where generations of my family have lived and died, and the Native Americans before them, the rocks remind us all of how long the forces of nature have been at play. I won’t begin to act like I know the ins and outs of how it was formed, but I’ll just take geologists’ word for it that it took hundreds of millions of years. You can hike right up to the top of this crag and I promise it’ll give you a hell of a view. One so nice in fact, that I asked my wife to marry me there.

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Mothman Festival
Each year, on the third weekend of September, comes the Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant. There’s music, there’s vendors, there’s the Mothman museum, there’s wild, ancient alien type dudes tellin’ all kinds of crazy stories. Go check it out. It’s a really fun time.

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Greenbrier Valley Brewing Co.
Just outside of Lewisburg, Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company is spitting out some of the best beer in the world. They’ve got something that’ll fit your taste no matter what kind of beer drinker you are. Bring your dog and enjoy a Devil Anse, Zona’s Revenge, Mothman or Wild Trail. While you’re at it, just take the whole week to enjoy Lewisburg, The Greenbrier, and all that is Almost Heaven. It’s gorgeous down that way.

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Live on the Levee
On the banks of the pristine waters (just kidding) of the Kanawha River, there’s a summer series of concerts in downtown Charleston every Friday night. For Live on the Levee, they bring in a bunch of killer national touring acts to put on a hell of a show for the good people. Thousands of West Virginians from high and higher come out to enjoy the music, the food trucks and spend a night on the town. Afterwards, if you didn’t get enough music to tickle your fancy at the Levee show, just cross the street to catch another show at The Boulevard Tavern.

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Country Club Bakery
Pepperoni rolls are a staple of the Mountain State. They were originally created as a lunch food option for the coal miners. Guiseppe “Joseph” Argiro sold the very first one at Country Club Bakery in 1927. The comfort food of all comfort foods is at your fingertips in small bakeries and gas stations all around the state, but if you stop by Country Club to a pick up a fresh dozen, you’re in for a treat. I feel a deep sense of sadness every time I’m looking for a proper gas station snack out of state. I don’t know how y’all make it without roni rolls.

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New River Gorge
The New River Gorge Bridge sits 876 feet above the ancient New River. While driving across it, it’s sure to freak out anyone scared of heights. There is an annual Bridge Day festival where adrenaline junkies from all around the world meet up and BASE jump off of it. For those of us who are not so extreme, myself included, you can whitewater raft down the New River guided by Ace Adventure. After you’re done on the river, you can grab a bite to eat at Secret Sandwich Society in Fayetteville, and catch a show at The Grove.

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Snowshoe Mountain
Snowshoe is home to the best skiing on the east coast. Come November, the snow is already piling up and it doesn’t melt all the way until May. If skiing’s not your thing, you can take a snowmobile tour, ride the air tubes, enjoy the spa and catch a show in the winter village. If you miss the snow, don’t worry, you can still go mountain biking or enjoy some guided fly-fishing.

Photo of Charles Wesley Godwin by Ashley Stottlemyer

A Minute In Vermont With Caitlin Canty

Posted on by Editor

Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns musicians into hometown reporters. In our latest column, singer-songwriter Caitlin Canty takes us through Vermont communities like Pittsford and Rutland, as well as her favorite places nearby.

A Morning Hike

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Cold bright day

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I’ll start the morning off with a walk with my parents and the dogs down by the covered bridges in Pittsford, such as the Gorham and Cooley bridges, and walk to the confluence of Otter Creek and Furnace Brook. This is my favorite spot in Vermont.

Donuts & Sandwiches

 

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Can’t visit Rutland without getting donuts

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My dad usually wakes up before anyone else and he’ll pick up some classic donuts from Jones’ Donuts and Bakery if I’m lucky. And we’ll always stop at Kamuda’s Country Market for a sandwich or provisions after a walk.

Local Restaurants

My mom’s a great cook, but if I’m home for a few nights, we’ll hit Roots the Restaurant or The Palms in Rutland for dinner. If I’m in Rutland earlier in the day, my favorite spot to sit by a fire and warm up is the Yellow Deli.

Getting Outdoors

I’d tell anyone visiting the Rutland area to go for a quick and easy hike up Deer’s Leap near Killington for a gorgeous view, or paddle around on Chittenden Dam for sweeping views of the mountains reflected on the water.

Foot Races and Farmer’s Markets

 

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#rutlandfarmersmarket #farmersmarket #rutland #rutlandvt #vermont

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If it’s July, try the Goshen Gallup road race (5K and 10k) at Blueberry Hill Inn. Or if you’re visiting in the fall, go apple picking at Mad Tom Orchard and Douglas Orchard, and hit the outdoor Rutland Farmers’ Market (which I’ve played a time or two when I was starting out). If you’re driving on Route 4, don’t miss Woodstock Farmers’ Market (a gourmet deli) for sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Pottery, Glassblowing, and Books

 

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Autumn in Vermont—is there anything sweeter? #northshirebookstore #bookstagram #shoplocal #autumn

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I love Farmhouse Pottery in Woodstock and I love to go to Simon Pearce in Quechee, where you can watch glassblowing and then sit by a window next to the falls and have a drink in one of those pretty hand-blown glasses. If I’m in Manchester, I’ll get lost in the Northshire Bookstore.

The Vermont Marble Museum

The Vermont Marble Museum in my hometown is one of a kind. It’s an old factory building full of huge slabs of all varieties of marble and sculptures. I played a show here once and the sound was unlike any other room I’ve played. I love wandering around in here and seeing the history and the industry that built my town. Vermont’s famous for its covered bridges, but you have to walk or drive over the marble bridge to visit this museum in Proctor. Don’t miss checking out the powerful falls behind the Proctor Library.

The Music Scene

The first guitar I bought myself was at Be Music in Rutland, a Martin DM. Since then I’ve bought countless sets of strings, capos and picks from Brian and Jeff. As far as shows go, I’ve played at the Paramount Theater in Rutland. The first time I played there, I was invited to open for Eric Burdon and the Animals, and I was filling in for the support. I was invited that afternoon! I’d been painting a house with my family and my brother just got his license. He drove me to the theater with the hammer down as I restrung my guitar on the way. I still had paint on my hands when I played the show, and I didn’t have time to get nervous.

Photo of Caitlin Canty: David McClister

A Minute in New Orleans with Kelcy Mae of Ever More Nest

Posted on by Editor

Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns musicians into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Kelcy Mae of Ever More Nest takes us through New Orleans, Louisiana.

Growing up as a curious, imaginative kid in Bible Belt North Louisiana, I knew when I could, I’d seek a land with a little more freeness, more color, and more fun. As soon as I graduated high school, I headed south to New Orleans, which I’ve now called home for half my life. New Orleans’ tricentennial celebration is underway, and with three hundred years of history, every path in the city is a beaten one. But today, I’ll try to take you off the beaten path with a few well known spots as well. – Kelcy Mae

New Orleans City Park

Home to the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA), City Park consists of 1,300 acres of land that make it easy to forget you’re in the middle of a city. With 800-year-old, sprawling oaks and land both manicured and wild (an overgrown pre-Katrina golf course), the park offers an outdoor experience for everyone. Attractions like NOMA and the Sculpture and Botanical Gardens, Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, bike and boat rentals, mini-golf and sports fields, playgrounds and picnic areas, and running/walking paths allow for hours of entertainment or escape.

“Big Lake” in City Park is a portion of my jog route, made more fun by the ducks, geese, turtles, and occasional pelicans that grace its waters. Big Lake is also home to the famous chime tree, a towering oak filled with giant, mesmerizing wind chimes.

Lola’s

New Orleans has so much good food, you could write about restaurants for days. I’m skipping the usual fare here with a nod to my favorite date-night locale. Lola’s, tucked along Esplanade Avenue in Mid-City is a quaint, unpretentious spot that always lends itself to a delicious meal, which in turn lends itself to great conversation with a date or friends. The strong smell of garlic and butter greets you along Esplanade, thanks to appetizers like the popular garlic and mushrooms. The complimentary warm bread and garlic aioli are also part of the magic. Deservedly famous for its paella, the restaurant offers meat, seafood, and veggie versions of the flavorful, traditional Spanish rice dish in addition to a dozen or so entrees.

Siberia Lounge

What initially began as a sort of hybrid metal bar is now home to a tamer and more versatile music club, bar and restaurant. Along the ever-evolving Saint Claude Corridor, Siberia offers a dim bar decorated with ornate mirrors, large paintings, and some wild, secondhand taxidermy including a ‘40s-era bobcat. The musical lineups run the gamut, but Siberia is notably one of New Orleans’ few bars that play host to local and touring Americana, alt-country, bluegrass, and folk artists. Thursday is always Eastern Bloc Party night, which features local Balkan and Klezmer music. Part of what makes Siberia so special is its kitchen, known for “Slavic Soul food” with highlights like pierogi, stroganoff, golubtsy, and popular vegetarian options like the famous beet reuben.

Chickie Wah Wah

While New Orleans is full of bars that host live music and even a number of large capacity clubs and theaters, one thing it’s short on is listening rooms. Chickie Wah Wah doesn’t operate like your traditional bar, full of TVs and patrons that may or may not tune in to what’s happening on stage. People go to Chickie Wah Wah to hear music and the room delivers with quality sound and vibe. While the venue hosts plenty of traditional, long-time New Orleans performers, you’ll also find quality touring acts. The venue largely plays host to a variety of Louisiana’s comfort-zone roots music genres such as jazz, blues, rock, and honky tonk.

Webb’s Bywater Music

Need something repaired? Need a pack of strings or pair of sticks? Webb’s Bywater Music is an unassuming neighborhood music shop with new and used instruments in addition to accessories. Well regarded, Paul Webb is considered the go-to guy by countless area musicians for their instrument and electronics repairs. The shop has the charming, cluttered vibe of an always-busy mom and pop store, one that lives on thanks to the loyal musicians who prefer quality service from a knowledgeable pro over cheap, corporate rigmarole.

Joey K’s

You can’t talk about New Orleans without naming at least one restaurant known for classic New Orleans fare, be it Creole, Cajun, soul or southern. I have to point out Joey K’s for what I consider a notable feat in a town famous for fried seafood: the best fry batter around. Of course the gumbo’s great. And you’ll always see a number of New Orleans’ finest hitting the stewed chicken, the white beans with a fried pork chop, or any number of daily specials. But my favorite is hands-down the fried catfish. The onion rings are heavenly—the best ever. You can’t go wrong with the fried chicken or shrimp, either.

Port Orleans Brewing

Port Orleans Brewing Company is one of many local craft breweries that have opened across the city in the last decade. Located on Tchoupitoulas Street, near the actual Port of New Orleans, Port Orleans makes my list for its bright, airy tasting room and easy-to-drink brews. Massive windows behind the bar showcase the impressive 30-barrel brewing area. On cool days, the tap room opens up its front wall, bringing the outdoors in. My favorite flagship beers include the Riverfront Lager and the Slackwater Brown Ale. Of course they’ve got great pale ales, India pale ales, and stouts. They even offer Mexican-style lagers, the Dorada and Negra Dorada. Variety is the spice of life, and variety abounds on tap at the brewery.

The Bombay Club

New Orleans is known for being a boozy city, and one of the benefits to living here is easy access to a quality cocktail. The Bombay Club is tucked away in the French Quarter, hidden under the Prince Conti Hotel. Entering the bar and restaurant requires a short stroll through the hotel’s parking garage, so it’s fitting that the dark, English-style pub feels a bit underground. Martinis are the focus at the Bombay Club, but you can expect an expertly crafted traditional New Orleans drink like a Pimm’s Cup or Sazerac as well. With an affordable snack-focused happy hour and a solid dinner menu, it’s a nice hideaway in what can be an otherwise very pricey and noisy French Quarter. Solo pianists and jazz duos appear nightly.

Mississippi River

Whether you’re chilling with locals at “The Fly” (Uptown) and Crescent Park (Bywater) or you’re strolling alongside tourists at the downtown riverfront, you can’t help but marvel at the waterway that breathed life into this region three hundred years ago. The Mississippi River is a behemoth of a river. Sitting beside its rushing waters will strike fear and wonder into anyone, a humbling experience to say the least. Watching the river barges piloting turns piled high with shipping containers will make you question what’s humanly possible in this world. Locals and visitors can enjoy the view from the various parks or by purchasing a ride on one of the paddle wheelers that offer a tour downriver. Touching ten states, the Mississippi River’s watershed drains all or parts of 31 states. That’s a lot water moving through New Orleans and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Lake Pontchartrain

Across town from the river views are views of Lake Ponchartrain. Made famous in a variety of folk songs, Lake Ponchartrain is a massive lake, forty miles wide, of brackish water that’s frighteningly home to both alligators and bull sharks. On Wednesday nights from March through November, you can watch or take part in sailboat races put on by the New Orleans Yacht Club. The lake offers a great view to accompany a dozen oysters on the half-shell at Felix’s, Blue Crab, or Landry’s. Grabbing a bite near the yacht club or sitting along the banks of the lake is great for people watching, bird watching, boat watching—you name it. Water views make everything better. But maybe it’s just the Pisces in me.

Tickfaw State Park

Just on the other side of Lake Pontchartrain, about an hour’s drive outside of New Orleans is Tickfaw State Park. Though smaller and less recently updated than some of Louisiana’s other state parks, Tickfaw offers something many of the other parks don’t: easy boat access to calm waterways full of magnificent bayou wildlife like alligators, turtles, snakes, egrets, blue herons, and butterflies. The calm, manageable canoe trail out to the oft-slow Tickfaw River gives you an opportunity to leisurely stroll by canoe or kayak through gorgeous, albeit murky, South Louisiana waterways. For hikers, the park offers a three-mile river trail in addition to over a mile’s worth of boardwalk trails, but wear your boots—the park often detains floodwaters when rains overflow the Tickfaw River banks.

Travel photos by Kelcy Wilburn, except Port Orleans Brewing by Bill Loehfelm
Photo of Kelcy Mae by Summer Dorr

A Minute In Boston With Will Dailey

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns musicians into hometown reporters. In our latest column, Will Dailey take us through Boston, Massachusetts.

Boston, where the first seed of our massive republic was planted, is a mecca of higher learning, higher rents, higher level of road rage and musicians exhibiting their talents at the highest of levels. It has always amplified itself with authentic grit and an addictive urgency. I present to you Belly, Letters to Cleo, Buffalo Tom, Mission of Burma, The Cars, Pixies, Evan Dando, Guster, Amanda Palmer, and Lori McKenna. More recently, Ballroom Thieves, Darlingside, Marissa Nadler and other countless professional touring artists. If you’re seeking songs in Boston, simply stand in its center and breathe deep, as I’ve done my whole life. It is the place I go to refill, refresh and remember.

Getting Here
It’s the hub of the universe! How do you not know how to get here? You are going to want to take a flight to Logan Airport or drive in from the west via the Massachusetts Turnpike. From the North coming down 93 is always like entering the atmosphere to see the city on the horizon as you drive past Melrose and Stoneham. But getting here is the easy part. Being here requires a Zen-like approach. The roads won’t make sense and their designlessness will be exacerbated by the speed at which the city moves. Boston has life and requires your attention.

Where to Stay 

 

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Don’t be blue. Our walls are covered in rock and roll history. Come checkout the #VerbVibe. 💙

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If you’re planning on visiting Fenway, stay at The Verb Hotel. Each room has live rock photography from around Boston, yours truly included. There is no shortage of restaurants in the area. Citizens Oyster Bar is a favorite. Liberty Hotel, a former jail house, has great restaurants and a central location. The views of the Charles River are beautiful. The Eliot Hotel is said to be haunted.

 

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Good Morning Boston!! Buenos días Massachusetts!! Bom-dia @eliotsuitehotel !!! . . . Segundo dia do outono 🍂 e o friozinho famoso de Boston já toma conta da cidade. . . . Agora, estou no bairro de Back Bay, no começo da famosa Newbury St. Ao lado da Berklee escola de música, do Fenway Park, da Prudential Tower e do Museu de Belas Artes. São inúmeras atrações turísticas a uma curta distância aqui do hotel. . . . E eu, que adoro caminhar e descobrir cada cantinho dos destinos por onde passo; já vou aproveitar e curtir esse domingão exaGERAdo aqui em Boston! . . #boston #massachusetts #eliothotel #hotel #city #usa #boutiquehotel #modern #exageranomundo #citypass #bostoncity #bostoncitypass #luxury #downtown #downtowncrossing #gopro #goprohero6 #goprobrasil #theeliothotel #america #nature #garden #green #igersboston #igboston #fall #fall2018

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Must-sees


Know that staying in Cambridge or Somerville also counts as staying in Boston. The real Boston may be hiding in an Airbnb in that perfect neighborhood spot so you can pretend to be Ben Affleck pretending to still be from there.

Get yourself clothed in the best vintage threads at Great Eastern Trading Co. in Cambridge and make sure to ask owner Neph if he’s playing at Wally’s Café while you’re in town. Down the road are The Plough & Stars and Toad, both iconic hole-in-the-wall live venues.

 

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Midweek marquee magic. 🎩 🎞

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Take the T up a mile into Brookline to see a film on a 70mm projector at the Coolidge Corner Theater. The velvet curtain still draws back to reveal the screen. But do not leave the city with completing the museum trifecta: Museum of Fine Arts, Institute of Contemporary Art, and my personal favorite, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Eats & Drinks

George Howell Coffee is the realest bean in all of Beantown. Dok Bua in Brookline for authentic Thai food. Saltie Girl and Island Creek Oyster Bar are the top destinations for oysters. Lone Star for tacos in Cambridge or Brighton. Santarpio’s in East Boston for Boston’s best slice and truest experience. Craigie On Main if you are feeling like tinctures in your drinks and dropping some dime on a meal that feels both adventurous and home-cooked.

Across from Toad in Porter Square in Cambridge awaits delicious ramen at Yume Wo Katare. And if you find yourself in Harvard Square head over to The Sinclair for drinks and music on Monday night to hear Matthew Stubbs for Downbeat Mondays. I’ll be there.

Photo of Boston: Pixabay.com/ Skeeve
Photo of Will Dailey: Michael Spence
Photo of Great Eastern Trading Company: Will Dailey
Photo of Matthew Stubbs at Sinclair: Eddy Leiva

A Minute in Flagstaff, Arizona, With Walter Salas-Humara

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I moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, from New York City. Being used to having every imaginable music and art scene at my fingertips 24/7/365, I was pleasantly surprised by how developed, soulful and energetic the music and art scene is here. There are two really important reasons to live in Flag – the arts and the outdoors. Often the two meld together with incredible landscape art and photography and a music scene rooted in the camping and festival atmosphere of the West. There is every kind of music here with loads of original bands and venues of all sizes, but the most vibrant for me are the blues, soul, psychedelic and jam bands rockin’ it with real instruments and lots of emotion, creativity and improvisation. — Walter Salas-Humara

Flag Brew Patio: This downtown pub and brewery has a wonderful patio. In the summer, the Sunday afternoon gigs are the best. We love playing the Flag Brew Patio.

The Hotel Monte Vista: This is a classic old place with tons of character. Right downtown in the middle of everything, it has two tremendous cocktail bars and a small music venue that hosts touring acts both national and international. I saw Tav Falco here with Mike Watt on bass.

Firecreek: This downtown cafe has a vibey back room that hosts everything from poetry slams to punk bands. It’s perhaps the artsiest scene, full of eccentricity.

The Green Room: This is the mid-size rock club. It has a big stage, lots of room to dance, a clear and loud PA system and good lights. Its casual and unassuming atmosphere makes it a comfortable to place to hang. I saw The Melvins here recently and they rocked hard.

The Orpheum Theater: The old downtown movie hall has become the premiere concert venue for larger touring acts. It’s funky and creaky, but well-run and the best place to perform. The audiences are always great. I’ve opened for Lucinda Williams, Robert Earl Keen and Jerry Joseph here. I love the Orpheum. On the side of the building there is an amazing mural by local artist Sky Black.

MartAnne’s Burrito Place: If you come to Flagstaff you MUST have breakfast at Martanne’s. The green pork chilaquiles are to die for. I have sent every touring band I know here and all are blown away by the flavors, portions and atmosphere.

Motel DuBeau: On what was the original Route 66, legend has it this is the original Motel. Mr. DuBeau coined the phrase. Now it’s a very cool hostel full of international travelers. It has a great bar and is a great place to hang with the world traveler crowd.

Mother Road Brewery: One of the many, many breweries in town. They brew an excellent IPA they call Tower Station and the patio is a fun place to hang and order pizza from the excellent Pizzicletta next door.

The Weatherford Hotel: This is the oldest historic structure downtown. It’s gorgeous inside and out with live music in the basement bar, great food in the restaurant, and a cool bar upstairs that opens out onto the wraparound balcony. You get views of the whole town and the majestic San Francisco Peak to the north.

Incahoots: This downtown fixture is where you get your party duds. Flag has a very costumey culture. Where else can you go to a concert and have a dancing costumed 60-year-old offer you a hit of acid? You gotta love that about this town.

Arizona Music Pro: An excellent full-service music shop. It has everything any musician, local or traveling, could ever need. Plus the manager, Rich Neville, used to play bass for Poco and Vince Gill. How cool is that?

Photo of Walter Salas-Humara: Jean Fordyce

A Minute in Colorado’s Western Slope With David Starr

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, David Starr takes us through Colorado’s Western Slope and his adopted hometown of Cedaredge – where the locals proclaimed his 60th birthday as David Starr Day. Taking a cue from his corner of Colorado, David Starr titled his new album South and West.

Nestled at the base of Grand Mesa on Colorado’s western slope, Cedaredge has long been home to apples, arts and more. The town was incorporated in 1907 from what was then the I-Bar Ranch.  In recent years, the town has seen slow growth due to folks seeking a mild climate, cultural amenities and small-town hospitality.  With the recent addition of the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center and several new eateries, the future of this little mountain town is bright indeed. — David Starr

Grand Mesa Lake: Within the Grand Mesa National Forest are 300 lakes and reservoirs, a network of shorelines and waterside retreats that keeps fishers, boaters, hikers and campers satisfied. The Grand Mesa is particularly popular with anglers seeking fish tales among the area’s seven trout species. It’s also home to the largest flat-topped mountain in the world.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park: I can see part of this park from my back porch. Their website describes it beautifully: “Big enough to be overwhelming, still intimate enough to feel the pulse of time, Black Canyon of the Gunnison exposes you to some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America. With two million years to work, the Gunnison River, along with the forces of weathering, has sculpted this vertical wilderness of rock, water, and sky.” This area is just minutes from Cedaredge and surrounding communities and offers easy access, astounding views and world-class fly fishing.

Starrs Guitars & Stacy’s on Main: Located on Main Street in Cedaredge, my music store Starr’s Guitars offers a boutique guitar-shopping experience in a very unexpected location. The shop is also a vital part of the local music scene hosting concerts, offering lessons and promoting local artists and songwriters. Located next door to Starr’s, Stacy’s On Main offers coffees, pastries, sandwiches and gifts and artwork by numerous local painters, photographers and authors. It’s also become a natural gathering place for locals to catch up on a daily basis.

Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center: Opened in June 2018, the GMAEC in Cedaredge boasts an art gallery, classrooms and a 175-seat theater space. Founded on the idea of fostering High Altitude Creativity, the center hosts concerts by local, national and regional acts, yoga, dance, art classes for adults and children and events rental services for weddings, reunions and other gatherings. The non-profit center is open for tours and info seven days a week on Main Street in Cedaredge.

Local Apple Orchards & Cedaredge Applefest: The warm days and cool nights of the Surface Creek Valley make for perfect apple, peach and apricot conditions. Many area orchards (such as Wag’s World in Eckert) offer their harvests at the Cedaredge AppleFest every October. Founded in 1978, the festival has grown for two growers selling apple pies on Main Street to a weekend of arts, music and food that draws more than 20,000 visitors to the western slope.

Wineries: In addition to the fruit orchards in the area, grapes seem equally at home in the soil around the Grand Mesa. The Surface Creek Valley has seen several vineyards take hold in recent years. The town of Palisade, located to the west of the Mesa, boasts numerous wineries and vineyards. The sign seen here is from I-Guana Farm on Cedar Mesa.

Lede image: Cat Denton
Photo of Grand Mesa Lake: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Starr’s Guitars & Stacy’s on Main: Deb Shaffer
Photo of Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Apple Orchards: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of I-Guana Farm: Phillip Berghauser
Photo of Black Canyon of the Gunnison: NPS.gov

A Minute in Mobile with the Mulligan Brothers

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Welcome to “A Minute In …” — a BGS feature that turns our favorite artists into hometown reporters. In our latest column, the Mulligan Brothers take us through Mobile, Alabama.

We have a strong community of music supporters who make it possible for us to make our living as musicians and stay here. Mobile has soul gigs that balance out the nights where we are just trying to pay the rent. Pick any night of the week and our talented friends will be playing at a bar on Dauphin Street. If you are bored in Mobile, you are doing it wrong. –  The Mulligan Brothers

The Frog Pond: Mobile has two of the South’s best music venues, Callaghan’s and the Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm, but it is the people who go to these shows who make Mobile special for us. As it gets later in the night, go to Veet’s or the Brickyard and watch them jam together.

 

92ZEW: We are lucky to have 92ZEW, one of the few locally-owned stations left in the country. Through the Zew and other outlets, Catt Sirten has been the biggest cheerleader for local music and has pulled the community together with music events for many years. His Brown Bag in Bienville is a lunch concert series every Wednesday during the spring and fall in Bienville Square. Folks take a lunch break and bring a picnic to the heart of downtown Mobile.

 

OK Bicycle Shop: OK Bicycle Shop and Liquid Sushi Lounge is one of our favorite places to eat. Get tacos with a side of sushi. We used to sneak in to Liquid Lounge to watch Corky Hughes, John Milham and JoJo Morris, three of the best musicians in Mobile. We learned to play from those guys.

 

Dauphin Island: Dauphin Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico, is 45 minutes from Mobile and we go there on days off to kayak or spend time on the beach. We also go kayak fishing around the piers in the Mobile River Delta. Five rivers drain across Alabama into the Delta. It is called “America’s Amazon” because the large number of species that live here makes it is the richest river complex in North America.

 

Mardi Gras: Mardi Gras started in Mobile in 1703 and is proof that we have culture in Mobile. The whole city comes together to catch beads and Moonpies. Mardi Gras was the first time I saw Chico, the Mohawk Mardi Gras Drummer, playing at Mardi Gras and I knew I wanted to do that. That is where playing drums began for me. I marched many Mardi Gras parades with my high school band and once played with a band on a float. — Greg DeLuca, drummer for the  Mulligan Brothers

 

Gulf Coast Ducks: Gulf Coast Ducks show Mobile by land and water. We learned so much about Mobile when we took the tour and it made us proud to be from here.

 

Lead image: Scott Housley
Photo credit for The Frog Pond and Catt Sirten: Michelle Stancil @ mcspicx
Photo credit for Dauphin Island: Sherry Cain, courtesy Dauphin Island Visitors Dept.
Photo credit for Chico McCollum at Mardi Gras: Glen Perry – Zer0 Exposure