Day 2 - Lots of Driving

We didn’t leave Nashville until about 2 PM, and spent most of the day driving. It was a beautiful day and the difference in temperature made even the eight hours in the van much nicer.

By the time we got to New Orleans, it was about 1:00 AM. We wanted to try to do some promotion for the next day’s show, so Mike and I went to the Dixie Taverne with CDs and flyers while the rest of the crew went to check in to the hotel.

Right from the start, I liked the Dixie Taverne. There’s no question it’s a rock bar. You walk in the front door, and the stage is right there, front and center – next to the bar itself (you could order a drink from on stage if you wanted to). It has a jukebox full of good music, band stickers covering the front window inside and out, a good assortment of old show posters, etc. The attitude/feel of the Dixie Taverne reminded me of the old O’Cayz in Madison.

Since it was a Monday night at 1 AM, there were only a few people left in the place when we got there (bar time that night was 2 AM). We got a warm welcome from Jennifer, who booked the show and was bartending.

After a couple of drinks, some loud tunes from the jukebox (although the jukebox skipped on Social D’s “Ring of Fire” – D’OH!), and a few shots of Bourbon (3 for $3 was the Monday night special), we had acquainted ourselves with everyone in the bar and invited them to the show. The regulars at the Dixie were a really friendly bunch of people, and they seemed excited to meet us out-of-towners and tell us about New Orleans. Several of them were also musicians in local bands so it was fun finding out what they were all up to. We weren’t sure if our efforts at promotion would actually wind up bringing anybody to the show, but we sure had a good time and felt very welcome for our first venture to New Orleans.