Katherine Rodriguez

I’m pretty sure if there was such a thing as “sinning” in New Orleans, skipping out on live music would be one of them. Day 1/night 2 consisted of just that – live music – by Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ Swingers at Blue Nile.

The show was super fun and lively with the most interesting people in the crowd. The band themselves was just as interesting consisting of not one, but TWO Asians! A really smiley one on the guitar and an intense ponytailed one on the piano – who doesn’t love jazzy Asians?! Kermit did spring some crowd-pleaser covers serving the youngins in the venue what their allowance money promised them…a bubblegum poppy good time in the land of bad behavior. As he sang the Black Eyed Peas‘ “I Gotta Feeling” better then Fergie, he invited all the ladies up on stage and they did not hesitate to jump right on there…you know the type…horsefaces fist pumping off beat in boas…I’ll end at that. (No, I did not get on stage as I am barely a lady.) Aside from the musical digression, which was still amazing, Kermit was insanely talented, upbeat, and whimsical. Who else is left to see after a show as versatile as this one?!

We took a break from the loudness of it all and stepped onto the just as loud sidewalk, where we received an impromptu history lesson about New Orleans, brass bands and jazz music by a rando off-kilter wino. I’m all for education (as some of you might know ;)) so we listened for awhile and then escaped back into the Kermit haven, where he was rapping to Biggie, before we ended the night across the street at Dat Dog clogging our arteries with hot dogs loaded up with more greasy fat.

For Evan: Guinness Dog w/ jalapeño, sauerkraut creole mustard, andouille, cheese, and bacon.

For me: The Bacon Werewolf – Juicy slovenian sausage topped with dill relish, sauerkraut, grilled onions, diced tomatoes, bacon and creole mustard.

To share: Chilli cheese fries

Pictures of that would’ve been too offensive…