A while back it was mentioned that Richards club was closing.

Dance halls closing in east Texas was also mentioned back a ways.

With all this closing business going on, I am courious as to what the overall impact in the music arena is for those that gig within Louisiana.

As you may know I am on the hunt for a place in/around Natchitoches (not that this place has any formitable French music as a presance, it is the location we are looking at)... well, I recieved a gob of stuff from the tourisim folks .. and a bunch from the chamber of commerce of Natchitoches.

Now then:
What I noticed, is that Louisiana is really pushing the theory that they have the most festivals of any state.

Hummmmm, so here I am wondering if this is the trend of music direction (gigging) for most bands these days doing the French music...

Are the Dance Halls Dying while the Festivals are growing? Thoughts?

One other thing I have noticed (correct me if I am wrong)... Restraunts with live music usually boast a house band and it seems to be an exclussive for a specific band .... sometimes a differant band will play, but it is usually the same folks same band week after week... any thoughts? Is it the economics?

How does a band make it through the door in Louisiana with so many musicians wanting to play? I mean the cost of living is getting up there, and gas is high dollar nowadays, bigger overheads.

Does it get bone scraping cheap on the band pay, just to get a gig? Sorta like we gotcha over a barrel cause there are so many that want to play type'a thing??

How much politics takes place with trying to hook up a gig within Louisiana? I has to be tuff stuff (I would imagine)... any stories?

Nonc D

P.S. I am killing time (at the moment) fidgety fixing to head to Reno Nevada, waiting on Linda to get fancified... She tells me to get on the comupter and do something to get me off her nerves while she gets ready... I got miles to burn and the cha-ching sound of a slot waiting on me.. and here she is getting fancified ... Men.. I know you know what I am talking about! I'll send the post and grab the Bb and porch play a spell... back Monday... later gang

I would not want to try to make a living playing gigs at clubs in La. or Tex. You could get pretty hungry.

Hello Nonc D,

I just wanted to reply to your sentiments. I'm up here in Minnesota, but I've been listening, dancing, and traveling to Louisiana for 10 years now. And now teaching for over 4yrs. I don't like the trend, or even idea of the music and dance being relocated outside of Louisiana. No one get me wrong, being at the other end of the Mississippi, I want it to come out of Louisiana, & SE Texas. But, not at the expense of closing down, down home. For a few years now, at start of hearing of closings, I thought, there are so many of us around the country (globe even) that love this music & dance that we should be able to easily support places like Richards & Hamiltons. But, even as I write this, I'm realizing the actual reasons for the closings had nothing to do with attendance, as far as I know. Hasn't it been for other/family reasons. Disputes, as it were?!

I hope we can use these modern communication devices for a very good cause. Keep things genuine, and from it's origin. A new creative spirit can grow out of that base, and not be transplanted, and watered down. David, a bayou dancer...

RICHARDS club is officially closed. There is still Slim's YI KIKI in Opelousas for authentic zydeco music. There are still lot's of other clubs that have both cajun and zydeco bands. RICHARDS was famous because it was the oldest. Once a year at the new EVANGELINE DOWNS here in Opelousas there is the ZYDECO EXTRAVAGANZA with tons of zydeco bands. Rosie Ledet was the headliner this year. No place but Louisiana to get authentic zydeco and cajun music. Trust me, it is alive and well here in this area.

I just got back from staying 3 nights at McGee's in Henderson last weekend, and (per Cajungreeneyes) music is alive a well down in S.LA. I didn't seek out the Creole zydeco acts, although the Extravaganza was certainly in full effect up in Opelousas. I did catch Walter Mouton at La Poussière and Travis Matte at Cowboys in Scott. Posted a couple of photos from that night on my Pics webpage at mosquitogumbo.com. It was enough music for me since I wanted to hang out at McGee's and take in the scenery.

There are a lot of trips I make down to SLA just to do tha music thang, but I usually stay in a cheap motel to do that. McGee's is such an awesome place, and once you are settled in there, it's easy to just hang out at the bar with the killer juke box -- or in our case, catch the Cajun trio, "The Henderson Playboys" and the Alt/Rock band, Ashley Hayes.

As I've mentioned before in other threads, there are new zydeco venues cropping up -- Da Berry in New Iberia, Club LA in Cecilia, Club Lincoln & also Club 307 in Lafayette. I wouldn't let the closing of Richard's strike fear of Acadiana closing its zydeco dancehall doors. Richard's *was* a VERY cool place, however. Chances are, someone soon will probably buy it and reopen it -- if they were smart -- and if it were possible. Shoot, money screams louder than family feuds.

Good or bad, change is inevitable.

Rick

according to reports, to reopen
it would require parking lots

people now park on the highway but
that can;t be done with new owners

also, anyone trying to buy it would
probably get sued by someone in the
richard family, they all seem to be
disputing who owns what

and of course the run down old building
doesn;t meet any current building
codes

so it;s not just a matter of
buying an old building that certainly doesn;t
look like much, and resuming the business


wle.

Kind of reminds me of the lack of Polka bars in the mid west and Bluegrass joints in the south.

People have access to the best of the best of all kinds of music over the internet and meeting at the local tavern has gone the way of the steetcar.

Concerts and feastival seem to be doing well.