THE BRIDGE
VOL 8, No. 4
The Cajun Connection is dedicated to bringing the good times of
South Louisiana to the Tampa Bay area;
the food, the music, and the dancing.
Join the Fun - Join The Cajun Connection
If you haven't heard by now, the Cajun Crawfish Festival on the Bayou was a tremendous success! The weekend kicked off with a great show by Mack Manual, Jesse Lege, and the Lake Charles Ramblers at Skipper's on Friday night. Tom White did the Cajun Connection a favor and booked The Lake Charles Ramblers in Tampa on Friday and Naples on Sunday so they could get enough gigs to make the trip worthwhile. Skipper's took full responsibility for all aspects of the Friday show, allowing club members to relax and have fun, an opportunity they took full advantage of. We were grateful to have it, especially the next day when we were scrambling all over the place in Pinellas Park.
Saturday's activities started bright and early. There were many last minute tasks to be carried out. It was the first event of this size for most of us, and we soon learned how many things there were to consider. But we managed to have things ready by the time the party-ers began arriving.
We were hoping for five to six hundred people to show up over the entire weekend. We got what we were hoping for - times two!! Approximately 1,000 people attended on Saturday and another 300 or so showed up on Sunday. The crowd included about 30 diehard Lake Charles residents who drove out to support their hometown Ramblers, as well as people from all over Florida, and most of our club members. Combined with the Cajun Cafe's regular clientele and many curious locals, we were a large but friendly mob.
Almost every aspect of the Festival worked well. There was a great variety of Cajun food served and all of it was top quality. The music provided by the Porch Dogs and the Lake Charles Ramblers was great. And the blues bands, Lap Top Randy and Black-Eyed Stevie and the Bulletproof Band, were really tight and entertaining. The dance floor was active all evening, especially after the sun died down. It was hot and the sun was brutal, but there was a strong breeze blowing all day that gave us some relief.
The volunteer effort put forth by our members was nothing short of wonderful. Benny and Edwina knocked themselves out on the cooking. They sold out and had to prepare more food on at least three occasions that I know of. Lynn was a T-shirt selling dynamo - she must have sold as many shirts in two days as we sold all of last year. Sally and Paul Hooper brought some brownies that were left over from a catering job they did that day and they sold really well. Joe Norton and Sue Stanczyk gave a great dance lesson. Joe Kopacz was helping out everywhere and also brought his video camera and shot plenty of footage that we can't wait to see. Eliska Clodfelter single-handedly chased off a bunch of would-be gate crashing bikers (I think she threatened to kick their a***s). And many, many wonderful club members pitched in at the ticket gate and the food and t-shirt booths.
All in all it was a tremendous experience! Late Saturday night - when I had a chance to relax and dance with Lynn - I looked around at the other dancers on the floor (most of whom I recognized) and everyone was wearing one of those goofy "I am having a great time" grins that you can't help but get when all stress and inhibition leaves your body. In addition, there is no better bonding experience than a successful and enjoyable team effort. I feel even closer to a bunch of people that I already felt very close to in the first place.
Special thanks to Joe Thibideaux and his family and staff, wife Theresa, sister Flossie, daughter Rebecca, cook Stephan, Crawfish Ben and many more. Joe especially, for having this great vision, seeing it through, and letting the Cajun Connection be a part of it. As if it wasn't enough to let us share the credit and healthy profits of the festival, he held a great celebration party for our June 19 Happy Hour! He served great alligator sauce piquant and brought in the Gumbo Boogie Band, all complementary to show his appreciation for the Cajun Connection's support of the festival.
Joe was planning future events and next year's festival before this one was even finished. In addition to having a bigger and better festival in the spring, he also wants to have a live band on a Saturday night in early August, and a Louisiana Saturday Night in October that will feature an authentic Cajun band. I can't wait, and judging from the feedback we received from the members, I am pretty certain you can't either.
Boozoo, that's who!
And the fun continues. July is shaping up as zydeco month with opportunities for club members to experience both traditional and noveau zydeco. Boozoo Chavis and the Magic Sounds will be playing at Skipper's starting at 8:00 PM on Saturday, July 11.
Boozoo is considered the reigning King of Zydeco. The seventy-something Boozoo is one of the most energetic performers you will ever see. He will begin playing at 8:00 sharp and literally will not stop until at least 11:00, when he will take a bathroom break and head right back on stage. After that, Tom White will have to pull the plug on him to make him quit playing!
This is a WMNF benefit and the station has invited the Cajun Connection to sell food and tee shirts. Ticket prices are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Even club members need to buy tickets in advance because it is sponsored by WMNF. Visa and Mastercard holders can order tickets directly from WMNF by calling (813) 238-8001 after 9:00 AM and before 6:00 PM on weekdays. If you don't have a credit card or have a problem calling the station, call Dave or Lynn at (813) 626-7928 and we will help you get an advanced ticket.
Little Brian and the Zydeco Travelers will be at Skipper's on Saturday, July 25 - music at 8:00 PM. Those of you who are familiar with Little Brian know that he can create some controversy. He and the Travelers play excellent Zydeco music and two thirds or so of his show will be just that. But he will also inevitably devote the better part of one set to what he calls "Creole Zydeco Funk, Creole Zydeco Hip-Hop, and Creole Zydeco Reggae". He and his band members are young men and their music is influenced by their generation. Some people skip their entire show because they digress from zydeco. I think it is a better idea to take a break on a hot July night, drink a cold one, and socialize with friends so you can be rested and ready to go again when the real zydeco resumes. Club members pay the advanced price at the door at this show!
OR
Cajun Waltz
A poem written by Molly Miller and dedicated to Paul O'Byrne after their first dance date.
forget your feet
rhythms from wood floors
and accordions
ripple at your hips.
soft lead, fast step.
feet fly in forgotten
fringes.
the world swirls drunkenly,
to the raging reels
of the slide harp.
double twirl,
dip and die.
Exhaustion
is no excuse.
rest is
for the weary.
Get up
and dance, Son,
you're wasting good music.
The Cajun Connection
PO Box 447
Tampa, FL 33592
If you'd like to join The Cajun Connection, please email us today!
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