Mardi Gras was originally celebrated in Jefferson, Texas back in the early to mid 19th century, a natural by-product of the city’s cultural ties with New Orleans via the waterways of the Big Cypress Bayou, Caddo Lake, Twelve Mile Bayou and the Red River known as “The Turning Basin”.  However, The Great Raft giveth and it taketh away. In 1873 the U.S. Corps of Engineers removed the Great Raft from the Red River above Shreveport, dropping the water level in Big Cypress Bayou to the point that shipping thru was no longer financially profitable and the Fat Tuesday celebration died with the city. The city of such great importance in the history of The Lone Star State survived the period of great decline and now flourishes. In 1990 the locals revived the annual event. To take in some local flavor, HMR went in feet first heading to Jefferson landmark Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club for poboys and brewskies..Most delicious…

To kick off the festivities, Houston’s own The John Evans Band took the stage on a wonderful Texas night in front of a small scattered crowd. Most of the patrons were lining up along the street for the zany Doo Dah Parade but that did not slow the rather seasoned JE or his very unseasoned band consisting of the near-adolescent Billy Beason-guitar/lap steel, Jake Marchese-Up Right Bass and Anthony Pummil-drums. While pounding back the only Lone Star beers within miles the group marched thru the set list enduring technical failures and birthday celebrations to work out some good honky-tonk rhythms. JE prides himself on his songwriting as he should. He penned the number one song played on the Texas airwaves in 2008 – “I’m from the Beer Joint” by Roger Creager.

JE treated the growing crowd to his version of the hit along with his homage to the recently departed Waylon Jennings – “I’m Going Down Loud”. The highlights of the set were “Girl from Pas-getdown-dena” and Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” and a SUPER smokin’ version of ZZ Top’s “Waitin for the Bus/Jesus Done Left Chicago”. It was still a very light crowd in attendance even after it was apparent that the after-parade spill over had dun spilt. JE told tall tales of outlaw speeding before picking out his latest tale of pain, “Slowest I Ever Drove To Get A Ticket” inspired by getting a 35 in a 20 on the road.  HMR has seen this band in festival formats before and they always steal the show like at BOTH Stingaree Festivals. What can you say, the band’s sound fits amidst corndogs stands and port-a-potties. This night proved to be a way more focused, business like show for a band whose front man habitually loses his clothes during encores. John Evans is a solid link in a great chain of up and coming Texas singer-songwriters stretching across our great continent. We wish him the best…

Saturday morning brought the wet cold delaying another Houston son Johnny Falstaff’s 10:30AM scheduled set. A miserable morning left HMR virtually solo front and center for the music we came to hear. With a gap in time and a gap in our stomachs, HMR headed over to Kitts Cornbread to sneak some authentic cornbread sandwiches and must have apple pie from the side window. JF finally got the green light for a much abbreviated set but showed his character by getting on stage outdoors when most did not want to even go outside. The audience basically consisted of The John Evans Band, HMR and the people who had to be there. JF had backing him up Chad Hawkins-doghouse bass and Steve Cadelare-skins. These troopers were in their rockabilly get ups and whipped up a bad ass batch of lemonade.

You know it has to be good to get John Evans up before noon and Johnny Falstaff’s guitar playing is flat out good. With energy and inspiration, JF put down “One Hand Tied”, “Shine” and the title track from his latest album “Honky Tonkin’ Daddy” among a few others… HMR has no idea why the organizers could not have rearranged something to accommodate JF a full set but nobody wanted to insult “8 Track”, “High Caliber Band” or “Neutral Ground” that was for sure.  Keep during your thing JF…See you back in Houston…

Now it was time for a good old fashion parade… With all access VIP passes thrown our way by the lovely former Jefferson Mardi Gras Queen Charmaine, HMR headed to our designated press balcony to take in the Krew of Hebe’s Grand Parade from a bird’s eye view. It was very apparent from the hundreds of motorcycles leading the Grand Parade how connected this community has become with the motor biking sect of society. Jefferson is host to The Boo Motorcycle Run in the fall which attracts thousands of bikers from around the US to help raise money for burn victims. The sun was shyly peaking out at the beginning of the parade but was out in all its glory by the time the last marching band or faux-Confederate Soldier passed by the Excelsior hotel, the most famous hotel in the area having hosted several US Presidents during the city’s heyday A good time had by all ages at a clean and friendly town parade down Main Street.

As the sun fell and likewise the temperature welcoming the headliner of UpRiver Mardi Gras 2009, The Band of Heathens. BOH had quite a 2008 and are headed only up from there. By pure fan based demand in THE city of music, Ed Jurdi, Gordy Quist, and Colin Brooks were formed and since have transformed into a wonderful Austin super group of sorts traveling coast to coast to support the self titled studio album released late 2007 on the bands own indie label – BOH Records. The Band of Heathens were recognized at the 2006/2007 Austin Music Awards as the Best New Band and were a standup amongst many contemporaries at the 2nd annual Stingaree Music Festival hosted by Hayes Carll in Crystal Beach, Texas receiving a improbable standing ovation at the end of blistering nooner set.

This night featured the layered-up scarf wearing, electric guitar wielding BOH with rhythm section of Seth Whitney-bass and John Shipman-percussion. The guys opened with “Hallelujah” and from the very beginning there was no doubt that the BOH cure for the cold was a high energy electric blaze. HMR can’t tell the readers enough about the difference it makes when these guys are all electric. It is something to watch especially with the mercury dropping steadily and NOBODY around. Not to be out manned-up by their predecessors BOH showed guts by giving another anemic crowd their money’s worth.

On a night like this the BOH, fresh back from Germany, obviously decided to work on new material and experiment with arrangements of the road worn album cuts.  All electric versions of “Jackson Station”,  “Unsleeping Eye” and “Don’t Call On Me” were standouts. Ed Jurdi was a madman all night long with his Gibson SG cranked and running around. Jurdi jumped over and gave Shipman help on the cymbals then used the drumstick to do his best Jimmy Page bow and guitar impersonation..Colin even got wiggy with it using a Bud Light can as a slide. On The Band’s “Ain’t No More Cane on the Brazos” this group breaks it down to the heartbeat of their success with stunning harmonies and talented playing of whatever they are holding in their hands at that time. Even Seth got in for a verse and made everyone smile. I know it had to be hard to come out for one more song but with as much encouragement as the crowd could muster the BOH came back on for a one song encore of “Heart on My Sleeve”  then thanking everyone for hanging around. A sentiment echoed by Ed Jurdi directly to HMR senior editor, The Edge on the way out Sunday AM!!!!

This event was a nice start to the 2009 festival season for HMR. We would like to thank everyone involved in taking care of us during our stay.  HMR can see that with better weather and more line ups like this with a few scheduling changes to get the best music to the most people that this could definitely become an annual event for HMR.. We will see you out supporting live music.