BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet

Big double-bill show tonight w/ Marcia Ball. We have Roswell & Andy Stein as guests for a 60 min set. It's supposed to snow today and tomorrow. That will make traveling a bit harder; hopefully the conditions aren't too bad. Oh, all my posts are out of order, since I figured out how to post from MacJournal. No matter; it's my first blog!

Date: February 28, 2009 9:32 AM Topic: February 28, 2009 9:32 AM: Photos don't go So photos don't go through because I've not set something up correctly. I'll get it eventually. Anyway, today's a couple of short drives: first to Nyack to the hotel and then later to Peekskill for the show. It's a co-billed show with Marcia Ball, which means we'll go on first and be back at the hotel pretty early. The weatherpeople keep on saying today'll be a wintry mix with ice tomorrow. Oh, Lord!

Date: February 28, 2009 9:29 AM Topic: February 28, 2009 9:29 AM: Test with Photo OK, so here we go: 1. I've figured out how to post from MacJournal. Cool 2. This will be easy to do now that I figured out the email thing. dfdoucet.beausoleil@blogger.com is the address 3. Here is a test photo:

Date: February 13, 2009 10:39 AM Topic: Departure/Feb 13, 2009 Today's departure day. It's a huge itinerary, starting in St. Paul, MN and ending up in Blacksburg, VA. Because of scheduling problems, the band is staying out on the road for the duration, instead of returning home for a day at at time. My travel started well but hit a snag in Houston, which was fogged in. ATC had my flight circle Houston for over an hour, so I missed my connection. I was rescheduled for a 9pm flight to MSP, a 5 1/2 hour layover. I did reach the St. Paul Hotel around midnight. Pooped, I went to sleep shortly thereafter.

Date: February 17, 2009 8:29 AM Topic: Februrary 17, 2009: Back to Work today Today we're doing a set on Acoustic Cafe, taped at Big Sky studios here in Ann Arbor. Tonight we got the Ark, a place we've been playing at since 1982 or 83. The tour is starting up big time, as we'll be playing more. So 1 down, 13 to go.

Date: February 16, 2009 1:37 AM Topic: More Notes; blog learning So now I have to figure out how to do this and of course why I am doing it. To use Google's blog, you have to do it from the web or you can set it up to add entries via email. This is fine and dandy; however, I'm not sure how you can add photos, etc. At least with iWeb, you have a lot of control over what you see. To change the theme, though, you have a lot of moving things around. Tomorrow I'll post some more stuff.

Does this work?

FTC Stage One in Fairfield was an excellent venue.  As many times as we've passed through Fairfield along I-95, we've never seen this place.  We also got a good tip on a really good diner in town, next door to the Fairfield Inn. On Amazon yesterday: Alligator Purse is ranked #807 this week, being #1 in Zydeco, #1 in Country, Cajun & Zydeco, and #8 in Regional Blues.  Not bad. Today we're off to Peekskill, NY, at the Paramount Center for the Arts.  We're staying in - you guessed it - Nyack, NY

Back on the road. Now it's a three car caravan, with Mgr Mike Pillott, until we leave the New England area. Regattabar was good. I wish we'd had more CDs to sell; it's painful to miss an opportunity like that. I think Snooks' funeral is today & Antoinette K-Doe's is tomorrow. Big loss in NOLA music industry. We will continue to DROP THE BOMB, YALL! for as long as we can.

Right in the middle of this trip, I must start figuring out the next one to out West. The challenge is always compelling, as I painfully try to get the best deals and connections. Our choices of airlines now have come down to two, Continental and Southwest. I'm aware we haven't traveled in a while, so I'm a bit rusty. No matter: I'll have that trip done by tomorrow, and then I'll have to work on hotels. A day's (or a couple days') work.

The entire northern part of the US is covered in snow. I am happy winter is amost over, and I look forward to getting back home and wearing shorts. It's time to start working on the next trip(s): Austin & West Coast. Austin's got its own set of of problems, like transportation and lodging. I'm thinking about driving up the day of the show, leaving home @ 5:30 or so. We're playing the Continental Club at 10, so that's doable. I'll work on it but I need more details about what Pillor & YepRoc have planned for us. The West Coast trip has transportation problems, which I'll be considering tonight at the hotel. First order of business is to get flights and cars done. It's hard to do this work on the road! Coming down to below 10,000 feet.

Northern Lights Theatre @ Potowtomi Casino was packed! We took the stage at 8 and played to 9:30. After us was Trombone Shorty, New Orleans funk to the wall. We were treated well and we played well. I was pooped by the time we got back to the hotel. Today's a travel day: to Boston & LaQuinta for tonight. It looks like the weather will be moderating, which will be welcomed by all of us. Getting tired of subfreezing temps!

The flight left in time, so it's all looking good for perhaps an early arrival. So far, so good. Excellent, in fact.

Going home to ride in MidCity was the right thing to do. I'm exhausted, fat, and full of great memories. KMC was a great parade and a marvelous ride. I will not forget seeing just about everyone I know along Magazine, Napoleon, and St. Charles. The crowds were just stupendous. Getting ready to land in Milwaukee. We're playing the Northern Lights theatre at the Bingo Casino with Trombone Shorty. So begins the next 2/3 of the Tour. We have a lot of miles to go.

I am on the flight to Memphis, and so far so good! Everything's on time, and I'm hoping for an early arrival in New Orleans. I'm also hoping that parking in the area won't be too too difficult. Fingers are crossed! I am so looking forward to this day. And tomorrow, too. Having a break in the long road trip should be energizing. To date we played 5 dates, 4 radio shows, and have been on the road 8 days. The next leg starts up in Milwaukee with Trombone Shorty. Then the hard part starts: 8 in a row, sort of, and a lot of driving. We're also doing the John Schaefer show on WNYC next Monday. That'll be a long day, as we're driving into Manhattan from Quakertown, PA, about 3 hrs. I don't know yet if there will be any other promotional appearances scheduled, but you never know. With AlliPurse, all stops are out: we're going full throttle after the Grammy win. That's the way you do it, in this industry. Descending towards Memphis now.

Arrived at the hotel at 3:15.  Now we have a radio show taping at 4:15 and then a rush to sound check at 5:30.  Tonight's show is a double-bill (or a co-bill) with Marcia Ball.  We go on first, which means I'll be back in my room before 10pm.  I'm hoping to get some sleep, as tomorrow should be just a fantasitcally long day!  

Clear Lake, IA. Don't remember the year, though. What a god forsaken place this is in winter! The wind is howling & blowing the van all over the road. 1.5 hrs from Des Moines. Just ate at Cancun Cafe in Mason City, IA. Neither good nor bad.

What the hell is Twitter? What is the deal? Who would care? Well, it's the perfect thing for sitting in the back seat of a minivan. I'm thinking someone might be interested in BSL's travels. Then again, you have to input the stuff constantly, or not. Lots of new toys for this trip. Keeping busy and thinking of Mardi Gras & the KMC ride tomorrow.

Snowed last night & roads are a mess. Excited about KMC! What a day it'll be tomorrow. Cedar Cultural Center was packed. Good to see people out, considering the tanked out economy.

The Ark gig went well. Good crowd & merch sales. We passed by Elderly Instruments in Lansing on the way to Grand Rapids. Then we hit the road, arriving at the hotel at 3:30. We left for a radio interview/performance at 4:15 at WYCE. After doing 2 songs, we went to the venue, the Ladies Literary Club. Nice place, nice renovation. The last time we played there was April 19, 1997. Packing for the flight to MSP.

The off day was great! I didn't do anything. I watched a whole day of NCIS. We ate at Cafe Mediterano, very expensive but good. Then more TV until I helped Pillot with Google calendars. Then I went down to the bar and had 3.5 beers and a ham sandwich. In an hour we're going to record at Acoustic Cafe. Then I'll have to have a nap.

With the help of M. Pillot, now I have to assemble info for a radio show taping for tomorrow morning. Well, there's nothing much to do today, so it's not that bad.

Still can't figure out photo uploading.

How to do this?

NCIS marathon on President's Day! Perfect for a free day. So what is blogging?

Today we flew from MSP to DTW.  After getting vans and luggage, we ate at a cafe called Beirut.