Monday, April 19, 2010

Treme "Meet de Boys on the Battlefront": Pride on Bourbon St

"Hey, which way to Bourbon Street, lil' buddy?"
"Uh... walk out those doors marked exit. Yeah, that's why they call it the Inn on Bourbon Street."

The second go'round for Treme had a theme of the divide between how residents view New Orleans, and how they view the tourist's New Orleans. It requires a certain amount of pride to be swallowed to work on Bourbon Street. "There's pride on Bourbon Street," everyone tells Antoine, to which he dryly responds "that's what I hear." Street performers Sonny and Annie (played by New Orleans violinist Lucia Micarelli) exhibit similar pride swallowing in performing for tourists, going down smoothly with Annie, and regurgitated several times by the 'principled' Sonny. Even a native son like Delmond is given a bit of tourist treatment by New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint, as Delmon is considered more a New Yorker now, as far as everyone else is concerned. That scene was a bit of a re-enactment of the sessions that occurred in New Orleans with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint in the aftermath of Katrina.

Meanwhile, the hotel, the church and parents set off a panic button when the Wisconsin youth don't show up in their hotel room.... contrast that against the foot-dragging in the search for David. Folks care about New Orleans music... and the people of New Orleans?

Here's a few of the songs that were played in the episode. As usual, I'll add more when the light hath been shown upon them (or something).

Playlist: Treme - Episode 1.02
1. "Walking with the Spirit" - Coco Robicheaux
2. "Meet the Boyz on the Battlefront" - Anders Osborne
3. "Careless Love" (Sonny Terry version) - Michiel Huisman & Lucia Micarelli
4. "When the Saints Go Marching In" (Rebirth Marching Band version) - Lucia Micarelli & Michiel Huisman
5. "When the Saints Go Marching In" - Dr. John
6. "Brandenburg Concerto No. 5" - Cologne Chamber Orchestra
7. "Waltz For Pud" - Tony Green
8. "I Hope You're Coming Back to New Orleans" - target="_blank">New Orleans Jazz Vipers - live at the Spotted Cat
9. "Long Hard Journey Home" - The Radiators
10. "Ya Ya" - Lee Dorsey
11. "Tears, Tears And More Tears" - Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
12. "Delores' Boyfriend" - Allen Toussaint
13. "Up for the Downstroke" - Parliament (Baptiste playing with JT Ka-Nection Band at Bourbon St strip club)
14. "Blackbird Special" (Rebirth Brass Band version linked here) - Galactic
15. "Little Old Money Maker" - The Meters
16. "Tremé Mardi Gras" - Kermit Ruffins
17. "Go Go" - Galactic
18. "Moore Women Shuffle" - Joe Krown
19. "St. Louis Blues" - The Boswell Sisters
20. "Shallow Water, Oh Mama" - The Golden Eagles (Clarke Peters & friend during practice)
21. "New Orleans" - Willy DeVille (Gary U.S. Bonds live version)

Previously: "Do You Know What it Means" (Episode 1.01)

1 comment:

Editilla~New Orleans Ladder said...

Thanks drake!
Of course you know we all flippin'it all around inside and out down here.
I've been following his blog too:
http://backoftown.wordpress.com/
Buncha Nola Bloggers that were also Wire Heads back before the Flood.
Excellent writing and Character/plot dissections... and of course funny too!
We got you hangin'5X5 on da'Ladder
Thanks youz