Mardi Gras or Bust

Looks good!

 

Mardi Gras! Looking forward to seeing you and 58 in spandex... : )

 

It'll be big fun for sure. Really looking forward to it this year. We have a full parade line-up to include the 610 Stompers and the Marine Corps Band out of New Orleans.








https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjQ_32TDSbg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-u_eEu4N24

 

Those stompers are awesome! And the Marine band, is there a better marching band? I regularly watch the military tattoo (held in Edinburgh every year) and apart from the Scots bagpipes (with associated female dancers) The Marines are the best IMO...don't see them at the tattoo though (I think its only commonwealth countries).

 

Wonder if there might have been some beer served to the Stompers?

 

They have a support vehicle that plays the music that they dance to. It also carries plenty of liquids to they can stay properly hydrated during their routine along the parade route. The route is 3 miles long, so proper hydration is a medical necessity.

 

well Jeff, can't wait to see the pictures of you and A-58 . Mardi Gras is a big thin on this side of the Ocean too. Dates are scattered from February to March according to places and traditions. The biggest are

Rhineland (Germany) Limburg (Netherlands) Dunkirk (French Flanders) , Nice (France) , Venice (Italy ) among others, but in fact many local carnavals are scattered all over these countries. Have a great time!

 

Just found Jeff and A-58 guys playing at the corner of 6th st and Neches .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaJZQWB7kzA

 

I hate to say it but the Texas A & M band is pretty danged good too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcn0v2QQdW4

 

Yeah you mob do take it to a new level...

 

Military bands at Mardi Gras is a bit off topic for such a celebration imo. The intial Mardi Gras idea is originally religious with the celebration of the end of Lent, with disguises, brass bands and parties + parades. I suppose the march bands were added to the brass bands to make the parades bigger. I wonder when this military aspect started. Probably a few decades only. I have nothing against it though,

 

And Loosey Anna may get lascivious...

 

You'll have a great time Jeff. Make sure Bobby hooks you up with a sizeable quantity of Mardi Gras beads. You can holler at drunken women "show me your t*ts" and throw them beads when they willingly comply. It's tradition and beads are a de facto legal tender for these type things.
Most people don't realize this but I'm actually a big animal rights activist and strive to see "puppies" freed whenever possible!

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We used to live in Metarie, Slidell and finally in the Algiers section of Nawlin's right across the river from the French Quarter. You could ride the Canal Street Ferry from Algiers Point to Canal Street. When my dad was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve in New Orleans as an Inspector General we lived on the Naval Support Activity, Algiers and he worked on the other side of the river at the Naval Support Activity New Orleans when he was home, but he was gone most of the time inspecting Marine Corps Reserve units across the southeast.



The Main Gate of Naval Support Activity Algiers-as I understand it it is now closed.

When you live down there you can hit one or more parades just about every day for over a month. The ones thrown by the Super Krewes are the best, you try and collect thrown doubloons and beads from all the different parades.
When I lived in Baton Rouge we'd usually travel with the cousin's down to Nawlun's for some of the bigger parades. I've never been to one of the Baton Rouge (Spanish Town) ones but I understand they've become quite a bit wilder and now rival those in New Orleans.
Anyway have a great time, let your hair down and enjoy.

 

FYI Skipper, military bands and the Marine Corps band in particular are higher sought after by the competing krewes in the area. I'm on the board of directors with the K of O (Krewe of Orion) and head up the parade group committee. I recruit all units in the parade other than the krewe's floats, and I started in August with requesting the USMC Band & Color Guard. They take in all their requests and study them, and make their announcements in Novemer of where they will perform. Same with the 610 Stompers. They're a premo unit as well. It's that competitive.