What could possibly be better than an evening spent with one of the most inventive New Orleans party bands? Few things, but how about four evenings with the band! Arizona-based fans of the Big Easy’s Dirty Bourbon River Show have an opportunity to do just that as the band has shows on tap June 24 at the Prescott Center for the Arts in Prescott, June 25 at Last Exit Live in Phoenix, June 26 at Hotel Congress in Tucson and June 27 at the Green Room in Flagstaff.
So it’s going to be like Mardi gras on Bourbon Street for Arizona in late June as the band, known for their buoyant amalgam of brassy New Orleans jazz and “circus rock” complete with vocals featuring a Dr. John growl, travel the state spotlighting music from their new album Important Things Humans Should Know.
Really all you need to know about attending a Dirty Bourbon River Show performance is that you should be prepared to have a riotously good time. But we were curious about this most curious of bands so we sent woodwinds man Matt Thomas a few questions by email; he and his band mates Dane Schindler and Jimmy Williams provided some insight, seen below and given exclusively to AXS.com.
AXS: The band’s latest album is called Important Things Humans Should Know. What are some of the most important things that you’ve learned from being on the road, especially during your current tour?
Dane “Boots” Schindler: You don't need as much as you think when packing. Stretch every day!
Matt “Slyfox” Thomas: Bathe and do laundry whenever you can, even if it's not immediately necessary; you never know when you'll get another chance. Be nice to everyone. Playing a good show can change people's nasty attitudes. Altitude sickness is a real thing, and it is no fun. You can always fit more sh*t into the van, whether you like it or not. Sometimes people are going to stare...
AXS: Do you have a story from the band’s very first show that took place at (legendary New Orleans live music spot) Tipitina’s?
Boots: I used to work there as an intern and had been making posters for their “Homegrown” nights and such. I had mentioned our band to a coworker and before I knew it we were on one of ’em. We played a show on March 11th to about 130 people, friends and family. We were dressed so differently on stage at the time; I think Noah and I were in t-shirts while our saxophonist Wayne (Mitchell) was dressed in a suit, looking real good on that stage. After that show we decided to always dress sharp, like the jazz men and women who came before us.
AXS: It looks like you had a blast making the video for “Ezmerelda.” Can you tell us a bit about that experience?
Boots: We had our first party at that house to film that, and it was great. We flipped a table twice that night!
Slyfox: We wound up building a rickety and dangerous stage prop and making our apartment uninhabitable for days to achieve an extremely brief shot, and it was awesome! Also, we attached hundreds of dollars in real American currency to the wall. My girlfriend's sister starred as Ezmerelda and got to do the New Orleans thang for the first time. She did a great job!
AXS: The West Coast leg of your current tour brings you to Arizona for four shows that are quite spread out through the state, plus you’ll be driving in from Albuquerque and driving out to Las Vegas. That means you’ll be traveling through much of the state. Is there anything specific you’d like to see if time allows? Do you dig offbeat roadside attractions?
Slyfox: We're still pretty new to the area, so we're always open to suggestions! The music freak in me needs to wander around the Musical Instrument Museum at some point; I hear they have a pink saxophone. Also, the Grand Canyon is a gimme, but I'm not sure if we'll have time for that one. We're into any kind of wild, outdoors something or other you've got, especially the offbeat roadside attractions! Show me something I've never seen before; I come from the swamp!
AXS: Has the band played in Arizona before, and if so do you have a favorite memory of something that’s happened in the state previously, either on stage or off?
Jimmy Williams: Our first time in Tucson we played at the hotel where John Dillinger was captured and later that night we got to meet and hang out with Craig Schumacher, a very cool dude and the producer of our last record.
AXS: Would you like to give a shout-out to some other New Orleans-based bands that should be on our radar?
Boots: New Orleans Swamp Donkeys, The Revivalists, and Earphunk are all heavy touring New Orleans bands around our generation. They're all doing big things!
Slyfox: Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Yojimbo, Flowtribe, Naughty Professor, just to name a few. That New Orleans vibe is breaking out of the bubble and coming for your home town, so get ready! We're bringing the party to ya!
AXS: Other than family and friends, what do you miss most about New Orleans when you’re on the road?
Boots: My bed!
Slyfox: A bed every night and a shower every morning, home cooked meals with fresh vegetables, driving my car, riding my bike, walking down the street with a beer in my hand, playing in some of my other musical projects, and entertaining people on the streets with live, traditional New Orleans music. And did I mention the food? Also see "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans." Louis Armstrong did a great job with that one.
Follow Dirty Bourbon River Show here.