The 17th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival was held again in downtown St. Paul this past week-end, with one change. The biggest draw, Dr. John and the Nite Trippers, performed in the new Saint Paul Saints baseball park. It gave us a chance to see the newly opened facilities, which were quite nifty. The rest of the musical acts were held in the usual sites in and around Mears Park. I think the crowd was much larger this year.
Too bad Dr. John doesn't like to have his picture taken!
ReplyDeleteThe huge billboard sign had absolutely NO effect. Had I been closer to the stage, I would have gotten a clear photo, but I had to settle for a zoom, which was okay considering where I was sitting in the stadium. Cameras and flashes were going off, non-stop as soon as he hit the stage. A guy sitting in front of me thought is amusing that I took a photo of the sign that requested no photos. It was a fun but hot day! Loved the new open-air ballpark for a small baseball team, owned by Bill Murray!
DeleteJazz festivals are so cool AND you got to see the new stadium Kate.. I call that a result :)
ReplyDeleteI remember quite well the fisrt jazz festival in Portugal back in 1971. Salazar's dictatorship was getting to the end and, finally, this kind of events started taking place here. Miles Davies was super!
ReplyDeleteIn this day and age, I'm not sure how you can request no photos any longer. Absolutely everyone has a camera of some kind with them.
ReplyDeleteI can see why no potos when it is dark. The flashes can be blinding, but in the daylight and outside.......really!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting that people took photos anyway! What a great chance to check out the new base ball park.
ReplyDeleteSo? How was Dr. John?
ReplyDeleteHe was embraced by the crowd! For a 74-year-old man he was phenomenal. Interesting to see the age range with 50, 60 plus make up the majority, of fans, which has always been true for all the summer jazz festivals that I have attended. It was interesting to see how so many younger folks sitting around us would stay for 15-20 minutes and then leave. We "hard core" Dr. John fans enjoyed him more, I think.
DeleteWhat fun! So Dr John is a bit camera shy, eh? I think he's in the wrong line of work it that's the case.
ReplyDeleteI was just behind the people in your photo. It's clear that Dr. John is slowing down a bit, and he didn't bring as strong a band as he usually does. But he still knows how to make wonderful music, and the event was great fun. Some of those youngsters will, I hope, learn more about the good doctor and his music now that they've gotten a little taste.
ReplyDeleteI love outdoor Jazz festivals.
ReplyDeleteYou revel in your rule-breaking, Ms. Kate!
ReplyDeleteA new venue! What fun!
ReplyDeleteThey've got to be kidding with the no photos rule...