Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/751464
37 www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS nDecember 2016n in California, he is from New Orleans and told THUNDER PRESS he loved the opportunity to come and perform in the city of his birth. And perform he did on Friday night to a crowd of approximately 400 cheering fans. With a total of 10 bands slated to perform during the entire weekend, only one band encountered a scheduling confl ict that neces- sitated Phoenix Rising out of Nashville (a great group with a unique sound) to step up and provide an additional show. And then, most naturally, there was the food. New Orleans is noted for some of the finest in weird culinary delicacies along the Gulf Coast. And an abundance of food trucks did not disap- point those with a palate for the unusual. While Safari Meats was offering hog leg, quail, barbecue and Peking Duck (not your normal biker fare), other food vendors were busy serving up fried gator with swamp sauce (very tasty), fried catfi sh with red beans and rice, Gumbo to Geaux and even crawfi sh nachos (to die for). Since this was the fi rst year of the rally and the fi rst rally the promoters had ever sponsored, there were a few hiccups. One major one was the lack of a schedule of events on their website leading up to the event. Once you registered, there was a paper handout listing a Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Poker Run leaving the rally site at 8:30 Saturday morning fol- lowed by a roller derby demonstration at 11:00 with poker run awards at 2:00 and a DAV Recognition Ceremony at 4:30 but not much else other than the scheduled appearance times for the bands. Somehow SpACEy from The Horse Backstreet Choppers man- aged to alert enough N'awlins bikers to make a decent showing for the magazine's Lucky Loser Bike Show, garnering two dozen entries. Emcee for the bike show was our good friend Roadside Marty from Florida with Tiare Maumasi from Big Sleazy Inc. working as the trophy girl. Vendors for the weekend included Harley- Davidson Metairie, BACA, ABATE of Louisiana and Little Darlings Pinups for Pitbulls among others. I took a break on Saturday afternoon and took a stroll down to Lafi tte's Blacksmith Shop on the cor- ner of Bourbon Street and St. Phillip. Constructed during the 18th century, Lafi tte's holds the distinction of being the oldest bar in America. According to legend, privateer (a.k.a. pirate) Jean Lafi tte used the bar to smuggle con- traband and plot illegal seizures. Even though it is listed on the registry of HauntedHouses.com, there was no way I could resist stopping by for a frosty beverage. And to satisfy my oyster cravings, from there I made my way down Bourbon to NOLA Poorboys for a basket of their spicy fried bivalve mollusks—damn good eating in the French Quarter, mon ami. New Orleans remains a hotbed of activity involving a wide spread of ideas and missions. On Saturday a group of protesters dedicated to pulling down the statue of General Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square paraded around the perimeter of the rally. The bikers paid them little notice. That night Beyoncé was in concert in down- town New Orleans, which was fol- lowed on Sunday by the Fried Chicken Festival and the NFL Saints versus Atlanta on Monday night. It may be the Big Easy but it certainly is not the Big Sleepy. First year events are diffi cult to pull off but apparently the promoters are happy to report that they raised $1,900 for rebuilding veteran Theo's home and another $5,000 for DAV with the raffl e of the 2016 Road King. They were very pleased with the venue and have vowed to return next year but are looking at shoving it back a month or so on the calendar. October seems like a cooler alternative. In ending, Event Chairman Tony Dowe ll said, "On behalf of the New Orleans Bike Week Committee, I would like to extend our personal thanks to all who supported us in our fi rst venture in bringing a major bike event back to the Crescent City. We have kept extensive notes and listened carefully to comments and feedback, and we promise to make next year's event more special and spectacular. Thank you again." So until next year, pass the craw- dads and swamp sauce, belly up to the bar for a frosty mug of Abita Turbodog and continue to let your good times roll, Sha. 4 The trophy girl during the Lucky Loser Bike Show was Tiare Maumasi with Big Sleazy Inc. To raise money in support of the Disabled American Veterans, the rally raffl ed off this 2016 Road King New Orleans Continued from page 26