Last night I went out to see The New Orleans Bingo! Show. This was my second time seeing the show live, and I loved every minute of it. I remember thinking at some point during the night:
“This is a perfect example of what it is to live in and love New Orleans…if everyone could experience this, they’d understand why it’s so hard for most of us to think about living anywhere else.”
It’s difficult to describe The Bingo! Show to someone who hasn’t seen it. Musically, it sounds like some sort of jazzy, electronic carnival sideshow. At different points throughout the night, the band stops playing, a screen drops down, and the crowd gets treated to hilarious and incredible music videos, such as “I Got A Harley and a Mail Order Bride”. Then you’re asked, “Does anybody wanna be a WINNAH?!?!?!?” You pull out the bingo cards you were given when you came in the door, and play along as emcee Ronnie Numbers, Mr. The Turk, and Calliope guide you through a game of bingo. Last night, a few of the Camel Toe Lady Steppers (an all-girl Mardi Gras marching troupe) were even on hand to assist with the festivities.
Luckily for those of you outside of New Orleans, they’ve been doing a lot of touring lately with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s 45th Anniversary Show. Plus, there’s a video available on YouTube from their live performance this past Mardi Gras. Produced by Penguin Productions, I present you “Lookin’ For That Lucky Five”.
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I agree, Bingo! really represents NOLA. Dave’s video made me homesick for the old NOLA when I first watched it a few months ago, when I was still living down there!
I feel rather ashamed that, while watching “I’ve Got a Harley and a Mail-Order Bride,” that I didn’t recognize my bar-home.
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