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Our Thursday night tickets were for a pair of brass bands at Tipitina’s Uptown. The club had a bronze bust of Professor Long Hair, so we could rub his head as we entered, and then a giant picture of him behind the stage. There were also several of the same wooden mural of a hand holding a partially peeled banana – not sure what that was about.

The first act was ReBirth. Visually, they looked like a bunch of 20-something guys hanging out, wearing various baseball hats, some in jerserys, others in tank tops, a couple in blue “work shirts” with their name embroidered in the corner. Their sound was fantastic, loud and brassy and energetic. The trumpeter had an amazing set of cheeks – it was as though he had extra air bladders that went down his neck on either side. It was mesmerizing. There was, of course, a sousaphone, the staple of any good brass band. Two trombones, a baritone and alto sax, a 2nd trumpet, two trombones, a big group. We were bouncing and hopping through the whole set.

Next came the Dirty Dozen. We only counted ten of them, but perhaps a dozen instruments. Their lead horn player at one point played two at once – a trumpet and a flugelhorn. The Baritone player did several incredible solos – soulful, great timing, all over the range. They were a more mature group than the first, but we were also more tired. Despite our sore legs from standing, and our tired eyes from being up at 4am, they kept our attention through the end by finishing up with “Dirty Old Man” (sung by the baritone player). The chorus involved several repititions of the lyrics “dirty old man” with assistance from some willing young female fans who danced with the grey-bearded singer. It’s a catchy ditty to sing when walking around town.

We grabbed a cab and headed back to the hotel, while others went out to the French Quarter for a couple hours.