New Orleans may be the home of Mardi Gras, but Schenectady had a great party of its own on Saturday night. Proctor’s Theatre held its 13th Annual Mardi Gras Festival, which gave those of us who did not have the opportunity to get down to Louisiana a chance to celebrate. There was Cajun food, a costume competition, an enthusiastic crowd, as well as plenty of zydeco music to entertain those present.
I had the opportunity to attend the festival a few years ago, and perhaps the most noticeable difference this time around was the emptiness of the theatre’s arcade, which used to have the tables of food vendors along its sides. This year the food was in a separate room, away from the festivities. Although this move generated space, it stifled the positive atmosphere that was once created by a bustling crowd. The vendors did their best to offer a variety of fine Cajun cuisine including items like jambalaya, mufalatta, crab cakes, Cajun fries—and judging by the lines of eager customers—they did a pretty good job.
Captain Squeeze and the Zydeco Moshers took the stage shortly after 6:30 pm with an upbeat blend of rock and zydeco music. This local band had a style of its own, playing several songs from their recently released album A Zydeco Band on the Road, while keeping the crowd’s undivided attention with everything from a juggling act by rubboard player Alek Speck, to a cover of the Beatles’ hit “Revolution.” The Zydeco Moshers’ performance was enjoyable, and if you are interested in expanding your musical horizons, more information is available at their website, http://www.captainsqueeze.com/.
As the Moshers closed out their set, the festival shifted gears for awhile, and men and women of all ages paraded before the audience in a costume competition. Gypsies, princesses, and a man on stilts took turns attempting to draw the most applause, which offered some amusement to the people filing into the theatre.
The act that was scheduled to follow the contest, J. Paul Jr. and the Zydeco Nubreedz, canceled a few days before the event, which created a lengthy gap in the onstage entertainment. This, however, was not all bad, as it gave those in attendance an ample opportunity to relax and converse while some light blues and zydeco music were broadcast in the background.
Around 8:30 pm, event headliner Buckwheat Zydeco and his Ils Sont Partis Band set foot on stage, and opened with some fast paced tunes that showcased the talent of their two trumpeters. This group of musicians from Lafayette did a masterful job of mixing soulful improvisation with classic blues sounds and showed why their seven piece ensemble is among the top zydeco artists in the world. From the moment he stepped onto the stage, band leader Stanley Dural, Jr.—nicknamed “Buckwheat”—took every opportunity possible to energize the crowd, which was quick to respond.
“I love listening to the music,” said one woman. “It’s so exciting.” Looking around Proctor’s, it would have been hard to find anyone who disagreed. By the end of the night, the party was in full swing, as people danced in the aisles and sang along to familiar tunes.
Upstate New York may be pretty far away from New Orleans, but it was hard to tell that as part of the crowd on Saturday night. There was good food, great music, and lots of fun. After all, isn’t that what Mardi Gras is all about?
