Well if you didn’t make it last night you missed a tremendous show by Staggolee, Rue Moor Counts and Moving Monsters. The RMC will be back August 25 and they should not be missed. Dustin on bass & Rob on guitar just shredded the whole room! Staggolee lead by Sammy D’s style, Tom’s drumming and Justin’s bass was just great! Smoking guitar, & smoldering vocals, it was a rhythm driven thing! Joker in full makeup, vest and tie with heavy rock verging on hardcore slammed out by veteran performers, Moving Monsters are a force to be reckoned with and will be appearing in a nightmare in your dreams!

After a too long of a hiatus, I am back with more info than you probably need. First, if you’d like to receive weekly email updates from PJ’s, go to our home page at pjslagerhouse.com, look on the right hand side and click on the “receive email update” button, give us your email and we will send you an email update every week on Monday from our inestimable publicist Jenny Knaggs ( Lac la Belle, I-Crime etc.).

Ok, lots of good stuff happening this week starting tonight JULY 29 FRIDAY: RUE MOOR COUNTS, MOVING MONSTERS and STAGOLEE. ($5) RMC is introducing their new bass player Dustin tonight. Lead by the savage, gospel, rock riffs that leader Rob lays down like slabs of molten heat, the RMC always tears it up when they hit the PJ’s stage and even though this is a late add, the boys will be ready to smoke you down!

Speaking of smokin’ you down, I know that more than one of you has been smoked down by Rocker Mike at the Lager, but now he’s finally taking it to the stage with his ensemble Moving Monsters. Heading toward the heavy edge of rock, Mike & the boys promise that at their first PJ’s show will make every attempt to push it totally over the edge!

Relative new comers to the scene, Staggolee has exploded opening for the Howling Diablos record release party and a number of other local gigs. Lead by Sammy D, Staggolee fuses Detroit rock city mentality, with a touch of the urban blue-collar r&b/blues. Building their legacy as they go Staggolee will kick the night off around 10:00pm; Rue Moore Counts 11pm & Moving Monsters Midnight.

For those of you who were looking for The Reelers tonight, they could not make it. Joe the bass man will be out fighting fires tonight. However, The Reelers, in all their glory, will be at PJ’s on Friday September 2. We’re working on the rest of the line up as we speak.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY JULY 30 & 31: BRUNCH is served from 10:30am until 3pm with J-rae in the kitchen and Jeffrey (Gardens) at the helm in the bar. What better way to get your Saturday going? Coffee, eggs, bacon, sausage, oj, toast, vegan biscuits & gravy, quiches and more, J-rae really sets its out and Jeffrey’s always ready to lay a Karen’s Bloody Mary on you. If Karen made the mix, you know its got to be good! Of course, Jeffrey is more than willing to lay any of your other favorite libations on you too. Come on in and pay the crew a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

 SATURDAY JULY 30 NIGHT: HANDSOME FURS, PARLOVER & DJ PHREDDIE & FAWN ($10) Brought to PJ’s by our friends at the Crofoot, this is going to be a super cool night. Can you tell I do not know much about any of these guys? I’m listening to them right now and all I can tell you is be ready to dance and move. They are Canadien and you can find tons of info about them all over the web and I invite you to do so. Those of you who already know please be sure to tell all your friends. Chad from the Crofoot tells me this is a show not to miss. Be ready to dance, flirt, drink & party. Sounds like a great Saturday night!

SUNDAY JULY 31: The hits just keep on coming! Yes we have brunch from 10:30 til 3pm and we have our SUNDAY DINNER W/ PJ from 6pm til midnight. Tonight we have PJ’s Detroit Gumbo, Voodoo Shrimp, New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp & new potatoes, PJ’s Special Sunday Salad and maybe another surprise or two. Our regular menu is available also. If you haven’t seen PJ’s decked out in table clothes, candles and flowers, you need to do so. Sarena and Paul will be there to take care of you all night long. Break out and try something new!

SUNDAY JULY 31: From 8-10pm we have a real treat with TINO GROSS and WAL-E (FREE) doing their thing: grinding up everything from AC/DC, to John Lee Hooker, to Iggy & Johnny Cash, passing it through the Tino Deep Blue Filter Machine and distilling it to its essence of the beat…the incessant beat that goes on forever! There are rumors and tales on the street of various guests showing up & sitting in. You’ll just have to be there, just know both Wal-e and Tino have deep, deep roots in the Detroit scene. It’ll be a night to remember.

SUNDAY JULY 31^st: 10:30pm Finishing up the evening are THIS PIANO PLAYS ITSELF, THE ANONYMOUS, SLOW GIANT & NACY SNOTRA. ($5) TPPI are from Atlanta GA. And call themselves pop, psychedelic, shoegaze music. They are preceded by Slow Giant a guitar & cello duo from Hamtramck and two other locals, Nancy Snotra (name says it all) and The Anonymous (you know…tear it all down). Take a chance on having a good time! These guys are all geeked up to come and rock your Sunday night down! You know you’re not going to work Monday.

MONDAY AUGUST 1: We have our DETROIT PADDLE BATTLE ping pong night. Play for fun, play to compete, eat and drink. What could be better on Monday night? Table will be ready by 6pm and be up all night. Kitchen opens at 11am and will be open until midnight.

TUESDAY AUGUST 2: PUB QUIZ TRIVIA takes court at 8pm at PJ’s tonight. This is not your trivial pursuit trivia, nor your “I know everything about Sienfeld” trivia. This is the real deal. Obscure but knowable, it’s a lot of stuff that you know and should know but will rack your brain trying to re-call. Compete to have your team’s name inscribed on our Trivia Trophy with a genuine plastic label maker label! Kitchen is open all night so come early, relax, have a drink, something to eat and challenge that grey matter up top1

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 3: We get damn serious with TERRIBLE TWOS, WAX MUSEUM & BAD SPORTS ($6). You can find a complete description of these guys elsewhere on this website but suffice it to say that they will make very attempt to rip your flesh from your bones. If you don’t want to come hard tonight, you may not want to come at all (unless you just like to watch). Punkiest of the punk, this show will beat you up until all of your frustrations & inner turmoil lies kicked and beaten on the floor!

THURSDAY AUGUST 4: This is it. One of the boldest, the baddest of the young guitar slingers in the world invades PJ’s tonight: ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART’S MUSCLE THEORY. If you are not familiar with AY Hart please go online and listen. Whether it’s a six string acoustic, twelve string acoustic or electric guitar this man handles them all with an ease that reminds you of Jimi or Stevie. Opening for the legendary Taj Mahal established Alvin’s cred for the blues world, but his subsequent recordings, performances, interviews and personality have established him as his own man with his own style that others try to emulate. Yes he plays the blues, but so did the Rolling Stones. Where you take the blues establishes what you are. ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD HART should not be missed by any Detroit guitar slinger, singer or performer. It may not be what you expect, but it’ll be more than you bargained for. Be prepared to be rocked! Detroit’s Favorite Son DANNY KROHA opens the night with his famous diddly-bow and his own guitar stylings incorporating blues, folk, country and gritty Detroit rock. Danny is a Detroit treasure who sometimes gets taken for granted by fellow Detroiters. Come out early and show him some of the Detroit love he deserves. ($12 Advance (313-961-4668) or $15 at the door)

AUGUST 5 FRIDAY: The Echofest is back with ECHOFEST II featuring the fabulous SISTERS OF YOUR SUNSHINE VAPOR, the spot on performance of the great OBLISK, the flash and ultra-tight FUR, post punk psych stylings of PEWTER CUB, the droning, psych country of BAD INDIANS, along with RABBLE RABBLE and HAUNTER LEATHER this is going to be one long, outstanding evening of great Detroit music. Stay all night for all 7 bands and you can’t go wrong. Hot, sweaty, sexy, drinks and a bunch of great bands: what else were you doing on a hot August Friday night? Going to the Brother Love Traveling Salvation Show? I’m sure they’ll all be here too.

SATURDAY AUGUST 6: ROVERS VINTAGE SCOOTER CLUB: Lots & Lots of vintage scooters, lots & lots of scooter fans, food, drinks and DJ’s! Super cool! No cover. Come, hang & join the gang & look at all the cool scooters. Bring yours if you have one and maybe even join the club!

OK that’s all for now. Now it’s your turn. Pass this on and get your butt over here and shake it!

Had to get a brief word out here. To all of those who read this: Do Not Miss The Melvin Davis Show on Friday May 6th! Melvin is a true original. Running around Detroit in the 60’s, writing music, recording music, playing music, performing music all day and night long.  Friday is a USA record release party for “Melvin Davis Detroit Soul Ambassador” on the Vampi Soul label out of Spain. Melvin will be leaving for Europe shortly after the show, so catch him now at PJ’s. Great Tribulation with Jeni Lee Richey opens. Its only $5 to get in and see a living legend rock!

Okay, I just told you not to miss the 5/6 show. Now I’m going to tell you not to miss the 5/7 show with Doop and the Inside Outlaws (Need I say more?), Lydia Loveless (bloodshot Records Recording Artist) along with The Reelers (Featuring one of the D’s best songwriters Stephen K.) and Detroit’s hottest young bluegrass band Petal Shop. This show is going to rock yer socks and gonna’ make ya cry. $5 gets you in.

Fri. 4/8

Started out today at the Cake Café, sight of the crawfish boil a couple of days ago. It was sunny & nice so we sat outside. If you want oysters, crab or fish in your morning meal, this is a great place to go. I had a brie, spinach and bacon omelet with a large homemade biscuit. Donna had scrambled eggs and bacon with homemade rye toast. Funny thing, homemade rye tastes just like any good rye bread. Looked like they had great pastries though I didn’t try one. Probably wouldn’t go back. It is a bit too exotic for my taste in the morning. 

The Fest started out with a bang in the form of Debauche. (russinamafiaband.com) They were playing at one of the small stages and tore it up with highly energetic performances of mostly Russian songs played at a punk thrash pace. Smoking hot, lots of fun and wild dancing is what they deliver. Stopped by the international stage just for fun. Caught the Osaka Hot Cats who hail from Japan, but if you weren’t looking at them, you’d think they’d been playing in New Orleans for years. A young woman trumpeter really drew my attention. I can’t imagine growing up in Japan and deciding to learn to play traditional American Jazz for fun! But the Osaka Hot Cats had it going on! Headed over to the Cajun stage to catch the Lost Bayou Ramblers. These guys are a young zydeco band with lots of energy. We got our chance to dance and worked up quite a sweat in the sun. This festival takes place right down by the riverside and the cool breeze off of the water certainly made the eighty-degree plus weather feel a little nicer.

Leaving fest for a little break, we headed over to Canal Street to The Pearl on St. Charles. The first meal I ever ate in N.O. was at The Pearl and its still serving up wonderful oysters and some pretty good gumbo. Across the street Meyer’s Hats, Sam Meyer was helping customers including us. I didn’t pick up a hat but I may still before we head back to Detroit. But if you are in N.O. and need a hat, which you very well might, Sam’s the man to see. He is not cheap, but they have a wide selection of great hats and he and his progeny will take care of you. Down Canal St. we stopped at Pinkberry for some outstanding frozen yogurt. Great flavors, fruit and service: what a great combination! I hope that someday downtown Detroit will be as lively as New Orleans’ but for now, that is just a dream.

Back at the Fest we caught Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band. Bruce and his crew have been killing it at Tipatina’s every Sunday since 1985! They play classic Cajun with real heart and soul. More dancing ensued. We took in Fredy Omar con su Banda for our last act of the day. Fredy has also been around the Big Easy for quite some time. They play a wide variety of Latin music, encouraging dancing all over the lawn at the Old US Mint building. Hot, tired and happy we headed back to our guesthouse.

On the way back we ran into John (The Detroit Kilt guy) and Dianne. They told us about their day and we told them about ours. Donna and I decided to stop an eat before going home and we got a seat immediately at The Praline Connection on Frenchmen St. Waiters here wear black pants, white dress shirts, ties and black Homberg hats. They are quick and efficient and don’t spend a lot of time glad handing you. It started out as a praline (New Orleans’ candied cookies) shop but evolved into a very good restaurant. I had the fried chicken, red beans & rice and mac & cheese. Donna had the shrimp etouffe. The chicken was what I was craving and the red beans & rice were excellent. Could not say the same about the mac and cheese. The version we sell at PJ’s is much better. The shrimp etouffe was very good but quite different than other etouffe we’ve tried. The meal also came with excellent cornbread. We had a little side show when two waiters softly collided right next to us. Plastic water glasses, plates and silverware went everywhere. Luckily, nothing hit the customers and the tray with all the dinners survived intact. One of the waiters took a fall because of the slippery floor, but his pride was hurt more than anything else. A good way to end our “day shift” before heading back to the guesthouse to clean up. A big evening awaited us with Happy Talk.

Happy Talk was playing at Checkpoint Charlies that evening. Frenchman street was full of folks just wandering around. Street musicians were everywhere along with fire jugglers, poets for hire with their typewriters ready to write you a poem on the spot, tarot card readers, artists and all kinds of interesting street folks along with all of us tourists. I was anxious to get to CC’s because the only group I really wanted to see on this trip was Happy Talk. Check these guys out online. Luke Allen is the leader and songwriter and I happen to think that he is one of the most creative and interesting songwriters I have ever heard. They did not disappoint. But first a band called the By & By String Band lead by a woman named Kiyoko (I think) played their hearts out. Americana/rural moved to the city music. Haunting voice, simple music and wonderful feeling sums up the By&By. Definitely worth seeing if you are in NO or if I can get them up to Detroit.

Happy Talk followed but not before their bass players rig crapped out. Let me step back. Remember when wrote about the band Debauche? At CC’s we saw their bass player hauling his double bass out of the place. I told Donna that he was Debauche’s bass player. She said he wasn’t. I followed him outside and spoke with him and sure enough he was. I went back inside where Luke was on stage asking, “Scott, Scott are you still here? We need your bass rig and beard back in here.” So I ran outside, caught Scott and brought him back in. HT bassist ended up using Scott’s upright all night because his rig just wasn’t working. Turned out Scott also plays bass for the Zydepunks who we had seen 4 years ago at the Dragons Den and who we planned on seeing Saturday night at the Hi-Ho Lounge. The connection to Scott Potts turned out to be a great connection to Happy Talk, Debauche, the Zydepunks. By&By String Band and Sci Fi Zeroes. Talk to someone in New Orleans and you never know whom you’ll meet.

The Happy Talk set was every bit as good as I thought it was going to be. Sometimes rockin’ and sometimes quiet, the chain smoking Luke lead his five band mates through two long sets of music with only his voice and his acoustic guitar. Great stories and heartfelt delivery, the band that I had wanted to see was everything I’d hoped they’d be. Ryan Hooper (Metro Times & Pure Detroit) was there all night too. Even he was knocked out by this group.

We walked with Ryan back to his car. Wished him luck on his way home and retired to get ready for another day of Festing.

Thurs. 4/7

In preparation for a long weekend we took it a little easy today. Got up late. Ate at the guesthouse. Got cleaned up and did some exploring in the French Quarter. David’s Found Objects is on Decatur and is a small second hand/antique/junque shops that are found all over the city. Staff (David?) was very personable. Talked about the city, Detroit, politics and more. Didn’t find anything to buy but had a good time nonetheless. Found a pair of cheap sunglasses at the French Quarter Market and a really nice, wide brimmed, plantation hat. New hat, new sunglasses: Now I’m ready for the fest. Stopped at a little African Restaurant named Benachin for lunch. Its located in the Quarter now and the #32 was excellent. I know it had shrimp, chicken and cashews in it. Donna had a beef and spinach dish. All in all, a very satisfying lunch. Also stopped at Wicked New Orleans. If you like skulls, leather, fishnet stockings, goth, long coats, top hats, cool shirts and other related items, you’ll love wicked New Orleans. I told the owner that if I ever decided to reinvent myself, I’d sell everything I own and get just buy a whole new wardrobe from his store.

The Fest itself is abbreviated on Thursday: only 5 stages with 2 or 3 acts each. We saw Bonerama (trombone led brass band), Bag of Donuts (R’n’R with outstanding costuming by band members) and Tank and the Zydeco Code Breakers. Tank really pumps that accordion with a firey intensity that you don’t often see. He had the crowd up and dancing throughout his set.

The French Quarter Fest stretches out along the river and is a beautiful setting. A cool breeze blows off of the river and the music changes as you walk from one end to the other: Latin, brass band, Cajun/zydeco, r’n’r, traditional jazz and more. Food booths are plentiful offering all sorts of Louisiana fare. Its all free ands its all good.

We took the river street car from one end of the fest back to where we were staying. For $1.25 it was a lot better than walking on this day. Decided to knock off early and not go out even though we knew that Kermit Ruffins was at Vaughn’s. tomorrow fest starts in earnest!

Tues. 4/5

Smooth flight. Arrived & caught a United Cab into town. Royal Street Courtyard is in the Marigny outside of the French Quarter. Phil & Dave run it. The place is nice and in a very diverse and interesting neighborhood. Went to dinner at Adolpho’s upstairs from the Apple Barrel on Frenchmen St. The mussels marinara were great. The Grouper with Ocean Sauce was very good. The veal chop was over cooked so Donna sent it back. Replaced it with a rack of lamb, which was very good. Don’t buy the house wines. They don’t taste very good. I had an Abita beer. We recommend Adolpho’s if you want a small, intimate, low-key and extremely casual place to dine. Prices range from $15-$26 for a main entrée.

Sitting there a young couple came in. After a minute or two the guy looks at me and says, “PJ?” Turns out its Ryan Hooper and his friend Laura down from Detroit for a little vacation themselves. Ryan works for the Metro Times and Pure Detroit. Small world.

Headed over to see the Royal Rounders at the Music Balcony Club. They were having a Tom Waits Tuesday. Piano, violin, National Steel guitar and upright bass playing songs that “Tom Waits would like.” They played some of Tom’s songs (Your Innocent When You Dream, Jersey Girls) along with others they think he’d like. (St. James Infirmary) Overall very good and a fun time.

Headed around the corner to Café Brasil to catch John Lisi. Heck of a guitar player and an excellent and unique harmonica player. Harmonica player also sang and served as a front man…did not enjoy that aspect of his performance. John Lisi does shred on the guitar, but overall it was a somewhat uninspired Tuesday night show.

Headed back over to MBC to see the Lagniappe Brass Band---They blew the doors off the place. At full force they had two tubas, two trombones, thee trumpets, a sax and a drummer. Great blowing! Not too many people but they cranked.

On the street we saw quite a number of street acoustic-crust punks plying their music. Some were pretty good. All of them smelled pretty bad. There were people playing at the Apple Barrel, Checkpoint Charlies (bar, grocery and Laundromat) and three or four other places. Frenchmen St. is definitely worth a few nights of visiting when you visit New Orleans. 

By the way, not only were the street musicians playing for tips, so were the bands in the bars. They can play, but they only get paid by getting tips from their audience.

Lots of Detroit connections: Besides Ryan and Laura, we met a girl from Pontiac selling photos of the Heidleberg Project and the Packard Plant. A couple from California who told us the Detroit 187 is their new favorite show and an R&B artist who calls himself Detroit.

Wed. 4/6

Got up & headed over to another one of those combination places: Schirro’s. This place is a bed and breakfast, bar, restaurant and grocery store. The menu is Indian and New Orleans. Donna had a tremendous Indian food meal and I had a shrimp po-boy with Zapp potato chips.

Off we went to wander Royal St. We were looking to replace an earring I had gotten for Turk a number of years ago. Unfortunately the artist who made them seems to have moved on. Katrina did that to people. Ruby Ann Blanco is her name and she’s not in the Siaba gallery like Google says. Took a couple of pictures outside of Preservation Hall, the place of the rebirth of New Orleans traditional jazz. If you don’t know about it, look it up. It is a great story that is ongoing today. 

As tourists in N.O., we are afforded certain privileges like napping in the afternoon. After a short nap we headed over to the Cake Café for a neighborhood crawfish boil. Crawfish, potatoes, corn on the cob, garlic and sausage all boiled to perfection! If someone invites you to a crawfish boil, make sure to go. Bring something cold and wet to cool your mouth off, because its gonna be spicy! And ladies, don’t forget to kiss the cook.

Met up with Laura & Ryan at the boil and took them over to the Mardi Gras Zone. This is another combination place: Mardi Gras supplies (beads, masks, feather boas etc.), good sized grocery store (no meat or alcohol), wood burning brick oven pizza, Laundromat and ice cream parlor. Picked up a few items and walked back toward the guesthouse.

Stopped at a bar called Mimi’s. Had a drink. Cool atmosphere, pool table, tasty tapas and a variety of beers. Then the surprise: we went upstairs and Aurora and the Royal Roses were playing top-notch traditional New Orleans jazz! She plays coronet and soprano sax. Trombone, trumpet, bass and drums filled out the band. Donna and I got up and cut a little rug with our dancing when all of a sudden all these youngsters got up and danced like it was 1938! Jitter bugging, swinging and having a grand old time. Stayed for another drink, threw a few bucks in the tip jar and wandered out into a warming New Orleans night. Probably should have stayed, but…

We were going to see a band named Happy Talk at Checkpoint Charlies, but heir gig had been moved to Friday. Good for the band, but bad for us. Wednesday night, there weren’t too many people there. Friday night the joint will be packed with Festival fans and H.T. fans. We’ll be back to see them Friday and deal with the crowd. The rest of the night was not as good. Snarky Puppy was playing Blue Nile along with Eastern Block. EB was finished when we got there & we weren’t sure we wanted to pay a $10 cover for Snarky Puppy. We headed down the street to dba, paid the $5 cover to see Walter Wolfman Washington. Walter used to be a hard driving blues man. Now he’s got a big (8 piece) band and they play basic R&B music. The band could be heard quite well but you could not hear the vocals or the guitar. No soundman was to be seen. He certainly wasn’t at the board. When I told the keyboard player, he said, “Yeah, we know.” And really did not seem to care. When there’s so much going on, so much competition for your dollar amongst musicians, that’s the wrong attitude. We left and called it a night. Needless to say, it’ll be a long time before I spend money on Walter again.