If you haven’t already heard, the legendary Dr. John is set to perform a staggering nine nights at Brooklyn Academy of Music this spring. I first discovered the doctor in high school, as ‘The Last Waltz’ became the soundtrack to many late nights out – particularly “Such a Night,” in which the doctor coolly croons over The Band’s tight groove:
In college, I had the privilege of witnessing Dr. John perform in person during his special late-night Bonnaroo set. And not only in person, but in character, as his psychedelic voodoo alter-ego The Night Tripper. (Fun fact: Dr. John can be thanked for the Bonnaroo name, as his 1974 album ‘Desitively Bonnaroo’ popularized the word, meaning “a really good time” in Ninth Ward slang.) Here’s what he looked like on that impossible-to-forget night:
Now, as Dr. John prepares the release of his new album with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, ‘Locked Down,’ I’ll have the opportunity to see him three weekends in a row – one a Louis Armstrong tribute, one dedicated to ‘Locked Down,’ and one a tribute to everything New Orleans – right in my backyard. I couldn’t be more thrilled.
(More info on the BAM run here: http://www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=3972)
