You should have been there. After the convention, we headed for the French Quarter and wandered into Rhythms, this big patio with a circus-tent top near the Canal Street end of Bourbon. Willie Lockett and the Blues Krewe were beltin' 'em out. We danced, which was pretty easy to do. After the set, we tried to buy a tape from Lockett -- who is enormous, by the way -- but he was involved in a bizarre negotiation with this crazy, bearded guy who apparently didn't speak English.

We'd ...