One thing is for certain, you will never get the same BINGO! Show twist and Friday night was certainly no exception. The New Orleans Bingo! Show took its avant-garde carnival style show to the heart of the quarter. The residence of the evening was One Eyed Jacks. Once the location of the historic Toulouse Theater, One Eyed Jacks has long served as the perfect spot for BINGO! to truly shine and do their thing.
The stage was adorned with older model static-ridden television sets strewn randomly across the stage, creating a rather disorienting visual effect. At the front of the stage on the right hand side hung a trapeze swing that would get utilized a couple times throughout the show. Each musician’s space was balanced by the chaos that would spring up around them.
The show started off with a solo cello performance, which bled into the band’s first song “New Orleans.” To say it’s a signature tune would be an understatement. The song proclaims Clint Maedgen and Co.’s love for the city and every other song played throughout the evening couldn’t help but be touched or inspired by the city of New Orleans in some way. Crowd favorite (and mine) “Something in Her Shows” is a love song to the city’s seedier side, tongue in cheek with a sparkle of sarcasm.
The night’s main event was the always-enjoyable playing of bingo itself. Crowd participation was heavily encouraged while the band played the theme of the game. After Bingo, the band played a few more songs, accompanied by a group of acrobats during one of their musical interludes.
The evening concluded with the rambunctious, gospel inspired love song to New Orleans, “There Is A Light.” Big thanks to One Eyed Jacks for helping Clint and Ron translate their vision of The New Orleans BINGO! Show down in the quarter. The space couldn’t have been more fitting.
