Last weekend I took a roadtrip to Oxford with Annie and Lizzie, two other Bachelorettes/best friends. Besides two rainy hours I spent there last month, none of us had ever been to Oxford before. Lizzie and I wanted to check it out, so she booked us a Lizzie Wright Super Space Ship show at Maker’s Market and we made a weekend out of it. We stopped by Annie’s house to pick up my drums on Friday afternoon and after we talked about the trip for a few minutes, she dropped her knitting and packed a bag to come too. She was very excited.
We drove through the rain to Oxford, eager to see friends and discover a new town. It stopped raining sometime after Batesville and during my much needed disco nap. We got to Oxford, picked up our friends and headed to Ajax, a southern restaurant on the square. I ordered Matty’s Mom’s Meatloaf with squash casserole and corn salad on the side. I did not order the Hot Jerk Pork Steak, and I did learn later that the broccoli rice casserole is deserving of many expletives and people’s left arms. The town seemed to be buzzing because it was the weekend of the Oxford Film Festival. We got a quick drink at the City Grocery and left before it got too crowded to go play rockband. We rocked.
Saturday morning was the Maker’s Market, a little art market on the first and third Saturdays of the month at The Lyric. The market showcases local artists and crafters who set up tables with their wares, including buttons, photography, jewelry, and lots of fuzzy knitted scarves and hats. We set up a Special Passenger Records table to sell CDs, wristbands, t-shirts and also Lizzie’s photographs and postcards I had made. Annie was really excited.
Maker’s Market also has live music, and this week Lizzie and I played two sets alternating with a fellow named Brantley Catlette, who played beautiful country folk tunes. He is from the Delta and drove up with his wife who sold beautiful scarves. Lizzie and I had a great time playing even though there weren’t too many people in the audience. Big thanks to Emily and Andy who drove up from Jackson and came to the show. We also were joined by David Allan Coe’s sound and stage guys, several hip Ole Miss students, and even a couple of space lawyers.
Saturday night we had a fabulous Indian dinner and then went to Proud Larrys to see My Name is John Michael , one of our favorite bands from New Orleans. We didn’t even know they were playing in Oxford before that day so it was a brilliant surprise and a fabulous show. I think Annie turned to me three times during each song to tell me how good the show was. The crowd was pretty sparse and we were the only ones on the dance floor for most of the show, so we made sure to dance for everyone else. It was so much fun. My Name is John Michael is just amazing live and they are cute and nice and you should always go see them when they play in Mississippi and buy their merch and not shout freebird a million times or even once. Did I mention that Annie was really excited? Well, she is STILL EXCITED:
Sunday morning we picked up breakfast and coffee at The Bottletree Café and then headed back to Jackson to work on projects and watch the Superbowl!! Sigh. What a great weekend and a perfect road trip – full of good food, music, arts, new friends, and new experiences in Mississippi. Thanks Oxford!!
-Amanda
p.s. if you are in Jackson and you read this before Saturday night, then please make it out to ZOMBIE PROM at Ole Tavern on George St!! Senryu, the husBand of the Bachelorettes is playing as well as a country band from Vermont and two amazing local Zombie DJs. Special Passenger Records (me and annie) is releasing a zine/cd/photoalbum about our band wedding. It is cute and sweet and handmade and you can buy one here if you don't make it to prom.
No comments:
Post a Comment