Hearty Arts, Tangy Food & River Revel In Shreveport, Louisiana - Feature

The ease of Shreveport in Louisiana translates from its laid back intentions. Existing right across railroad tracks, the central perception of the town leads directly into a festival plaza created with planning worthy of a large city. Anchoring the conception of a weekend getaway, the Red River Revel Festival, opening its new season, offered a diversity of music while highlighting local performers and food optimizing a city considered one of the faster growing tourism spots in the Southern US boosted, in no small way, by its thriving film industry where not one but two major films were shooting in the week visited.The Red River Revel Festival is separated into three different sections one would describe as riverfront, kid friendly and funked out. The Funk Out was obviously the one of necessitated selection.After purchasing a cold Bud along with blackened catfish and cajun rice from a booth run by the Inner City Youth, the rockabilly stylings of local band done good: “Dixie Tradition” rocked out with a combination of covers and regional rock that appealed across the board with the young females inclined towards the twin brother lead singers to the older patrons who appreciated the backing band of seemingly seasoned studio musicians.Buoyed by an exceptional young guitarist who could switch between aspects of blues guitar and more frenetic country ditties, the band jumped from successful originals like “Take My Beer (And Watch This!)” which graced T-Shirts around the venue and their new single “I Feel Sorry For You” to fun and toe tapping homages in the form of Bon Jovi's “Wanted: Dead or Alive” and ZZ Top's “La Grange”Hitting Guillaime's Booth serving Cajun comfort food, a girl strutting over the bridge looks down smiling knowingly as a slice of crawfish bread covered in cheese hiding the succulent critter beneath brings contentment with the balance of a brew.As the night descends, the raining gently pelts from the sky as the brass fire of the virulent Tower Of Power takes the stage as the Opening Night headliner. Their signature sound, heard across the best of artists, most notably Chicago, is undeniable from the crispy titular stylings of the trumpeteer to the energetic blast of the sax horn section.From the beginnings of cover sensations like the exceptional “Me & Mrs. Jones” (recorded originally by Billy Paul) with the blue light swaying to the crowd to the audience-grooving percolation of “From The Hip” leading into the effervescent closer “Soul Power”, the life blood of the music-inclined concertgoers reached fever pitch as dancing in the aisles commenced as the draft of Killian's Red flowed as drops were highlighted in the lights above.From the beginnings of this festival, the inclination that encapsulates the town of Shreveport can be balanced in the essence of its food, spirits and artistic endeavors which traverse the thought process.Late night processes the first thought as a storm front moves in. Made famous by late night trevails (mostly by the cast and crew of the Oliver Stone film “W”), the key is finding the right balance. While the recommended watering holes purveyed to your narrator by infamous author/paraiah Tucker Max, whose movie “I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell” was shot here, revolved through “The Stray Cat” and “The Phoenix Underground” club, it was “Noble Savage” on Texas (nicknamed by yours truly as “Improbable Carnage”) which held its own.Packed in earnest with live music, Red River Revel main stage performer Dirty Redd (dubbed with respect “Dirty Weird”) played in Miles Davis form on a darkened stage in full jam mode. The bar, dim and shadowed in its greatness, served up Ocktoberfest with gusto as a female companion enjoyed her meal of Guinness. Stories of local celebrity resistance from a bar stalwart, sharing sifters of expensive cognac with the chef/owner who raced back and forth from the kitchen smoking a smooth cigar populated the night. The Montecristo showed the necessity as one was lit in the darkness. The reflexive movement of blonde hair looking behind brought a glance of curiousity reveled by the opening of a large bottle of local brewer Amita's Andy Gator Lager, its distinctive balance of smooth citrus and blonde flavors satisfying the vivified cravings of both sexes.Continuing through the culinary perceptions, the balance contained moved from sit down elegance to down home pleasure.Topping the structure by its sheer artistic breathe combined with a bow to its local tradition, Wine Country Bistro offered the cross-section necessary in droves. Beginning with a smooth and decadent fennel soup, rich and creamy in its progression, the vision led into a wine country iceberg wedge sprinkled with blue cheese and a lithe dressing that simply loved in congruence.The balance of dinner brought necessity of not one, but two delicacies. The low country shrimp and grits surrounded by the grilled brilliance of its main star as well as medallions of smoked sausage resounded in a simply divine fashion.While the laughter of a 30-year high school reunion ravished in the beauty of a seductively filled cougar table behind us, the main course special of grilled pompano surrounded by mussels, avocado, braised bacon and roasted shallots gave breathe while dancing with the multi-level flavors on a 2005 William Fevre “La Mission” Cabarnet Savignon from Chile with its lithe and tart finish.Buoyed by the biting coldness of multiple Brandy Alexanders, frozen and fresh, mixed with a flambayed vanilla ice cream bruleed on the spot by Charlene, our professional and utterly organized waitress, the final moment of a 9-year Gould Campbell Port kissed the night.Talking to the chef post dinner, the positive accents of his journey further enhance the special angle of the place. Open for less than a year, the restaurant had multiple starts where he had to retool the entire place to adhere to a new standard. At barely 30, he also has a 13-month-old child. He mentions his wife has been phenomenal by cradling the baby monitor at night most evenings on her own accord so he can maintain the restaurant but still retain some quality time.One of the aspects of the restaurant that most impressed was the diversity and international flavor of his wines which when looking at the prices in the bottle shop connected to the restaurant seemed almost unheard of in terms of market prices for such vintages from Argentina, New Zealand and, of course, Chile. The way he explains it is that he always was against paying exorbitant fees for bottles of wine at dinner. Here you can buy a bottle in the shop and have it opened at your table for a $20 corkage fee. Amazing concept and a great deal.On the comfort side, a new and old traditional offers those great Lousiana culinary thoughts that permeate the mind.At Big O's on Captain Shreve's Drive, the big revelation rested within the tangy tartar sauce that rang with a brilliance throughout the entire meal. Starting with the beauty of sweet tea and O's Southern Style beans mixed with bits of smoked sausage and topped with rice, the main permeation of a dozen grilled shrimp resting on a bed of crispy fries encourages dipping. The shrimp is purely a dream in terms of its spice needing of nothing to increase its currency. The after dinner explosion of apple pie, crumbly and tasty, surrounded by vanilla ice cream, completes the circle.Fertitta's Delicatessen, by comparison, is one of those hidden gems that when you drive through a town, you always hear about. Known primarily for its “Muffy” sandwich, a spin on the New Orleans standard, mixing meat, olives and spice on the unmistakable bread, the one that opened to the salivation over a duo of Heinken was "The Gondolier", functioning as a Muffalita version of a meatball sub, ensconced in cheese as a parallel of garlic bread fills the stomach with content.Art also balances the essence of history with new artists while a film connection heightens the modern equivalent.At ArtSpace on Texas, an interim of local artists highlight the basis of impressionism versus emotional versimilitude. The subtle sexual personification in Rachel McClintic's “Reclining In Green” and “Apathy” captures the blissful ignorance of want while Bill Gingles' “Perfect Sinner” contrasts in a bevy of oranges and blacks that capture a rage and perfection all in one.The R.W. Norton Art Gallery, in contrast, offers a more historical perspective with a distinctive trio of landscape, portrait and native visions creating a diversity of emotional basis. Andrew Jaziger's “View Of Lousiana” [1888] captures a fleeting plantation sunset among cypress trees as workers toil in earnest while Thomas Moran's “Deep In A Forest” [1871] uses a technique called “grisaille” optimizing only black and white colors to create a glowing snowscape of trees dead in time.Antoine Faivre's “Antoinette Resting” [1873] captures its subject with a look of knowing reminiscent of “Girl With A Pearl Earring” as her blouse tantalizes in tease, powerful in its admonishment of the time period. In tantamount, the supernatural premonition of Frederick Remington's “Famine Death Of Minnehaha” [1890] shows a vision of deathly spirits coming for the soul of the fallen leader as her mother watches in rapt awe, the wraiths approaching as her husband cradles his head in his hands. It possesses an inherent power as multiple stories converge into one.In mention of the film angle, the Robinson Film Center offers a bit of the art house in the heart of the bayou with selections and connectivity that give it credence in respect to its cousins: The Angelika in NYC and The Drafthouse in Austin. While showing first run films, it also revels in its special screenings. Curator Chris Jay who purveys festivals and other distribution channels for new material, understands the necessities of such a venture. One of his stories relates that when Val Kilmer and Director Oliver Stone were in town shooting separate movies, they both showed up for a screening of “The Doors”, the first time they have done so in the years since it was released. These are the types of moments that make a place. Above the entrance in the lobby, a poster for the classic buddy movie “Midnight Run” starring Robert DeNiro sports an autograph from Charles Grodin whose mouth is being covered by his companion Goodfella in the art. His signature proclaims “I have two words for you!”Shreveport permeates through many different levels in its opportunities, both artistically and financially based. With Rod Lurie's remake of “Straw Dogs” starring Kate Bosworth and action picture “Battle: Los Angeles” starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez shooting consecutively in the city, the spot is more popular than ever, welcoming and ready.However, it is sitting on the lakefront deck of the 18th Century style homestead of Stanley Schikowitz and his wife Bobbie Ann (formerly of The Bronx [and current purveyors of The Plantation Gourmet Coffee Company]) while sipping the briskness of their Sumtra Dark blend with chocolate chip macaroons and the flittering of dogs that truly brings the possibilities into view.Life is good.