The local culture cops took issue with Saturday's second line for David Bowie. Do they have a point?
Email this page
Considering the static on Facebook I saw when a poster sounded out people on whether a bicycle second line in honor of David Bowie’s passing was disrespectful to New Orleans tradition, I expected the social media shitrain to fall over the non-vehicular one that took place Saturday in the French Quarter. It was organized in part by Arcade Fire, whose Win Butler and Regine Chassagne bought a house in New Orleans last year, and they were honoring an international star, not a part of the New Orleans community. They were doing it with Preservation Hall, but out-of-towners celebrating out-of-towners was too much for some, though not as many as I anticipated.
Jarret Loftsted of The People Say Project touched off the closest to the predictable handwringing when he posted the gnomic “The Bowie Parade” is one of the great cultural dividing lines of the post-Reconstruction Era.” One commenter wrote, Shouldn’t you have at least some tie to New Orleans to get a second line? Or throw one, evidently. You can see the disapproval dripping off the letters where another typed simply and in quotes, “arcade fire.” And inevitably, someone wrote, Great for tourists, carpet baggers, and hipsters. That’s right. The fans of a man who died at 69 and whose career started in the early 1970s are lumberjack-bearded, craft beer-swilling scamps on skyscraper bikes, every balding, thickening, graying one of them.
My first response was suspicion too, but then I remembered that I have never been to the pure second line. No band that I’ve seen played dirges to the cemetery. If one plays a dirge for 10 to 15 minutes, that’s almost retro in its commitment before it gets to the party, and I’ve only been to one second line that went to the cemetery. When Lionel Ferbos died, we second lined five or so blocks, and when the hearse took a right, the band took left, went around the neutral ground, and danced the five or so blocks back toward the church. For Lionel Batiste, there was a pre-second line—one that involved bands, parading, and dancing. Everything a second line needs but the body, which was scheduled for something smaller a day or two later. If the tradition isn’t what it once was, it’s not Arcade Fire, Preservation Hall or David Bowie’s fault.
I understand the anxiety when it’s not clear if traditions are finding new expressions or are being bastardized, but I wish the message was more You’re playing with forces you don’t understand and less Hey you kids! Get off my lawn! The scolding often sounds more like one about taste than culture, the fear being that the honoree doesn’t make “real” music and the people honoring them don’t get it. It’s a fear that something that was once a part of a true-believing New Orleanian’s lifestyle—along with ‘OZ listening and SAPC-following—could be done by anyone, even someone who’s never heard of Snooks Eaglin or Eddie Bo.
The awkward irony is that for many New Orleanians, Eddie Bo, Bo Dollis, and Benny Spellman are like countries in Eastern Europe or West Africa—names they heard when they were half-listening, know are important, but can’t locate on a map. As much as Threadheads and fans of New Orleans music scorn the Acura Stage, that’s the stage a lot of New Orleanians love for good reason. If you’re in another city, you can see Springsteen or Elton John or The Who there; if you’re in New Orleans, their appearances on the Acura Stage are your chances to see them. And popular music is popular here just like everywhere else. There’s a reason why New Orleans biggest stars play clubs and theaters while national touring acts start in theaters and scale up to arenas.
For those people, a second line for David Bowie likely meant more than any of the ones for the city’s musical heroes. Their deaths are like the deaths of foreign dignitaries in that something just changed but it’s not clear what or why it matters. The loss is abstract. Bowie dies and they know why they feel sad. The Bowie second line gave them an opportunity to participate in a classic New Orleans ritual when they felt connected and weren’t simply completing a Civics extra credit assignment.
Not surprisingly, the crowd in the French Quarter Saturday wasn’t just hipsters, tourists and "carpetbaggers"—one word in the cultural conversation vocabulary I’d love to see retired since it’s always shorthand for Nothing you say matters. Bowie meant enough to some parents near me that they brought their kids to see the second line. Obviously, Arcade Fire’s fame helped boost the size of the crowd, but as per the instructions, there were a lot Bowies in the streets. A lot of Aladdin Sane face paints, and a surprising number of Labyrinth Goblin Kings. I liked a Lazarus, and only noticed when I was editing my video of the second line that a Thin White Duke emerged from the crowd to vogue her way out of the frame. Despite any anxiety that the crowd represented a commodified New Orleans, the scene reminded a few friends who would know of the ’70s when the French Quarter was gayer, freakier, funkier and less genteel.
I found a good vantage point to shoot the second line (Thanks Jeffrey Dupuis!), and was surprised at how moving I found the sea of people who followed the band. I shot video for five minutes and planned to shoot until everybody passed to give viewers an idea of how many people were there, but things slowed down and a DJ at One Eyed Jacks played “Fame.” It soon became clear that some people weren’t going to leave that block of Toulouse for the next few hours, and the end of the second line might never pass. (Photographer Erika Goldring captured the size of the crowd in her photos for AXS.
When the band passed, it was playing “Heroes,” with Arcade Fire’s Win Butler singing inaudibly through a small bullhorn while Regine Chassagne played a keytar that wasn’t obviously plugged in. I wasn’t sure they brought anything but the idea and star power to the party at first, but once the group has passed, you can hear a bass line played more evenly than I expect from a sousaphone, so maybe Chassagne contributed more than we could easily see. After the second line, Butler took over the DJ job on the One Eyed Jacks balcony.
In case there was any cynicism about his motivation, days before the second line was announced, Butler told Rolling Stone:
David Bowie was one of the band's earliest supporters and champions," the group said. "He not only created the world that made it possible for our band to exist, he welcomed us into it with grace and warmth. We will take to the grave the moments we shared; talking, playing music and collaborating as some of the most profound and memorable moments of our lives. A true artist even in his passing, the world is more bright and mysterious because of him, and we will continue to shout prayers into the atmosphere he created.
I’m glad people question and contest steps as culture-based traditions take on new forms. I wish it didn’t come so often with a side of condescension, but the constant conversation keeps any change in traditions from happening too easily or too thoughtlessly. These kinds of conversations make potential slippery slopes less slippery. My one disappointment is that Bowie’s death and the second line made the untimely passing of Jimmy Glickman of New Orleans Music Exchange page two news. Glickman’s willingness to work with musicians made it possible for a lot of people get into music, whether for a hobby or a career. As I was typing this, musician Jesse Hall wrote on Facebook:
No offense to David Bowie -- I love Bowie -- but if you're gonna have a second line in New Orleans for him (featuring Arcade Fire, cos you can't write the history of American music without them), you sure better have one for Jimmy Glickman. That guy did as much for working New Orleans musicians as anyone. He went out of his way to support everybody any way he could. I remember once he didn't have exactly the drumhead I wanted so he LOANED me one until he got the other one in ... If you want to honor an important figure in NOLA music, someone who helped keep the music alive, remember Jimmy.
In a just world, he gets some of the love Bowie got Saturday, but that’s the difference between being a multi-platinum selling artist whose career affect millions and, well, everybody. And maybe that’s why the Bowie second line didn’t seem so wrong. Last year, B.B. King and Ornette Coleman died, and the year before that Pete Seeger did, and none of them got second lines. Maybe they should have, but I think in this case has a lot more to do with not only Bowie’s popularity but the specific nature of his art. The guy who could tell people they could be heroes without losing an undercurrent of melancholy or making the thought mawkish was special. That he said it in a way that made millions believe him is all the more impressive.
Your Spilt Milk
I'm a native and was feeling depressed about the loss of Bowie all week. This was a great outlet for me and lots of other people who feel the same. It gave fans of the man away to memorialize a hero who transcended cities and states. Some people may feel a culture plundering or whatever you want to call it, but they got it right. No one died or got shot that I know of. The crowd was in great spirits! It's definitely sad that Jimmy's passing played second fiddle but the people who knew him are mourning him properly and will never forget what he did on a local level to help musicians. RIP JIMMY GLICKMAN, DAVID BOWIE, MIC GILLETTE, ALAN RICKMAN & all the others whose passing got pushed back for a minute.
Clarence Reid, aka Blowfly as well.
And later this afternoon, Glenn Frey.
And later this afternoon, Glenn Frey.
I'm a native and was feeling depressed about the loss of Bowie all week. This was a great outlet for me and lots of other people who feel the same. It gave fans of the man away to memorialize a hero who transcended cities and states. Some people may feel a culture plundering or whatever you want to call it, but they got it right. No one died or got shot that I know of. The crowd was in great spirits! It's definitely sad that Jimmy's passing played second fiddle but the people who knew him are mourning him properly and will never forget what he did on a local level to help musicians. RIP JIMMY GLICKMAN, DAVID BOWIE, MIC GILLETTE, ALAN RICKMAN & all the others whose passing got pushed back for a minute.
"arcade fire"
well done. This was my roller coaster of emotions too; at first, I rolled my eyes a little bit (or maybe it's better to say that I chuckled condescendingly to myself while reading- I'm not proud of it) at the new New Orleanians' co-opting of the tradition. But like you, I thought of the many versions of second lining that I have seen and how the good ones are where real emotion is involved, either through family ties, tribal affiliation or simply to show respect to a leader in the community (or all 3). I gather that for the (famous-ish) organizers, the last 2 were in play: they were of the same actual tribe as Bowie, having played with him and truly believed him a mentor. For me, it was respect and also an awareness of how a certain section of New Orleans (yes the white part) would celebrate this man's life in our public space, with their attire, makeup and signs. As we know, they did not disappoint. The love and admiration for Bowie flowed through the crowd before, during and after. The impromptu sing alongs and dances were constant and clearly deeply felt by people who love their music openly and without irony. That to me is why I am still proud of my attendance: it was a real mourning and send off and a celebration all on a beautiful French Quarter day. And totally appropriate.
The continued issue with the events of last Saturday lay largely in the language of this article. There was a parade for Bowie, NOT a second line. Second lines are an expressly black tradition sponsored by SAPC's. No SAPC was involved in Saturday's event. David Bowie was incredible in many ways yet he did nothing for the city of New Orleans unlike say Tootie Montana whose day of recognition on January 6th, coupled with a ceremony that was open to the public, was attended by less than 40 people. Yet thousands came out Saturday to support Arcade Fire's attempt to appropriate New Orleans' culture for the benefit of their own celebrity....shameful.
Yes, we bow down to crass commercialism, bring on the Mardi Gras beads from China. Nothing is sacred, not even death, mourning, music, culture, art.
How did Arcade Fire appropriate New Orleans' culture? You said it was a parade, not a second line. Are parades really only indigenous to New Orleans? Does mistakenly calling it a second line somehow appropriate New Orleans culture...even though as Alex points out, few second lines actually follow the tradition? Are you really just mad about words?
They appropriated it by calling it something it was not, therefore using an expressly black, New Orleans tradition to bill an event. And then they changed the name, so maybe they recognized their error(retraction due to mistake or due to regret-you decide). Parades are not only indigenous to New Orleans however, second
lines are. And those second lines following tradition are the second lines sponsored by SAPCs. SAPCs which were formed in direct response to slavery. The author of this article could've taken more time to understand the cultural implications of second lines in New Orleans.
You just keep calling 'shar-truh' 'CHAR-ters' and talking about appropriating someone else's cultural artifacts, arrite babe? New Orleans used to be about acceptance, not taking itself too seriously, and any excuse to have a party (check with Danny Barker on that in case you got a problem with my 'laissez les bond temps rollez' heresy). So, they had a parade and a lot of people came and had a good time. Sounds like they're doing it right, move along, nothing to scoff at here.
-yes, I was raised here
Let me guess, you're Caucasian, right?
Good point! I am an English Montrealer and am damned proud of Arcade Fire's immense popularity both here in Quebec, the rest of Canada, the US and elsewhere. So you are saying that only Americans have the right to organize
a memorial in Nawlins or that a brilliant Brit has no right being recognized? How many Americans plunked down good money to buy Fire or Bowie music? Should this practise be banned, does anyone think?
It think it's worth noting, in terms of the size of the second line turnout, that we are ramping up to our full Mardi Gras crescendo. No doubt everyone that came out loved Bowie as a musician and all around artist, his passion for costumes and fashion combined just speak to all of us in New Orleans as we make last minute costume changes and prepare to take to the streets in celebration as a city. In short, we were primed to dress up and celebrate, the timing was right for a a massive turnout.
Personally, I don't see this as much of an issue - out of town wedding parties, that never heard of second lines have second lines for goodness sakes...I think it would be more of a problem if these "other" second lines or cultural steals actually infringed on the indigenous culture or altered it in a negative way. I tend to think these "fake" second lines, actually open people up to learning more about the "real" second lines and the culture they are part of, and so inadvertently help to keep the traditional culture alive. JMO
Congratulations! You get it. Hopefully, some of the angry folks will pick up on what you already understand.
Nice piece and thanks. I'll add that your mentioning that "Threadhead's and fans of New Orleans music scorn the Acura stage" is not entirely accurate because I, like many others who are both of these things plus born and raised here, can't be that easily put in a box. There are many varying opinions within these groups and I for one agree with you that Acura offers an opportunity for locals to see acts that in the past (and often still) pass us by on their tours. Since Voodoo Fest has now decided that they have no interest in a diverse demographic attending their event, Jazz Fest is now unrivaled locally in offering the full package to a wide variety of music interests...
Will you just run for mayor already? You'd win in a landslide.
I am Canadian and i LOVED your Jazz Fest in the late 1990s. Kudos and thanks to all for making my group of writers feel so welcome. What a great city you reside in!
"(featuring Arcade Fire, cos you can't write the history of American music without them)"
This HAS to be sarcasm.
My assumption as well.
More than parade than Second Line, I think, and more street party than parade once it reached critical mass and could no longer move. But fine by me. I think Bowie, the great costumer and identity morpher represented something that runs through the blood of New Orleans. I do have to say: If there is a Glenn Frey Second Line, I'm leaving.
Ha! I'll be right behind you!
Bowie, like New Orleans, was always masked, always musical, always reinventing himself. I get the connection and dig it even if the Parade bogged into a Street Party. Now if they hold a "Second Line" for Glen Frey, I'm leaving.
What does it matter whether it's called a second line, a parade, a wake, or a party? It was a gathering of folks who wanted to celebrate - some Bowie, some themselves, some New Orleans, and just maybe life as it's meant to be lived. Patrick makes a great point about being primed for Mardi Gras (where were you when Bowie died?) and dnola, too, about our shared love for costumes and makeup. And of course, real genuine emotion. Jimmy Glickman was a dear soul and I am certain the New Orleansphere (hey, I think I just coined a new word :) is flowing with love for him. What is the point about being proprietary about a second line? Since when do New Orleanians tell other people how to celebrate or not celebrate? We SHOW them. Share the love. RIP Bowie, Tootie, Jimmy, Glenn, Snooks Eaglin. (But not Eddie Bo. I knew him well and he was one messed up motherfucker. I hope that one has a seriously agitated afterlife.)
I like "New Orleansphere" too & will do my part to get it into the world!
What does it matter? I think that's an easier question to ask if you're not part of a race that has had so much taken from it in America. I understand attaching more importance to the words than others do. Because "second line" has become the phrase generally used to describe this sort of activity--and because nobody would mistake Saturday's event for a more conventional second line--I don't feel terrible about using it, but I'll be more careful about the phrase in the future. (Not scolding, just thinking this thought through & trying to appreciate where Christin is coming from).
Thank you, Alex Rawls. And also to the commentator who touched on the wedding second lines in the French Quarter and elsewhere, which I find appallingly tacky and embarrassing. I cringe for the participants and the planners whenever I see one. About 30 years ago, I happened upon a second line for Miles Davis, who was, as David Bowie was, not from here. It was grand...my visiting Northern father found his groove and was embraced by the group as someone who understood and loved Miles Davis, and that was all that was required of him. I believe all this stink about second line vs. parade is such a waste of time. The memorial for Bowie was a send off, a mourning and a celebration. Who gives a flying fuck what it was called? And who cares if the crowd was mostly white? It's not like there were race police on the corners, everyone was welcomed. Miles Davis second line crowd was mostly African Americans. No one took offence at that or even mentioned it. And why should they? I felt welcomed and embraced at the Miles Davis second line, as I have been by the culture of this city for the last 35 years. As for "appropriating" a traditionally African American ritual, which wasn't done, by the way, I would be far more offended by a wedding attended by out of towers for an out of town couple between the wedding chapel and their hotel. Who cares what the Bowie thing turned out to be as opposed to how it was conceived? I found the megaphones in the hands of Winn Butler, et. al. to be rather stupid, not to mention producing terrible sound quality. The look in his eye in the photos tell me he thought it was a bad idea, too. Didn't work as planned, the crowd was too big, lots of tourists caught up in it. But it was important, and loving, and respectful. Like Miles Davis, David Bowie was a pioneer, and he deserves a good send off. And as far as "appropriating" African American Culture, when you dance to Little Richard, are you supposed to be ashamed? Traditional New Orleans Second Lines are, happily, not in any danger of disappearing.
By the way, I think we should all not forget Allen Toussaint. I don't believe I've heard his name discussed at all, except that his birthday was January 14. Allen Toussaint Day in NOLA, right? Oh yeah....
When you can snatch the pebble of connectivity between transgressivity, artistic originality, costumed and general self-(re) invention, and New Orleans, you may cast it at whomever you please, Grasshopper.
Let be clear, jazz funerals and secondlines are two different things!
It's unfortunate that something so beautiful has garnered negative responses. Whether it's called a second line, a parade or a tribute, New Orleans' sendoff honoring the iconic musician was a celebration of everything David Bowie. and his many incarnations. The Big Easy is a city that has music running through its veins, the very essence of its being. The city and its people, and the many who visit, embrace all genres, from traditional to unique, from societal "norms" to the excessively weird, and everything in between. I can think of no other city in the world that could have, or should have, embraced this tribute event other than the melting pot of a city celebrated worldwide for its culture. In New Orleans, we don't mourn losses so much as celebrate lives well lived. So forget the labels of what this event was called. Just accept it for what it was--an acknowledgement of a beautiful spirit and visionary who taught us that it's okay to be who we are, how we are. Just to be. That is what the multitude celebrated. And they did a damn fine job of doing so.
Pages
Add new comment