I had a super fun day “Cavortin’ in Davenport” today. What a cool little Mississippi River town! I’ve never been through here when it wasn’t 100 degrees (and super humid) or 10 below zero (with snow on the ground). Today was the perfect fall day, cool breezes and a light rain—I loved it! I went downtown and checked out the Bix Beiderbecke museum, which was neat (I especially loved Eddie Condon’s mandolin with the secret compartment to hold booze). I stumbled across some rich guy’s car museum secret place on a side street with some pretty mind-blowing cars and motorcycles viewed through the window. I walked down on the riverfront where they had a spectacular old music pavilion from 1905, along with a Ferris wheel and merry-go-round. Some serious turn-of-the-century 1900 vibes going on! It made me sad that the music pavilion seemed to be abandoned, I miss the days when people got out and about. Then I walked around and checked out several of the amazing old buildings downtown, including the Masonic Temple where Johnny Cash played in 1963. I went to a great bookshop and found a bunch of EC Comics reprints. I then drove to see the Col Ballroom, a really spectacular old ballroom (sadly now closed) where everybody from Bix Beiderbecke to the Trashmen played over the years. I went up the hill to the Putnam Museum, where they had Bix’s personal 1927 Vincent Bach Stradivarius model Bb cornet, as well as a neat Egyptian display with original artifacts, including a real mummy and sarcophagus. Then I drove across town to see Bix’s grave. Museums, book stores, abandoned places and graveyards—that’s where it’s at, man, pure heaven. Waiting on Joe Shaffer and Doc Zoc to show up at the hotel so we can rehearse for tomorrow’s show at the Iron Invasion. I hope you all will come out if you’re within driving distance!
