Back from Five Days at Jazz Fest...

See, I do listen to live music. I also downloaded to my iPod some of the acts I particularly enjoyed so I can re-experience jazz fest at the time and place of my choosing.

The Fest really stepped it up this year in terms of integrating the live show with technology. The website featured a running headines leading up to the Fest (headlines during the Fest would have been an interesting idea as well).

There was also a new "live recordings" tent, where one could immediately purchase recordings of particularly compelling shows immediately after they finished. Or, much like at a conference, you could attend one of the 10 or so acts going on at a given time and buy the recording of another. In fact, if you want to purchase the recording of Steely Dan's set (which I highly recommend), you still can at the site.

And I was highly amused (and somewhat alarmed) by the webcam at the Fais Do Do stage (for the uninitiated, that's the stage featuring Cajun / Zydeco / Louisiana style music). Considering some of the shenanigans going on at the Fais Do Do stage, I'm not sure it should have been broadcast.

The point is, you didn't even have to physically be there to enjoy the wonder that is Jazz Fest. And considering the rain and mud on Friday (6 inches in two hours) as well as the hordes of really drunk and sunburned people, there may have been some advantages to not being there.

The only problem is that they still haven't figured out how to deliver virtual Spinach and Artichoke Casserole or Bread Pudding. Once they've figured that out, I will forever experience Jazz Fest from the safety of my couch.