This is the not the Bourbon Street late-night revelers will remember.
Photographer Kathy Moore and I worked late last night and wound up on Bourbon Street around 10:20 p.m. looking for dinner. Our only option was a slice of pizza from a little daiquiri bar that seemed bigger on drink specials than food selection. I wasn’t surprised all the restaurants were closed. The crippling labor shortage is felt every night as normally nocturnal restaurants begin closing around 8 p.m.
But Bourbon Street was dead, even less rowdy than Christmas night.
Sure there was some light-weight drunken revelry, and the sign of a passed out 20-something propped up on a payphone should give hope to partiers planning a visit to the Big Easy.
But the mounted police looked bored, as did the clusters of tough-looking police officers with little to do except chat, laugh and talk on cellular phones.
Perhaps the most eerie sight was all the National Guard members patrolling the streets in camouflage clothing, walking slowly passed music clubs and bars, keeping over-partied revelers off the payphones.

Video of Jazz bands

Soon after midnight, jazz bands like Ryan Burrage and His Rhythmakers finished up as many of the revelers had already gone home.
“We’ll see you tomorrow night,” banjo player Barry Foulon said to the final six people left in Fritzel’s European Jazz Bar.
Outside Fritzel’s, a few final revelers made their way home, past an Army Humvee parked across from a glittery, neon strip club.

Video of Highway 46