Bayou X Two

1979 ad in Unicorn Times

With all the nostalgia between The Bayou documentary and the ongoing punk/funk exhibit at the Corcoran, there might be some confusion when I mention that King Soul is playing The Bayou this Saturday night. Same name, different clubs, different times.

I'm not sure how the first Bayou got its name, but I'm guessing it was the location- down by the river under the Whitehurst Freeway in Georgetown. As far as I remember, it was a roomy place for a small venue with a balconied second floor that was a great spot to watch bands and the melee below, but in later years, the mean roving bouncers wouldn't  let you stand up there. I think you had to sit at a table most of the time which was hard to do when a band was rocking or you couldn't find a seat. Some shows I remember having to wander around the whole time.

The new Bayou, just outside Georgetown on Pennsylvania Avenue, is clearly named for its New Orleans' style food and cocktails. It feels a lot smaller than the old Bayou, and it's just as funky, but the second floor is devoted to drinking and music. When the band comes on,  all the tables are moved for dancing. If you want to, you can still  retreat downstairs to the other bar for a drink or to have a bite, and no one will stop you. (The food is a bit pricey, but the oyster po'boy I had last time was top notch.) King Soul has more than its share of soul driven musicians who know what it means to miss NewOrleans, and last time they played here, the band took no prisoners when it came to filling that dance floor.