Ghosts of Good Times: Louisiana Dance Halls Past & Present
Event Date:November 8th, 2016
Lafayette Public Library
301 Congress Street
Lafayette, LA
Join photographer Philip Gould and author Herman Fuselier for a discussion of their new book "Ghosts of Good Times: Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present" at Bayou State Book Talks Tuesday, Nov. 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Lafayette Public Library.
"Ghosts of Good Times: South Louisiana Dance Halls Past and Present" examines a world of Cajun dance halls, Zydeco clubs, Chitlin’ Circuit R&B night clubs, Swamp-Pop Honkytonks and other venues that at one time were prevalent throughout the region. Photographs by Gould blend architectural imagery of buildings still standing with historic photographs of the clubs that he took in their heyday. Fuselier and other writers provide a rich selection of historic accounts and essays about their personal experiences in the clubs.
The book also examines the dance hall scene today and how the venues have changed. The music following remains strong and people still come to dance. The surviving old dance halls and newer venues are still in full swing. Old or new, they are icons, a proud south Louisiana legacy of Good Times.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing. Bayou State Book Talks is sponsored by the Center for Louisiana Studies and the Lafayette Public Library System, and is co-hosted by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press. This event is free and open to the public.
