If you’ve never been to Preservation Hall in New Orleans, you should go. The venue is about the size of two living rooms. Half of it holds the band and seating, which consists of cushions on the floor plus a few benches. [I was lucky enough to get a seat on a bench when I visited.] The other half is standing room only, with people crowded in like sardines. There are no microphones, no amps, no speakers. The time I went, before the band started playing, the employee who had taken our entrance fee came in to announce, “Everybody, turn off your phones. Put your phones away. Put your cameras away. For the next hour, it’s going to be a roomful of people enjoying great music.” The music is so close and immediate. Nowadays, it’s a rare experience.