When Steve Riley comes to the UK, you need to book your ticket asap as the gig invariably sells out quick. What a surprise, therefore, when on a trip to Lafayette in Louisiana, I see posters for a Steve Riley dance in Scott on a Sunday afternoon, at what turns out to be the equivalent of the village hall, for a cover of $5.

The place wasn't even half full. I then realised that although the band are icons in the UK, over here, they're just another cajun band.

But they still played as well as ever and we all had a great time. At one point I was staring at a familar looking couple on the dancefloor trying to work out where I'd seen them before. Then it dawned. It was Sheryl and Russel Cormier and they had been in the UK a couple of months previous playing the Gloucester CZ festival. I introduced myself and was immediately invited to theirs that evening for gumbo and a jam. Where else but cajun country would that happen?