Danny Barker - My Indian Red

There are really only two hip cities in the U.S. That would be New York and New Orleans.

Yup, I said it. NYC and NO have their own crazy energy. New York has a history of wild innovation in whatever arts appeal to you; New Orleans was the multicultural center of the universe and the birthplace of Jazz and the Blues. They're unique, and alone at the top.

San Francisco might have a claim to fame. It had the cosmopolitan thing early on, okay, but it's a tiny place with limited appeal and very few artistic credentials. Chicago is okay if you like steak, and they have the blues thing, but unless you are a big fan of gangster history or the wind, Chicago is nowhere. Kansas City was a wild-ass music scene that we're all thankful for, although almost no one knows that that is true in any meaningful way. So . . . no. I'm going with New York and New Orleans.

And the rest of y'all honorable mentions out there? Atlanta? Wannabe city of all time? Maybe next time! Keep trying, you know it's worth the effort. Show us something! Go for it! God knows we could all use something to bring us up.