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Written by Carolina Gallup Thursday, 05 November 2009 08:06
Music Notes
NEW ORLEANS | The Voodoo experience was just that, an experience. Steve Rehage did a great job as usual hosting this incredible event in the Crescent City. City Park, with its majestic oak trees and beautiful ponds, is the perfect location for such an event. I must say that I like the location better than the Fair Grounds.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the Fairground and love that Jazz Fest is hosted there, but there is something that is just perfect at City Park. Maybe it’s the fact that I normally park around the City Park area when going to Jazz Fest and it was more convenient for me to park and walk to Voodoo.
I have been going to Voodoo for many years and I remember that it was a very young festival. I would always hear people say “It’s a kids festival” and I am like, “well, I guess that makes me a kid because I am going and will continue to go for as long as I can walk and dance and enjoy life. No strings attached.” I never felt out of place because I was older then the young people that were attending the festival. I felt that the music connected us all in some way or another and that we were all there to do the same thing. Enjoy all that Voodoo had to offer. Let go, dance and be merry.
As I looked around over the years, I noticed that a lot of those same young people are now 8 and 10 years older. They have caught up to me and although it is still a very young festival I saw a lot more adults out this year. Maybe it was Kiss.
The music lineup is getting a little more mature and there are a lot of local acts performing now. I remember when the local musicians would complain about Voodoo not hiring local artists. With time and patience the local artist got to perform and take their place at the Voodoo stage, thus making a mark on a whole lot of new fans. I know that Trombone Shorty has a very cool, hip, young following, but I am sure a lot of those young folks that were at the festival this year got a great treat because Voodoo introduced them to the band.
I mention Trombone Shorty because they are one of my favorite bands and I never miss any of their shows when they perform in town. I give them all of my support. The Rebirth Brass Band is another one of those bands that attracts a really cool, hip crowd. When these guys play you cannot stop dancing. They have an eclectic group of fans. Old, young, black and white. You get the point!
There were so many bands playing that it would take up too much time from your day having me list them all. Click here to see who performed for those three days and get yourself ready to party next year. Tickets were not cheap, but they were certainly worth it. I received an email from the Voodoo Music Experience five months before the event, offering three-day passes for $103. I sent it out to my list and can you believe that at the last minute people were emailing asking me if the deal was still going on. People, when you see a good deal jump on it. Figure it out. Tickets at showtime were $75 per day versus $103 for all three days if you bought early. There you go. You figured it out. Sign up and get on the Voodoo mailing list. You just may score some good deals and get updates.
Halloween weekend was one that I will never forget this year. Although I missed a lot of events happening around town that weekend because I was at the festival I don’t regret it. This was one of the best one’s so far and I have had some great ones.
On Saturday, October 31 I ran around trying to listen to all the bands. Heard Mutemath, Gogol Bordello, Jane’s Addiction, Irving Mayfield, Big Sam, Mas Mamones, Walter Wolfman Washington, The New Orleans Bingo Show, George Clinton & a few other bands. Although the sounds were great, I had to leave George to head home and clean up for my Halloween parties. It was a great day overall.
That Sunday, November 1, was also Dias De Los Muertes aka Day of the Dead. The U.S. Mint in the French Quarter has a Day of The Dead exhibit going on now. You will be able to learn what the whole thing is all about. Go on the U.S. Mint website for more info. That day on my way out of my front door I ran in to Margarita Bergen who was dressed in her DOD outfit, skeleton hat, gloves, stockings, etc. She looked lovely. I asked her where she was going so early (11:00a.m.) and she said that she was attending a Day of the Dead parade. I had forgotten that it was DOD because I was so taken by the excitement of the Voodoo Fest. I couldn’t wait to jump in my car and head down Esplanade with its rows of beautiful trees and houses and in to the festival grounds. As I drove I looked around to see if anyone was in costume. There were people here and there dressed but not many. (I was) Once I walked in (dragged in) to the festival however, it was very clear to me that this was going to be Halloween Part 2 at Voodoo.
What a great time and how appropriate to host the festival this time of the year. I know that a lot of local businesses got upset when they found out that Voodoo was being held on Halloween weekend and thought that it would interfere with their business. On the contrary. There were people everywhere that Saturday night and I am sure that those naysayers are very quiet and happy to have had Rehage bring his festival to the city this time of the year. Frenchmen Street was so packed that one could not walk down the street. I live in the neighborhood and was heading to a party after the festival and let me just say that it took a long time to get from Frenchmen street to Royal. There were people all over the French Quarter as far as they eyes could see. This was the most crowded Halloween weekend I have ever seen and I have been here for 13 years. Way to go New Orleans!!!
I don’t even know how I made it up to go out to the festival that Sunday after a night of mayhem. The weather was beautiful. The sun was shining bright and all I could do is pray that the grounds were not as soaked as they were on Saturday when the rains came down and wrecked havoc on those of us that did not bring umbrellas or a garbage bag to put on us. Oh, wait! I did bring an umbrella but was told to leave it at the gate. That really didn’t make sense to me because the forecast called for rain. I told the lady at the gate that rain was coming and she just smirked. I don’t think that when the festival producers said “No Umbrellas” they meant rain umbrellas. Hope not anyways. And what was up with the bag searches? I mean I understand making sure people are not bringing in drinks and weapons, but these folks were almost performing strip searches out there. I could understand the airports doing it, but festivals!!!! At one point they made a woman empty out her bag and a tampon came flying out. It was obvious that if they felt or looked in the bag there were no drinks, umbrellas or weapons. How embarrassing! So ladies, make sure you pack lightly for next year and keep your "F" products on your person or, put them in a little makeup bag. Oh, and please don’t let me mention the Press Line!!!! I don’t want to go there!!!!!!
Enough about that! As I walked in to the festival I came upon a large cage that was lined with fabric on one side along the bars. There was a white rug on the floor, a mirror and beautiful young lady standing in front of it putting on her makeup. She was dressing for the evening it seemed like. It was a little freaky to think of being locked in a cage like that on such a beautiful day or any day for that matter. The cruelty of it all! I wonder if beautiful things should be kept locked away in cages. Did she know now how birds feel in cages? I didn’t understand what the installation was all about. It was a KK Project. Did it mean that we are caged in our thought of beauty or that within us there is a cage because we are so engrossed in how we look? What is beauty?
These installations were all over the festival ground and everyone one of them very different from each other. There were huge floating balls with lights in them that seem to have no attachment. As if there were hovering over the grounds wanting to float away but not being able to because the music was keeping them there. There were not quite in front of the Voodoo stage, but to the side. I spent a lot of time in that area dancing to Electronic and House music among the lit up balls. Art and music is always a good combination. They go together like rice and beans, rum and cokes. You get the point!
Once I left the cage I walked over to the WWOZ stage and heard Shooter Jennings. For some reason the OZ stage and the Preservation Hall Tent were always my first stops. No matter who was playing anywhere else. When I got to Pres Tent BeauSoleil was on stage. I was having such a good time at the tent that I totally forgot to go see my girl Trixie’s Fleur de Tease at the Bingo! Parlour. I did catch Squirrel Nut Zippers on said tent however. Walked over to Playstation stage and caught The Flaming Lips on stage rocking out and then walked back to OZ to catch Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. The band never ceases to amaze me. Troy “Trombone Shorty” aka Troy Andrews was blowing his lungs out. I mean how does this young man hold so much air in his lungs. He’s almost superhuman blowing his horn without stopping at times for what seems to be an eternity. The audience eats it up. He hypnotizes them. They are taken by the shear excitement of watching the band work in sync with one another. What a great team!!!
All that dancing got me hungry and let me just say that anyone that starved themselves out there must have been crazy or blind and I don’t mean this as an insult to the mentally challenged or blind folks, I merely mean that if you could not see or smell the food out there something was not right and that a medical intervention would be needed in the future. The food was amazing. I ate at this one food station called Road Kill. OMG!!!! Hot, steamy delicious meats and veggies wrapped in a tortilla. Delicious!! I ate the same thing last year and could not wait to get out there to sample these people’s food again. I didn’t get sick last year at the fest and I didn’t get sick this year either. I got deadly ill at the Jazz Festival this past year and thought that I would have to go to the Emergency Room. That’s how bad it was. Once you get food poisoning the way I had it, you never want to eat anyone’s food. I am a home cook and try to limit eating out as much as possible. But, Road Kill just did it for me. We need to be vigilant about what we put in our mouths/stomachs and my belief is that if it’s not steaming hot, don’t eat it. Food poisoning kills. There were many, many food vendors out there as well as craft vendors and I want to thank them all for what they do. These guys travel with festivals all over the country. It was unbelievable. I cannot wait for Voodoo 2010!!!!!
Oh, did I mention that I was running around on Sunday with a broken toe. Yes, I broke my toe on Saturday, but I was having such a good time that I didn’t feel it till Sunday morning when I got out of bed. Wow! Having a good time can really numb your pain. I must have cursed or something. There is a new study out saying that if one says the “F” word when you get hurt the pain diminishes. Seriously!!!
Left the festival after listening to a little bit of Rebirth. Tried sticking around for Lenny Kravitz but at this point my toe could not take it anymore. I should have said the “F” word a few times to make the pain go away, but apparently it only works when you first injure yourself. I got to rest my foot at the Three Ring Circus tent located at the Pres Hall area before heading out and I want to thank the ladies for extending their hospitality to me and my guest and who as always had great art hanging in their tent. Check them out next year at Voodoo 2010 and at their Gallery located on Clio Street in the CBD. Ben Jaffe and his staff did a great job at hosting their VIP guest backstage as well. Thanks to the WWOZ for their VIP tent as well, although the dude at the gate was rude. Didn’t this dude realize that we paid $$$ to get OZ passes? Let’s hope they can work that one out for next year.
Thanks to the Voodoo Fest for letting us “Worship the Music” and for their LOA VIP area. Loved sitting near the pond back there. They had chairs set up along the water. Lovely!!
Now. Turkey anyone?
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