VooDoo Festival, part 2 of 2

VooDoo Fest., Saturday 10/25/08

And so began day two of the finest Music festival in New Orleans, just behind Jazz Fest of course. My first show was a burlesque revue with a modern twist, our local variety showcase of Fleur De Tease. The Bingo tent audience was soon seduced by the song and dance numbers of the cast. Artistic director and performer Trixie Minx brought a classic and sexy appeal with a bath time themed program, while other numbers included poker themes, space girls and a balloon tease. All of this had the crowd applauding at every shake and twist. Many attendees were busy seeing New Orleans hip hop star Lil' Wayne perform on the Voodoo Stage, clearing out a lot of room around the other stages. The Reverend Horton Heat was a favorite among the crowd, playing the Southern Comfort stage and hammering out psychobilly classics such as Indigo Friends, Calling in Twisted, and Martini Time. He also covered Black Sabbath's Paranoid as Jimbo jumped onto the upright bass and brought down the house.

Back in the land of NOD, I watched a performance by Detroit's Industrial Rock Group CyberTrybe. Founded in 1995 as a studio project, Cybertrybe has won awards in the Detroit music scene going from a two man midi show to a full out band. The sounds that roared from the p.a. were similar in context to their influences, Nine Inch Nails and Ministry, but offered more of a singer/song writer structure instead of an industrial/ metal angst. This dynamic was made all the more relevant with the female vocalist Angela. The Trybe drew a large circle of spectators who gathered to head bang and loose themselves to the music.
Headliners on the NooMoon stage were the legendary Fishbone
Angelo and company who brought their skank fusion (Sly Stone meets Led Zeppelin) to the biggest crowd of the L.O.D. stage this year. Band members were happy to see the New Orleans crowd and even jumped off stage and into the party.



Sunday 10/26/08

The sun shined down once again on the final day of Voodoo Fest. Though feeling the strains of the trips back and forth over a long weekend, exhaustion was dismissed when I walked into the world of Noomoon. Once again, greeted by dancers, people camped out watching their favorite bands and a carnival like entourage, dressed in costumes ranging from pirates to dominatrix to wicked circus acts. The bizarre parade wrapped through the stages and disappeared before I could even contemplate my surroundings; a Hunter S. Thompson vision of some sort. I staggered to the stage as the roar of fuzz distortion rang from amplifiers. New Orleans' own Hands Of Nero showed signs of Stoner Rock, with a 3 guitar attack and metal grooves. The rugged rhythms and melodic vocals carried well with the crowd. Their influences seeped through now and again but this band didn't chase any one particular sound, and the moods of the music could change within a minute. This kept this act an exciting one to watch, and the on stage banter and head banging also set the par for a rock band who knew how to get things done. Balls out and no apologies, it was a refreshing change of pace from some of Saturday's main stage acts. Mars Volta, a previous act who desperately forced a Zeppelin like sound with a punk rock swagger, reached an end result that was transparent. Instead of being music messiahs, they were self indulgent and just faced each other, building their egos the entire set.



The Recognition, from Birmingham, Alabama, started out in a basement
in 2006. Now, playing shows across the country and securing a slot at this year's Voodoo Fest, these four lads brought their brand of southern post punk noise to New Orleans. The music had the hooks synched in from chugging harmonies, reminiscent of bands like Operation Ivy. But it offered something of a larger spectrum; guitar solos, break downs and progressive drum beats rounded out this band. Their presence could get the crowd in a circle pit, but also capture the fusions of new wave and garage rock from the 60's.

Next up was Detroit's Sista Otis. With her debut in 2004, she frequented New Orleans within the past winter playing often at Apple Barrel and Café Negril. Sista Otis really brought her brand of soul to Voodoo Fest this year. She had a combination of sounds including acoustic, street folk, and gospel. Her passion projected from the p.a. and brought many to the front of the stage as she performed her shout out to the 'Big Easy' with her song Southern Bell. Southern Bell is a testament of her love for Nola told over the course of a night bar hoping in the Quarter with friends.



Next on the smaller stage in the land of NOD was Manwitch. The all girl line up, which made there debut in Mardi Gras Parades rocking out rolling down St. Charles Ave, brought their power with full force. The stage show even featured a little girl playing tambourine, and stage dancers decked out in all black uniforms. Manwitch put on a great live show, and a few members even donned the attire for Halloween. Sue Ford kept the flying V guitar strumming as she belted out the set. The band members complimented each other on their ability to play strong as a unit. Next door in the Bingo tent, I was just in time to see the swamp tech noise abilities of New Orleans' Quintron joined on stage by maracas player & puppet master Miss Pussycat. Quintron got the Bingo tent dancing with his car front grill decked keyboard stand, drum loops & organ melodies. Mr. Q showed his showmanship abilities while wearing his one piece cobra suit as he shouted, "Chalmette in the house!" Quintron remains to be one of the underground's most important musicians and innovators. You never knew what to expect next. From AL, to Chicago, to New Orleans, Quintron had his CD release party this Halloween at One Eyed Jacks before heading back out on tour throughout the country.



Closing the night for me was a set from Why Are We Building Such A Big
Ship. With members from Hurray For The Riff Raff playing percussion,
upright bass, French horns and accordion, this was Waltz on speed, lovely ballads of nautical romance in full punk swing. This was also one of the highlights for me during this festival, the sound was perfectly mixed so that each instrument could be heard as well as the backing vocals. Couples danced by the side of the stage.



As the sun set on Fest-ville minds, we were treated to a fire
dance/theatrical dance from Sirena Serpentina; a fire dancing
women's showcase featuring themes of snake charming and angels and demons. I can not wait for next year as I loose myself into the void of NooMoon!

For more information please see the links below.

www.fleurdetease.com/
www.cybertrybe.com
www.myspace.com/handsofnero
www.myspace.com/therecognition
www.myspace.com/manwitch
www.myspace.com/mrquintron
www.myspace.com/whyarewebuildingsuchabigship
www.myspace.com/sistaotisandthewhollyrollers
www.sirenaserpentina.com
www.myspace.com/illusionfields
www.noomoonlandofnod.com

Article by: Ryan McKern for Neworleansmusicians.net

myspace. com/ryan_mckern

Photographs by: Alas Vera for Neworleansmusicians.net

myspace.com/veraellen1