By Jordan Knight and Kate Medley
Twenty minutes of being home from New Orleans and already I miss every part of its eccentric beauty. Four days is never enough, heck a lifetime would never uncover all of its secrets. Tepid and exhausted and still trying to piece together just what happened over this extended Halloween weekend, I am writing you with half opened eyes and a glazed over smile.
As per usual, Kate and I are running a little behind. The debate raged about whether to drive to Nashville for the Wednesday night Bleachers with Wild Cub show, but knowing they would be at Voodoo, and knowing the Big Easy was wide awake and waiting, we headed south. 2 am in Mississippi is not a happening time, however the hotel was quiet and in the few moments I was awake in the room, I remember thinking the bed felt nice. Pulling into the city, picking up our credentials proved quick and painless and the last minute cheap hotel was in incredible condition and only 10 minutes from the festival. A quick sushi stop and it was time for a trip to the French Quarter for Moon Taxi with Bright Light Social Hour at House of Blues. BLSH has been on our radar for the last four years and this was the first chance we were getting to see them. They did not disappoint. Their vibrant indie rock filled the dance floor with eager fans. Then there was Moon Taxi. We absolutely love these guys. It doesn’t hurt that they played our festival in Knoxville in May 2014. Their entry sent the crowd into a frenzy, filling the already packed dance floor. For the next hour and a half, they brought the house down. Three notable covers surfaced, including, “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears during the middle of the set and the double cover encore, “The Imperial March” from “The Empire Strikes Back,” and show closer, “Know Your Enemy” by Rage Against the Machine. For the Encore, the guys reentered the room in full Star Wars gear dressed as Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo, Yoda and C3PO in a preview of the next night’s Halloween show at Track 29 in Chattanooga, TN.
Friday: Halloween and Voodoo Day 1
This year’s set up allowed for a sizeable decrease in bleed over in sound from the Ritual (Main Stage) and Le Plur (EDM Stage) by placing them at opposite ends of the park. This also allowed for a complete distinction in fans by dress and largely by age, though the 60+ year old people beside us at Skrillex defied all of our previous statements. The Flambeau stage was again mostly local and emerging artist and the Carnival stage was midlevel and seasoned bands. Another distinction of note was the porto potties. These were only in two locations, between the Ritual and Flambeau and beside the Le Plur. While this made for a little more walking, it completely eliminated lingering smells wafting over the crowd and allowed for the cleanest bathrooms at any festival we have attended. Other festivals should take a lesson from AEG/Live Nation. This is how to treat your patrons.
Now, let’s move on to the music.
Bleachers
We were so excited to see the new project of Jack Arnoff (also of FUN) and they did not disappoint. His humble energy all but forces you to like him. Joyfully he commented on the audiences costumes, pointing out several he thoroughly enjoyed, including a girl sitting on someone’s shoulders dressed in purple furry leggings and a bikini with purple panda ears. Jokingly Arnoff asked, “Are you a Furry? My Aunt Edna? My Aunt Edna’s costume looks great!” Following this, they played an amazing version of The Cranberries’ “Dreams.” Closing the set with “Better,” the first and quickly rising single off the band’s first release, “Strange Desire,” Bleachers left the fans screaming for more.
Twenty One Pilots
We just can’t get enough of this powerhouse duo. They are getting better every time we see them. The crowd grew substantially for this show, drawing a large group away from the LePlur stage, dancing and screaming every word. Once again, the guys crowd surfed out on platforms to play drums in the audience. The set, packed full of flips off of instruments, constant running and jumping and their signature ski mask, Twenty One Pilots showcased their undeniable showmanship and crowd control. Set favorites were “Car Radio’ and “Holding on to You.”
Outkast
Finishing out their 53 show tour and performing what could be their last festival show ever, Andre 3000 and Daddy Fat Sacks came ready to throw down. Opening with “Bombs Over Bagdad,” the twenty-five-song set launched the screaming audience into a formidable frenzy. Throughout the set Big Boy could be heard saying “D!ck or Treat” to all the costumed revelers. Mid set, both members took time to perform three songs a piece from their solo albums. After “She Lives in My Lap” and “Prototype,” Andre 3000 told the guys, “If you get home tonight and your lady don’t give you none, I tried. It’s a brotherhood and you’ve got to season that sh#t.”
Set List “B.O.B.,” “Gasoline Dreams,” “ATLiens,” “Skew It on the Bar-B,” “Rosa Parks,” “Da Art of Storytellin’, Part 1,” ”Aquemini,” “SpottieOttieDopaliscous,” “Ms. Jackson” (Big Boi solo) “Kryptonite (I’m on It),” “Ghetto Muzic,” “I like the Way You Move,” (Andre 3000 solo) “She Lives in My Lap,” “Prototype,” “Hey Ya!,” (OutKast)” Hootie Hoo,” “Crumblin Erb,” “Southerplayalisticadillacmuzic,” “Player’s Ball (Me and You),” “Roses,” “So Fresh, So Clean,” “Intl Players’ Anthem (I choose You),” “The Whole World.”
Saturday: Voodoo Day 2
Flow Tribe
Flow Tribe took the stage early on Saturday dressed in bright yellow shirts with red togas and took the audience by storm. Their moving picture video backdrop was visually enthralling. Our favorite song and video moment collided during a chant of “I ain’t never gonna give it up, hurt me, hurt me,” set to an alligator swimming along the bottom of a murky swamp. Another set favorite was a cover of “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by Smashing Pumpkins. This group is blowing up and now is the time to get in on the action.
Barcelona
Indie rockers Barcelona played midafternoon on the Flambeau stage to a small crowd. We were surprised to see a lack of bodies easing their way through the five o’clock hour. Their sound has a more harmony centered, Citizen Cope feel, with ultra-low bass rumbling so deep that we could feel our throats vibrating. Set favorite was “It’s about Time” from their album “Absolutes.”
Death From Above 1979
This was our highlight of the day. Though Kate and I were mostly unfamiliar with the duo, we were hooked by the loud (and we mean loud) heavy punk rock, electric bass and drums explosion that Sebastien Grainger and Jesse F. Keeler produce. Think The Black Keys, but heavier and much grungier. Though the two broke up in 2006, they reunited in 2011 and are currently touring behind their September 2014 release, “The Physical World.” Singer and drummer, Grainger joked, “A few years ago, if you had told me we’d be opening for Lauren Hill, I’d have slapped you in the face. Now I want to kiss you. I want to kiss Lauren Hill on the face, on her beautiful face.”
Lauren Hill (Worst Act of Voodoo)
No, we did not attend Lauren Hill. We had no desire to let antics get anywhere near our ear holes. However, due to her aforementioned neurotic behavior, she showed up 45 minutes late for her 75 minute set. During her fifth song, Voodoo elected to cut the PA due to infringement issues with the 30 Seconds to Mars set. Hill, to say the least, was unhappy. In an attempt at peace, Voodoo offered to let her continue her set at 10pm on the much smaller, and only available, Flambeau stage. This could have been an epic set for whatever remains of her dwindling fan base, but Hill is was not having it. Once again, she showed up 45 minutes late only to play for 35 minutes. This meant that her audience stood around waiting for her for an hour and a half in order to see an hour performance. These utterly ridiculous tirades are exactly why Lauren Hill should pack it in and go back to not recording new music. *Note: This is the first fully negative review we have given a performer. We much prefer to ignore the bad and highlight the good and great. However, the poor treatment of her fans and utterly appalling bad attitude, have led us here.
30 Seconds to Mars
Jared Leto is an amazing musician, writer and actor. His ability to control a crowd, and by that we mean say jump, scream, sing, get low, rinse and repeat, and have it followed to the letter, is overly amusing. His music is hooky and easy to get caught up in, which is why we got right up front for the 8pm Ritual stage show. Dressed as, well maybe he was the pope or maybe once again he was Jesus, Leto ran back and forth across the stage delighting screaming fans with every movement. Some of these lucky fans were brought onto stage for a couple of covers (“Back in Black” (AC/DC) and “Sad but True” (Metallica)) late in the set. It’s no wonder this trio sells out 20,000 person arenas nightly.
Set List “Up in the Air”, “Search and Destroy,” “This is War,” “Conquistador,” Kings and Queens,” “Do or Die,” “City of Angels,” “End of days,” “L490,” “The Kill (Bury Me)”(solo), “Bright Lights,” “Back in Back” (AC/DC cover), “Sad but True” (Metallica cover), “Closer to the Edge.”
Skrillex
This is another performer we all agree on. Kate and I were freezing in the 47 degree weather, a fifteen degree drop from already cool the low 60’s of the day, but Skrillex was energizing the crowd to a point that a warm haze of sweaty heat was emanating from the crowd. The edm crowd is notorious for lack of clothing for the ladies and retro 80’s Hawaiian shirts found in thrift stores or repackaged by Abercrombie to be cool and expensive for the boys. We bring this up because of the cold temperatures over the weekend and the woeful looks on their faces when reality settled in that maybe, just maybe, a jacket would have been okay to bring along with their glow paint and bikinis. All this aside, Skrillex absolutely killed it. We would later find out that Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters was watching and dancing along to the glitched out beats mixed with the danciest of pop and hip hop. Kate seemed to know all the words to every song and happily sang along, shaking her hips to the beat. I tried to keep up with the kids and the group of 60 year olds beside us. You can’t not move at his shows. Skrillex owns his genre and is not set to be dethroned by any other performer any time soon. His light show is amazing and his ability to drop in and out of songs, constantly switching the tempo, yet keeping the crowd moving, is unmatched.
Late Night at Tipitinas
Naughty Professor
Tipitinas was at its’ sweatiest, beer soaked, over crowded best. The staff was overly accommodating, allowing us to shoot from both the pit and artist/guest area. This legendary venue has housed so many famous musicians that to name them all would not allow for the print editions of our publication to continue. The trip would feel completely amiss without a stopover in our favorite live music venue in the Big easy. When you are in town, check out https://www.tipitinas.com/calendar for continuous, incredible lineups that often sell out far in advance. You can thank us later.
Naughty Professor
This up and coming funk band puts on an incredible performance. Their dance music set the perfect tone for the late night, sold out, after show. Check out our interview with drummer Sam Shahin (https://blanknews.com/music/876-an-interview-with-naughty-professors-sam-shahin). The crowd pushed in and the rowdiness ensued. It’s not often that an opener has the crowd so hopelessly lost in their sound so early. You can and should catch these guys on tour and for our Knoxville, TN readers, at Scruffy City Hall on December 6, 2014.
The Revivalists
We have been following these guys for several years now and this show was a culmination of all their talent and prowess. Dressed in proper English (well sort of) costumes, they took the stage to an eruption of screams. Setting the pace for what would be a show for the books, they opened with their hit, “Criminal,” (as Kate so graciously put it) “as if to say let’s get that out of the way, because what’s coming is going to blow you away.” Over the course of the night, they would cover five Who songs including “Pinball Wizard,” “Evanescent Front,” “Who Are You,” “My Generation” and closer “Baba O’Reilly.” As they returned for their encore, front man David Shaw (check out our interview from earlier this year: https://blanknews.com/music/828-an-interview-with-david-shaw-of-the-revivalists) introduced the band and then himself as Roger Daltrey. As they exited, the crowd was unrelenting in their cries for the show to continue. They wanted more, needed more. Returning to the stage, Shaw said, “You won” before covering “Forgot about Dre.” The noise level was deafening.
Sunday: Voodoo Day 3
John Butler Trio
Trying to describe walking into a John Butler Trio show is near impossible. His genuine, humble demeanor and incredible playing ability provide an incredible show. Following his instrumental favorite, “The Ocean,” Butler implored, “Do you feel like singing?” A lack luster response from the crowd had Butler, hands shaking with fervor, pleading, “All we’ve got is now. We don’t have tomorrow. When we get there, it will be now. We don’t have yesterday. All we have is right now, and if you’re not going to give 100 percent, then let’s give it to someone else who will do so.” Following his impassioned speech and overwhelming response from the audience, he led us in a raucous sing along of his hit “Zebra.”
Manchester Orchestra
This was Jordan’s first time catching these guys and he was jubilant. Kate, a seasoned fan, told him of about their upcoming show at The Cave in McMinnville, TN in a five hundred person venue buried underground. This is any concert lover’s dream venue hosting sizeable acts who want an intimate and unique experience with their fans. Between songs, front man Andy Hull commented, “I have the best seats in the house, up here getting to watch my favorite band (referring to Trombone Shorty’s show on the Ritual stage happening simultaneously).” When the crowd applauded loudly, he said, “Shh, I can’t hear,” while all of the guys in the band proceeded to get down to Shorty’s blasting horns. Grinning, they went into “The Ocean.” At the next break, Shorty was playing Green Day’s “Brain Stew” and Hull asked, “That’s happening over there, why are you still here? I never thought in my life I’d hear something like that.”
Set list “Pride,” Shake it Out,” “Pensacola,” “Pale Black Eye,” “Every Stone,” “The Ocean,” “I Can Barely Breathe,” “I’ve got Friends,” “Everything to Nothing,” “Cope,” “Top Notch.”
Foo Fighters
Fresh off their surprise Ryman show in Nashville on Halloween night, Foo Fighters were in stellar spirits. After crowd favorite “My Hero,” Dave Grohl told us about his day in New Orleans. “You never want a night off before playing New Orleans. Three hours ago, I was walking through the French Quarter. I walked into a bar to get a drink and three old ladies asked, ‘will you take a mind eraser with us?’ I said, no mam, I’m working tonight. The whole bar said, ‘boo,’ so I said, ‘okay.’ And I walked in here feeling just right.” After “Big Me,” Grohl told us that sometimes you don’t play what’s written on the set list and this is one of those times, leading into a cover of Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talking about Love.” Grohl was all over the place, running back and forth across the stage and jumping off the drum riser. In a jam after “Hey Rosemary,” Grohl came out into the audience and played on the back of the sound booth tent. Upon returning to the stage, the band went into “Breakdown” by Tom Petty. Grinning widely, Grohl said, “We’ve got to break it down because we’ve got a long way to go.” Two songs later, Grohl told a story about recording a Preservation Hall in New Orleans as part of Foo Fighters’ and HBO’s new series “Sonic Highways.” The show follows the band on the road, recording a song written in one day and recorded in one week, in each of eight different cities. While at Preservation Hall, one night they kicked the doors open and played a free show. While looking out in the audience he spotted a “guy which needs no introduction,” and then introduced Trombone Shorty to play on “This is a Call.” Grohl then said that he always wanted to play this song, ever since he began his life in music, leading into a cover of Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure.” This was one of our happiest moments of the weekend. Finally, being told to wrap it up, they closed with audience favorite “Everlong.” With the words, “And I wonder, when I sing along with you, if everything could ever feel this real forever, if anything could ever be this good again,” Foo Fighters brought to a close to an amazing weekend of music.
Set list “All My Life,” “I’ll Stick Around,” “Rope,” “The Pretender,” “My Hero,” “Generator,” “Walk,” “Learn to Fly,” “White Limo,” “Arlandria,” “Cold Day in the Sun,” “Big Me,” “Ain’t Talkin’ about Love (Van Halen cover),” “Something From Nothing,” “Breakout,” “Monkey Wrench,” “Hey Johnny Park!,” “Times Like These,” “Hey Rosemary,” “Breakdown (Tom Petty cover),” “Best of You,” “This is a Call (with Trombone Shorty),” “Under Pressure (David Bowie and Queen cover),” “Everlong.”
2014’s Voodoo Music and Arts Experience was bigger and better put together than any of the former 15 years, welcoming over 100,000 in attendance. We would say better all together, but in 2013 Pearl Jam, NIN and The Cure headlined and that’s one amazing lineup. (*Note: Pearl Jam is Jordan’s favorite band, and according to him, should be your favorite band too). Immediately following the concert, Voodoo announced that 2015 credentials are on sale for only $99 for a limited time. Get yours at www.worshipthemusic.com. For all events presented by Live Nation, visit www.livenationentertainment.com.
