Day 2 PHOTOS / Highlights / Videos @ Voodoo 2011

Mastodon @ Voodoo Experience | Saturday, October 29, 2011 | Photo © Jimmy Grotting

UPDATE: The Vimeos worked when we initially posted this one, click the hyperlinks below the videos to watch

In a vacuum, Friday was a very eclectic day out in City Park led by the wild antics and showmanship of Peelander-Z. However, Saturday was when the full realization hit that this fest really was about as grab bag as a musical gathering can be – headed up by the fact that the SoCal Punk Retrospective was going down (out of the three bands, X was the strongest, delivering an impressive evening set on the Bingo! Stage) the same day as the New Orleans Bounce Azzstravaganza (a well-choreographed riot and a blast), Snoop Dogg and a main stage/mid-afternoon Mastodon rager. Continue on for more and make sure you check out the extensive photo gallery all the way at the bottom.

New Orleans Bingo! Show @ Voodoo Experience | Saturday, October 29, 2011 | Photo © Jimmy Grotting

Walking into the gates, we were immediately in stride with the Noisician Coalition, a loose confederation of noisemakers all marching with handmade instruments (see photos of the band in the gallery below). On Saturday, there were simply too many acts who don’t come around New Orleans or the mainstream festival circuit to give all the interesting bands on the schedule proper full-set attention, a common problem at these multi-stage mega fests. Of all the sets on Day Two, the Azzstravaganza, Dumpstaphunk and X kept managed to hook us in the longest – despite having already seen Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk’s raucous late night set the night before at Tipitina’s Uptown. Dumpsta is on a short list of local bands who, despite being in town quite frequently, are never a band to miss out on. There’s always seems to be something unique in their set (this time it was a trio of Nirvana songs: “In Bloom,” “Heart-Shaped Box” and “Come As You Are” (w/ Angelo Moore of Fishbone)) – there may be no band in the city that puts more fun into their funk shows. The recent jaunt alongside ska-punk legends Fishbone seems to have rubbed off a bit on the band, who are taking on a little bit more of a rock edge these days – an always welcome stylistic change that only adds a fuller flavor to their expansive palette. Finally, as if they weren’t already wearing down the crowd, Dumpsta threw down the hammer on the signature “Put It In The Dumpsta” – inciting a wild dance party in front of the WWOZ Stage – one of many in that popular locale amongst the many upbeat, party starter type bands that would grace the stage over the weekend.

I saw a bit of Rotary Downs, one of the city’s great rock bands, doing their thing over at the Bingo! Stage. These guys deliver a consistently great show and their mid-afternoon set earlier this year in the oven that was Bonnaroo 2011 was one of my favorites (especially their cover of The Clash’s “Magnificient Seven”) of that fest. Check out this video from their Voodoo set:

Rotary Downs – Promise Land

Rotary Downs – Promise Land – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

Snoop Dogg @ Voodoo Experience | Saturday, October 29, 2011 | Photo © Jimmy Grotting

X – Sex and Dying In High Society

X – Sex and Dying in High Society – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

Some of the things Mastodon’s singers and guitarists were capable of was straight mind-blowing. The guttural sounds booming from the main stage were super-human, electrifying the scene in that area of the park and dropping some jaws (i.e. heard a lot of ‘whoas!’ and ‘holy shit(s)’). Next, Bobby Rush’s set was a riot and there were few, if any performers (Snoop Dogg) at this year’s Voodoo fest with more swagger. The only shame about this one was the size of the crowd, apparently many of the youngsters did not get the message that Rush is a living legend. The colorful multi-instrumentalist melded a lyrical bent with well-blended shades of blues, soul, folk and funk, while flanked by two shapely booty dancers. Check out this bit from his set.

Bobby Rush – She So Fine

Bobby Rush – She So Fine – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

TOP 5 SETS ON SATURDAY:
1. New Orleans Bounce Azzstravaganza
T-2. Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
T-2. Mastodon
4. X
5. New Orleans Bingo! Show

Saturday @ Voodoo Experience 2011 - Photo by Jimmy Grotting

Bonus Round – On Saturday night after the fest, it was over to Le Bon Temps Roule for the very free and up-close-and-personal encounter with the Dead Kenny G’s. Definitely a treat to be able to watch Skerik, Brad Houser and Mike Dillon tear it up in the neighborhood bar.

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk – Higher

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk – Higher – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

About the author

Wesley grew up in coastal Georgia and is a former resident of The Music City and The Big Easy where he helped get LMB NOLA off-the-ground after launching in January 2011. Over the past few years, he has also contributed steadily to JamBase and Relix Magazine. Recently, Hodges moved on to L.A. where Abita Beer is hard to find, costs about $6 if located and impromptu parading in the streets will most likely get you arrested on the spot.

 

Tags: 2011, Blink-182, Bobby Rush, City and Colour, Mastodon, New Orleans Bingo! Show, New Orleans Bounce Azzstravaganza, Noisician Coalition, Review, Rotary Downs, Snoop Dogg, Social Distortion, Vockah Radu, Voodoo Experience, X