Day 3 Photos / Highlights / Videos @ Voodoo 2011

Dr. John @ Voodoo Experience 2011 || 10/30/11 || Photo © Jimmy Grotting

Scroll to the bottom for a photo gallery from Sunday at Voodoo 2011

My experience since being in New Orleans is that Sundays are an exceptionally treasured day in the city, and this perhaps never rings truer than during the all-too-common special weekends and particularly, during local music festivals. Sunday during this year’s Mardi Gras was a picture of perfection and one of the most well-attended in history after a soggy Saturday washed out the monster Endymion parade. Jazz Fest’s final day was a glorious bookend to the 7-day fest and the communal joy you could feel in the air at the Radiators Final Farewell set was palpable. Last year’s Sunday at Voodoo was one of the better festival days imaginable, with Janelle Monae, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, MGMT and My Morning Jacket all making the festival’s final day a memorable one. It’s likely because these great, big, blowout weekends are so much fun that you don’t want them to end and most out there at Voodoo looked to be embracing the closing day to the last drop. Suffice it say, there’s something about these Sundays in New Orleans that always seem to be just a touch more spectacular than the days that precede it. Continue on for a recap of the literal roller coaster ride that was Sunday at Voodoo 2011.

Sky Over Voodoo Experience 2011 || 10/30/11 || Photo © Jimmy Grotting

The GIVERS‘ exuberant sunny day pop was a good way to start the blue bird Sunday in City Park and the rising indie stars were playing their danceable Afropop to a swelling crowd at the WWOZ/Bud Light Stage as we arrived in the Mid-City grove. Songs like “Up Up Up” and “In My Eyes” are so driving and catchy that even a casual walker-by could likely surmise that the band playing over on that stage has massive pop appeal, and it’s no wonder that they’ve already toured Europe twice, signed a record deal with starmaking label Glassnote Records, played Bonnaroo and have found themselves in some pretty big opening slots in 2011. These guys have crazy energy on-stage, loads of talent, and chase a global variety of worldly sounds, making for a cool live set. Expect 2012 to be an even bigger year for Lafayette, LA’s GIVERS.

Givers – In My Eyes – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

Next, it was a very short and disappointing trip over to Mannie Fresh, a show I was pretty excited about being a big fan of Hot Boys. I honestly thought it was set break when I first arrived because nothing really seemed to be going on and was standing too far away to see who was on stage. It was not set break, this was the show. I moved on to the next thing, but did hear from multiple sources that it did get better. But on the shortened Sunday (ending at 9 instead of 11 p.m.), there is little time to waste.

Starship 2000 @ Voodoo Experience 2011 || 10/30/11 || Photo © Jimmy Grotting

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band & Del McCoury Band American Legacies collaboration was both inspiring and tranquil to watch. Watching these two firmly established American institutions of bluegrass and jazz pushing their own personal boundaries and enjoying each other’s company immensely had an infectious appeal for some reason. Always nice to see the people on-stage truly enjoying their day at the office. After watching this at ACL and again at Voodoo, it’s a wonder that bluegrass and New Orleans jazz haven’t always been close bedfellows.

American Legacies with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Del McCoury Band – I’ll Fly Away – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

Next, Dr. John’s special guest laden set was exquisite, peaking once the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” herself Irma Thomas took to the stage for her classic “It’s Raining” (an ironic choice given the weather, but somehow just the song I wanted to hear her sing) and as always the Lower 911 absolutely roasted through the complex and swirling “I Walk On Guilded Splinters,” a tune perfectly befitting of both the vibe and very namesake of the Voodoo Experience. The voodoo-inspired tune burns, grooves and melds like a vengeful seance and the always-decorated setup on Mac’s piano always sets a mysterious vibe that songs like this Guilded Splinters help accent.

Dr. John and the Lower 911 – Splinters – Voodoo Experience 2011 from Voodoo Experience on Vimeo.

A quick ride (slightly dangerous?) on the Ring of Fire coaster made us oblivious to the fact that some shit was going down over at ODD FUTURE.

It took me several tries but I finally got TV On The Radio after seeing them on Sunday afternoon rocking the main stage. Their music still escapes apt description or categorization, but they definitely made a new fan. An early exit to ride up near the rail was in order for the big return of The Meters to New Orleans – READ ABOUT THE METERS’ SET HERE – HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEKEND. Finally, Fatboy Slim blew it out so hard over at Le Plur that I never made it over in time for The Raconteurs, but having already seen Jack and Co. a few times, it was worth it to stick it out over at Norman Cook’s video wall’d, laser show final bow with all the glowing dancing folks, a colorful scene over by the pond and a great way to cap Voodoo 2011 (w/ “Rockafeller Skank” no less). Plus, The Raconteurs weren’t playing when we headed over to the main stage to catch what was supposed to be the tail end around 8:40 p.m. Oh well, that’s why most say perfection was unattainable. This day was pretty close.

Top 5 Sunday Sets @ Voodoo 2011
1. The Meters
2. Fatboy Slim (a close second)
3. TV On The Radio
4. Dr. John and the Lower 911 with Special Guests
5. Morning 40 Federation

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, City Park, Del McCoury Band, Dr. John, favorites, Givers, Irma Thomas, Jazz Fest, Morning 40 Federation, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Radiators, the Meters, TV On The Radio, Voodoo Experience