Voodoo Fest Day 1
Interveiws and Previews
By Staff Music WritersFriday, Oct. 24
Washboard Chaz
Le Flambeau: Preservation Hall Stage
Friday 1:00-2:00
“Washboard Chaz” Leary is a Frenchmen St. icon whose raw acoustic country blues style transports the listener back in time to the Mississippi Delta “Crossroads” cotton country, circa 1940. On his most recent CD, Mix it Up, Chaz assembled a formidable trio consisting of himself on his namesake washboard and vocals, Roberto Luti (of Roberto & Lissa) on Dobro guitar, and Andy J. Forest, a leader of his own band, on harmonica and backing vocals. His sound and style are pleasantly reminiscent of the immortal blues duo, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, but there is enough Chaz in there to make him truly an original. With nimble thimbles skillfully working the washboard, keeping the basic beat going, Chaz eliminates the need for a drummer, periodically dinging an attached bell or aluminum can for additional sounds. “Have groove, will travel” is his motto, and he has done a bit of it himself, concluding with his 2000 journey to the Crescent City from previous homes in New York and Boulder, CO. Not necessarily being one to “name drop,” who could resist doing it here, having shared the stage with Bonnie Raitt, John Hammond, Taj Mahal, and Corey Harris, as well as opening for such blues greats as Muddy Waters, Robert Cray, Doc Watson, and Keb Mo. In addition, Chaz’s musical talents have been featured on over 70 recordings, and he’s performed at prestigious festivals and venues around the world. Since his arrival here, Chaz has performed with the cream of New Orleans musicians, including the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, the Iguanas, Tuba Fats, Royal Fingerbowl, and the Jazz Vipers. Today, in addition to his own trio, he occasionally gigs with the Palmetto Bug Stompers and Andy J. Forest’s band. –Dean M. Shapiro
DJ Soul Sister
Le Flambeau: Preservation Hall Stage
Friday 8:00-9:45
Saturday 8:30-10:15
Sunday 8:00-11:00
By Danyiell Oviedo
Undoubtedly, DJ Soul Sister was grooving to funky music like James Brown, Roy Ayers, and Kool & the Gang in the womb. While other little girls were sending their Barbie dolls out on dates with Ken, her Barbie was providing music for the crunked-out parties back at the Dream House. Well, it is quite plausible, considering the enthusiasm that she shows when discussing rare grooves and crate digging (the art of checking out record stores for old, rare or unusual vinyls). The New Orleans native began collecting these types of albums at the ripe old age of six. “I never wanted to be a DJ until I saw Spinderella [DJ for First Ladies of Rap, Salt-N-Pepa],” she says. Sister continues, “I always loved music but I didn’t know it was possible for me...even to this day, DJ culture and crate digging culture is very male dominated, so when I saw Spinderella, I was like wow, I can do this.”
While in college, Sister began volunteering at WWOZ radio. There she befriended Nita Ketner, host of the now defunct Soul Show. Before Ketner left the station, she “willed her show” to the grateful volunteer because of her refreshing enthusiasm, extensive record collection, and love for the music. Subsequently, for the last 14 years, the “Queen of Rare Groove” has hosted the successful Soul Power show every Saturday night from 8-10. It features “sure shot in deep funk, rare groove, D.C. Go-Go, Boogaloo, super soul breaks, trash disco, old school, hip-hop...” and much more. Her insanely popular live DJ parties followed soon after.
Concerning her parties that can swell up to 800 revelers, she says, “I’m lucky that people follow me, because when I do my thing, it’s not just me showing up to play music. People have come to expect... when Soul Sister throws a party, it’s going to be a jam.” As of late, she has started promoting her own parties that she throws in collaboration with other DJs. Sister says that she has always been interested in promoting and was “always inspired by the stories of the original hip-hop pioneers who threw their own parties in the Bronx and got the hip-hop movement started. They would not only show up, but they would have their sound systems and their awesome flyers.” Her promotion devotion has led to her hosting a gaggle of parties, which include her weekly “Right On Party Situations” at Mimi’s in the Marigny, the Hookah Café, and Takumi, along with her signature themed gatherings.
Sister feels blessed to have received a number of accolades, invitations to perform, and respect from notable industry heavyweights like the VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Tour, England’s Southern Comfort Social Mardi Gras, and Wax Poetics Magazine where she became the first female DJ to be featured in their “Record Rundown.” Dirty Coast, located at 5704 Magazine, even has a t-shirt requesting “Soul Sister For President.”
In addition, Sister received sterling street reviews after she recently rocked the Superdome during her main stage performances at this year’s Essence Music Festival. However, she says that her upcoming end of October Voodoo Experience appearance will be completely different from that Rehage-produced festival. For this Rehage produced festival, she is going to “stretch out a bit at Voodoo and do something on a more rare groove style...some wild 1970s funk from Nigeria or…some old school hip-hop that no one’s ever heard before.” No matter where she is or what she is doing, Sister says that “I hope to inspire women to do their thing, whatever it is...I want to inspire anyone that just wants to jump out on a dream and do it.” DJ Soul Sister will play in Le Flambeau area of the Voodoo Experience this year. For more information, visit www.thetenthritual.com or www.djsoulsister.com.
Rockie Charles
Le Flambeau: Preservation Hall Stage
Friday, 12:00-12:30
By Danyiell Oveido
Charles Merick is, unquestionably, the biggest thing to come out of the small fishing community of Bootheville, Louisiana. The talented singer/musician began playing the guitar at a very young age because of his father‘s encouragement, who was a well-respected member of the Bootheville Hot 5. The junior artist quickly took on Rockie Charles as his stage moniker and went to live with his aunt in New Orleans to be closer to Lydia, the woman who would become his wife of nearly fifty years. During this time, Charles started his two-year tenure at Houston’s School of Music, located on N. Claiborne, and learned the elements of music theory. As a result, he says, “I play a little piano, a little drum…a little bass. I can write music for all the instruments…for horns, trumpets, saxophone, trombone…But I majored in guitar.” This newfound musical education gave him the opportunity to play more paying gigs. “I was about 16 or 17 years old. I wound up on the road with a guy named Al White. And from there…I went to Nashville and started playing with different artists like O.V. Wright. I played with Otis Redding a couple of times…,” Charles states rather nonchalantly. The President of Soul, Show My People Around the Curve, Mr. Richasha and over 50 more songs were the byproducts of his tenacity in the industry.
However, the strain of touring grew to be too much for him. He says, “I really was homesick. When I got back from Nashville, I stopped playing music for about 10 years. I just got tired of traveling.” However, the born musician could not stay away from his “love” for long, and in 1996, Charles put out his first CD, Born for You, with Orleans Records. The War Is Over, Have You Seen My Uncle Steve, and It’s Party Time for the Mardi Gras were recordings that followed and released under his own Soulgate Records, which he created after he “was tricked out of some money” while recording in Nashville. After receiving some savvy business advice from his good friend and blues legend Earl “Trick Bag” King, Charles vowed never to be duped again and decided to be responsible for his own musical affairs. Nowadays, he keeps a ready itinerary for his frequent trips to Canada, Germany, Sweden and Russia because of his large European fan base. In fact, I Want First Class, his latest CD was recorded in Russia. When asked how he feels about his voice being constantly compared to Otis Redding, the modest bluesman simply says, “It’s great…because these guys are inspirations. I love it…it’s really a compliment.” Rockie Charles will be performing in the Le Flambeau area of the Voodoo Experience.
Sons of William
Le Ritual: Voodoo Stage
Friday 12:15-1:00
By Brent Badeaux
Brothers Joe and David Stark have been playing music since a very early age, which may account for the strikingly grown–up sound of their band Sons of William, which also features a non-son of William, bassist Jen Janet’. This Houma-based band has begun to build its national audience with strong live performances while on tour following the release of their most recent and first full-length album, 2007’s What Hides Inside.
Self-described as “Louisiana meets London on booze,” the description is probably best inferred from their musical influences, the classics. Joe Stark, guitarist/lead vocals for the band, cites the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Beatles, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Levon Helm, Sly Stone, Richard Thompson, and Electric Light Orchestra. However you label it, the resulting CD is musically solid and I’ve had it in heavy rotation since its release.
Even before he had finished high school, Joe landed gigs as a solo singer/songwriter at the House of Blues in New Orleans, opening for Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton. He turned a one-night “South by Southwest” gig with Marc Broussard into a three-month stint with his band. When brother/drummer David was old enough, Joe returned home. Together, they wrote the songs that would become the Sons of William debut EP. According to Joe Stark, “We went out to Los Angeles. Made a record, slept on the studio floor, came home, bought a van, and started driving around the country.”
Houma, a town about 1 ½ hours southwest of New Orleans, can be a bit isolating. However, Sons of William seemed to have used it to their advantage. “We are left to our own devices down there, so we kind of determine who we want to be without the influence of a scene. There are a lot of great musicians from Houma who have helped us along the way.”
The Stark brothers originally toured and recorded with bassist Annie Clements, who left the band to pursue other opportunities. They were introduced to Jen Janet’ through friend and producer Justin Trochet during the recording of What Hides Inside. When asked about future recording prospects, Joe responded, “The last one took a year. We are gonna haul ass through the next one.” They are also planning to include Janet more in the creative process for their next release.
The band is really excited about taking the stage Friday for their first Voodoo Fest performance. “We are looking forward to playing loud! Small places make us turn down, which sucks.” Their performance is sure to impress. Stop in and listen as Sons of William honor their father.
New Orleans Jazz Vipers
Le Carnival: Bingo! Parlour Stage
Friday 1:00-2:00
When the lights went back on and the music returned to Frenchmen St. after Hurricane Katrina, one of the first groups to play the club scene was the New Orleans Jazz Vipers. One by one, the group’s members drifted back until they were once again at full complement, just as they are today, where they perform regularly at the Spotted Cat and other venues around town. Founded in the late 90s by guitarist John Rodli, bassist Robert Snow, and alto saxophonist Joe Braun, their ranks expanded to include Charlie Fardella on trumpet, Matt Rhody on violin, Bruce Brackman on clarinet, and Tom Saunders on bass sax. The group’s repertoire is old-time acoustic jazz (no drums) in the Satchmo/Ellington/Billie Holiday tradition with Braun, Rodli, and Fardella trading off on the vocals. –Dean M. Shapiro
Paul Sanchez’s Rolling Road Show
Le Flambeau: WWOZ/SoCo Stage
Friday 1:00-2:00
Paul Sanchez, having seen his fair share of dirty festival goers as guitarist and contributing songwriter for Cowboy Mouth, is no stranger to the Voodoo Music Experience. Since leaving Cowboy Mouth, Sanchez has been playing at smaller local venues like d.b.a. and steadily gaining support as a solo artist. The intimate shows spotlight his keen skills as a songwriter, skills that have culminated with the release of his album Exile To Mystery Street, displaying his vocal abilities as a whimsical, poignant New Orleans crooner.
Sanchez plays the ever gracious host with his Rolling Road Show, inviting musicians to join him onstage as the band. The guest musicians, who are mainly friends of Sanchez, have included John Boutte, David Torkanowski, Sonia Tetlow, Shamarr Allen, and Ivan Neville. The backing band gives his solo performances a fuller sound, a raucous barnyard romp reminiscent of Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions Band. The set list includes both new and old New Orleans classics, his solo material, and the songs of his friends. On a recent performance, Ivan Neville’s funk rendition of “Fortunate Son” played alongside Sanchez’s “Door Poppin’,” a pop-oriented song detailing a New Orleans neighborhood tradition, gossip.
From country rock and ballads to siesta-inspired sing-alongs, you never know who is going to show or what you are going to hear. –Ryan Hanley
Joseph Arthur
Le Ritual: Voodoo Stage
Friday 1:45-2:45
Since Peter Gabriel discovered him in the 90s, Joseph Arthur continues to make impressive additions to his résumé as a singer, songwriter, and artist. Gabriel immediately recognized the musician’s talent and signed Arthur to his Real World label. Shortly afterwards, Joseph Arthur’s debut album, Big City Secrets, was released to a worldwide audience, and his following of loyal listeners is still growing.
Following the release of a few albums, he went on tour with Ben Harper as the opening act, giving his music greater exposure, then with Tracy Chapman, and R.E.M. After developing his own fan base, he went back on tour across Europe and the US. No matter where Arthur is playing, venues are crowded with fans eager to hear one of his solo shows.
At Voodoo, the songsmith is expected to play music from his recently released series of four EPs. The first, Could We Survive, is laden with raw intensity, while Crazy Rain is chaotic with a touch of techno. Finishing off the series are his other two releases, Vagabond Skies and Foreign Girls. The series ultimately leads to his seventh studio album, Temporary People, which was scheduled for release on September 30, 2008.
Arthur’s lyrics, which were penned onto paper by the musician himself, are often his reflections on love, faith, and simply enough, life. Expressed by his strong voice and backed by simple chords, his songs will have audience members singing along in an unexpected display of camaraderie. –Suzanne Pfefferle
The Zydepunks
Le Carnival: BINGO! Parlour Stage
Friday 2:30-3:30
The Marigny’s underground gypsy punk personages turned international genre-buckling supernovas, the Zydepunks, will take the stage at Voodoo Fest with another relentlessly intense stage show, backed now by even more critical acclaim than performances past.
The Zydepunks have spent this past summer touring the US and Europe, including festivals in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. Fawned over by the foreign press, the Zydepunks have been equally praised by national press, from local underground media to Rolling Stone and The USA Today. Their most recent release, Exile Waltz (2007), roused fans and critics on both sides of the Atlantic and has set quite a precedent for their next highly anticipated album, due for release later this year.
The Zydepunks’ sound is an elaborate blend of exotic genres and romantic languages set to an infectious, high-energy dance pace. Crossing boundaries of genre, language and instrumentation, the Zydepunks present one of the freshest unions of music cultures out there, equally enjoyed from a festival stage or in a crowded bar.
Their impressive assimilation of six different languages into their music is a feat which truly sets them apart as an authentically multicultural group; lyrics in English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Yiddish are belted over an endless variety of musical styling’s … Cajun, Irish, polka, Klezmer, Zydeco, and gypsy punk, to name a few.
What’s most refreshing about a group of this technical and cultural caliber is that no two songs are ever the same, yet there is still a recognizable cohesiveness about their albums and performances that maintain the overall and underlying essence of the Zydepunks. But all that aside, bottom line is that the Zydepunks are fun as hell, and seeing them up on stage at Voodoo will be a treat for fans and inquirers alike. –Carolyn Heneghan
Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra
Le Flambeau: WWOZ/SoCo Stage
Friday 2:30-3:30
As a local musical treasure, Irvin Mayfield represents the continuation of a great New Orleans tradition of trumpeters stretching back a full century and five musical generations to Buddy Bolden. Mayfield, the Grammy nominated, Billboard Award winner and composer, is the officially appointed Cultural Ambassador for the City of New Orleans. Prior to unveiling his concept for a New Orleans-based jazz orchestra in Fall of 2002, he headed his own quintet along with the New Orleans Latin flavored Los Hombres Calientes. Since its founding, NOJO has traveled the world, spreading the gospel of New Orleans’ pioneering musical heritage and traditions. It is also a vehicle for older musicians to mentor younger emerging ones. Mayfield has continued to spearhead the nonprofit NOJO from his office at Tulane University, performing and presenting educational programs that draw upon the rich musical and cultural traditions of New Orleans. Generally consisting of about 16 of the city’s first-tier musicians, the band sometimes breaks up into jazz trios, quartets, quintets, sextets and other types of jazz education programming. NOJO’s first recording, Mayfield’s original composition for big band titled Strange Fruit, was critically acclaimed when it was released in 2003. Performance of a commissioned work, All the Saints, in November 2005, marked the first major jazz performance in post-Katrina New Orleans. NOJO’s big band international tour, “New Orleans: Do You Know What it Means?” has expanded audience awareness of the New Orleans cultural experience and its influence upon American musical culture. –Dean M. Shapiro
Meet The White Bitch
Le Carnival: NooMoon Stage
Friday 3:30-4:00
By Dominique Minor
Michael Patrick Welch is a busy man: he is a teacher, painter, accomplished author, journalist, primary caretaker to a four-year-old pet pygmy goat named Chauncey, and the mastermind of the experimental electro-rock act, The White Bitch. His music is equal parts alt-rock, funk, abrasive punk, indie, and pop. Like pieces of jagged glass, the sputtering, pre-programmed beats, jangly guitar riffs, and psychedelic atmospherics, his songs are skewed and broken, yet beautiful.
“I’ve always wanted [my music] to sound like my inner-emotional landscape, crossed with the guitarists I grew up listening to, like Johnny Marr, J. Mascis, Slash, and Peter Buck,” says Welch.
As a teen, Welch was a devoted follower of the rock scene in his hometown of Tampa, Florida, eventually becoming a part of the scene himself. “Even though I’m just now releasing my first album, what I keep stressing is that I’ve been writing songs and playing shows since I was 15.”
After moving to New Orleans in 2000, Welch became fueled with a desire to quickly resume his regular concert regiment, and he began looking at ways to reconfigure his sound.
“I had to figure out how to play totally by myself, or there may be a chance I would not be able to play if I was [waiting for other musicians to perform with], and that would have been unbearable.” He added, “That’s how I came up with The White Bitch idea. If you’ve seen me play before and it wasn’t that good, you should see me play now...It’s been a lot of public trail-and-error.” He said, “There’s lots of sounds I couldn’t have gotten on the album if it wasn’t for me [having time] to experiment; it’s something I’ve worked towards for years.”
Big Sam and the Funky Nation
Le Flambeau: WWOZ/SoCo Stage
Friday 4:00-5:45
Big Sam Williams, leader of Big Sam and the Funky Nation, regularly slams his audience with a trombone sonic blast and a second line strut, a style of dance unique to New Orleans. Big Sam charges around the stage, slashing his trombone through the air like a wild bull. An electric atmosphere engulfs the audience at BSFN concerts, and both the band and audience’s synergy make for an unforgettable concert. It is an absolute chore to sit still at a BSFN concert, since they create and perform music to make people feel good and lift their spirits.
The Funky Nation, a troupe of jazz trained musicians, performs jazz with its unmistakable improvisation, brass section, and New Orleans bloodline. Big Sam assembled the Funky Nation from friendships he formed as a student at UNO, NOCCA, and Kennedy High School. BSFN combines funk, jazz, soul, and R&B into a seamless composition and effortless performance because “they are from New Orleans” and the band draws inspiration from the “city’s soul.” BSFN did two tours with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, and released their latest CD, Peace, Love & Understanding in spring 2008, drawing inspiration from New Orleans and its people. –Greg Duhe
Wyclef Jean
Le Ritual: Playstation/Billboard.com Stage
Friday 4:30-5:30
One of the most anticipated 2008 Voodoo Experience performers is, undoubtedly, Nelust Wyclef Jean. Truly one of his generation’s greatest talents, this rapper/musician/actor/mega-producer knows how to move a crowd. His appearance is also a big deal because he kicked off the first Experience in 1999, and his return to City Park somewhat serves as a measuring tool to show just how much the festival has grown in its 10 year.
Jean first shot to fame performing incredible live shows with Lauryn Hill and Pras as the hip-hop trio the Fugees. Since then, Jean has successfully released seven solo CDs and worked with an extensive array of artists from various genres of music, including: Rita Marley, the Neville Brothers, Celia Cruz, Mary J. Blige, Tom Jones, Patti LaBelle, Missy Elliot, and Carlos Santana.
This “Preacher’s Son” has become one of the music industry’s most respected artists and producers. His latest release, Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant is another ambitious collaborative work featuring Paul Simon, Chamillionaire, Lil’ Wayne, Shakira, and Serj Tankian from System of a Down. In addition to his professional music career, Jean is a staunch humanitarian who established the Yéle Haiti Foundation and Together For Haiti, two charitable organizations that focus on the poverty stricken country. He was also made the roving ambassador for his native land last year. –Danyiell Oviedo
Joss Stone
Le Ritual: Voodoo Stage
Friday 5:30-6:30
Joss Stone is a very self-assured young woman. A blonde with a girl-next-door style, don’t be fooled by her sweet and homespun look – she is poised to take over the world of modern soul music. By 19, she had already released three chart-topping albums, sold 7.5 million albums worldwide, was nominated for a Grammy four times, and broke the record for youngest female solo artist with an album to reach #1 on the UK charts. Two years later, the English chanteuse has no plans to slow her whirlwind pace anytime soon.
After all this initial success, Joss Stone still insists that the best is yet to come. She is just now coming into her own as a musician and continuing to find her distinctive voice with the release of her latest CD, Introducing Joss Stone. This CD is the first to feature all new songs written by Stone herself, showcasing love, breakups, and even songs that celebrate her love of music. Her creative depth still seems untapped - we can look forward to watching this young soul singer stretch her artistic wings for a long time to come. –Jordan Shay
Catching Up With My Graveyard Jaw
Le Carnival: NooMoon Stage
Friday 5:30-6:00
By Dominque Minor
Dressed in what can be best described as bohemian clown garb, Stix duh Clown has been a part of the New Orleans music scene for over a decade, performing with Strekin’ Hobo, Black Santa, and his latest project My Graveyard Jaw. After one listen to his grizzly Tom Waits-style vocals and hauntingly beautiful songs like, the Diaspora-inspired “New Orleans Goin’ Under,” you will see why his music fits in perfectly to New Orleans’ colorful music scene. His unique brand of plaintive melodies (“I Don’t Know”), hobo-style jangle, and haunting acoustic blues licks (“Big Ole Head”) help to narrate his personal journey as a vagabond-turned-clown-turned-troubadour.
After dropping out of high school in the 11th grade, Stix made his journey across the country as a maverick, hopping freight trains and writing songs he says were inspired by “many broken hearts.” He continued, “When I moved to New Orleans ten years ago, I really started to focus more on music. I got started off as a solo artist, and then worked with my friend Ratty Scuvrics who sat in on cello, drums, and bass for the first album [Songs About You But Not For You].”
As of late, Stix plays around the town as one-man-band, and has devoted the past year and a half recording and preparing his yet-to-be-released 2008 album.
A Peek Inside BINGO!
Le Carnival: BINGO! Parlour Stage
Fri. 5:30-6:45, Sat. 6:15-7:45 &
Sun. 2:30-4:00
By Ryan Hanley
The New Orleans BINGO! Show is an interactive carnival of music, dance, drunken clowns, and of course, games of bingo. The Preservation Hall Band is one of New Orleans’ oldest traditions. Their intent is to preserve traditional New Orleans jazz. Ron Rona, emcee of BINGO!, and Ben Jaffe, director of Preservation Hall Jazz Band, explain how the seemingly unlikely duo is an ideal partnership mixing tradition and punk rock aesthetics to bring a larger New Orleans presence to Voodoo.
WYAT: How did the partnership between Preservation Hall and BINGO! come about?
Ron Rona: Clint Maedgen, lead singer of BINGO!, started touring and singing as a guest vocalist with Preservation Hall. BINGO! became involved shortly after.
Ben Jaffe: It seemed a natural involvement with BINGO! Growing up with my dad in Preservation Hall, I never drew a line between theater, art, or singing. Musicians always were an insular community, and Preservation Hall embraces the entire artistic community. BINGO!, more than any other act, captures what it means to bring our experience to life.
WYAT: Did BINGO! view the involvement with Preservation Hall as a natural partnership?
RR: It all comes down to fun. We joined Preservation Hall onstage at the Newport Jazz Festival, and as soon as we hit the stage, everyone was dancing with rags in the air -- New Orleans style showmanship. As BINGO!, we’re really honored to be part of the tradition. It’d be nice one day to be the Rocky Horror Picture Show of the south.
WYAT: What interested you in becoming involved in Voodoo?
RR: It was really at Bonnaroo when BINGO! was playing The Preservation Hall Tent. After the set, we’d go out late with the Noisition Coalition, essentially a marching band with homemade instruments, storming out into the fairgrounds, waking up hippies -- that was definitely one of our highlights. That made us think-- why not in New Orleans? We were definitely interested in representing an area of New Orleans culture that isn’t normally exposed.
BJ: The interesting thing about any event that takes place in New Orleans is that they all become New Orleans events. That doesn’t happen in any other city. Events in New Orleans have to reflect city tradition. Voodoo Fest always had a New Orleans part to it. Post-Katrina, the producers of the festival just took a closer look at New Orleans’ role in Voodoo and spotlighting more New Orleans music.
WYAT: With Voodoo drawing big name bands, do you feel any competition to draw crowds?
BJ: Not really; there’s not a certain demographic. The festival is drawing everyone from kids to senior citizens. Everyone is in on the party, and not everyone is going to Voodoo to check out the main stage. People wander into our tent because they’re curious and then are blown away. The Preservation Hall Tent brings in musicians who don’t play New Orleans on a regular basis, so this might be the only opportunity to see them.
RR: It works to our advantage. Younger kids are drawn out to see R.E.M. and wander into our tent. Then they realize that there’s all this going on right in their backyard. It generates interest and pride.
WYAT: What bands do you have lined up for the BINGO! Parlor Tent?
RR: BINGO! will be playing all three days, so there will be three different themed shows: red, black, and gold. We are dictating the lineup featuring a lot of local acts: The Happy Talk Band, Quintron, Zydepunks, and Fleur de Tease Burlesque Revue. We like the idea of a family vibe and are proud of our friends. Coming up on the festival, we’ll have a blog to highlight a different artist each day.
WYAT: Do you have any special events planned for the tents this year?
BJ: We’re really expanding the profile of the tent. We’re creating The Preservation Hall Village, making the tent one very personal experience, sharing our own lives and experience. The Village will have local food, art tents representing New Orleans artists, and a merchandise boutique. In honor of Jelly Roll Morton, there’ll be Jelly’s Lounge, and when Preservation Hall stops playing, DJ Soul Sister comes on for a Downtown Throwdown in City Park.
A Man Man like no other
Le Carnival: Bingo! Parlour Stage
Friday 7:10-8:30
By Samantha Morgan
For the first five minutes of my phone interview with Ryan Kattner, aka Honus Honus, lead vocalist for the Philadelphia-based rock band Man Man, I thought I had been given the wrong phone number. This youthful sounding guy could not be the gruffy, big voice I’ve seen in concert. No. Someone made a mistake.
“I’m not vocally trained, so I know I’m destroying my voice,” Kattner said when I commented on how different his speaking voice is from the voice heard on stage. “It’s really just going for it. I became a singer by default. In the early days of this band, the idea was to get a nice female voice to sing, but then we couldn’t find anyone who wanted to do this, so I became the singer by default.”
Including Kattner, Man Man is completed by members Christopher Powell (Pow Pow), Russell Higbee (Alejandro “Cougar” Borg), Christopher Shar (Sergei Sogay), and Billy Desala (Chang Wang).
“We just kind of lay it all out there,” he added. “You destroy your body, your voice, and your mind—to be in this band is to have a degenerative disease. I’ve let my youth go by, but I’m too far into the hole to jump out now.”
The entire interview consisted of answers that seemed like self-deprecating humor until I realized Kattner was just being totally honest. In the same way, that honesty translates to the music and is why Man Man is so enthralling. It has a raw power that is as refined as it is rough.
“It’s just the music played when we get together,” Kattner said when I asked how the music evolved. “I just wanted to write some pop songs,” he continued to say. “None of the guys in the band went to music school, and I didn’t know how to write pop songs, so this is what turned out.”
Watching this band perform is no less impressive. Untouched by what seems to be the modern rock uniform, the members of Man Man jump on stage wearing white shirts and pants, fluffy beards, and tribal looking face paint.
“We don’t care if we look cool,” Kattner said. “When you put on separate skin, when you’re playing it helps get you into the right frame of mind. There’s so much going on with our shows that we don’t want people to be distracted by what sweater we’re wearing. Plus, I was a huge fan of ‘Lord of the Flies.’ It’s like Peter Pan’s Lost Boys, but grown up.”
You can learn more about Man Man by visiting www.myspace.com/wearemanman.
DeVotchKa
Le Ritual: PlayStation/Billboard.com Stage
Friday 8:30-9:30
DeVotchKa has spent the past years traveling the world and incorporating their experiences into an exotic style of music distinctly their own. Sometimes shunned for not catering to the mainstream crowd, the band’s innovative sound is now praised worldwide.
In the mid-90s, four classically trained musicians from diverse backgrounds combined to create DeVotchKa, fusing Greek, Slavic, and Mariachi music styles, topped off with a taste of American punk. Beginning as a backing band for burlesque shows, DeVotchKa has captivated audiences at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and the Monolith Festival. The band also scored the soundtrack for the Grammy nominated, 2006 Academy Award winning film Little Miss Sunshine. Since then, the band has released several albums, including the well received Curse Your Little Heart. Audience members at this year’s Voodoo fest will likely hear songs from these albums, along with new music, which they describe as “very much DeVotchKa – somewhere out of time, certainly out of place, and somehow it makes perfect sense.” –Suzanne Pfefferle
Stone Temple Pilots
Le Ritual: Voodoo Stage
Friday 9:30-11:00
After Scott Weiland’s tenure for Velvet Revolver ended abruptly, Stone Temple Pilots finally put their differences aside spring 2008 and officially announced that the band would be reuniting with the launch of a massive concert tour encompassing all corners of North America. This is the first national tour for Stone Temple Pilots in almost eight years, with the Voodoo Music Experience bringing the iconic band’s charismatic musicianship to New Orleans as one of its main headliners.
STP’s formula of hard-rocking heavy guitar riffs along with Weiland’s mellow singing continues to drive audiences wild with a distinct sound reminiscent of the grunge period. Weiland has admitted that Jim Morrison and David Bowie often inspire his melodies and himself as a performer. This year, fans have a reason to be excited about the band’s reformation and can expect STP’s continued creativity and innovation in the coming years. –Greg Duhe