Voodoo Experience 2009 Entertainment Art City Park New Orleans, LA October 30,31, 2009 & November 1, 2009

Alejandro Escovedo (4:30pm) One of the most influential artists in the alternative-country genre since the 1990s, Alejandro Escovedo has been remarkably consistent in producing quality record after record. He was named artist of the decade by No Depression--leading alt-country publication, and has become widely influential among his following of fans and artists alike.

That being said, I was rather surprised at the relatively small crowd who came to see the aging veteran perform. Nevertheless, Escovedo did not seem phased, as he performed a set that drew largely from his 2008 album, Real Animal. The group opened with “Always a Friend,” his latest album’s opener and one of the best songs in his entire catalog. Alejandro looked cool as he styled his sport coat and aviators while launching energetic riffs and vocals throughout the song. As the set continued, the band took it down a notch, playing some of their slower ballads, including “Sister Lost Soul” and “Sensitive Boys.” The group’s best moment came with their cover of Gun Club’s “Sex Beat”—which demonstrated their musicianship at its finest. I left early because of my desire to get a good spot for the Black Keys, but from what I witnessed, Alejandro Escovedo performed admirably for having very few people show up to his show.

Black Keys (5:40pm) Between their seamless combination of soul-tinged blues, raw garage punk, and their earnest authenticity to blues legends preceding them, The Black Keys have staked their claim as one of this decade's premier blues act. The duo, comprised of guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, have worked their way towards the forefront of modern blues-rock.

As pouring rain drenched the crowd throughout the Black Key’s hour-long set, the two delivered with their set for the steadfast fans. The band showcased a series of songs that ranged across their entire catalog. Auerbach and Carney started their set off mostly with tracks from their breakout albums Rubber Factory and Thickfreakness, including “10 A.M. Automatic,” “Girl is on My Mind,” “Stack Shot Billy,” and “Set You Free.” Auerbach's shined as a guitarist, both displaying a warm tone while still showing glimpses of rawness. On the other hand, Carney's pounded his drums in a commanding and powerful manner, playing so forcefully that he appeared to be gasping for his last breath with each successful drum stroke.

What stands out most here, however, was Dan's voice, which sounds not of a young 20-something-year old, but rather a seasoned rasp coming from a veteran blues vocalist. While sounding so traveled in his voice, he also shows his ability to wail soulfully atop all the noise going on within the underlining music.

As the rain relented during the later part of their set, the group ended with three songs off their most recent album Attack & Release (2008). The band performed these final songs, but the difference here was rather considerable, given the obvious absence of Danger Mouse, who collaborated with the band on Attack & Release. As the riveting “Strange Times,” the banjo-heavy “Psychotic Girl,” and “Lies” unfolded to close their show, the reality of Danger Mouse’s absence transformed these songs into more lo-fi, unpolished renditions that reflect much their the Black Keys’ older work.

Justice (8:00pm) The French DJ duo of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay warmed up the drenched crowd with their indie electronic dance music. The group’s glow-in-the-dark equipment shined almost as much their hour and a half DJ set that wowed onlookers. As the multitudes at Voodoo danced away in the cold rain, their sweat rose into a cloudy mist, which combined with Justice’s own fog, adding a euphoric atmosphere of sorts that suspended over the crowd. While I do not consider myself the biggest fan of techno or dance music, and was expecting Justice to be simply more of a warm up to Eminem, I was very impressed by their set. And I know I was not alone in this sentiment, as Justice’s crowd left in an elated awe as they made their way over to see Friday night headliner Eminem.

Eminem (9:30pm) Eminem has stayed out of the limelight for most of the past several years. The reasons behind this hiatus have been varied and heavily rumored, including a transition into primarily a producer’s role, all the way to speculation about a stint in rehab. Given that this was Eminem’s only live show in 2009 and his first headlining act in about four years, the Voodoo masses were especially excited to see the controversial lyricist perform with his group D12.

The Voodoo headliner opened with “3 A.M”—one of a number of songs played from his 2009 release Relapse. After receiving an enormous ovation after asking the crowd if they had missed him, he launched into the body of his set, which included sing-alongs to “Kill You,” and “Stan,” among others. Beyond his selection of songs from Relapse, most of Slim Shady’s night consisted of his hits, many of which were backed by a supporting band and the full lineup of D12, including “Purple Pills” and “My Band.”

Eminem left the crowd with an excellent rendition of “Lose Yourself,” which concluded his prominent return to spotlight. Whether or not he is back for good remains to be seen in the upcoming months—but fans who attended his Voodoo gig were grateful enough to have had the opportunity to witness such an entertaining performance by arguably one of the premier rappers of the past decade.

Write Comment
Name:	Guest
Title:
Comment:
Code:*

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!