Voodoo Experience 2009 Entertainment Art City Park New Orleans, LA November 1, 2009

I started my day with Brand New, a kinda indie, kinda screamo band that seems to have a good following (they were on the Voodoo stage with a decent crowd of mostly younger people). I couldn’t understand why they wore knit caps during their set on a warm day in New Orleans; although somebody said they were from Jersey (as if that explains it).

Next up was a nice country set, much better to my seasoned ears than indie music. Eric Church needed crutches to make his way to his stool on stage, but he still played an energetic set, even anchored to his stool. I recognized several songs from the radio and will definitely catch him again someday. Shooter Jennings also played a nice set of outlaw country rock on the same stage (a third stage called the Soco Stage, which was not nearly as crowded as the other stage, possibly because there were sink holes of mud left over from the rain). Shooter alternated between guitar and keyboards, and had a guitarist who put a lot of energy into his playing.

Between my country sets, I caught some Irish-Celtic roots music on the second stage by the legendary Pogues. Great drinking music, even though I rarely drink. For some reason Shane McGowan was not on the stage during the first 3 songs (another singer handled the vocals, with no explanation given). The reason became clear on the fourth song as Shane stumbled on stage with a beer in his hand and probably a lot more in his veins. He must have missed his stage cue and I later heard that the band was not happy with his behavior. There were even rumors that they were fighting, although I didn’t see it as I went to the Bingo Parlor stage (inside a tent) to catch a burlesque show by Fleur de Tease, which was entertaining and a nice change from the serious music happening elsewhere. Let’s face it, an almost naked woman almost always trumps a band. Or anything for that matter

After the burlesque and the growing pressure in my pants, I caught the end of a JJ Grey and Mofro set on the Soco Stage (always a favorite of mine because I love their rootsy sound and JJ sings about my home state of Florida and I get the southern-pride attitude) and then another return to the Bingo Parlor stage for some nice swing/old-timey music courtesy of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. SNZ put on a nice show and the music was full-tilt, but it is so hard to describe. All I can say is check them out live or in the movie Swingers where they make a cameo at the end, you’ll be happy you did.

The last day was set to end with two headliners on the two main stages. The Flaming lips were first and every photographer at the Voodoo Experience showed up to go into the photo pit for that one. The show started with the giant bubble that Wayne Coyne uses to walk on the crowd, and included the usual confetti drop, streamer guns, etc that the Flaming Lips are known for.

The third song by the Flaming Lips had a nice surprise (or was it?). When I saw them at the Sasquatch! Festival two years ago, they had several naked (and I mean totally naked) girls run onstage during one of the songs. They did this at several shows during that time frame, but seem to have discontinued it. They still had the costumed fans on either side of the stage. One costumed girl decided it was her time to take off her costume and her dress and run up to Wayne totally naked. He had fun with it, although the roadie acted like it was unplanned and escorted her away a couple of times. Naked girls always trump almost-naked girls. She ended up back in costume for the rest of the set and her parents must be so proud of her.

I photographed her but I doubt you’ll be seeing many photos of her. The major music-tabloid magazine (who shall remain nameless) ran a picture online but pixelated her nipples, which I think is extremely tacky. This magazine has had plenty of other offensive images in their history (although their political articles are more offensive to me) and this is where they draw the line apparently. Any youngster with half a brain can find hard core porn on the internet with one or two mouse clicks, but this rotgut music magazine has standards of decency now? Do you hear the derision dripping between my words? Whatever, you can see them uncensored on this music site.

Lenny Kravitz closed down the Voodoo Stage with a hits-filled set that was well-received. I was very tired and could have easily left after Lenny, but I decided to hike all the way across the festival to catch the Meat Puppets in the Bingo Parlor Tent. It turned out to be my best decision of the weekend. The Meat Puppets were on fire and the set featured nice lighting which made for my best photos of the festival. Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum sang a song with them and Dave Schools of Widespread Panic was watching from the wings with a big grin on his face.

Bassist and guitarist Cris and Curt Kirkwood are back together again and the chemistry is still there. Cris was bobbing and bouncing all over the stage, thumping out mighty rhythms on his bass while Curt quietly attended to his guitar, flinging out some of the most delicious riffs the world has ever witnessed (my favorite is his chicken-pickin’ riffs although they are all quite tasty). To call it a jaw-dropping set would be putting it mildly. As far as I’m concerned this was THE headlining set of Voodoo Experience 2009. I gotta get their new album.

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