Voodoo Experience 2016 Preview

You’ve always wanted to visit the Big Easy, and when better than Halloween weekend – when the city hosts not just trick-or-treaters but its awesome annual music festival, Voodoo...
Voodoo Experience

Voodoo Experience 2016 Preview

There’s no city in the country, no city in the world, like New Orleans. Maybe the most truly blended cultural spot anywhere, with everyone from refugee Acadians on the bayou (you know them as Cajuns) to quintessential African-American heritage, but also spicy Afro-Caribbean, Hispanic, Native American, and, oh yeah, Southern, New Orleans is as singular a place as one can get.

You’ve always wanted to visit the Big Easy, and when better than Halloween weekend – when the city hosts not just trick-or-treaters but its awesome annual music festival, Voodoo Experience. This year the even doesn’t actually hit All Hallow’s Eve, but that just leaves you time to catch the music, Friday-Sunday, October 28th-30th, and still reserve an evening for costumes & candy:

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28th

Altar Stage

The Weeknd, 9:45 PM – 11:00 PM

Headlining the first night at Voodoo Experience is Toronto’s hip-hop phenom The Weekend (QRO photos at a festival). He comes down to the New Orleans (QRO photos at a festival) in the run-up to next month’s Starboy, and after winning Grammys and even appearing on Saturday Night Live (where yes, they did ‘The Weeknd Update…).
The Weeknd
G-Eazy, 7:30 PM – 8:45 PM

Oakland’s G-Eazy (QRO photos) comes back to Voodoo Experience, behind 2014’s debut studio album, These Things Happen, so see them happen & more.
G-Eazy
Foals, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Oxford, England’s Foals (QRO photos) still haven’t quite shaken off the backhanded compliment label of ‘internet buzz band’, even with 2010’s well-received sophomore release Total Life Forever (QRO review) or 2013’s follow-up Holy Fire, but you should really see & judge for yourself (QRO live review) as they come to Voodoo on tour (QRO photos) behind last year’s What Went Down (QRO review).
Foals
MUTEMATH, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Putting some ambience and psychedelica into their alt-rock is New Orleans’ own MUTEMATH (QRO live review), who have been building in success, acclaim, and sound, like on 2011’s Odd Soul (QRO review), and come back to Voodoo in after last year’s release of their first since Soul, Vitals. The band (QRO photos) blew up in 2007 with their video “Typical”, where the band performs the song backwards. The hometown band is playing their fourth Voodoo Experience.
MUTEMATH
Bear Hands, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

At Voodoo Experience is friend-of-the-Q Bear Hands (QRO spotlight on). Their alt-punk is more skilled than most in the genre (or the borough – QRO photos in Brooklyn), as seen in 2010’s great full-length debut, Burning Bush Supper Club (QRO review). Fronted by the engaging Val Lopez & Dylan Rau (QRO interview with both), and Ted Feldman & TJ Orscher (QRO interview with Rau & Orscher), they play well at festivals (QRO photos at a festival), including U.K.’s Leeds (QRO live review), and outdoors like Prospect Park in Brooklyn (QRO photos in Prospect Park). Coming to Voodoo after this year’s new You’ll Pay For This (QRO review), their follow-up to 2014’s Distraction (QRO review), look for the great new material from the band (QRO photos)– even improvised songs (QRO video) – as well as old like “Vietnam” (QRO video) and newer like “Crime Pays” (QRO video), “Giants” (QRO review), and “2AM” (QRO review).

Bear Hands

Pepsi Stage

Rae Sremmurd, 8:45 PM – 9:45 PM

Atlanta hip-hop brother duo of Khalif ‘Swae Lee’ & Aaquil ‘Slim Jimmy’ Brown (QRO live review) team up as Rae Sremmurd (QRO photos at a festival).
Rae Sremmurd
Tory Lanez, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Daystar Peterson, a.k.a. Tory Lanez, is the latest hip-hop artist from suddenly hot Toronto, putting out I Told You last August.
Tory Lanez
Mayer Hawthorne, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Actual name Andrew Cohen (QRO photos at a festival), he adopted his middle name & name of the street he grew up on (isn’t that how you get your porn name?…) for 2009’s A Strange Arrangement, and comes to Voodoo Experience behind this year’s Man About Town (QRO photos at a festival).
Mayer Hawthorne & The County
NF, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Nathan Feuerstein is the rare Christian hip-hop artist, which actually kinda fits at a New Orleans festival.



Also:

The Breton Sound, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

NF

South Course Stage

Reignwolf, 8:45 PM – 9:45 PM

Check out the wild, one-man action of Reignwolf (QRO photos at a festival), who returns to Voodoo Experience.
Reignwolf
Wild Belle, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Brother-sister outfit Wild Belle (QRO spotlight on) grew up in Chicago but moved out to – where else? – Brooklyn (QRO photos in NYC). Big brother Elliot Bergmann formed NOMO, but has since teamed up with little sis Natalie (QRO photos). They (QRO interview) made serious waves with hit indie-reggae single “Keep You” (QRO video), getting signed to Columbia for their 2013 debut, Isles (QRO review). They hit Voodoo Experience (QRO photos at a festival) behind their new Dreamland.
Wild Belle
Chairlift, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Though born in Boulder, Chairlift (QRO photos outdoors) came of age in – where else? – Brooklyn (QRO photos in Brooklyn). They (QRO photos at a festival) broke through with the sweet “Bruises”, though since the departure of singer/guitarist Aaron Pfenning for his own Rewards (QRO photos), the now-duo (QRO photos at a festival) went for a spookier sound on 2012’s Something (QRO review), but brighter this year with Moth.
Chairlift
Also:

Seratones, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PMQRO photos

Active Bird Community, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Seratones

Le Plur Stage

CARNAGE, 9:45 PM – 11:00 PM

From Maryland by way of Central America, CARNAGE comes to somewhere in between, New Orleans, on the back of last year’s debut album, Papi Gordo.
Carnage
Porter Robinson, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Porter Robinson (QRO photos) has become one of the country’s most established DJs, even named MTVu ‘Artist of the Year’ last year.
Porter Robinson
Also:

What So Not, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Slander, 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM

Lunice, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Lost Kings, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Cheat Codes, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PMQRO photos at a festival

Sonny Alven, 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM

Church with Babygirl, 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunice


Cheat Codes


Toyota Music Den

All Them Witches, 7:30 PM – 7:50 PM

Chairlift (DJ set), 6:00 PM – 6:20 PM QRO album review

Bear Hands, 5:30 PM – 5:50 PM QRO spotlight on

LÉON (acoustic), 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM
Bear Hands

 

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29th

Altar Stage

Tool, 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

There are few acts like Tool. The Los Angeles group was classified under ‘heavy metal’ when they emerged in the mid-nineties, but they were always something more. “Sober” came out and proved that, the hit single with memorable stop-motion video that was featured in many a nineties kid’s nightmare. Yet unlike many nineties artists they didn’t stop in success, critically or commercially, as the new decade/century/millennium dawned, debuting at number one with Lateralus (and playing Voodoo Experience ’01). Yes, there have been hiatuses and rumored break-ups, but the same four men have been together now over two decades, and bring their hit heavy-fusion hybrid to headline Saturday in New Orleans.
Tool
Cage the Elephant, 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM

With hardly a full-length album to their name, Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant (QRO photos) was snatched up by EMI Records at a low-key SXSW showcase. Following some impressive U.K. airplay, the band packed up and moved to London, where they released their first studio album in 2008. The following two years were a haze of international touring, late night TV shows, festival appearances (QRO photos at a festival), and preparation for 2011’s Thank You, Happy Birthday, following that up with 2013’s more indie-influenced Melophobia and last year’s Dan Auerbach-produced Tell Me I’m Pretty. As their blues-y rock infused live show will prove (QRO photos), like at Voodoo Experience 2010, elephants were never meant to be caged (QRO photos).
Cage the Elephant
The Claypool Lennon Delirium, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Two artists who know how to work well with others, as well as on their own. Les Claypool (QRO interview) is best known for his work in the frizzle-fried funk of Primus (QRO spotlight on), but the acclaimed bassist has all sorts of projects. His latest is with Sean Lennon (yes, John’s son…), who’s done his own duo work in The Ghost of Saber Tooth Tiger (QRO photos at a festival), even with his mom Yoko. This year they have teamed up as The Claypool Lennon Delirium (QRO photos), and released their psychedelic Monolith of Phobos.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium
Nothing But Thieves, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Southend-on-Sea’s Nothing But Thieves have leaped from nowhere to super-hot, channeling just the right kind of alt-rock so popular coming into this side of the Atlantic.
Nothing But Thieves
The Pretty Reckless, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

We all first knew The Pretty Reckless (QRO photos at a festival) as the band fronted by Gossip Girl’s (very pretty) Taylor Momsen. But Gossip ended years ago, and The Reckless (QRO photos at a festival) are still going strong, releasing their third hard-rock album, Who You Selling For, just before Voodoo Experience.

The Pretty Reckless

Pepsi Stage

Ghost, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Even though they’ve had to go by ‘Ghost B.C.’ in the States, there’s only one Ghost (QRO photos). The Swedish heavy metal band is famous for their on-stage presence: five of the six members wear hooded robes, while the singer is a cardinal with a skull face. They’re also super-secretive about their identities (“Papa Emeritus” and the “Nameless Ghouls”). So get freaked out like only the Swedes can make you, as the band return for a fourth time to their perfect festival, Voodoo Experience (QRO photos).
Ghost
Melanie Martinez, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Singer/songwriter Melanie Martinez (QRO photos) has gone from being eliminated from ‘Team Adam’ on The Voice to last year’s critically acclaimed single “Pity Party”.
Melanie Martinez
Also:

Bully, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PMQRO photos

All Them Witches, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Sexual Thunder, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Bully

South Course Stage

Rebelution, 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Bringing some reggae to Mountain Jam is Santa Barbara’s Rebelution (QRO photos in Santa Barbara), who’ve been all over the festival circuit – and two years ago had an over-packed Big Apple show shut down by the FDNY!
Rebelution
Shakey Graves, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Shakey Graves (QRO photos at a festival) is the post-folk alter ego of Austin’s Alejandro Rose-Garcia (QRO photos), who comes to Voodoo Experience with an extra ‘e’.
Shakey Graves
Oh Wonder, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

London alt-pop duo Oh Wonder (QRO photos) is a true Wonder.
Oh Wonder
Saint Motel, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Indie-pop/dream-prog Los Angeles outfit Saint Motel (QRO photos at a festival) comes to Voodoo Experience.



Also:

LÉON, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Saint Motel

Le Plur Stage

Die Antwoord, 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM

In this day & age, it can be hard to for an act to truly surprise, but Die Antwoord (QRO photos) have done it. Not only South African but Afrikaans (the descendants of the Dutch settlers who instituted & later repealed apartheid), vocalist Ninja & Yo-Landi Vi$$er took the internet by storm with a baffling mix of rave & hip-hop, English & Afrikaans in “Enter the Ninja” and 5 EP (QRO review). They followed up in 2012 with Ten$ion (QRO review) and 2013’s Donker Mag, and have been baffling minds & blowing them away (QRO photos at a festival) while stealing the show (& shedding clothes) wherever they go (QRO photos outdoors at a festival). The duo (QRO photos at a festival) comes back to Voodoo Experience after starring in last year’s CHAPPIE.
Die Antwoord
Excision, 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM

Excision, a.k.a. Jeff Abel, is a dubstep producer & DJ from British Columbia (QRO photos).
Excision
Alison Wonderland, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Sydney’s Alex Sholler began as a classically trained cellist, but has since stepped through the looking glass to become world-known DJ Alison Wonderland.
Alison Wonderland
DJ Mustard, 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM

The official DJ to Compton’s YG (QRO photos at a festival), DJ Mustard has produced such hits as 2 Chainz’ “I’m Different”, Kid Ink’s “Show Me”, and more.
DJ Mustard
Also:

Snakehips, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Black Tiger Sex Machine, 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Cakes Da Killa, 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM

Church with Kidd Love b2b Carmine P. Filthy, 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Snakehips

Toyota Music Den

Oh Wonder (DJ set), 7:30 PM – 7:50 PMQRO photos

Saint Motel, 5:30 PM – 5:50 PMQRO photos at a festival

Reignwolf, 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM QRO photos at a festival

Nothing But Thieves (acoustic), 1:30 PM – 1:50 PM
Oh Wonder


Saint Motel

 

 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30th

Altar Stage

Arcade Fire, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

After making the biggest indie-smash since The Strokes (QRO album review) with the already-seminal Funeral back in 2004/2005, and leading the charge of the ‘Canadian Invasion’, Montreal’s own Arcade Fire (QRO live review) followed that up in 2007 with the excellent-even-if-it-couldn’t-be-Funeral Neon Bible (QRO review). But after playing to bigger-and-bigger-and-bigger venues (QRO live review outdoors), the massive ensemble took a much-needed break, yet they returned in 2010 (QRO photos of first U.S. show in three years), and as one of the biggest bands in indie-rock (QRO photos at a festival), with The Suburbs (QRO review), which managed to win the Grammy for Record of the Year.

Of course, that meant hipsters were obligated to hate the band (QRO photos headlining Madison Square Garden), and unfortunately some of that came true in 2014 with Reflektor (QRO review). A double-album where the band now follows the trend of indie going disco-dance, it divided critics, and coupled with a massive promotional push that included not only the season premiere of Saturday Night Live but a special afterwards (QRO Music On Late Night TV), not to mention Kimmel on top of the Capitol Records building and similarly divisive intimate shows (where they required the crowd to dress up, fooled on where the stage was, and did no encores) grabbing attention during the new music fest CMJ (QRO recap), it all almost seemed designed to jump the shark.

However, not only is the music still great, but so is the live show, so catch them closing out Voodoo Experience (QRO photos at a festival). Indeed, this will be a special show as the Francophone artists play Francophone New Orleans.
Arcade Fire


Arcade Fire

Band of Horses, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Before the current, unceasing wave of alt-country, there was Seattle’s Band of Horses (QRO live review), who broke through with debut Everything All the Time and “Funeral” in 2006. While guitarist/co-founder Matt Brooke left after that for Grand Archives (QRO live review), singer/guitarist Ben Bridwell kept on the trail, with the following year’s Cease to Begin (QRO review). Band of Horses (QRO photos at a festival) dropped a little off the radar following that, but came back (QRO live review) in 2010 with Infinite Arms (QRO review), a more polished record in ways good & bad, but picked it up in 2012 with Mirage Rock (QRO review) and this year’s Why Are You OK (QRO review), and are riding (QRO live review) from festival to festival (QRO photos at a festival), like Voodoo Experience ’11.
Band of Horses
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Pretty quickly, Brandon Park Anderson became Anderson .Paak (QRO photos at a festival), and with his band The Free Nationals (QRO photos at a festival), has been getting major notice with his soul-funk styles (including Paak playing drums and dancing in the pit – though not at the same time…).
Anderson .Paak
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

New Orleans’ Preservation Hall has been preserving the iconic city’s jazz tradition not just in the Big Easy but also around the world thanks to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (QRO photos), who having been bringing Dixieland to other lands since the founding of the hall back in the sixties. The hometown heroes play their umpteenth Voodoo Experience.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Also:

The Shelters, 12:15 PM – 12:45 PMQRO photos

The Shelters

Pepsi Stage

Beats Antique, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

World fusion electronica act Beats Antique (QRO photos) not only fuses styles of music, but also styles of dance, including that of the belly (QRO photos at a festival). They play Voodoo Experience for a second time.
Beats Antique
Also:

Puscifer, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

Sir the Baptist, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

The Eagle Rock Gospel Singers, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Sir the Baptist

South Course Stage

STS9, 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

The acclaimed instrumental act combines numerous influences, including funk, jazz, psychedelic, and hip-hop. But they’re best known for their live concerts (QRO photos), which stretch to over two hours, and feature improvisational collaborative work not known in the jam-band community. Their festival performances, however, go even bigger (QRO photos at a festival).
STS9
Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM

The ‘Screaming Eagle of Soul’, Charles Bradley is one of the many great soul singers to emerge from Brooklyn’s DapTone Records, which also brought the world Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (QRO live review) and Budos Band (QRO album review), but Bradley more than stands on his own, from festivals (QRO photos at a festival) to hotels (QRO photos at a hotel) to Marvel’s Luke Cage to topping the bill at the one-and-only Apollo Theater (QRO photos)!
Charles Bradley
Bob Moses, 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

A duo, not a band, Jimmy Vallance & Tom Howe form electronic act Bob Moses.



Also:

Little Scream, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM

Bob Moses

Le Plur Stage

The Chainsmokers, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM

New York electro-house duo The Chainsmokers (QRO photos at a festival) are riding high with 2014’s hit, “#Selfie”.
The Chainsmokers
Gramatik, 6:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Gramatik (QRO live review) comes all the way from Slovenia (the part of the former Yugoslavia that also gave us Melania Trump…) to New Orleans for Voodoo Experience, behind this year’s Epigram (QRO review).
Gramatik
Also:

Snails, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Party Favor, 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM

Lookas, 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM

4B, 1:45 PM – 2:30 PM

Church with Univorn Fukr and Herb Christopher, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Lookas

Toyota Music Den

Preservation Hall Jazz Band, 5:30 PM – 6:00 PMQRO photos

Sir the Baptist, 4:00 PM – 4:20 PM

Little Scream, 3:30 PM – 3:50 PM

The Shelters, 1:30 PM – 1:50 PMQRO photos
Preservation Hall Jazz Band


The Shelters

 

 

For festival website, go here: http://www.voodoofestival.com/

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