This past Halloween weekend, Voodoo Festival was in full-swing at City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana. An annual 3-day conglomeration of costumes, music, vendors and frivolity that many, not only those from the area, but from all points of the globe, look forward to eagerly and enthusiastically.
This is immediately apparent when arriving by trolley car on the first day. Throngs of colorful, costumed festival-goers happily make their way through the walk area, rife with fountains and waterways, en route to the front gates. Upon arrival, the most difficult thing is figuring out which of many directions to head first. The grounds are, for lack of a better word, huge.
The technical aspect of the well put together stages contrasts perfectly with the lush area, complete with massive trees that give the festival its own unique charm. Trees that, by day, provide the crowd with comfortable shade, but at night give an eerie feel as they are penetrated by the multi-colored stage lights. It makes it hard to not just stop and stare while you wonder, do I hit the Altar Stage? The main area, to catch the progressive rock of TOOL; or the indie-electronic-psychedelic sounds of Mutemath, where lead-singer Paul Meany brought out his daughter to rock a track with the band much to the delight of the energetic crowd. If hip-hop is your flavor, what about the gritty yet soulful feeling of The Weeknd? Or maybe even G-Eazy, who performed fully clad as Jared Leto’s Joker?
Why not the Le Plur Stage? The place to groove out to Porter Robinson or lose your mind to the likes of Snails or Alison Wonderland, who brought her signature bass-heavy sound complete with an insane light show. The possibilities are truly endless. Finish up with The Claypool Lennon Delirium, an eclectic mix of Primus’ Les Claypool and John Lennon’s son, Sean––a performance worth the cost of admission on its own. Then hurry over to the Toyota Music Hall and catch a jazz band or an acoustic set from Reignwolf, a raspy and bluesy crooner out of Seattle, Washington. TOOL’s frontman, Maynard James Keenan, also brought along one of his side-projects, Puscifer, which not only entertained the crowd with what he calls his “creative subconscious,” but also a massive wrestling ring onstage, complete with lucha libre wrestlers battling it out as the band played.
By not having all stages running at all times, the festival also does an incredible job of keeping its patrons relaxed. Rotating performances give everyone a reprieve as the masses move calmly from one stage to another as they prepare for the next show.
And if you get thirsty, fear not! There are many watering-holes throughout the area––vendors offering not only typical grub, but cajun fare and an impressive selection of craft brews and wines from a selection of local brewers and vineyards. And if you haven’t had too much to drink, hit up one of several thrilling carnival rides located around the festival grounds! Need that extra Halloween feel? The cemetery in the center of the grounds has you covered. Mausoleums, tombstones, and torches litter the area while some truly impressive zombies lumber around, pausing only to slightly break character and take pictures with anyone brave enough to challenge their authenticity. It’s easy to get wrapped up in it all and get into character yourself.
The only hard part is leaving. All you can do is plan to come again and look forward to the next masquerade.
Aside from a writer, Joe Ullo is also a DJ, comedian, food-porn specialist, and all-around audiophile.
