Another day, another mix of some of the best artists in the country at Jazz Fest.
Saturday brought so many thousands to the grounds that it was next to impossible to get even a text message sent, much less elbow your way to the front of the crowd for a crawfish sack or a big name performer. But even with hotter temperatures and tighter spaces, the second day of Jazz Fest was even more fun than the first.
Much of the lineup on Saturday afternoon featured talent from New Orleans and other local areas at all stages, many with trombones in hand or washboards strapped to their chests. The Fais Do-Do Stage showcased a string of strong performances paying tribute to all different sides of Louisiana culture. Stony Creek Singers and Yellow Bird Indian Dancers performed a variety of traditional songs and dances to honor Louisiana’s Native American heritage, and Lost Bayou Ramblers’ all-French set showed that zydeco lives on in Louisiana.
Following Lost Bayou Ramblers, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers mixed zydeco with blues rock and unrestrained enthusiasm for one of the most engaging and fun sets of the day. Dopsie and company borrowed riffs from Lenny Kravitz and drew people in from across the grounds even during the hottest part of the day.
Over at the Gentilly Stage, Big Easy brass experimentalists Bonerama got the day moving at the with a bombastic set that reworked classic brass band sounds and took them in new directions. With strong roots, Bonerama proved that there are still ways to find sides of brass that haven’t been explored yet. Rebirth Brass Band put on their reliably stellar show of more traditional brass tunes in the late afternoon at Congo Square to a crowd of thousands. In between, second line clubs took to the streets with parades.
The most exciting set of the day came at 5:15 when Billy Joel set foot on the Acura Stage. The crowd — the biggest so far at Jazz Fest — erupted in screams and applause as soon as Joel took his seat at the piano, and opening song “I’m Moving Out” revved them up even more with shouts of “working too hard can give you a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack” without giving away the very best of what was to come.
The Piano Man took advantage of the loose, improvisational vibe of Jazz Fest and delivered a few of his legendary piano jam sessions, including an all-keys number called “Root Beer Rag” early in the set. Likewise, “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” transformed into a sprawling fifteen-minute extravaganza that even included a surprise appearance by Preservation Hall Brass Band.
Joel dedicated the last half hour of the set to breaking out his biggest hits which got everyone swaying and shouting along, the kind of set that turns strangers into friends and reminds a person why live shows with great crowds can be so unforgettable. It seemed almost every person in the audience had some personal connection to Joel’s music, from middle-aged women bought tickets just to hear “You May Be Right” to frat guys who claimed they “owe so much” to “Only the Good Die Young.”
Joel came back onstage for his encore wearing a hat borrowed from the captain of Preservation Hall Brass Band and broke out the one song everyone had been waiting for, “Piano Man.” With Joel’s rasp and harmonica over the massive speakers and countless voices singing along, one thing seemed certain: Joel’s still got it.
As the second day of Jazz Fest drew to a close and the masses made for the exits, the spirit of New Orleans felt as thick as the humidity in the air. This weekend certainly seemed like a promising beginning for another round of Louisiana’s richest festival.
For more on Day 2 of Jazz Fest, follow Kaci Yoder on twitter.
