The 2012 Voodoo Music Experience had an eventful apocalyptic year, with schedule changes, last-minute bookings and a surprising cold front. The festival hosted many local acts as well as national and international artists.
The Halloween spirit hung in the air as the masses came dressed in festive costumes. Children, teenagers, the college crowd and adults all joined in on the fun of playing dress-up. Some of the most frequently spotted costumes included Native Americans with head dresses galore, Finn from “Adventure Time,” and unicorns.
Friday’s main headliner was Neil Young & Crazy Horse, which drew a large crowd and played Young’s classic anthems. Electronic artist Kaskade served beats to his large audience of ravers. Pop-punk group Say Anything played energetically to a rambunctious crowd that evening as well.
Max Bemis, lead singer of Say Anything, said the band was excited to be present and involved in the Voodoo Experience.
“We’re just very proud to be part of the festival, and such a diverse festival,” Bemis said.
The band delighted the crowd with fan favorites such as “Alive with the Glory of Love” and “Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too.” The energy was high as microphones twirled and dancing broke out.
The singer talked about the difference between playing a festival compared to a smaller venue.
“At a festival, you kind of have to represent yourself in a certain way that’s going to reach people that don’t really know about your band or are less familiar with your band,” Bemis explained. “It’s still about having a good time and you gotta be passionate about it, especially when not everyone is there to see you.”
As Voodoo rolled into Saturday, Louisiana natives The Vettes and The Revivalists graced the stage.
Lead singer Rachel Vette said she and her rock-pop band consider it an honor to play at Voodoo each year, as they have for the past five, moving later on the schedule with each performance.
Vette said working with her three other siblings in the band is a love/hate relationship.
“You can get away with murder, but at the same time you can’t really get away with anything,” Vette said.
Vette said she was excited to see other artists such as Metallica, AWOLNATION and Jack White. She said they do a few Jack White covers in their shows.
Members of The Revivalists, a jazz-funk band with some rock flair, said they had a fun time playing Voodoo.
Drummer Andrew Campanelli said his favorite part of Voodoo was playing their gig, and he also appreciated the free Garnier shampoo samples.
Zach Feinberg, guitarist for The Revivalists, said Voodoo is crucial to the New Orleans music scene because of the diversity and exposure of a mix of acts.
“Voodoo really embraces younger bands and a lot of non-traditional New Orleans music scenes. You’ll always see the jazz, but Voodoo has different aspects too,” Feinberg said.
AWOLNATION played Saturday afternoon to a large crowd that was ready to party. The band evoked emotion with its radio sensation “Sail.” Head vocalist Aaron Bruno bravely surfed on top of the crowd with a boogie board toward the end of the show.
Techno duo Justice played an impressive set of remixes accompanied by a dazzling light show. The crowd was high-energy and the bass echoed through the wall of people surrounding the stage.
Sunday brought big names such as Coheed and Cambria out to play.
Travis Stever, Coheed and Cambria guitarist, said he loves New Orleans.
“I have family here, we like to engage in local stuff like the ghost tours,” Stever said.
Stever said the band was excited for its performance, and he feels as if his band is at its peak right now after years of work and lots of “unnecessary bullshit.”
Coheed took to the stage, impressively shredding for the group gathered for the set. Musicians played alongside suggestively posed mannequins with duct tape pasties. For the closing song, “Welcome Home,” lead man Claudio Sanchez bust out a double-headed guitar and played.
Skrillex was a dubstep blockbuster with a colossal crowd gathered and over-the-top pyrotechnics and light shows. Non-stop dancing and arm waving were the go-to moves of his fans. “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” sent the audience into a tizzy of energy.
Jack White closed the night with his talented support band. The group jammed out and White sported a variety of different guitars and basses. He played a mix of his own music, The Raconteurs and White Stripes songs. Highlights were “Fell in Love with a Girl,” “Ball and a Biscuit” and “Steady as She Goes.” “Seven Nation Army” was an encore pleaser.
After a weekend of hedonism and musical indulgence, fans shuffled the long walk back to their cars, returning at last to “the real world.”
