From brass bands to second lines to head-banging alternative acts, the second day of Voodoo Arts + Music Experience kept the party going, New Orleans style. Here’s what went down at day two.
New Breed Brass Band brings out the classics
Starting the day at the Wisner Stage, New Breed Brass Band brought traditional New Orleans jazz sounds to Voodoo. The band warmed up the crowd with its jazz renditions of classics like R&B band Earth, Wind + Fire’s “September” and Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.”
Pell in the Toyota Music Den
The intimacy of the Toyota Music Den continued into day two as New Orleans native and rapper Pell took the stage wearing a Christmas sweater. The rapper stripped back his set, rapping softly with just the hum of the electric bass accompanying him as the audience sang lyrics like “We need to run away” in unison. Before Pell played a track from his 2014 album entitled “The Never,” he prefaced by telling the audience the song was about facing adversity. “You gotta reach your goals somehow,” he said.
Black Pistol Fire interacts with the crowd
Lead singer of rock band Black Pistol Fire Kevin McKeown commanded the Altar Stage in the afternoon with his turquoise electric guitar and contagious energy. McKeown rarely kept still — leaping in the air, laying on his back and kicking his legs up in air, jumping onto drum set — but he never missed a beat. “We’re just getting cooking now,” McKeown said after a performance that included several of the aforementioned antics and he was right — he came into the crowd during the next track.
Spooky second line
Between the Altar and South Course stages, a second line formed and attracted quite a following. Members ranged from those wearing giant skeleton heads to people on stilts to passersby just wanting in on the fun. The unleveled, occasionally muddy ground made those second line members walking on stilts all the more impressive.
Brand New makes themselves at home
New York-based rock band Brand New took the Altar Stage before the Foo Fighters and the group certainly made themselves at home. Three rugs lined the stage, and flowers adorned the microphone stand — a bit of a contrast with their harder rock sound. Lead singer Jesse Lacey told the crowd how honored he was to be playing on the same stage as the Foo Fighters, naming the band as one of his major musical influences.
Foo Fighters
Rock icons Foo Fighters closed out the night by jam packing as many of the band’s 23 years worth of tracks into their hour and 30 minute set as they could. With his rampant guitar solos and head thrusts, the band was ready to bring rock ‘n’ roll to Voodoo. “The Foo Fighters came to play rock ‘n’ roll for you tonight,” Grohl said. “Do y’all like rock ‘n’ roll? I love rock ‘n’ roll.” This passion could not have been more evident.
