Sophia Dooley, David Bankston
Heading to New Orleans on Friday was tough, so I ended up only being able to see A Perfect Circle and Mumford and Sons. A Perfect Circle started at 7:30 and played until 8:30. I honestly was not very familiar with their work, however I did know Tool. Maynard James Keenan is the vocalist for both bands and he did a fantastic job. The entire band did a phenomenal job and quickly grabbed the crowd’s attention using their first songs bass to show how well the entire performance would go. They used the lights very well, also, as it didn’t distract too much from the performance and added another element to bring in the audience. Many fans were pleased in the audience, as so many were head banging, clapping, and singing along.
Closing out Friday night was Mumford and sons. They did a fantastic job. I had been wanting see them for at least seven years and I finally was able to! The entire band was just phenomenal. From the vocals, to the banjo, and the lights — they brought it all. Marcus Mumford’s stage presence was just off the charts, and he even ran into the crowd towards the end of their set! They played every song you can think of: “Awake My Soul”, “The Cave”, and even some unreleased music! They sounded just as good, if not better, than they do on their recorded albums. I also learned that Marcus Mumford can play the drums, and better yet, sing while playing them! Towards the end of their show, they also had some violinists play with them. The sound was beautiful, and they announced they were going on a tour for two years with Mumford and Sons! Overall, it was a fantastic performance that was worth the seven year wait.
Indie rock band Modest Mouse put on a performance for the books at voodoo on Sunday. Isaac Brock’s amazing vocal performance captured the crowd pairing well with the band’s unique style and playing. Whether it was Jerimiah Green’s energetic drumming or Jim Fairchild’s spacey guitar riffs, each member of the band brought something to the table. Opening up with “Dramamine” and “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes”, the band quickly captured the crowd attention with an explosion of sound. Each song blended well into the next carrying on the show gracefully. The band ended the show with “Fire it Up”, “Float On”, and “Spitting Venom” which were songs that had the entire crowd moving. Overall Modest Mouse was one of the best performances at Voodoo.
Closing out the Altar stage at Voodoo was the amazing rock band from England, Arctic Monkeys. Everything about this performance was wonderfully executed from the lights and production to the bands amazing performance. Alex Turner stole the show with his dreamy vocals and wonderful front man energy supported by the rest of the band. Each song was beautifully executed leading into the next and keeping the crowd’s attention. The band opened up with “Four Out of Five”, “Arabella”, and “Do I Wanna Know?” which are crowd favorites that kept the crowd grooving and dancing. The band later slowed down a little with songs such as “The Ultracheese” where Alex Turner’s vocals really shinned. The band closed out the show with “Star Treatment”, “One for the Road”, and “R U Mine?” which were songs that the crowd were greatly anticipating leaving the crowd feeling complete on the performance.