There are few cities with such inseparable concepts of music and culture like New Orleans.
We are people of music and carry it with us in almost all facets of life and death. After all, what other city will jazz up its food as wells as its funerals?
If you’re seeking traditional New Orleans music while in town, I guarantee your search will neither be in vain nor take very long. But if you have a penchant for contemporary, international artists, New Orleans might come up short.
No doubt you’ll get your fill of Lady Gagas and Black Eyed Peas sooner or later as they trickle into local stadiums and small venues. However, if you’re like me, you need a larger feast to satiate your pangs of musical hunger.
Luckily, New Orleans will be serving up a finger-lickin’ musical meal when the Voodoo Experience music festival kicks off tomorrow morning.
The Voodoo festival has come a long way since its very modest beginnings in 1999, and it has steadily grown with each year.
Hosted in City Park at the end of October, Voodoo has been part of New Orleans’ coming out party by presenting itself in a more cosmopolitan fashion and attracting outsiders.
The festival’s hybridization of local and nationally known acts has been the reason for its success and also periodic mediocrity.
The festival acquires occasional heavy hitters, like Muse or the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but it never seems to compound them into the same year. Oddly enough, Voodoo has a habit of headlining older bands during their revival tours, making the festival a haven of sorts for geriatric rockers. This year, Blink-182 and Soundgarden continue the tradition.
It’s no secret Voodoo does not overwhelm its patrons with an enormous cast of big names, and some of the artists on deck will leave you scratching your head. But to be fair, these relatively unknown musicians are sometimes just as fun to watch as the headliners.
There’s a valid argument that this creates a more down-to-earth festival, but every year I can’t help but feel a bit shortchanged in comparison to the mega festivals such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.
That being said, Voodoo Experience is still an event like none other in New Orleans, and when it does deliver, you aren’t left disappointed.
Comparisons could be made between Voodoo and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, but as the namesake implies, the 41-year-old festival best serves its well-carved out niche.
Quite simply, Jazz Fest does not hold the same track record of delivering jaw-dropping performances as Voodoo Experience does and caters more toward local musicians.
In that light, I pledge my allegiance to Voodoo Experience, and I honestly want to see it flourish and grow.
Maybe it isn’t the festival of my hopes and dreams, but Voodoo provides a service to the city that would be missed if absent.
The festival is an integral part of New Orleans’ attempt to revitalize itself as a hub of entertainment and could be considered just as essential as the city’s newfound friendship with film production.
In order for a city to enjoy a healthy tourism industry, it needs to be nationally known for more than a handful of attractions.
And while Voodoo could never replace Mardi Gras, it serves as a companion piece to the already successful tourist magnet.
No, you don’t have to rush out to buy tickets for the festival, especially if the current lineup does not appeal to your particular tastes.
Just remember that the festival’s long-term success will be determined by the support it garners locally.
So all I ask is that you eventually give Voodoo a chance if you haven’t already.
It may just make you change your mind, life, political affiliation, sexual preference or gender.
Or you might just have a damn good time.
 
Chris Freyder is a 21-year-old biological sciences senior from New Orleans. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_Cfreyder.
 
____
Contact Chris Freyder at [email protected]