Voodoo Experience Preview

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By: Wesley Hodges

Voodoo Experience :: 10.29.10-10.31.10 :: City Park :: New Orleans, LA

Check out the 2009 JamBase review of Voodoo here.

The calendar is aligned in rare form in 2010, giving weekend warriors five full weekends to fully enjoy the month of October, and with Voodoo fast approaching, there's a supernatural mystic blowing through the air this week in the Big Easy. The Voodoo Experience, in its 12th year as JazzFest's darker, funkier stepchild, will close down the month in grand fashion on Halloween night with MGMT, Deadmau5 and My Morning Jacket lighting up the City Park skies and leading a lively rousing of the spirits in New Orleans. With round-the-clock music on-site and around the city (Voodoo After Dark and Tipitina's Uptown), there will be plenty of opportunities for fans to get their fill, starting with Friday's dizzying array of artists slated to kick things off on the generally less crowded opening day.

As always, this year's event offers an abundance of local fare (artists, performers and vendors dot the festival grounds) to compliment the Voodoo Eats area emanating olfactory goodness of a largely Cajun variety. Electronic fans will surely enjoy the spate of DJ's (Paul Oakenfold, Deadmau5, Ferry Corsten and more) and bands with electronic leanings dotting the impressive lineup. Of course you're not going to want to miss MGMT on Halloween, Ozzy or Muse headlining Night One, but we're here to give you a heads-up on some of the lesser-known acts playing earlier in the day and a closer look at My Morning Jacket's festival-headlining Halloween performance.

Friday, October 29

1. Stanton Moore Trio w/ Anders Osborne and Robert Walter :: Preservation Hall Tent :: 2:15-3:30 p.m.
The first of several super jams for the weekend. This set features a Swedish ex-pat swamp rocker (Osborne), a respected jazz/funk vet (Stanton Moore), and a Greyboy All-Star (Robert Walter). The diverse array of influences driving these three unique artists should make for a great show and a righteous kick-start to the weekend. It should also be noted that the same trio of Moore, Osborne and Walter made up the lineup for Anders Osborne's impressive 2010 record American Patchwork. Stanton the scene staple, Walter the stalwart, and Osborne the rising star makes for an impressive promo poster and should be one helluva show.

2. Dead Confederate :: Voodoo Stage :: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
The dark, heavy, grunge-adelic sounds of this new-ish Georgia band should sound outstanding coming out of the main stage speakers. It will be exciting to see the band for the first time in a large festival setting. Known for their loud, ruthlessly intense live shows, this should be one of the strongest rock sets of the weekend. Dead Confederate, who are winding down a big year in support of their outstanding second album Sugar, signed on late for this one, and we're mighty glad they did.

3. Jonsi :: Sony Make. Believe Stage :: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
The soothing and recognizable voice of Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi will prove tonic for those who make the quick turnaround after taking in the Dead Confederate set (the Voodoo Stage and Sony Stage are close to each other, set up on opposite sides of the track oval). Despite Jonsi's main band being on hiatus this year, the Icelander has been touring fairly heavily in support of his surprisingly perky, long overdue Go album. This is potentially one of the more intriguing sets of the weekend.

ALSO: On the eve of the festival Soul Rebels Brass Band will be appearing at Le Bon Temps Roule. And Widespread Panic will be kicking off a three-night run at the UNO Lakefront Arena with Dumpstaphunk opening.

Late Night Recommendation: Galactic pulls double duty (and triple duty for drummer Stanton Moore). The locals will be playing for a half-hour before Muse takes the stage for their headlining set and then performing a late night show at Tipitina's Uptown. The show will be recorded and released as a live record as a follow-up to 2001's We Love ‘Em Tonight.