Voodoo ‘07

The final encore at Voodoo on Sunday night came in the modest-sized African Culture Tent just inside the gates. The Rebirth Brass Band was in spirited form, doing everything from the theme from Ghostbusters to Feel like Funking It Up. Long after all the other stages went dark, Rebirth was still going. To close that late night, unannounced show, a Haitian band took the stage with the Rebirth (all courtesy of the New Orleans - South African Coalition), blending some voodoo and hoodoo vibes, and finished it New Orleans style with a second line out of the tent.

Wilco played a well-received 90 minutes, which included most of the songs off Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Jeff Tweedy seemed more into the music than the audience though he sportingly helped some unnamed Voodoo-goer propose to a woman identified on the jumboscreen as Yuri. As a brief silence followed, presumably giving Yuri time to contemplate the offer, Tweedy explained to the audience that he had changed a line in the previous song refering to girls lifting up their shirts at rock shows. He acknowledged that he was killing the romance of the moment, but reported that Yuri said yes.

Tweedy found a little more self-satisfaction when the band came on for an encore and he announced that they had to play “Hoodoo Voodoo” off of Mermaid Avenue, which they turned into a sort of countrified romp. But even those going home single seemed to like it.

Day one of the Voodoo Music Experience kicked off in City Park on a bigger and better layout.

Getting Buzzed
Not quite the Jazz Fest Mud Fest or Woodstock of lore, but the soggy grounds (after the week’s heavy rains) at the WWOZ stage welcomed the swampy soul/blues/rock of JJ Grey and Mofro. Grey stopped mid-set to tell the audience that he’d need to drink heavier to deal with the mic that was shocking him every time he got close. He declared that “wind screens are too sissified” for his tastes, and then launched into Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy.” And after that he stayed away from the mic. Spending most of his time at the organ on stage.

Not Your Chronic Christian Rock
I don’t know what it was like onstage, but second-hand smoke was a chronic perk just left of the soundboard for Kings of Leon. The Kings themselves were much more mellow than during last years three-guitar assault. But more than that the brothers were polite. They thanked the crowd for its quiet, “respectful” ways before the final song. “And God Bless you.” But there was no encore.

Tent Revival
Also putting in solid sets, if you could squeeze in the tents were the Soul Rebels in Preservation Hall’s tent, and Lez Zeppelin in the Bingo Parlor.

Lost in Translation
M.I.A. showed that some hip-hop gems are transnational - especially the honorific “M****rF*****r”. At one point, she told that crowd that she’d be teaching us how to do a dance — which she might have called, “butt hopping,” but I’m not sure. I am sure that what her sidekick did is known in some local quarters as “popping.” But when she invited people on-stage to try it, no-one volunteered. So maybe that just didn’t translate.