New Orleans’ Voodoo Experience always has an off-the-wall lineup that you won’t really find elsewhere and this year’s edition is certainly no exception. Having Green Day, Skrillex, Jack White and Neil Young & Crazy Horse at the top says about all you need to know about this festival – but the randomness doesn’t stop there. Here’s a quick look back at the past three Voodoos and a closer look at this year’s Fest.
2009
KISS, Eminem, Widespread Panic, Ween and The Flaming Lips made for one majorly bizarre and enjoyable melange of headlining performances. Notably, The Pogues’ surly Sunday afternoon set on November 1st was quite the memorable train wreck of a set that sticks out in memory above all-else from the weekend. A fitting show to watch after a lengthy Halloween night out in New Orleans.
2010
Powerful, heavy rock in three very different flavors from Ozzy Osborne, Muse and My Morning Jacket contrasted with Drake, Weezer & Deadmau5. However, a sneaky Sunday set by Janelle Monae highlighted the weekend and stole the show.
2011
Last year, Soundgarden, Blink-182, The Meters, Fatboy Slim, TV on the Radio and The Raconteurs charted yet another high score on the eclectic meter. The Meters’ Sunday set was the legendary NOLA band’s first appearance in the Big Easy in a half-decade – a surprisingly strong and mostly tight set that was a high point of not only the weekend but the entire year.
A closer look at 2012
While Skrillex and Jack White have played almost every major U.S. festival this year, there are a number of more surprising acts on the 2012 bill (like Tomahawk and Dave Stewart) that fit right in with Voodoo’s unique tradition of wild programming – a festival always managing to toss a few wild cards into the mix.
Seeking other weirdness? Look no further than Die Antwoord (although I wouldn’t personally recommend it), Thomas Dolby (would definitely recommend it) and/or Unicorn Fukr (don’t know anything about it but a name like that suggests its not gonna be a whitebread set you’d wanna bring your folks to).
EDM fans once again will get their fill in City Park with Skrillex, Kaskade and Justice anchoring yet another lineup featuring a who’s who in the modern electronic scene.
Out-of-towners seeking a taste of New Orleans? Besides the Creole Eats area, there’s a full harvest of NOLA acts playing (as always) and you definitely won’t wanna sleep on Preservation Hall Jazz Band, George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners, Big History, Luke Winslow-King or The Revivalists, among many others.
The countdown to October 26th begins…Gary Clark Jr. and Bootsy Collins in the same weekend?! There’s your ticket puncher right there.
WORSHIP THE RITUAL
VOODOO EXPERIENCE 2012 LINEUP
Green Day
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Jack White
SKRILLEX
The Avett Brothers
Kaskade
Justice
Silversun Pickups
AWOLNATION
Etienne De’ Crecy
K’NAAN
JFK of MSTRKRFT
Tomahawk
Thomas Dolby
Say Anything
Die Antwoord
Modestep
Toots & The Maytals
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Gaslamp Killer
Borgore
Nervo
New Orleans Bingo! Show
The Features
Dev
Delta Rae
The Soul Rebels
George Porter Jr. & The Runnin’ Pardners
DJ QBERT & D-Styles of the Invisibl Skratch Piklz
DallasK
Jim-E Stack
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
101 Runners Featuring Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
Treme Brass Band
CC Adcock & The Lafatyette Marquis Infantree
Force Feed Radio
Lost Bayou Ramblers + Pres Hall Horns
Johnny V., James Singleton Doing James Booker
The Revivalists
Marcia Ball
Andy Suzuki & The Method
Ingrid Lucia Presents New Orleans Nightengales
Lil Band O’Gold
Paul Sanchez
Little Freddie King
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Cedric Watson
Beverly Skillz
The Pimps of Joytime
Star & Dagger
TBC Brass Band
Supagroup
Noisician Coalition
Luke Winslow King
Leo Jackson & The Melody Clouds of Joy
Royal Teeth
Carmine P. Filthy
Unicorn Fukr
Rekanize
Big History
Christopher Joseph
Christoph Andersson
Fleur De Tease with Special Guests
Debauche
Chicano Batman
St. Cecilia’s Asylum Chorus
Mainline
Money Mitch
Tribute To Jimmy’s Music Club Featuring Models, Dash Rip Rock and Stephie & The Whitesox
Don’t miss this one folks, for serious:
TOMAHAWK
LUKE WINSLOW KING
BOOTSY COLLINS
TOOTS & THE MAYTALS
To see LMB NOLA’s extensive coverage of last year’s festival, go here.
