Live music photography
This year brought a few changes at the festival, including a big improvement in the sound bleed issues that plagued last year’s festival and a relocation of the art market, which seemed to work out better. The lineup seemed leaner, with only four stages (same as last year), but the festival was absolutely packed by late afternoon on each of the three days, so that apparently had little impact. We posted recommendations last week, and with the exception of Ms. Lauryn Hill, who exhibited an appalling lack of respect for fans who crowded the stage to see her, the recommendations panned out. Unfortunately Ms. Hill, who chose to be 45 minutes late not only to her first 1-hour show, but then again to the “makeup” show later that night, helped to coin some new English slang at Voodoo—specifically, to get “Billy Jeaned” is to have your mic cut and Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” blared over the loudpspeaker to shoo you offstage. Why? To make someone who has shown up 45 minutes late (and then refuses to stop playing) get off the stage, so that other acts, who show up on time, can perform.
True to our expectations, Slayer, Trombone Shorty, Peelander-Z, Gogol Bordello, and Red Baraat were spectacular. Add to that list an unexpected treat and one of the most enjoyable sets of the entire festival—The Melvins—who generated metal-laced madness for an entire hour, with roaring guitar riffs and manic drumming.
Peelander-Z is one of our perennial favorites and we’re still not quite over waiting out most of the failed Ms. Lauryn Hill set and missing most of Peelander’s show (this is the last time the issue will be mentioned). After we gave up on…you-know-who…and ran as fast as one can while lugging two cameras and a 300mm Nikon, we caught Peelander Yellow surfing, which lifted our spirits:
Peelander-Z performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Slayer. One could stop there, since Slayer has been dishing out thrash since 1981 and there’s little more to say. They’re one of the best thrash bands ever, and unless they suddenly snapped and either put on a bad show, or were completely washed up, which they most certainly didn’t and absolutely aren’t, well, they’re Slayer. The show was barely lit for the first three songs we were allowed to shoot, but the entire show was mayhem. Which is to say, awesome. Please, Voodoo, book more major metal bands. We’ll hug you and kiss you, and well, whatever you need.
Slayer performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Slayer performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Slayer performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Slayer performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Big Freedia always puts on an entertaining show and the bar gets raised each time we see her. This time, a lone DJ sits at the back of the stage, followed by a violin player, straight out of 1750. And then, it was on. The Queen Diva appeared, dressed in a spectacular sequined costume, and it was straight to ass everywhere.
Big Freedia performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Big Freedia performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Big Freedia performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Big Freedia performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Big Freedia performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Trombone Shorty raised his game (and the volume!) even higher than his last two Jazz Fest performances (which we still haven’t stopped raving about), which is to say, um. Wow. Orleans Avenue has grown into a superbly tight outfit and we’re not going to predict something silly like “it can’t get better than this”, but honestly, we’re not sure how it can. We were dragging a bit before the show, having run into a few bands that weren’t our thing and the feet were also starting to ache from the 50 lbs of camera gear, but after this show, two adrenaline shots, straight through the breastbones. Thanks, Shorty!
Trombone Shorty performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Trombone Shorty performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience. (High ISO Music)
The Melvins, honestly, just haven’t been on our musical radar, and we’re not sure why. They’ve been around since 1983 and have had a very strong influence on a bunch of other more well-known bands (both musically and personally, including Buzz Osborne, the lead singer, introducing Kurt Cobain [Nirvana] to Dave Grohl [Foo Fighters]), but we’ve never managed to catch them live. Their sound is a crazy mix of punk, noise, and metal, with rapid start/stop guitar riffs, and they were instantly one of our favorite acts—we didn’t miss a minute of their Voodoo show. This will be our new music-to-cook-by. Be sure to check out their new album, Hold it In, which came out this year.
The Melvins perform at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Melvins perform at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Melvins perform at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Check out pictures below from some of the other shows we enjoyed this year and let us know what you think!
Benjamin Booker
Benjamin Booker performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
John Butler Trio
The John Butler Trio performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The John Butler Trio performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Red Baraat
Red Baraat performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Ms. Lauryn Hill
Ms. Lauryn Hill performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience. (High ISO Music)
Fishbone
Fishbone performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Fuel
Fuel performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Fuel performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience. (High ISO Music)
MarchFourth Marching Band
(HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
The Givers (who bring their own neon glow with them)
The Givers perform at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Yung Nation
Yung Nation performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Yung Nation performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Death From Above 1979
Death From Above 1979 performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Death From Above 1979 performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
AWOLNATION performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Gogol Bordello (pardon the image quality–there were some serious lighting issues and sound problems during the first three songs!)
Gogol Bordello performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Sturgill Simpson
Sturgill Simpson performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
Monica Heldal
Monica Heldal performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)
You can click through any of the images above to see our entire photographic coverage of Voodoo Fest 2014, or sit back, gel, and watch the slideshow below:
And with this final image of the Dirty River Bourbon Show, we invite you to squeeze the one you love (often), support live music, and check back in with us soon!
The Dirty River Bourbon Show performs at the 2014 Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans, LA. (HIGH ISO Music, LLC)