Voodoo Fest 2019!

Voodoo Music + Arts 2019

Marking its 21st year, Voodoo Music + Arts Experience once again lit up New Orleans' Halloween weekend with a ton of music, a variety of arts and festivities, and a dash of the macabre. Thousands descend on New Orleans' City Park for the annual event by cab, bus and on foot; some local, some from across the country, and all in search of one very unique festival experience. 

It is a festival known for mixing up the genres: rock, pop, hip hop, soul, EDM and more all have their places at Voodoo Fest. 2019's festival was topped by rock icons Guns n' Roses, Post Malone, Beck, Bassnectar, Brandi Carlisle, and The National, who led a bill of more than sixty artists spread across three days and multiple stages. Whether you are drawn to a favorite headliner or in search of something you perhaps haven't heard before, music can be found at any given point throughout the weekend.

The festival grounds are populated by artists, vendors, bars, special attractions, viewing and lounge areas, VIP sections and more types of food than you could possibly sample on your own in a weekend. You can load up on traditional festival eats like a tasty chicken on a stick or grilled cheese sandwich, or sample some of the more regional cuisine (crawfish pies, boudin, gumbo), choose from a selection of domestic, import and craft beers, wine and soft drinks, and venture over to the shops to pick up some incense or handmade apparel in between your favorite musical acts. In short, there's a lot to do, and simply exploring the grounds to see what turns up is a big part of the fun at Voodoo.

The Halloween atmosphere is an inseperable part of the Voodoo experience, and it can be quite magical. At certain points in the night, fog from the various productions drifts through the hanging moss of the park's massive trees, backlit by distant stage lighting and pyro, bringing with it a beautifully eerie vibe to an otherwise hyped event. Of course, beautiful and eerie is perfectly suitable for a festival set in New Orleans, and the array of comical, creepy and wild costumes worn by many of the guests add another layer to the spectacle.

At the center of all of this is the Mortuary haunted house, one of the primary non-musical attractions of the festival grounds. The Mortuary has continued to grow and improve each year our team has visited Voodoo, and this year did not disappoint. The ornate cemetery grounds are populated by various animatronic ghouls, well crafted decorations, and creepy places to lay low for a bit. Zombies do prowl the grounds though, so beware. The haunted house at the center was at one point not much bigger than a two room shack, although a cool one, that one could pass through in a matter of seconds for a quick scary thrill. This year's house was considerably larger, consisting of long, terrifying corridors with unknown possible dangers around every corner, an outdoor pathway leading to a higher level, and a disorienting trek across a catwalk through a spinning neon tunnel room. If you go to Voodoo, the Mortuary attraction is an absolute must-experience.

The lovely park setting of Voodoo is enhanced by some of the southern hospitality shown by some of the event organizers. Hydration stations provide free drinking water to guests, and the innovative Rock & Recycle program offers participants the chance to score some free merch in exchange for picking up recyclable garbage, helping keep the park litter free for the weekend. Restrooms and aid and information stations are easily accessible, and the staff laid out elevated walkways and mulch on the grounds this year in anticipation of Friday's rain to help keep folks from having to trudge through the inevitable mud pits that come when festivalgoers are greeted with adverse weather.

In all, Voodoo Music + Arts still stands after more than two decades as a very cool, one of a kind event among the American music festival scene, and that's even before we get to the music. My personal favorite highlight of the weekend was Guns n' Roses' Friday night headlining set, which was a massive, career spanning performance and an absolute treat especially since Slash and Duff have rejoined Axl Rose in the band. Whether enjoying music in an intimate tent setting or blasting out across the crowd at the massive Altar Stage, Voodoo continues to deliver a mix of artists ranging from hot up-and-comers to long established icons across genres in a unique setting, and will continue to do so next year.

Voodoo Music + Arts experience is set to return October 30th through November 1st, 2020. Follow them online for updates and future lineup announcements as they develop.

Were you there? What was your favorite performance? Let us know what you think! 

@coastobserverlive

VoodooFestival.com

Scott

Coast Observer, Coast Observer Live