Voodoo Experience 2008: Sunday Review

Sunday, October 26, the final day of the 2008 Voodoo Experience, featured performances from Ozomatli reunited with Chali 2na, Lupe Fiasco, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, Morning 40 Federation, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Spoonfed Tribe, Butthole Surfers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave and R.E.M.

Read more about Voodoo Sunday after the jump

Words by Cereal
Images by Eggs and Toast

Ozomatli reunited with Chali 2na was a can't-miss show for us, so we made sure to arrive at City Park on Sunday early enough that we wouldn't miss a note. The Latin/hip-hop/rock fusion band began the set sans 2na, but with all of the energy for which they've become known. The second song of their performance, "La Gallina," presented a surprise for me – it's included on Ozo's 2007 full-length, Don't Mess with the Dragon, and is admittedly a track that I routinely skip. But it sounded fantastic live...not that this should have come as a shock. Even if you're not a huge fan of their studio work, it's damn near impossible to not enjoy yourself at Ozo's shows. Near the end of their third song, the group showed off its improvisational chops with an extended jam duel featuring Ulises Bella on requinto jarocho and Jiro Yamaguchi on doumbek.

Chali 2na took the stage during the fourth song of the set to cheering approval from the audience. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was thrilled to hear the classic "Cut Chemist Suite" live, even if Cut Chemist was missing. 2na's distinctive voice and cheerful presence were welcome additions to Ozo's stellar live performance. Throughout the rest of the set, 2na would appear for a song or two, exit while the rest of the band played their more Spanish-flavored songs, then reappear after a couple of songs. One of the most memorable stretches of the performance began with "Cumbia de los Muertos," transitioned into a 2na rap followed by a flow from band member Justin Porée, moved into covers of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" and Musical Youth's "Pass the Dutchie," then eventually blasted back into "Cumbia."

Other highlights included "Magnolia Soul" and "After Party," both from Don't Mess with the Dragon. I'd have to say the pinnacle of the set – for Eggs and me, anyway – was hearing the 2na-enhanced "Super Bowl Sundae," one of our favorites from the band's eponymous debut full-length. Ozo closed with one of their best-known songs, "Como Ves," then embarked on their customary "ya se fue" journey into the audience with instruments in hand. From beginning to end, the set was a treat and Ozomatli proved again why they've earned a position on my list of best bands to see live.

After Ozo snaked their way through the crowd and disappeared, we hopped over to the main stage area to take in rapper Lupe Fiasco. Born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, he has been a prominent figure in the hip-hop scene since the 2006 release of his Grammy-winning debut album. I'd never before seen him live, but it was easy to see why he gets so many props from industry peers. His lyrics don't focus on cars, drugs, money or sex; instead he offers insight on topics like current events and politics. Highlights included "Superstar" from his 2007 album The Cool, as well as Food & Liquor's "Sunshine," "I Gotcha," "Kick, Push" and "Daydreamin." Also of note were the impressive freestyle performances turned in by Fiasco and hypeman Dusean "Bishop G" Dunbar over Dr. Dre's "Deep Cover." While I enjoyed his clever storytelling and onstage acrobatics, I can't say that this was the best hip-hop performance I witnessed while at Voodoo. Maybe the glaring late afternoon sun was getting to him – he made several comments about the heat, at one point asking, "Can I get some cold water up here? This is turning into coffee."

Next, I headed over to the Bingo! Parlour to catch some of Quintron & Miss Pussycat's performance. We'd stumbled across this swamptronic duo at last year's Voodoo Experience and were immediately impressed with Quintron and the unique musical implements that surrounded him onstage. His organ and synthesizer are customized to look like the front end of a car, complete with working headlights and a "Quintron" license plate. The contraption that draws the most curiosity, however, is the Drum Buddy, a light-activated oscillating drum machine that Quintron invented and manufactured himself. Behind all the avant garde flash is solid musicianship, driven by Quintron's one-man-band instrumentation and vocals. Accompanying Quintron at Voodoo were Miss Pussycat and another woman dolled up in ice cream shop apparel. And honestly? I just don't get Miss Pussycat. I wasn't a fan the first time I saw her perform with Quintron, but I really wanted to like her this time around. I still don't. While her puppet shows are amusing, I find her vocal contributions a bit grating. Regardless, this was overall a fun, unique set.

I got my late afternoon funk fix at the WWOZ/SoCo stage, where Dirty Dozen Brass Band was getting down to business. The audience was rather sparse for this set, but those gathered near the front were definitely grooving. Their brassed-out version of "When the Saints Go Marching In" was blissful to hear as the sun began to lower in the sky. They closed with a rousing version of "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now," the title track from their 1984 debut album.

I've heard a lot of praise for New Orleans' Morning 40 Federation, so my next stop was their set at the Bingo! Parlour. The crowd was pretty dense under the tent, full of fans ready for a dose of dirty, gritty funk rock. Their approach to instrumentation and vocals gave their sound a harder edge at times, but they demonstrated versatility by transitioning into fun, campy tunes like "Toodle My Hukill." The band's performance seemed to literally generate heat – I couldn't handle the steamy atmosphere for more than a few songs, so I fled outside to the open air.

The Land of Nod – the area surrounding the Noomoon stage – was truly its own world within the festival. People-watching was stellar at any time of the day, unique musical acts were constantly performing, and captivating visual art pieces were scattered throughout. Perhaps the most noticeable of the (n)oddities was an elaborately adorned hearse created by artist Kelly Israel. I could spend days staring at its intricate magnificence and still not feel like I'd seen everything on it.

Dallas psych/prog rockers Spoonfed Tribe soon appeared on the Noomoon stage, so I drew nearer to watch. The first time I saw them, I found lead vocalist/flautist Egg Nebula's onstage energy infectious; the same was true this day. (And isn't 'Egg Nebula' a fab stage name? Loves it!) With his dreads bouncing joyously, he cut a fine figure dancing around the center of the stage. What I particularly enjoy about this band is that they mix delicate flute and piccolo sounds with harder, driving instrumentation – and it actually works. They're unlike any other band out there, and their live shows are a truly unique experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' set at ACL this year, so their Voodoo performance was a must-see for me. I arrived during Jones' dance-tastic telling of her ancestry, one of my favorites from the aforementioned ACL set. There were far fewer people in attendance this time around – wherever all the other Voodooers were, they missed a dynamite performance. During "Let Them Knock," she invited a dude from the audience to join her onstage, then treated him to an up close and personal serenade. Next, Jones and the Dap-Kings served up a slowed-down, funked-out version of Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately." A couple of songs later, she invited six girls onstage for a dance-off during "Once I Had a Good Man," then continued her audience participation streak by inviting another dude to be her muse during the next song, "Be Easy." This guy sported a purple jacket, cowboy hat, American flag bandana, exposed chest, and claimed his name was Daddy. He happily wagged his hips and attempted to feel up Ms. Jones for most of the song. After belting out the title track of their 2007 album 100 Days, 100 Nights, Jones finished her set by paying tribute to one of her strongest influences, performing James Brown's "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" and "There Was a Time." Jones is such a captivating entertainer that it can be easy to overlook the musicians providing her soundtrack – the Dap-Kings are overflowing with talent and always phenomenal; they're simply one of the best funk/soul bands in existence.

iClips has archived an excellent video recording of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' Voodoo performance – watch it here.

After Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings' show ended, I wandered over to the Voodoo Eats food court to snag some sustenance in the form of fries. While eating, I watched the last bit of Cowboy Mouth's set across the field. I'm not very familiar with their work, but I apparently caught the hits portion of the set, because I recognized the two songs that I heard – "Easy" and "Jenny Says." I got distracted by a sparkly, illuminated musical cart that rolled by me, and joined the crowd following it for a few minutes before taking off for the Land of Nod. Finding that the Butthole Surfers still hadn't begun, I decided to rest for a spell on a hill near the Noomoon stage, where I surmised that either Uncle Billy's Smokehouse or Illusion Fields were playing. Not long after I arrived, I noticed a man with what looked to be a huge burning sage joint approaching people, presumably to banish any evil spirits that might have been afoot. Then I noticed a dude dressed as a werewolf raging near the front of the stage. The Land of Nod is intense at night, yo.

When I heard the Texas-bred psych rockers Butthole Surfers play their opening notes, I scurried over to the Bingo! Parlour. Because the band reunited its classic lineup a few months ago, this set was highly anticipated and had the packed tent to prove it. I stayed long enough to hear a few classics, then surrendered the humid tent to the hardcore fans. I wandered over to the African cultural tent, where New Orleans funk/hip-hop outfit Slang Angus were nearing the end of their set. I didn't have any expectations – I really just wanted to check out the tent – but I actually enjoyed the bit that I heard. The band laid down some solid grooves, and MC Craig Oubre's lyrical delivery at times recalled early Eminem.

From there, I headed to the nearby WWOZ/SoCo stage to take in Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave. As I walked up, I noticed that there were very few people sitting – the bulk of the crowd was on its feet, dancing along. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews was at his energetic best, fulfilling his duties as bandleader with enthusiasm. The musicians of Orleans Ave were no less stellar, presenting tight, funky instrumentation throughout. Guitarist Pete Murano wowed me with a couple of sizzling solos; bassist Mike Ballard also had me transfixed for awhile as he showed off his chops. Shorty, meanwhile, wailed on his trombone and moonwalked (quite well, actually). A personal favorite of the set was a cover of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" that featured a super sultry trumpet line.

After getting funked up, I headed to the Voodoo stage to check out headliners R.E.M.. They opened with "Living Well Is the Best Revenge," the first track on their newest studio effort, Accelerate. From the beginning of their set, they sounded on point live. Michael Stipe's voice sounded ace enough to even surprise me a little. They played only five songs total from Accelerate, choosing instead to focus on their older material. Hits "The One I Love," "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)," "Losing My Religion" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" all made appearances during the set. Behind the band, various images were projected onto a huge screen, providing visual entertainment even if you were standing far from the stage. Before their encore, a blank piece of paper was shown on the screen. A hand appeared and wrote:

Voodoo
more?
what?

After sufficient screaming, the band reappeared, ran through a five-song encore, then closed the set – and Voodoo 2008's musical performances – with "Man on the Moon." Another stellar Voodoo Experience is now under our belts, and you can count on us to be back for more next year.

Check out our other Voodoo 2008 coverage:

Friday
Review
Photos
Videos

Saturday
Review
Photos
Videos

Sunday
Review
Photos
Videos

—Cereal