VooDoo Festival: A Complete New Orleans Experience

By Sammy Lowdermilk

VooDoo Festival is a music & arts event in New Orleans, typically close to Halloween. My wife and I had every intention of attending the 2017 festival but were unable to go, so this year's festival was eagerly anticipated. VooDoo Fest was a new one for us. We'd been to JazzFest in New Orleans before, but this was a MUCH DIFFERENT experience. This was, in fact, a much different experience than any other festival we'd been to. Take an eclectic group of music lovers, add Halloween costumes, and place them in New Orleans and you get the VooDoo Festival.

So before I dig into the acts, I should definitely recommend going to this festival. We plan to go back again next year. I would also recommend going down a night or two early to get the full New Orleans experience that's outside of the festival (I'll speak to that a bit later). We tried to hit hot spots, especially eateries and bars before and after the music; namely Dot's Diner, the local Waffle House-esque 24/7 diner, which we hit every night after the festival. The staff was genuine, as was the food. I digress. Let's get back to the music.

While we went to as many shows as we could and experienced a wide-range of genres, I'll only highlight a handful of hip-hop and R&B acts. This is a hip-hop blog after all. I doubt anyone wants to hear about Mumford & Sons or Third Eye Blind. The great thing about this festival is that there's something for everyone. 

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Day One, First Up: Smino

Smino was one of the most anticipated artists on my VooDoo Fest list. I discovered Smino last year via his video "Anita" on YouTube and really dig his vibe. Smino transitioned between rhyme and song with little to no effort and his voice had a D'Angelo'esque smoothness. 

​His mix of hip-hop and neo-soul sneaks up and puts you in a head-bobbing groove. If I'm completely honest; even though he's from St. Louis, he's got that Chattanooga sound that Isaiah Rashad, YGTUT, and theHouse have blessed our ears with. 

He's since dropped a new song, "Klink," and it's worth checking out!

Day Two, First Up: Lizzo

Wow! Lizzo, the self-acclaimed "Black Ass Sailor Moon," was a name I was unfamiliar with on the festival roster. We were walking around on Day Two and heard her music from a distance and decided to check her out. We were NOT disappointed.

​If Aretha Franklin and Big Freedia had a child, it would grow up to be Lizzo. She had pipes and she had sass! The music was lit and the dancing just as hot.

​The whole set was entertaining as she mixed in a few covers with her originals, one we're probably all familiar with, "Good As Hell."  I was having so much fun watching the show that I got very little video, but enjoy the short video I've included below. 
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Day Two, Next Up: Janellle Monae

Janelle Monae was a breath of fresh air at VooDoo Fest. This might have been my favorite performance of the festival. The dancing, the music, and the entire production was quite impressive to watch. From the time the music started until the last note sang, I felt called back to the Rhythm Nation days. That's Janet Jackson for you young folks. There was even a bit of Michael thrown in here and there, even his signature Moonwalk. She sang of love, and female empowerment (even wearing some very yonic pants during one song). 

Day Two, The Finale: Travis Scott

First off, the PRIMARY reason I wanted to go to VooDoo Festival was to see Childish Gambino but due to a foot injury he was replaced by Travis Scott. I was only disappointed for so long because Travis put on an AMAZING show. It's been a long time since I've seen that many people going that crazy at a show. Fresh off his new album Astroworld, Travis Scott mixed in his new bangers with a few throwbacks. The show was electric - fireworks, crazy lighting, and a hyped-up Travis Scott. I've always liked his music, but he now has a fan after seeing this performance. I'd love to see him again.

VooDoo Festival also included artists like Ty Dolla Sign, 21 Savage, Duckworth, and Tinashe. ​The entire experience was unforgettable and we plan to go back again in 2019! Join us!