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...But does anybody realize that Voodoo's new website looks like some electronic bullshit like Ultra? I hate that they keep spending more and more on the untz so the undercard gets weaker... Not that I don't like electronic music, I just don't like it at the expense of good shows elsewhere. At least they moved Le Plur far enough this year, but the Mainstage kinda drowned Flambeau like Le Plur did in 2013. Gonna try VIP this year for Buku. I know its more expensive, but I think the lineup's pretty nice every year. Where else do you get the Lips, Beats Antique, Nas, Pusha T, Bone Thugs, Conspirator, Lotus with all the EDM. Shit the year before had Primus, Big G, alt-J, Sound Tribe, Kendrick, and a buncha other nice gets. C3 knows how to books some acts... However, with Live Nation buying them out, I only hope Buku doesn't degrade like Voodoo has in the two years since they bought Rehage. Live Nation seriously blows tho.
Wish I could do Bear Creek or even Primus on the 14th in Biloxi... But I guess I'm being nice to my wallet till Meth and Red on the 18th w/ B-Real.
See you fuckers on the JazzFest and Buku thread.
I agree the new Voodoo website makes it look way more EDM-focused. And I think that's the direction for the time being. You make a good point that Voodoo's undercard started getting weaker when they started booking big name EDM headliners, I for some reason never made that connection.
It's a good business decision for Voodoo, I totally get it, but I hate to lose the usually awesome Voodoo undercard of past years. I don't think they could continue as a going concern with all my favorite 90s headliners alone. But hey, as long as we keep getting pretty dope rock acts at the top of the bill. The rock (or Outkast) headliners the past three years have been truly outstanding.
Post by streetsdisciple on Nov 8, 2014 14:20:00 GMT -5
Yeah. That's definitely the direction with HARD events taking over Le Plur; some shit was interesting and unexpected like Pete Tong or Manic Focus. I just get tired of seeing the same damn DJs over and over in NOLA. Voodoo has booked EDM headliners like Skrillex, Zedd (hate so much), and Calvin Harris right after Buku booked them that same year... Get something original; even Griz and Pretty Lights were just here a couple months ago.
I think its just that the big DJs cost more now; and they're played out a little. They used to have a solid electronic lineup (with different gets like Fatboy Slim, deadmau5, Girl Talk, Justice), but I wouldn't have to wait until 7PM to see something on the main stage that interests me. I understand they're always gonna book some past their heydey alternative bands like 30 Seconds, New Found Glory, or My Chemical Romance, but I just seem to remember wanting to get to Voodoo early back in the day. Like Mannie Fresh and Odd Future before like 2:00. Other than John Butler Trio or DFA1979, nothing seemed like a can't miss that early... Maybe my taste in music's changed, but a lot of it seemed like bullshit gets. The headliners are always great, but that doesn't necessitate the increase in ticket prices every year when the lineup as a whole gets weaker. Gate prices are almost as much as Bonnaroo after bullshit ticketmaster fees; try and compare the two lineups. I look at some nearby festivals like Hangout that book heat the ENTIRE day.
Ive got so many friends that just started going to Voodoo in the last two or three years, and I just wish they could see some of the old lineups or experience the old dueling stages. I'll still be going with cheap pre-sales (basically worth the price of the headliners) and a festival in my backyard... I still like to bitch though, rofl.
Rehage said last week that Voodoo is not and wont ever be an EDM festival. On the one hand, that's complete bullshit since it obviously is for anyone who wants it to be on a 1 stage basis. They are spending plenty of budget there (researched when the lineup was released, they had 7 of the Top 100 rated Djs from I think djmag). I agree with the post above that said there is usually at least some interesting stuff there Last year Big G and Beats. This year, for me, Griz. He has good name recognition and was 11th billed if I remember right. Quick aside that about 10 or so of my kids and their friends and girlfriends said Griz was their top show of the weekend (1 said top edm show, which I agree with). On the other side, when you look at the last 5 years, the rock and rap headliners and subheadliners have been as solid as anyone's. I'm not necessarily a fan of all of them personally (Drake, Kidrock, Blink 182) But besides them - Muse, Ozzy, MMJ, Soundgarden, Snoop, Raconteurs, Jack white, Neil Young and CH, Metallica, Nas, Street Sweeper Social Club, Pearl Jam, Slayer, NiN, Cure, FF, Outkast, Arctic Monkeys, Bootsy's Rubber Band, etc. While I realize they don't chase the same big legacy classic rock acts like Jazzfest or Bonnaroo or even Hangout, that was never their thing. it's usually been a slam dunk that for the presale price, you would get your money's worth at the top of the card. I think that's even how Jabco characterized the festival to me the first couple of times we discussed it - he has many more Voodoos than me under his belt. Then there was always cool other shit to see like X (when they did Los Angeles), Mastadon, Melvins, OFWGKTA or whatever. Maybe it just worked out that way, but I personally thought they stepped up the midcard this year on the rock side. DFA, 30 Seconds, London Souls, Fishbone, JBT, Red Baraat, etc. I didn't have much downtime for bands I actively wanted to see (including some of the NOLA and LA stuff) and even missed shit I would have liked to see.
To the point about the future, I think they have already laid their cards on the table. It's going to be a parallel components festival. They will book a full slot of electronica for the younger generation while preserving the rock/rap/alternative/indie/nola side for the traditionalists. This was my favorite Voodoo overall so far out of 5. So if the next couple of years are at least as good, I think they will remain viable for the foreseeable future. It's never the best fest or anything (outside of the city) but it always seems to include some of my most memorable shows and days of the year. Foo Fighters and Slayer 2014 are no exception.
Last point for me on Voodoo and festivals in general. I find the perception of lineups improves with time . That's true looking back at the old Lollapoloozas of the early 90s as it is to looking back on Bonnaroo 2012. Things that were maybe not quite big yet at the time glow in retrospect. 10 years from now, people will be looking back at shows like Reignwolf at Hangout or DFA at Voodoo as highlight items.
