NEW ORLEANS – Voodoo Fest 2017 did not disappoint. I’ve gone the last three years, and hands down, this was my favorite Voodoo Fest so far!
I had way too much fun every day, and I truly cannot say which day was the best!
The musical performances were off the chain. The artists pulled out all the stops.
The Altar and Le Plur stages were so visually impressive again and the South Course, Wisner, and Toyota Music Den stages had a special intimacy, which I love.
When I wasn’t watching artists, DJs or bands, it was just fun to walk around City Park. It’s incredibly beautiful and the perfect setting for a Halloween-themed festival.
If you wanted a break from the tunes, you could go on cool rides (I went on them a couple times!) or check out the eerie Mortuary experience (Nope… Nope did not do that. I got scared just walking by the creepy statues).
Do no forget about the delicious, local food — from Pho to Turkey Legs! I stuffed my face. The fest even had a fun New Orleans parade too! I never felt bored. I was always having a ton of fun!
All three days were a blast. The shenanigans started on Friday with tens of thousands of people piling into the park in costume. The weather was perfect, no too hot, not too cool. I wanted to be comfortable so on Friday, I sported some mermaid make up and leggings and rocked out to LCD Soundsystem and Kendrick Lamar.
LCD Soundsystem played with passion and put on a lively performance. Their music just gets you dancing and moving! I thought they sounded fantastic live too.
Kendrick Lamar just blew me away. His latest album has been killing it. He’s churning out hit after hit. He is an immensely talented lyricist and — I am happy to report — also an incredible performer. I was most impressed with his dynamism.
The graphics on the jumbo-tron were thrilling and eye-catching. He went all out, holding nothing back. He really seemed like he was having a lot of fun up there too. He ended his show with some incredible fireworks. It was a mesmerizing show to say the least, pulling you in visually and musically.
Saturday, I camped out at the Le Plur stage. I was cold — so the best way to heat up ? Get my dance on! I cozied up next to other spectators and got as close to the front as I could, and marveled at the sights and sounds of Illenium, RL Grime, and DJ Snake. These are some incredible DJs that’ll get your heart pumping, feet stomping and hands waving! And I am always blown away at the technological beauty of the Le Plur stage. Every year, I am pulled that way, entranced. I want to see what kind of light show the DJs can put on. They’re always fun, wild and mind-blowing!
Sunday, I decided to dial it back a little bit. Miguel was perfect for that. His music is incredibly chill and melodic. I was doing the old side to side the whole time, but I loved it. And he’s so interactive! He kept on talking to the crowd, encouraging them to sing, asking questions. I honestly had only listened to him a couple of times before going to Voodoo, but I left the South Course stage wanting more.
My biggest dilemma was deciding between Dillon Francis and the Killers. I mean, the Killers have so many hits. Dillon Francis I had seen before at Hang Out, but he put on such a great show there, I did not want to miss it. I ended up splitting my time in half. Both did not disappoint.
Dillon Francis came out of the gate strong, opening with the Stranger Things theme song, which immediately got me amped. Then he just took the visuals to another level with lights, smoke, explosions, the works!
I had to wake up at 3 a.m. for work, so I headed out around 8:30 p.m. and caught the tail end of the Killers.
I was pretty far away, but the memories from college and my early 20s came flooding back.
It was a packed three days. I walked out of the park exhausted, but overjoyed. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.