Local Voodoo
Once again Voodoo Fest has delivered a powerful lineup of headliners and locals alike. The festival organizers have always done a great job of highlighting and promoting local acts. This year you can catch The Breton Sound, MUTEMATH, Seratones, and Sexual Thunder all in relatively early spots with very little in the way of conflict. You can start the fest on Friday with The Breton Sound (12:45 p.m. on the Pepsi Stage), Seratones (2:30 p.m. on the South Course) and MUTEMATH (4 p.m. on the Altar) all basically in a row. On Saturday Sexual Thunder! is going to bring the funk at 12:45 p.m. on the Pepsi stage. Judging from Sexual Thunder’s usual attire, their Halloween costumes alone should be worth the trip. Of course Preservation Hall will be there on Sunday (2 p.m. on the Altar). Despite its international flair, the foundation of Voodoo Fest has remained the local acts. This dedication to the local is part of what makes Voodoo so unique. The headliners will draw fans no matter where they go, but the locals make Voodoo feel like home.
Phantogram’s Third
New York electronic duo Phantogram has just released their third record Three and are brining their tour through town Nov. 3 to help us recover from the post Voodoo blues. I was able to catch up with guitarist and vocalist Josh Carter to chat a bit about the new record and their current tour. On Three the generally guarded duo has opened the door to collaboration with a wide range of folks. I asked Carter about this turn. “It [the record] allowed us to open up a little bit more and realize that it's okay to work with other people. You don't have to just hoard everything to yourself…before we just wouldn't share anything until we thought it was done and there you go. I think it's about achieving a balance where you're making music that's personal and honest and maintains its integrity…But … making music still feels like you. People aren't just painting words. You've got to maintain your own vision.” Part of that process for Phantogram is the integrity of the tracks themselves.
There is a completeness to Phantogram’s songs that sets their records apart. Each track inhabits a unique moment and dedicates itself to that vision. “I think that's how we've approached our process with all of our records, really. We try to make records where every song sounds different but we still sound like the same band, you know. I think a lot of the influence behind that is a band like the Beatles or something. And I also feel happy that we don't have to worry about pigeon holing ourselves in a particular genre where we would have to be this one trick pony type band.”
Phantogram will be bringing their excellent live show to the Joy Theater on Thursday Nov. 3. If you order a ticket in advance it comes with a digital copy of their new record, Three.
To Do This Week
This week you would do well to camp out at Tips for their Halloween festivities. Tonight dream pop trio KING will be at Tips and the Lost Bayou Ramblers will be at Siberia. Friday Voodoo begins also the Jayhawks will be at Tips with Folk Uke. Also Friday Questlove will be doing a late night show with Soul Sister also at Tips. Saturday Galactic will do their big Halloween show at Tips. Monday check out Big Gigantic at the Joy. On Tuesday Kishi Bashi will be at One Eyed Jacks and Pennywise will be at the House of Blues playing the About Time record in full.
To Listen This Week
- New track from Joanna Newsom via Youtube
- Run The Jewels have released a new single through the Adult Swim singles series
- New track from Bryde via CoS