Fresh off the fairgrounds of New Orleans, CraveOnline is on hand with full coverage of New Orleans Jazz Fest 2014. We sweat our asses off in search of good music, even better food, and authentic NOLA oddities that truly make the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival one of a kind. And what momentous fest wouldn’t be complete without a few awards?
Best NOLA liquor product: Roman Candy
Did everyone else in the world miss all the king cake vodka hype of 2012? Perhaps a warning shot echoing the Mayans’ false end of the world prediction, the sweet, clear alcohol briefly made Taaka more relevant to tourists and locals alike than a crawfish boil. Now entering the NOLA-centric booze market is Roman Candy Rum. I’ve yet to find it at Jazz Fest but that doesn’t mean you can’t purchase an authentic Roman Candy stick from the man himself (at the recently raised price of $1! Gasp!) and jam it into that “Eat Sleep Fest” flask you somehow snuck into the Fair Grounds under your pile of cloth outdoor chairs and “how you gonna clap” koozies.
Best “Allstar” band: New Orleans Klezmer Allstars
It turns out my classmates in music theory were totally wrong about Jewish music. The Jewish scale is not, in fact, a chromatic scale of increasingly louder “l’chaim”s and “oy vey”s. Klezmer music, the celebratory style of Yiddish music that I’m sure your town doesn’t have in droves, is awesome. New Orleans Klezmer Allstars makes a case for its viability as a contemporary genre and puts the droves of Allstar groups popping up at Jazzfest to shame. Made up of Galactic’s Ben Ellman, the Iguanas’ Joe Cabral, and loads more Big Easy heavy-hitters, the band just celebrated 22 straight years of playing Jazzfest. Beat that, UNO Jazz Allstars!
Must-Hear Indie Group: Vox and the Hound
Chances are you’ve probably seen Vox and the Hound’s drummer before without even realizing it. Local boy made good Eric Rogers has been playing the world as Youth Lagoon’s touring drummer extraordinaire. His contributions to Vox and the Hound, a semi-supergroup of musicians who cut their teeth in such acts as Empress Hotel and MynameisJohnMichael, are invaluable. Add to that Community Records co-founder D-Ray on keys, bassist Andrew Jarman, and guitarist Rory Callais, and you’ve got a solid foundation for frontman Leo DeJesus’ vocals to take flight. The band frequently cites Ennio Morricone as inspiration and his influence can be felt at its strongest in their latest material, the uber-catchy Courage. Their set at Jazzfest’s Lagniappe stage was surprisingly synth-focused, to the point that the band even banged out a solid Lady Gaga cover. “Bad Romance” or not, Vox and the Hound stand as perhaps the most solid indie outfit to come out of New Orleans. The rest of the world, please take listen.
Best meaningless friend-finding flag: the Phish net
Is this a gold-painted shrunken headed Fess with Mardi Gras Christmas wreaths? Perhaps the California Raisin guy on a bender? Fuck no. It’s some weird bullshit you Phish fans have crafted to find each other. The only way I could ascertain that this was, in fact, a Phish net, was because some sun-scorched hippie had asked right before I went to take this photo. I’m sure I’ll catch plenty of Phish fans on Day 2, where the band stands to play the longest set all Jazzfest from 4pm until the mosquitos and various other bugs have become too much for an audience rapt with glee.
Headliner Highlight: The Avett Brothers
Jazzfest is one of the only semi-large national festivals that truly reveres its elders and musical greats. While the front of the Acura stage was packed to the gills for a meandering (both in song and in storytelling) Santana, just a few folks dotted Jazzfest’s own VIP/jacuzzi section and the Big Chief viewing stands were all but empty for North Carolina Americana stars the Avett Brothers. The band was electric as always, highlighting their latest three albums and making a case for Magpie and the Dandelion’s beauty.
Headliner Highlight: Public Enemy
Over at the Congo Square Stage, Public Enemy was preparing to “Bring the Noise”. Militant sirens and the clipped walk of the S1W signaled the start of their set. That initial wailing may have been the hardest Public Enemy went, however. It was Chuck D’s mom’s birthday (she was brought onstage and properly lauded) so the band wasn’t having much cursing and certainly wasn’t condoning violence. I’d like to say mostly daylight time slot is what mellowed Public Enemy, but I’ve seen the group throw down in broad daylight at NOLA’s electronic festival, Buku. Either way, they were conscientious and fun, riffing on “Rapper’s Delight” at one point and just moments later criticizing the god awful market pricing houses putting out those who so desperately need shelter in New Orleans.
All photos: April Siese
