Quite possibly the most prestigious musical event today, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has hit the big 4-0 and in turn, has outdone itself in booking nothing less than the cream of the crop. The 2009 lineup is incredibly diverse, both stylistically and chronologically, and will take music from jazz, pop, rock, soul, gospel, folk, salsa, blues, R&B, funk, and lots of music rooted in Louisiana, such as Cajun and zydeco. The event is scheduled to take place the weekends of April 24-26 and April 30-May 3 and it's a wonder how they've managed to cram hundreds of artists into a mere seven days. There are so many artists that one wouldn't know where to start unless they have a specific genre in mind. So for now, let's extract some of the rock bands that will be playing.

Although an official schedule has yet to be released, the lineup has been broken up between the two weekends. During the first weekend, Dave Matthews Band will be featured as one of the headliners (sadly, sans the original sax player). Wilco, who strangely drew in a larger crowd than Rage Against the Machine at Lollapalooza, will undoubtedly be received with open arms.  Read more »

New Orleans Jazz Fest may have done even itself one better with the announcement of its artist lineup for its historic 40th anniversary festival coming April 24-May 3 at the Fair Grounds Race Course. Always a glittering cross-genre mix, the collection of artists named for 2009 celebrates the notion of New Orleans as a musical stew pot. It's gospel, blues, traditional and contemporary jazz, rock, pop, R&B, Cajun, zydeco and more, all mixed into a gumbo—let's call it New Orleans soul—that's a genre in its own right.

Possibly no single name on the following list will blow you away, but the combination of all that talent is unparalleled by any other festival I know of—and each performer has some kind of connection to the host city and its cultural heritage. Here we go:  Read more »

The summer rock festival is a hallowed tradition, and the mere mention of a Lollapalooza or a Bonnaroo calls to mind more than a few indelible images: The restless multitudes massed outside the brimming porta-potties, the eight-dollar hot dogs washed down with twelve-dollar beers, so many sunburned and shirtless party warriors being carried to the quiet mists of the chillout tent. The sun is out; people are on vacation; sometimes it rains, and we get naked in the mud.

Roots festival favorites Uncle Earl, the all-female string band, announced that it won't be touring in 2009 so that members can focus on individual projects. Abigail Washburn's duties with the Sparrow Quartet have complicated the band's scheduling the last two years, but the reasons are probably deeper than that, especially because the email announcing the news suggests that she is also slowing down that band's appearances next year while she pursues more travel in China and a duo album with cellist Ben Sollee.

Each of the other members also has outside projects. Kristin Andreassen performs with Sometimes Why and as a solo performer. Rayna Gellert has a variety of things in the works, including work on a documentary soundtrack and collaborations with Toubab Krewe and Loudon Wainwright. KC Groves has a new solo album and is working with two other bands, The Moody Sisters and Dangerfields, where she'll be join by, among others, former G'Earl Sharon Gilchrist.  Read more »

This past Sunday was one of those beautiful, crisp fall days.  The sun was shining brilliantly in a clear, blue sky.  The temperature got up to the upper 70s and there was a slight breeze.  And my son and I were attending our second Voodoo Fest and considering the time well spent!

The black-clad frontman saved all commentary for the encore. "Last time we tried to play Voodoo, Katrina came and (messed) things up," he said. "A couple months ago, it looked like Gustav was going to come. I thought, 'Was it us, because we're playing Voodoo and cursing New Orleans?'"

I recently provided answers to some survey questions from a college student about the economics of the live music industry, which gave me a chance to write down some of my thoughts about the underlying appeal of festivals and the likely impacts of the economic downturn on the festival market. It struck me that some of those answers would be interesting to also post to the site. Comments are welcome.

What is it about festivals that intrigues you?

I believe that as our lives become more isolated and mediated by technology, we are seeking out immersive experiences that connect us with "live" communities and give us a sense of participation in a technicolor, multi-sensory world. Festivals are uniquely suited to providing this kind of experience in a contained weekend-long break from our otherwise humdrum, cubicled existence.  Read more »

Stephen Rehage lost thousands of dollars in the making of the first New Orleans Voodoo Experience, the outdoor music festival he first produced in 1999 that only drew about 8,000 people.

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The Voodoo Fest, as it is most commonly referred to, gained further local admiration in 2006 when it opened its arms to include more New Orleans talent with the addition of the WWOZ Stage and Preservation Hall Tent.  Now music representing this city’s heritage -- jazz, R&B, funk, brass bands --enjoys its own section within the festival’s lovely City Park locale.