Most People Are blank: November 2013

If you've been following along with the last few posts, you'll see this year's Voodoo weekend in New Orleans was owned by Reignwolf.

I got up early on Saturday (11:00 am or so...which for me on vacation in New Orleans is early) so I would be sure to have time to get to Canal to grab one of the trolleys or buses to Voodoo and get a primo spot in front of the Carnival stage for Reignwolf's set.

Got a good big seafood omelet breakfast at Daisy Duke's on Chartres, caught the bus, got through the gates. Walked up to a small crowd watching L.P. perform. Sat there the whole time listening and thinking I know this woman's voice. Then she ended her set with "Into The Wild" which I realize I've heard a million times in a Citibank commercial. Damn...commercials and TV really are the new radio these days aren't they?

Anyway, I won't pontificate on that...let's talk about Reignwolf.

So L.P. ended and I walked up to the barrier where I found two new friends from the previous night who travelled from Florida for the weekend of Reignwolf festivities.

This review will be pretty short and sweet and then you can just enjoy the photos. I titled this post "Flip Book" because I took so many friggin pictures (this is a small fraction of them) that I could basically have created a flip book of the whole set which in parts you'll see below.

If you haven't read it yet, first go check out my post about the previous night at The Parish at House of Blues here.

I knew this show would be good, but wasn't sure it could live up to seeing the band from a foot away on a tiny stage in a tiny club about 15 hours earlier. Could Reignwolf bring the passion and the fury to a much larger and higher stage as the hot New Orleans sun blasted down on us (and shown in the band's eyes)?

Well shit...turns out they could gang!

Lead guitarist and vocalist Jordan Cook came out solo as he did the night before and opened the show with his one man possessed blues band - singing while playing guitar and drums before bringing out drummer Joseph Braley and "Buitarist" David "Stitch" Rapaport to complete the triumvirate which would lord over the crowd for the next 45 minutes or so.

As I said before, I'll let the chronological photos of the set below do the talking, but the boys once again proceeded, in this roofless venue to tear the sky down before our eyes.

My concern with the high stage and barrier were alleviated when minutes into the set, Jordan made it clear that he would erase that barrier as often as possible to the delight of the fans and the massive amount of photographers who crammed into the space between barrier and stage playing on the monitors, front speakers and literally in and on the crowd at times.

The set was similar to the previous night's and off the top of my head the one difference is they did their cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" on this Saturday afternoon.

The crowd grew to thousands as the set went on, it was a sea of people behind me when I turned around for a glance mid set. MANY new fans were made on this day.

A famous fan side note: Before the set, we spotted Steve Gleason come over to get a spot at the soundboard. Steve is a member of the New Orleans Saints and diagnosed with ALS. His foundation Team Gleason (check out website here) was supported fully throughout Voodoo. He even brought Pearl Jam onstage for their headlining slot the night before. Steve evidently has great taste in music.

Reignwolf tore it up for the next three quarters of an hour, ending the set literally giving blood as strings were torn from the guitar and Jordan played IN the audience. What a way to end...

But wait...what's this? Something I have not seen before with a midday band at Voodoo - they were called back for and allowed an encore!

Deservedly so...I was not the only person walking away at around 3:30 knowing nothing would top that set the rest of the weekend.

New Orleans loved it. So did I.

Blatant plea to Reignwolf: Come back to New York!

Enjoy...these photos are in order from the moment they hit the stage through playing in the crowd through bloodied hands through the encore.

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