Voodoo Music Experience 2005

A new expanded 62-acre site in New Orleans’ City Park amidst 11 lush miles of bayous and lagoons, first-ever on-site camping facilities, and an eclectic line-up ranging from Nine Inch Nails to the Neville Brothers, from the Bravery to Brazilian Girls, are all in place for VOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCE.

Now in its seventh year, one of the country’s most diverse music festivals will take place Halloween Weekend 2005 –Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30 — in America’s voodoo playground, New Orleans at Halloween.

The initial VOODOO MUSIC EXPERIENCE line-up is an intriguing mix of top-tier artists, iconic musicians and indie favorites: NIN, The Flaming Lips, Queens of the Stone Age, Billy Idol, Social Distortion, Tiesto, My Chemical Romance, Secret Machines, New York Dolls, Cake, Ryan Adams, Mickey Hart’s Voodoo Drum Circle, The Bravery, Louis XIV, LCD Soundsystem, Handsome Boy Modeling School, Digable Planets, Carl Cox, Brazilian Girls, The Decemberists, Death From Above 1979, VHS or Beta, King Wilkie, Dan Dyer, The Giraffes, World Leader Pretend, Mindless Self Indulgence, Something For Rockets, Ballzack, Ghost, Prince Paul, Dan The Automator, Worms Union, Noomoon Tribe, Nag Hammadi, Atone Pain Tribe, Frame of Mind and many more to be announced in the coming weeks.

“Every year, we look for ways to make Voodoo better,” said founder Stephen Rehage. “This year, we turned the Experience inside-out. We expanded the site, added new features like camping and in-and-out privileges, and returned to Halloween weekend. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to the music, the Experience and the incredible live performances.”

The new, expanded location at City Park will accommodate the addition of the “One Basin Street Stage,” along with the Festival’s three main stages, five additional unique performance areas and an outdoor movie theater.

The “One Basin Street Stage” will include performances from New Orleans’ legends such as The Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Kermit Ruffins with Rebirth Brass Band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Bonerama, Spam Allstars, Fi Yi Yi – Spirit of the Mandingo Warrior and Morning 40 Federation, as well as other soulful acts including Joss Stone, Michael Tolcher, Brotherhood of Groove and Jose Conde y Ola Fresca, with more to be announced.

Tickets will be on sale July 8 at voodoomusicfest.com. Single day tickets — pending availability — will be on sale in September.

See Todd A. Price’s review of last year’s Experience here.