festival previews

Currently crossing into Louisianaaaa!!! Eggs and I are set to arrive in NOLA with a couple hours to spare before the best Friday music starts. A quick Sunday preview is below. I’m looking forward to this day of the fest the most, thanks to sets from Janelle Monae, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (perhaps with Jim James?), Interpol, Toubab Krewe, and My Morning Jacket. Check out my planned Halloween schedule, along with videos, after the jump.

Saturday’s lineup doesn’t give me too many reasons to get excited, but I’ve never had a bad day at Voodoo – so I fully expect to come away pleasantly surprised. Honestly, I’m a little more excited about Saturday night in the Quarter, which will be insane due to the confluence of Steelers/Saints fans, Voodoo attendees, early Halloween revelers, and redneck hippies in town for Widespread Panic. There are some definite highlights of the fest, though, with sets from The Whigs, Crystal Method, Die Antwoord,the Street Sweeper Social Club (which features Tom Morello and Boots Riley), and of course, Ozzy. Read on after the jump.

It’s BoT Christmas!!!! Voodoo Fest is upon us yet again, and our 5th year in attendance is sure to be an eventful one. We’re older, slightly wiser, and a helluva lot more in need of a New Orleans weekend to break up the responsibilities of quasi-adulthood. For reasons both sentimental and musical, this is our favorite festival of the year – it’s our goddamn Constant.

Friday looks to be one of the best days of the entire festival, with Weezer, Metric, Hot Chip, Jonsi and a whole lot of Stanton freakin’ Moore. My Friday preview hits the high points of the 29th, but it’s bound to omit some great stuff – so be sure to explore, and let us know about who you’re excited to see in the comments. See you in New Orleans; read on after the jump.

Oh, New Orleans: my stanky sweet southern mistress. Ever since first visiting the city for Jazz Fest in 2006, I’ve unexpectedly returned on an annual or biannual basis to revel in your easygoing charm. Of course, these trips have all revolved around live music, starting with my first Voodoo Experience in the fall of 2006. Some of them have also been unplanned last-minute jaunts of joy – such as last year’s trip to catch Saturday of Voodoo Experience 2008. The Lil’ Wayne show that day was my first review for BOT, so this year’s Voodoo is also an anniversary celebration of sorts. Here’s hoping my wedding dress still fits, NOLA – because we’ll be getting down honeymoon-style for 3 straight days of amazing music and epic post-fest adventures. We’re gonna be all over this fest like vomit on Bourbon Street.

Check out a preview of Voodoo’s Saturday (Halloween!) festivities, including loads of videos after the jump.

The BOT crew are steadily gearing up for a trip down to New Orleans to attend the 2009 Voodoo Experience for the fourth year in a row. We've got the whole gang going this year, and are coming up with several great ideas for costumes to suit us at this year's festival.

So many of our favorite acts are set to hit the numerous stages surrounding City Park next weekend, including a bevy of first day performances from the likes of Eminem, Ween, Justice, The Black Keys and a whole bunch more. In my preview of Friday, October 30th, I've talked about the bands I'm most excited about seeing. As always, though, visual stimuli deviates me from my intended schedule, so expect different and expanded coverage after the festival concludes.

In the coming days, Toast and Bacon will be bringing you their favorites from both Saturday and Sunday, but for now check out my preview of Friday, October 30th at the 2009 Voodoo Experience after the jump.

I can't believe that it's been a whole year since my last trip up to Michigan for the inaugural Rothbury Festival, which garnered rave reviews from everybody in the BOT staff. I'll be rolling solo this year, but am not worried because there are a world of friends to be made at one of the friendliest place in the world. If not, I can always lose myself in the Sherwood Forest to kill a few hours.... I'll be running around taking tons of pictures of as many artists as I can, and hope to capture the festival as best as possible from Toubab Krewe's opening chords on Thursday until Umphrey's McGee says goodbye on Sunday. If you're a vet to Rothbury, you already know, but if this is your first time, welcome to the best festival ever.

Check out the full schedule here, and the map here. If you need any advice about your first trip up to Rothbury, or have any questions to be answered, there's a wealth of information to be had on the Infobury message board. Also, If you're a Rothbury vet, please feel free to leave any helpful advice to the noobs in our comment section below.

I'll be tweeting live from Rothbury, so feel free to follow BOT on Twitter to keep up with the action as it happens.

See ya in Sherwood...