Voodoo Returns To New Orleans

[Sweet Jane 61]

Voodoo Returns To New Orleans

By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.

After being moved to Memphis in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Voodoo Music Experience will return to its original home of New Orleans for the first of its two-night duration. The Oct. 29 show at New Orleans' Riverview Park behind Audobon Zoo will be the first full-scale entertainment event to be held within the city limits since Katrina struck in late August. The next night, Voodoo will continue at Memphis' AutoZone Park.

Exempting prior ticketholders, the New Orleans show will be an invitation-only event for local police, firefighters and rescue personnel. Although the lineups for each event have yet to be announced, among the acts confirmed to appear at at least one show are Nine Inch Nails, Queens Of The Stone Age, New York Dolls, North Mississippi All Stars, Secret Machines, the Neville Brothers, Dr. John and DJ Tiesto.

"In the course of the past few weeks, the outpouring of support from not only the music industry, but from people from all walks of life, who want to come together to celebrate New Orleans has been tremendous," says Voodoo producer Stephen Rehage. "The ability to move forward in two cities -- with so much music history -- is overwhelming to everyone involved with this year's event."

Tickets for the Memphis show will go on sale today (Oct. 12) at 5 p.m. ET via Ticketmaster and the Voodoo Music Experience Web site. Voodoo organizers are also planning a free concert series in downtown Memphis beginning Oct. 27 and continuing into the Halloween weekend.

Proceeds from the Voodoo Music Experience will benefit a host of Katrina-related charities, including the New Orleans Restoration Fund, Habitat for Humanity and Bring New Orleans Back.