Eminem, KISS to perform at Voodoo music fest on Halloween weekend in City Park

Eminem, in his first, and possibly only, full concert performance this year, will join Kiss as a headliner at Voodoo Experience 2009 on Halloween weekend in City Park.

Other announced acts include the reunion of the original Jane's Addiction, The Flaming Lips, Justice, Drive-By Truckers, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Q-Tip, The Black Keys, Ween, JJ Grey & Mofro and the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

The festival runs Oct. 30 through Nov. 1.

The Experience also boasts dozens of New Orleans musicians, including Galactic, Mutemath, the Preservation Hall band, the New Orleans Bingo Show, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Rebirth Brass Band and Cyril Neville's Blues Revue with Tab Benoit.

Voodoo producer Stephen Rehage let slip earlier this year that veteran hard-rockers Kiss would be the Halloween night headliner, performing along with popular Georgia jam band Widespread Panic.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / THE ASSOCIATED PRESSThe rock band Kiss poses backstage after performing during the American Idol finale in Los Angeles this year.

From 1997 through 2002, Widespread Panic performed multiple nights at the Lakefront Arena at Halloween. After a six-year absence, the band returned for two nights in 2008. This year, Panic will be part of the 11th Voodoo Experience.

"Kiss playing is huge," said Rehage, who noted that he dressed as a band member for Mardi Gras when he was about 12. "Eminem is not touring -- not playing any other shows is what we've been told, so that's pretty massive, and the original Jane's Addiction -- that's great stuff."

Last year, the festival drew about 130,000 people, Rehage said, down from about 143,000 in 2007.

"That was part of the reason why we decided to move the festival back to Halloween this year," Rehage said, noting that New Orleans is becoming one of the top destinations for people who want to travel for Halloween fun.

"We want to put the flag back in the ground on that one and be in New Orleans for Halloween."
Galactic is among the local bands set to perform at Voodoo Experience 2009.

Throughout the years, the festival has brought together a collection of talent that has bridged social, economic and generational gaps in an event that features nearly every genre of music while at the same time celebrating New Orleans' bohemian culture, arts and cuisine. Three distinct performance areas -- Le Ritual, Le Flambeau and Le Carnival -- and eight stages each highlight a side of the city's personality.

The day-to-day schedule for New Orleans' signature fall music event, which will be held in City Park's Roosevelt Mall, will be announced closer to the event, but more than 150 artists are listed on the talent roster for this year's event.

Voodoo is set in historic City Park, amid lagoons and one of the largest collections of mature oak trees in the world, in the shadow of the New Orleans Museum of Art and just minutes from the French Quarter and Central Business District.

That setting was in jeopardy this spring when the Voodoo Experience and City Park discovered a scheduling conflict. In March, the festival and the park resolved the problem to return Voodoo to the park. The 2009 Voodoo fest is the last under a 10-year agreement with the park. And, because Hurricane Katrina rendered Voodoo's previous Scout Island/Marconi Meadow site unusable, that agreement has been amended each year to specify the festival's home within the park.

Voodoo Experience 2009 lineup
KISS
Eminem
Janes Addiction
Widespread Panic
The Flaming Lips
Justice
Gogol Bordello
Wolfmother
Eagles of Death Metal
The Black Keys
The Pogues
Ween
Silversun Pickups
Janelle Monae
The Cool Kids
Meat Puppets
Mutemath
Q-Tip
Fischerspooner
Brand New
D12
American Bang
Generational
Earl Greyhound
Squirrel Nut Zippers
Black Lips
Mates of State
All Time Low
Robert Randolph & the Family Band
The Knux
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic
JJ Grey & Mofro
Alejandro Escovedo
Shooter Jennings
Down
Drive-By Truckers
Eric Church
Ledisi
Dan Dyer
Rebirth Brass Band
New Orleans Bingo! Show
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue All Stars
Big Sams Funky Nation
Benjy Davis Project
Papa Grows Funk
DJ Soul Sister
Rotary Downs
Andrew Duhon & The Lonesome Crows
MarchFourth Marching Band
Amanda Shaw
Cyril Nevilles Blues Revue with Tab Benoit
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
Johnny Sansone
Beausoleil
John Mooney & Bluesiana
Quintron & Miss Pussycat
Fleur De Tease
Suplecs
Little Freddie King
Preservation Hall Stars with Special Guests
The Happy Talk Band
Lil Brian and the Zydeco Travelers
Why Are We Building Such A Big Ship?
Ratty Scurvics
Mynameisjohnmichael
Loose Marbles
Luke Winslow King
Walter Wolfman Washington & The Roadmaster with the Dirty Dozen Horns
New Orleans Klezmer All Stars
Glasgow
Leroy Jones Group
Mas Mamones
Zydepunks
White Bitch
New Orleans Jazz Vipers
The Vettes
Lucys Walk
Erick Baker
Sarah Quintana
TBC Brass Band
Bones
Legends to Nancy
Leo Jackson and the Melody Clouds
Brother Taisuke Mass Choir
Katey Red
Big Freedia
Sissy Nobby with DJ Papa

-- Source: Voodoo Experience 2009