Lil' Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers Draw Large Crowd!
Festival International Ends On High Note!
April 29, 2013
by Megan Wyatt and Dominick Cross
The excitement built on the final day of Festival International de Louisiane on Sunday as the weather held and gave way to a groundswell of music lovers who stayed until the last note was played.
At Lil’ Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers, about 5:30 p.m. at Scene Lafayette General Fais Do Do, a crowd stretched down Jefferson Street past Main Street. Many still managed to find room to dance — in the streets, on the sidewalks or in the grass.
As that was happening, an equally sized mass of people headed to Scene Stabil Drill for The Wailers. And still, Delhi 2 Dublin over at Scene TV5Monde enjoyed a full house.
By 7 p.m., it all ended in a crescendo of cheers and applause.
Typically, the final day of Festival is smaller than the rest. This year, all six stages had performances on Sunday.
Festival organizers didn’t have a crowd estimate for this year’s five-day event, but were confident it broke last year’s estimated record of 400,000 people.
“We’re waiting on a lot of counts,” said Monica Hebert, president of Festival’s board of directors. “We have heard from multiple sources that it’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen.”
According to Hebert, the festival could not have gone better.
“We are so thrilled with this year,” Hebert said. “Everything ran so smoothly. With the amount of people we had, the crowds, everybody was so accommodating. We had no trouble. It lets us know people are here to have a great time and share cultures and enjoy life.”
Diversity of music
The Mercy Brothers, one of the first bands to play Sunday, put dancers on their feet with their hillbilly gospel style, and got the Festival spirit cranked up at Scene Chevron Heritage.
Niyaz’s contemporary take on Iranian and world music captivated the crowd at Scene TV5Monde Lafayette. While language may have been a barrier, the music, as it had done since Wednesday, transcended words. The crowd responded with unbridled appreciation.
Mariachi Las Altenos, the all-woman band from Texas, kept the Mexican tradition alive.
Sonny Duval, of Quebec, has played Lafayette multiple times the past eight years, including three stints at Festival.
“I know my away around Lafayette,” Duval said with a grin. “It’s the food. It’s the light beer. It’s the women. Everything is perfect here.”
Duval, who was preparing to get on stage for his 3:15 p.m. show, said he likes the Lafayette vibe when it comes to his music.
“People in Quebec like traditional music up there,” he said. “But I feel more connections with traditional music here. It’s another reason I keep coming back.”
The Canadian musician has a message he wants festival goers to get from his music:
“The love of life,” he said. “The love of love. Being happy. That’s all that matters to me.”
Local musician Marty Christian, known for blues, said he comes to Festival to see the “old-school masters” from Africa and other countries.
“World music, to me, that’s what I come to get,” he said. “That’s what the blues is — it’s the folk music of our country.
“Go check out the folk music of another country if you like the blues. To me, that’s what we’re doing here.”
Smooth operation
Lafayette police devoted 25 percent more officers to provide security at this year’s festival, department spokesman Paul Mouton said. The decision do so came in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this month.
Hebert had joked with other volunteers before the festival about not saying the “r-word” — rain. She was happy most of the weekend was spared from showers.
“By some miracle and Festival mojo, it has been an amazing festival,” Hebert said. “It’s heartwarming to watch all these people come together to put on a festival of this magnitude. I don’t know where else in the world this could be done. It has to do with our culture and how we come together as a group. We’re always willing to help, and to watch it happen in such magnitude, it’s overwhelming.
“I just hope everybody had a fantastic time, and I can’t wait to see them here again next year.”
Festival International Ends On High Note!
April 29, 2013
by Megan Wyatt and Dominick Cross
 |
| Lil' Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers performed on the Fais Do Do Stage at the 2013 Festival International de Louisiane! www.NathanWilliamsJr.com |
At Lil’ Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers, about 5:30 p.m. at Scene Lafayette General Fais Do Do, a crowd stretched down Jefferson Street past Main Street. Many still managed to find room to dance — in the streets, on the sidewalks or in the grass.
As that was happening, an equally sized mass of people headed to Scene Stabil Drill for The Wailers. And still, Delhi 2 Dublin over at Scene TV5Monde enjoyed a full house.
By 7 p.m., it all ended in a crescendo of cheers and applause.
Typically, the final day of Festival is smaller than the rest. This year, all six stages had performances on Sunday.
Festival organizers didn’t have a crowd estimate for this year’s five-day event, but were confident it broke last year’s estimated record of 400,000 people.
“We’re waiting on a lot of counts,” said Monica Hebert, president of Festival’s board of directors. “We have heard from multiple sources that it’s the biggest crowd we’ve ever seen.”
According to Hebert, the festival could not have gone better.
“We are so thrilled with this year,” Hebert said. “Everything ran so smoothly. With the amount of people we had, the crowds, everybody was so accommodating. We had no trouble. It lets us know people are here to have a great time and share cultures and enjoy life.”
Diversity of music
The Mercy Brothers, one of the first bands to play Sunday, put dancers on their feet with their hillbilly gospel style, and got the Festival spirit cranked up at Scene Chevron Heritage.
Niyaz’s contemporary take on Iranian and world music captivated the crowd at Scene TV5Monde Lafayette. While language may have been a barrier, the music, as it had done since Wednesday, transcended words. The crowd responded with unbridled appreciation.
Mariachi Las Altenos, the all-woman band from Texas, kept the Mexican tradition alive.
Sonny Duval, of Quebec, has played Lafayette multiple times the past eight years, including three stints at Festival.
“I know my away around Lafayette,” Duval said with a grin. “It’s the food. It’s the light beer. It’s the women. Everything is perfect here.”
Duval, who was preparing to get on stage for his 3:15 p.m. show, said he likes the Lafayette vibe when it comes to his music.
“People in Quebec like traditional music up there,” he said. “But I feel more connections with traditional music here. It’s another reason I keep coming back.”
The Canadian musician has a message he wants festival goers to get from his music:
“The love of life,” he said. “The love of love. Being happy. That’s all that matters to me.”
Local musician Marty Christian, known for blues, said he comes to Festival to see the “old-school masters” from Africa and other countries.
“World music, to me, that’s what I come to get,” he said. “That’s what the blues is — it’s the folk music of our country.
“Go check out the folk music of another country if you like the blues. To me, that’s what we’re doing here.”
Smooth operation
Lafayette police devoted 25 percent more officers to provide security at this year’s festival, department spokesman Paul Mouton said. The decision do so came in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this month.
Hebert had joked with other volunteers before the festival about not saying the “r-word” — rain. She was happy most of the weekend was spared from showers.
“By some miracle and Festival mojo, it has been an amazing festival,” Hebert said. “It’s heartwarming to watch all these people come together to put on a festival of this magnitude. I don’t know where else in the world this could be done. It has to do with our culture and how we come together as a group. We’re always willing to help, and to watch it happen in such magnitude, it’s overwhelming.
“I just hope everybody had a fantastic time, and I can’t wait to see them here again next year.”
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