Somewhere out in Voodoo land, tight pants’d college kids who came for Broken Social Scene and are staying for Social Distorition will be faced with a dilemma. Shooter Jennings, whose records land barely land on the right side of the pop / authentic country line, is sandwiched between the current indie darlings and the legendary punkers. Not that the opinion of a bunch of hipsters could possibly bother the progeny of outlaw country legend Waylon and singer Jessi Colter (a legend in her own right). Shooter’s made rock-infused country his stock-and-trade for the last few years, sharing the stage with David Allan Coe and Willie Nelson and playing that strain of country made especially for outdoor festivals. Could he be the Gonzaga of Voodoo Fest?
On the other side of the ground, immediately following Shooter, are the notorious Drive-By Truckers. The Truckers have made a name for themselves by playing legendary three-hour sets and writing poignant and intelligent narratives about the South. Put briefly, they’re the kind of Southern band that Yankees adore and pretend to understand. Either way, the Truckers will be the loudest band  at the festival, and probably the drunkest (why they keep getting put on bills sponsored by alcohol companies should be no question to any veteran of an early-morning spent at Tipitina’s with the group). These guys are worth seeing for the charisma of frontman Patterson Hood alone, but the portraiture of Jason Isbell and “Stroker Ace” Mike Cooley are not to be missed.