Let the Good Times Roll

Givers

Eschewing the popular mainstream bands that have made other festivals intolerably overcrowded, the still largely regional, family-friendly Festival International de Louisiane, held in Lafayette, highlights music from the French-speaking parts of the globe: France, Canada, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and, of course, Louisiana.

Other countries represented this year included Mexico, Ireland, Israel, England, Uganda, St. Lucia, Zimbabwe, and Sierra Leone. Austin was well-represented by Grupo Fantasma and T Bird & the Breaks, who stood in for Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, stranded in Europe because of volcano ash. On the more exotic side, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba from Mali, Chiwoniso from Zimbabwe, Kinobe from Uganda, and Lunasa from Ireland all delighted audiences with traditional sounds.

Other than a bit of Acadian from Quebec and New Brunswick, the Scene Chevron was a stage dedicated to the music of Louisiana, with Sunday morning gospel from the Progressive Baptist Church Choir, cajun from DL Menard, Feufollet, and Bonsoir Catin, and powerhouse zydeco from Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, and the reunion of the dynamic Zydeco Force.

Delafose, in particular, was a knockout, closing Friday with a rollicking rendition of Chuck Berry’s "Promised Land." Birmingham, England’s reggae veterans, Steel Pulse, drew the largest crowd of the festival on Saturday night with their immediately recognizable riddims.

The most pleasant surprise of the weekend came courtesy of NYC’s La Excelencia, who moved up to the headliner slot on Friday night when a band tragedy forced Nigeria’s King Sunny Ade to cancel on short notice. They delivered an explosive set of 1970s style Nuyorican salsa with thunderous percussion and streamline horns.

Another new discovery was Lafayette band Givers, which commanded a large, enthusiast crowd with its infectious world-beat indie-pop. Catching a short, impromptu set out in the street from another local outfit, Soul Express Brass Band, hit the spot.

The festival closed out with a riveting set from the Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars. In Austin a few days prior for the Austin Reggae Festival, the West African band mixed roots reggae with high-powered indigenous grooves taken from their new Cumbancha album, Rise & Shine. It was a delightful way to round out another stupendous Festival International de Louisiane.