Voodoo Interview: Flow Tribe gets spiritual at Voodoo

Laura Rostad, Associate Arcade Editor

Adorned in bald caps and maroon dresses draping over neon yellow T-shirts, New Orleans’ own funk rock band Flow Tribe performed at 3 p.m. Saturday on the Ritual Stage.

Eight years in the making, the six-piece ensemble released its latest EP, “Alligator White” this past September, and since then has been busy playing shows around the country. Last weekend marked Flow Tribe’s fourth Voodoo appearance.

“It’s great to come back and get down with everybody, especially for Halloween,” vocalist and trumpet player K.C. O’Rourke said. “New Orleans is crazy enough but when you add Halloween to it, it gets pretty nuts.”

The band joined in on all the Halloween rituals by dressing up as monks. However, this year was the group’s first year playing on Voodoo’s main stage.

“You put us on a stage that big and its like letting dogs out of a kennel,” multi-instrumentalist John-Michael Early said. “So we’re running around the whole time. We get very excited.”

Kango Slimm from New Orleans rap outfit Partners-N-Crime made a guest appearance to join in on a song from the new EP, “Back N Forth.”

“We all grew up listening to [Partners-N-Crime],” Early said. “We sent him the track with an empty space, and he came to the studio, and was like ‘alright I got you.’”

The middle of Flow Tribe’s set featured bumping covers of New Orleans’ classic “Shake It Fo Yo Hood,” the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and the 90s hit TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song.

The band is looking forward to an upcoming tour with fellow local musician Kermit Ruffins.

“Our biggest goal is to get in front of as many people as possible and play music that speaks to us and that’s authentic and not forced,” K.C. O’Rourke said. “I think the direction we’re going in is really positive, we love what we’re doing and we love to see people react to that. We’re always honored to see people come out and support us because that’s what it’s all about.”

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