FolkWorld Issue 36 07/2008; Live Report by Henk Mutsaers


Steaming Performances
Zydeco Zity, 6-8 June 2008

Zydeco Zity
www.zydecozity.nl
During the International Cajun & Zydeco festival the Dutch town of Raamsdonksveer is renamed to Zydeco Zity. The intimacy of “Petit Louisiana” creates the right atmosphere and visitors can enjoy the best of Cajun and Zydeco music with a choice of bands from Louisiana and Europe.

At the 16th edition of the Cajun & Zydeco festival in Raamsdonksveer, for years known as Zydeco Zity, there was only one show “everyone” talked about; Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers (USA).
Zydeco Playboys, Zydeco Zity 2008
Zydeco Playboys @ FolkWorld: FW #36

www.zydeco.de
It looked like the roof had been leaking on the exact spot were the king of Zydeco did his performance on stage. Right away from the start, with a feel for entertainment, the crowd took over the dance floor making it impossible to dance. On the other hand it looked like everybody was dancing.

On Sunday it was just the other way around where Zydecane (Zydeco + Hurricane) chooses to play the more danceable song to fill the floor. Timmy Dugas performance on drums was very entertaining to watch for the non-dancers. They will release a new album next month.

From Germany it was the third time that the Zydeco Playboys were invited for the festival. It’s clear that they know how to play the Zydeco! Did they invent a new step for the non-dancers and call it the one-step? It seems to be, because they manage to have the audience a step closer to the stage after every song. This way the dance floor wasn’t a natural barrier anymore.

Another USA contender, Sarah Savoy with the Francadians (France) where eager to play three times.
David Rolland, Zydeco Zity 2008
Icon Sound @ www.sarahsavoy.com
On their third performance Sarah underestimated the Dutch dancers with the ‘potato-dance’ witch kept on going for forty minutes till the end of the show and she needed to pick a winner with the help of the audience.

The River Zydeco Band, hosting the Festival, still manage to entertain the crowd big way on home ground finishing with their signature song “Cooking with Pierre”. In between there was Cajun music at the House of Blues with Little Cailloux from Belgium and Aedon from the Netherlands, and the Cajun and Zydeco award presentation.

All artists were very pleased having the opportunity to play at Zydeco Zity. “A fantastic atmosphere, a very friendly audience”, said Timmy Dugas, “and the temperature just like home”, added Dwayne Dopsie.

Encouraged by the successful performances of the River Zydeco Band, a small group of enthusiasts had taken the initiative to organize the first International Cajun & Zydeco Festival in Europe in 1993. 2008 has been the Zydeco Zity festival's 16th anniversary. Henk Mutsaers (www.uitdaging.net) works as a deejay at weekends with his mobile road show and does a radio show on Sundays (www.radioafm.net).

Photo Credits: (1) Zydeco Zity logo; (2) Oliver Kraus / Zydeco Playboys; (3) David Rolland / Sarah Savoy with the Francadians (by Mark Kamphuis).


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© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 07/2008

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