Ticketholders who trudged through the semi-sloppy terrain in New Orleans' City Park early yesterday afternoon were greeted by some equally swampy tunes from Dax Riggs, the slight, Louisiana-bred troubadour whose thick baritone boomed from the Playstation Stage like John Fogerty after a weeklong bourbon bender. After soaking up Dax's set in the midday sun, we caught up with him backstage to talk about the importance of the Voodoo Music Experience's continued appearance in New Orleans and the mystical nature of voodoo itself. INTERVIEW BY PETER GASTON / VIDEO BY JESSE BLANCO / EDITED BY JED GARFUNKEL

Photo by Erika Goldring, erikagoldring.com

Photo by Erika Goldring, erikagoldring.com