November 11th 2011

Indie bands of every genre will join forces Nov. 5 to rock the Houma Courthouse Square for the second helping of Houmapalooza.

The biannual outdoor music festival, sponsored by the Houma Regional Arts Council, features 10 bands in 10 hours to provide musicians of south Louisiana with the chance to perform for the local audience while carrying on the state’s long history of fall festivals.

Glenda Toups, executive director of the arts council, says the participating bands had to submit three samples of original music with their applications. Then, with the help of a judging panel made up of community members, music lovers, experts and community organizers, 10 bands were selected to perform.

Houmapalooza was created in a festival format not only to continue Louisiana’s tradition of festivals, but also to create a unifying atmosphere for attendees.

“Throughout all the struggles we have faced in recent years, this is a festival that provides a sense of community,” Glenda says.

Before you take in the atmosphere, PoV went behind the scenes to catch up with the bands to give you an idea of what can be expected. Let’s just say talent won’t be lacking.

Jak Locke, a songwriter and performer from New Orleans, comes together with a three-piece band to form a multigenre, highenergy rock project known as the Jak Locke Rock Show. Jak has been performing nearly 13 years, and has produced 20 albums worth of self-recorded material.

Jak says performing at Houmapalooza allows him to come to a place that is cherished by many of his friends.

“Most of the people who matter the most to me are consistently from the Houma and Thibodaux area,” he says. “My closest friends, some of the most amazing musicians I’ve worked with, some of the best audiences I’ve played to, all seem to end up being from around here.”

Jak says there are a lot of incredible artists making great and interesting music in the area, and the festival is a way to show people why they should support local music.

“I think, in a way, it kind of legitimizes what is going on underground,” he says. “It gives it visibility, which is everything at this level.”