Big Freedia: A High-Energy Set at the 2024 Austin Blues Festival

The New Orleans “Queen of Bounce” Big Freedia brought her signature high-energy performance to the 2024 Austin Blues Festival, which transformed Waterloo Greenway at the Moody Amphitheater into a joyous and energized celebration of rhythmic dance music. Freedia, 45, whose real name is Freddie Ross Jr., continues to be a major driving force in carrying the 1980’s “bounce music” genre – first derived from the New Orleans nightlife/club scene – and expanding it into mainstream music.

Returning for its second year after a hiatus, the Austin Blues Festival expanded to a two-day event, running from April 27 to 28, as it built upon the success of last year’s one-day format. Hosted by Antone’s and Waterloo Greenway at the Moody Amphitheater, the festival traces its roots to the original Antone’s Blues Festival in 1999, where blues legends like Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker headlined. This weekend’s festival, however, brought an eclectic lineup of performances from Brittany Howard and Buddy Guy to Jimmy Vaughan, Dumpstaphunk, Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas, and many more to the stage.

Freedia’s performance on Day 2 of the festival brought hit tracks such as “$100 Bill” (2023), “Rock Around the Clock” (2010), “Y’all Get Back Now” (2010), and her deeply loved anthem and fan-favorite “Azz Everywhere” (2010), front-and-center. Her stage presence, combined with DJ Juane Jordan’s spinning of the iconic “Triggerman” beat was nothing short of well executed movements that had the crowd vibing and dancing. She even utilized a few of Beyonce’s more energized tracks like “Formation” and “Break My Soul” into her set, of course, integrating her own sound into each track.

Something we don’t see often from artists is integrating their audience into live music performances, but for Freedia, this was already part of the show. During the performance, she invited 10 audience members to join her on stage that only solidified her ability to blend humor, energy, and inclusivity in the “keep Austin weird” environment where local Austinites feel safe to let loose and embrace the rhythm through dance music.

Big Freedia’s next music performance will take her to New Orleans for Jazz Fest on Thursday May 2, where she will be teaming up with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.