Newport Folk Festival Celebrates its 65th Year! [Photos]

Newport Folk Festival (website and info here) rocked its 65th year of iconic folk music delivery July 26th-28th of this year. With an absolutely stacked lineup of both legacy acts and new stars, this year was a must-see at the Fort. Fort Adams is an incredibly cool venue to roam and Newport makes a spectacular backdrop for festival goers. Headliners this year included Irish folk singer Hozier, dynamic duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and comedian and talk show host Conan O’Brien with help from Dawes. Although it was impossible to catch every set at the festival, I caught several acts that reminded me why Newport Folk Fest is as notable and legendary as it is.

Friday the 26th started off for me with an acoustic set from Billie Marten, a young British singer-songwriter with an ethereal voice that is sure to take her far. Following Billie’s set, I caught a rocking set from Wednesday before heading to the main stage for Allison Russell. The Canadian singer-songwriter is a force to be reckoned with, currently touring with friend and fellow Newport Folk artist Hozier. She also brought the Irishman out for a song, breathing life into the longstanding tradition of special guests at the festival.

I made a quick stop at singer and TikTok star Petey’s set to see how this internet goofball is making waves in the music scene. I was shocked at his talent, which is not often displayed with his internet personality. After Petey, I caught Muna, an American indie pop band headed by artist Katie Gavin, who also gave a surprise acoustic set solo on Saturday to promote her solo career and upcoming tour. I headed back to the main stage to catch Black Pumas, a psychedelic soul band with an incredibly interactive lead. Eric Burton took his singing straight into the crowd to interact with fans and dance on the grass of the Fort. Adrienne Lenker followed with an acoustic set that gave me chills.

Finally, Hozier took the stage and blew me away. I’ve seen him several times now and each time is better than the last. The man’s lyrical genius and immense vocal talent are hard to ignore. It was a perfect way to end day one and kick off the weekend to come.

Saturday the 27th began with an exceptionally lengthy line to get into the festival, in which I almost missed my first set of the day. If there is one thing I could say was a bummer at this festival, it is the lines to get in. It took well over an hour to make it through the line after an extensive walk from the parking lot. Luckily, I was able to run over to the Quad stage to see Oliver Hazard, an indie folk band that I’ve been a fan of for a few years now. I was ecstatic to see these guys getting the recognition they deserve.

I then caught Reyna Tropical, a U.S. band with a tropical flair inspired by Latin rhythms. This set was particularly impressive with great vocals and an instrumentalist who was playing several instruments while DJing beats at the same time. Reyna Tropical is definitely on my list of artists to be watched.

I then caught Chaparelle, a new band providing 1960s classic country vibes with a modern flair. Josiah & The Bonnevilles was up next on my schedule, and they absolutely crushed the folk genre. I had heard wonderful things about them and this confirmed those rumours to be true. I followed this up with Bertha, a drag band covering the Grateful Dead. The set was so unbelievably fun and lively and the crowd surrounded was huge for these performers.

I then checked out Elle King’s set and she was absolutely unbelievable, her vocal talent is unstoppable. She was appropriately followed by Orville Peck, a modern American cowboy notorious for his insanely deep voice and mysterious masked look. His set was spectacular. Killer Mike, who took home three Grammys this year for his rap talent, took the stage next. I thought this was an interesting choice for Newport Folk Festival because his music certainly does not scream folk. Either way, the set was bopping and had everyone in the crowd jamming. I don’t think we’ll see anyone complain about the reach outside of the genre for this one.

Lastly, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings took the main stage and embodied the true spirit of this festival, simple and elegant acoustic folk music. It was a perfect cherry on top to an amazing day.

Sunday the 27th was a more relaxing day for me. I started off with Jobi Riccio, last year’s John Prine award-winner, before heading over to the main stage to see Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird perform their new Buckingham Nicks cover album. As a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac, this set was one of the coolest I saw. I next caught a rare acoustic set from Cory Wong and friends. Wong is so well known for his stage presence, jumping and running around the stage but for this set, he took a seat and just flowed with the music. It’s always fun to see artists trying new things for their audience. Sierra Ferrell was up next and dazzled the crowd with an unbelievably beautiful Marie Antoinette-inspired look. I was absolutely amazed by this set, and it likely was my favourite of the whole weekend.

De La Soul proceeded Ferrell with a “block party” style set, having all of the chairs by their stage removed so everyone could be up and dancing out of their seats. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the talent of this set, but these guys sure know how to work a crowd. Grammy Award winner Brittany Howard then took the stage to absolutely crush with her insane vocals. I’ve been following her since her Alabama Shakes days, and she has only gotten better and better over time. Finally, Conan O’Brien and Dawes took the stage to crack some jokes and play unbelievably incredible music with special guests like Nathaniel Rateliff, Nick Lowe, and Jack White.

This weekend was a huge success. Any complaints I have would be nitpicking because this was one of the best experiences I’ve had all year. From magnificent special guests to incredible sets, a remarkable view, and phenomenal vibes, this was a weekend to remember. Can’t wait to do it all again next year!

Newport Folk Festival (ft. MUNA, Hozier, Orville Peck, Black Pumas, Dawes, and more) @ Fort Adams State Park (Newport, RI) on July 26-28, 2024

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