9 Highlights from the 65th Annual Newport Folk Festival

Hozier performs. Photo by Adam Kissick / courtesy of Newport Folk Fest.

With sixty-five years of shows under its belt, one might think it would be difficult for the iconic Newport Folk Festival to outdo itself, but it did just that this past weekend at Fort Adams. We were fortunate enough to attend and take it all in — here are our highlights.

Folk Classics

As most Folk Festival veterans are well aware, the Fort Stage is the place to catch the star acts.

One of the most notable was Hozier, who, if the frequently overheard mentions by excited festival goers throughout the day Friday were anything to go by, was a main draw for the weekend. For any wondering, yes, he can hit the high opening notes of “Eat Your Young” and the ear-gasmic wailing “Amens” of “Take Me to Church” in-person just as well as, if not better than, he does on the albums. He also was happy to share the stage with collaborator (and co-festival headliner) Allison Russel during “Work Song” (thus creating a new fan-favorite version in the process), before later delighting the audience by bringing out Folk Festival legends Joe Baez and Mavis Staples to close out the performance.

Elsewhere, Sunday’s schedule offered another star-studded lineup, with Brittany Howard and the Dropkick Murphys playing separate stages in addition to such folk circuit regulars as Sierra Ferrell, Madison Cunningham and Andrew Bird (billed together as Cunningham/Bird) and the Oh Hellos, making their first stage appearance in several years.

The Oh Hellos. Photo by Adam Kissick / courtesy of Newport Folk Fest.

Brittany Howard delivered another stellar Folk Fest show. Howard’s blues rock with hints of garage and soul was the perfect set for a Newport audience, and it helped that she considers Newport Folk her “favorite festival in the world.” Together with her backing band, she maintained a stage presence that seemed to reach beyond her thirty-five years and recall the folk greats from back in the day.

Cory Wong and Friends offered an expectedly high-energy romp on the Quad Stage, while Taj Mahal returned for yet another Folk Fest. The blues icon, who first played the festival in 1964, reminisced to the audience about the days when he was “sleeping on park benches” just to come to Newport Folk. His stripped-down set on the Harbor Stage brought the festival back to blues basics, with a silent audience hanging on his every note.

Unexpected Newcomers

While it cannot be understated how amazing it is to get to see some of your favorite artists at festivals like these, discovering fresh, new (whether it’s new-to-you, new-to-the-festival or new-in-general) acts is just as, if not more, thrilling. Whether they knew a lick of Spanish or not, many were drawn by the angelic voice of Alisa Amador to the Bike Stage on Friday afternoon. Though it was Amador’s Newport Folk debut, she has already made a name for herself with appearances on the Kelly Clarkson show and by cinching first in the coveted 2022 NPR Tiny Desk contest. Wednesday was another pleasant surprise on the Quad Stage — one of her screech-style intonations literally sent welcome shivers through the crowd.

Meanwhile, De La Soul’s hip hop set on the Quad Stage was perhaps Sunday’s single most popular performance, with a high-energy beat drawing a crowd of spectators that extended far beyond the stage’s designated audience zone. Organizers took another step away from the traditional folk genre by booking the Dropkick Murphys, who left the acoustics at home and came out rocking full force on Sunday with their signature Celtic punk. Frontman Ken Casey bragged they were the first band to start a mosh pit at Newport Folk, and he’s probably right. A less expected hit on the Quad Stage was Tinariwen, the Saharan band whose hypnotic desert blues brought a global tinge to the lineup and reminded listeners folk’s roots extend far beyond Appalachia.

Tailored Sets

While some artists and bands like the Dropkick Murphys stayed true to form during their time at the Folk Festival, others, like MUNA, decided to change things up. While the pop trio is known for its upbeat, catchy tunes and energetic stage presence, on Friday they diverted from their usual set list and showed audiences a softer side with acoustic renditions of some of their earlier works (though it can’t be ignored that the bubbly “Silk Chiffon” did still close out the show) in honor of the festival’s folky vibe. Personal favorites included “Winterbreak” and “Stayaway” — the latter of which the band says they were the most nervous to do under the new arrangement, but they totally crushed it. MUNA also surprised guests with the soothing track “As Good As It Gets” from lead singer Katie Gavin’s solo album, What a Relief, one day before she was slated to make her solo debut on the Fort’s Bike Stage. (Bandmate Naomi McPherson quipped that “Katie had to make solo music because we said no to too many of her songs,” but in reality they were wholly supportive throughout her performance.)

Charged Moments

As many fans know, folk music is often hailed and appreciated for its messaging, from political allegiances to vulnerable admissions, and this festival had no shortage of either. Friday saw multiple artists call for a ceasefire in the Middle East — with MUNA voicing their support during an introduction to their uplifting anthem “I Know a Place” and Hozier delivering an impassioned speech about how America’s Civil Rights movement inspired a movement back in his own country of Ireland and linking it back to the current conflict — while Saturday featured joyous and irreverent performances by the drag Grateful Dead tribute band Bertha alongside the powerful statement that “drag is not a crime.” On the more vulnerable side, Molly Tuttle shared with audiences on Friday about her journey with alopecia before removing her wig and singing a new tune about a crooked tree — the takeaway being that what makes us different in life is also what makes us most special.

Grateful Drag. Photo by Nina Westervelt / courtesy of Newport Folk Fest.

The Rhode Islanders

Though they now make their home in Nashville, it’s worth noting that David Rawlings — half of the Gillian Welch and David Rawlings duo who headlined the Fort Stage Saturday night — is originally from Rhode Island. Rawlings grew up in North Smithfield, where days spent listening to Bob Dylan with has dad were an early indication of his folk career. Welch and Rawlings recently released their new album Woodland, recorded at the namesake East Nashville studio the duo owns.

Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings. Photo by Steve Benoit / courtesy of Newport Folk Fest.

Another group with Rhode Island ties, the Medicine Singers, opened up the Fort Stage on Friday. The Algonquin drum group draws on their heritage with music that celebrates their Indigenous culture.

Later that day, the legendary Allison Russell graciously shared the stage with the Choir School of Newport County. Together they led a beautiful call and response performance that encouraged the entire audience to participate.

Surprise Guest(s)

When an afternoon spot on Friday’s lineup was listed as “TBA,” it, naturally, caused quite the stir. Hundreds of attendees crowded around the Quad Stage’s tent as far as an hour ahead of the start time just to secure a good sightline, all the while trading guesses with their neighbors. “Maybe it’s Brandi Carlisle, she’s a regular.” Or, “It could be Noah Kahan since he had to drop out last year.” When it was announced that the mystery artist would be ten minutes late due to Newport Bridge traffic, James Taylor was struck as a possibility because “he lives just across the way and would have come by boat.” Finally, the time came for the reveal and Beck, a Newport Folk Festival stalwart, took to the stage to great applause. He not only played a few of his beloved originals like “Loser,” but also paid homage to other folk greats with covers of Bob Dylan’s “Maggie’s Farm” and Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting for a Train.” Perhaps the most surprising appearance, however, was the hundreds of dragonflies that soared overhead  — and frequently perched atop outstretched phones, hands and hats — throughout the duration of Beck’s one-hour set.

Photo by Kait Murray

My Next Guest Is…

A big question leading into the festival was what exactly Conan O’Brien’s headlining set would look like. The late-night host was given prime billing finishing out the Fort Stage Sunday night, and a promise of “very special guests” had the rumor mill churning. O’Brien delivered, bringing out a range of guests in a variety-show format that showed off his skills as a host. Jack White, Mavis Staples, Langhorne Slim, Nick Lowe, Nathaniel Rateliff and Brittany Howard all made appearances to play a set that consisted mostly of iconic folk covers. O’Brien, who seemed in his element jamming along with the greats, was backed up by Dawes and his longtime house bandleader, Jimmy Vivino. In between songs, he cracked jokes and riffed about folk music, recalling the time he met Bob Dylan. Triumph the Insult Comic Dog also made an appearance, though a malfunctioning mic meant few of the jokes landed as planned.

Conan and friends. Photo by Nina Westervelt / courtesy of Newport Folk Fest.

Festival Fashion

There’s no better place for style-spotting in Newport than at Folk Fest. Attendees show up every year decked out in their festival best, whether that’s a boho getup or a more practical T-shirt and sneakers. Tour T-shirts are popular, and a badge of honor as they date the wearer’s devotion to a favorite folk band, usually back decades. The Dalys from Cranston designed their own T-shirts for the occasion, riffing off Rhode Island’s own Del’s to create a signature Folk look. For those who planned to do their shopping after arrival, the vendor areas offered a dozen or more options for vintage and handmade looks, including Rhode Island businesses Folk Vintage Co. and The Nest.

The Daly family from Cranston with their custom-designed Newport Folk shirts. Photo by Lauren Clem

Have Wheels, Will Travel

After getting stuck in last year’s traffic armageddon when organizers ended the Saturday set early due to weather, Associate Editor Lauren Clem decided to ditch the parking lot this year and arrive to Sunday’s festival by bike. Bike Newport works with the festival every year to make car-free travel as easy as possible, including installing bike lanes around Fort Adams and designating bike parking close to the entrance gate. This year, an average of 1,500 people arrived to the festival each day by bike, according to Bike Newport Executive Director Bari Freeman. The organization works with the city to set up several designated Park ‘n Bike locations, including Rogers High School and the YMCA Newport County in Middletown.

According to Bike Newport, an average of 1,500 people per day attended the festival by bike this year. Photo by Lauren Clem.

The experience proved seamless, with police officers directing traffic to accommodate bikes and volunteers assisting with bike parking. Though the distance from Rogers High School to the entrance gate is only about two miles, the route has several small hills, so cyclists should come prepared. During the festival, volunteers placed thousands of small safety lights on the parked bicycles, ensuring a smooth ride home at the end of the day. The best park was skipping the shuttle line and bypassing the traffic jam around Fort Adams State Park.

Associate Editor Lauren Clem takes advantage of Park ‘n Bike. Photo by Lauren Clem

In addition to encouraging biking, the festival takes several other steps to enhance sustainability. Locally based 11^th Hour Racing serves as the festival’s environmental awareness sponsor and supports the water refilling stations that reduce the use of single-use plastics at the event. The festival also has a dedicated Green Team to assist with composting and waste management and a Bike Stage where attendees can participate in a human-powered sound setup.

RELATED ARTICLES

Sad Summer Festival is Bringing an Emo Lineup to Nearby Worcester

Uniting Over Grief in the Aftermath of the Pan Am 103 Tragedy

Stay Stylish on the Court with These Tennis and Pickleball Accessories