2023 Newport Folk Festival Day Three: Lana Del Rey with Ties to RI, Serene Señora May, and the Faithful Harlem Gospel Travelers
“I’ve only ever wanted to play here since I was fourteen” – Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey at the Newport Folk Festival with her backup vocalists Jazzy, Porctia and Peaches. Photography by Edelinda Baptista
As a first-time Newport Folk Fest guest, I returned home with plenty of tips for the next time I come to this annual music celebration, wearing comfortable clothing being one of them.
I left for Newport around 9 a.m. on July 30 and didn’t arrive at the Fort Adams parking lot until 10:15 a.m. While waiting in my air conditioned car (I didn’t know how lucky I was in that moment to be in the chilled environment), multiple bike riders pedaled by and I made a mental note to try this method of transportation next time around.
I parked before heading into the shuttle, then waited in line for about half an hour due to some technical issues with one of the stages. Eventually the line quickened its pace; before I knew it I was in the express lane getting my cooler checked and right in the action. Vibrant blankets and chairs were sprawled across the lawn, vendors chatted with customers and Folk Fest volunteers welcomed guests and answered questions with bright smiles.
Before locating a place to spread out my towel, I toured the grounds to get the lay of the land. I asked one of the volunteers where I could find the bike stage, and thankfully a woman from Washington D.C., who says she’s been coming to this festival for decades, told me she was heading that way and would show me where it is. She had the sensible fashion down pat, with cushioned sneakers and a hiking backpack most likely filled with snacks, water, sunscreen and other necessities. I looked down at my blue plaid skirt and wished I had considered comfort over fashion.
The woman was heading towards the Harbor Tent and told me to go through the tunnel to find the Quad Stage and Bike Stage, but the lovely melodies of Señora May kept me around. In between her sets of beautiful introspective music, the alternative/indie singer would ask if everyone was staying hydrated, which was very thoughtful of her.
Further up by the Quad Stage, the Harlem Gospel Travelers started the day off with some faith and good vibes, taking the audience to church. From dancing music to driving-on-a-Sunday-morning tunes, the group had swayers and prayers singing along.
Back on the Fort Stage, Dan Blakeslee, who’s been attending the Folk Fest for more than a decade, finished a soulful set with the strums of his guitar (adorned with a pretty rad octopus silhouette). After a long applause he said to the crowd, “The butterflies are out!” So glad we can make you feel right at home, Dan.
On the Foundation Stage, a barefoot Grace Bowers – on her seventeenth birthday, mind you – rocked the stage with her guitar in hand, playing electrifying strums that would send shivers down your spine.
Multiple vendors including Stringin’ Along With Me and Faherty were present at Folk Fest.
In between filling up my trusty blue water bottle and grabbing some lunch to eat, I watched other performances – at the Harbor Tent was Abraham Alexander, whose bold and suave voice had audience members clapping along to the beat; on the Bike Stage was Ian Ferguson, as it was his first time performing at the Folk Fest. On the Quad Stage I got to witness a set or two by the eccentric Remi Wolf, who also performed at the Brown University’s Spring Weekend this past April.
Later I snagged a spot to stand right in front of the Fort Stage, where the sun was beaming hard and forced plenty of guests to cover their heads with a shirt or towel (myself included). Los Lobos brought some more heat on their fiftieth anniversary with their bundle of guitars and fast-paced rhythm. Joining them on stage were artists like Nels Cline, Neko Case and John McCauley of Deer Tick, who shared with us that he watched Los Lobos perform at his very first concert (Newport Folk Fest, of course) with his mother as a two-year-old, and now here he was performing alongside the iconic band.
John McCauley of Deer Tick joins Los Lobos on the Fort Stage.
At the end of their set, they bid adieu to the audience, but we weren’t having it.
We cheered for them to perform another song for us. And they did just that. We danced along to one more set before they left the stage. The crowd inched closer as we awaited Lana Del Rey’s performance, and half an hour later we watched as crew members positioned props on the stage – it was a floral oasis complete with mirrors, fake potted plants and a gold piano. Finally, the “Young and Beautiful” singer walked to the middle of the stage as loud screams erupted for her.
She started off with the song “Norman F****** Rockwell” and continued with other hits like “Bartender,” “Arcadia” and even “Video Games” and “Summertime Sadness” from her earlier works as her ballet dancers in off-white satin attire gracefully leaped across the stage.
Atop the gold piano, Lana Del Rey sings as her dancers braid each other’s hair.
Lana introduced musicians like country singer Nikki Lane to sing “Breaking Up Slowly” and record producer Jack Antonoff as the two gathered around the piano to perform a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “For Free.”
She briefly mentioned that her father Rob Grant, also an audience member supporting her daughter from the sidelines, grew up right here in Newport. “I’ve only ever wanted to play here since I was fourteen,” Lana says. She had also stated she has relatives buried in Barrington before giving her family a shoutout with a changed lyric during her performance of “Hope Is A Dangerous Thing For A Woman Like Me To Have – But I Have It,” her last set.
Towards the end of the song, Lana continued singing as she laid in a sheet held by four of her men. For her exit, they dragged the sheet towards the back of the stage, her voice still going strong. After a round of applause, we tried to persuade her to return for another song, but the crew members began to clean up the set – at least we tried.
Crew members for Billy Strings prepped the stage for the bluegrass musician, before he presented his slap-happy tunes and *really silky hair* (I’m going to need that hair care routine, Billy!).
The sun was finally going down and so were the Folk Fest guests’ energy levels. We dallied down to line for the shuttle bus, made our way to our cars and drove out of Newport, thinking of the full day we’d just experienced, new artists we fell in love with and those who already and will always have our hearts. This was definitely a Folk Fest for me to remember, especially when it comes to choosing what to bring and pack for the next one – cozy beach chair and functional shorts are already on my list.
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