NEWPORT, R.I. – The Newport Folk Festival has evolved and changed direction many times in the years since Lynn-born jazz promoter George Wein, singer/activist Pete Seeger, and others presented the first event in 1959. The Kingston Trio, Odetta and Sonny Terry, and Brownie McGhee were the big names that year, but it was young upstart Joan Baez who stole the show.
In 1965, when Bob Dylan went electric, folk purists were outraged, but music hasn’t been the same since. Singer-songwriters dominated until 2008, when Wein hired current Executive Director Jay Sweet to inject new energy to the tired fest. That year, Sweet, an Essex resident, booked the Black Crowes as headliner and up-and-comers like Brandi Carlile, Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and The Avett Brothers, who have all become hugely successful and to this day are important supporters and regular Newport performers.
Last year, Sweet’s faith in Carlile paid dividends when she brought along friend Joni Mitchell for her first major concert in years. Much like 1967, when Judy Collins introduced a young Mitchell to Newport attendees.
For this year’s three-day festival, held at idyllic Fort Adams State Park over the weekend, all the buzz was about Lana Del Rey – a pop star! – who would seem to be a most unlikely Newport performer. The waterfront venue was packed with Del Rey’s young, adoring fans, who screamed loudly throughout the set and had their phones aimed directly at their idol.
Newport sells out well before a single act has been announced, and when Del Rey was added to the lineup many longtime festival attendees expressed their displeasure on social media. When Del Rey’s Sunday morning soundcheck ran 30 minutes long, delaying the opening of gates and the traditional mass stampede to land a prime viewing spot, it only fueled their ire. How dare she! An outrage!
In 2014, Del Rey played Boston’s much smaller House of Blues. She was compelling that night, and she was compelling here Sunday afternoon. The lady is a major talent and an underrated songwriter, but this Newport show didn’t quite gel. There was too much focus on the choreographed production and not enough on the songs. The words got lost among all the dancing and props.
That changed when the hoopla ended and it was just Del Rey and pianist Jack Antonoff (producer/Bleachers mastermind) on stage for wondrous run-throughs of “Mariners Apartment Complex” and Mitchell’s “For Free.” Her hits “Summertime Sadness” and “Video Games” drew the loudest cheers.
Del Rey was clearly emotional near the end of her set. Her dad grew up in Newport and family members are buried in the local cemetery.
“I’ve only wanted to play here since I was like 14,” she said.
Oh yeah, there were other performers. There was a real fear of missing out, as there are three main stages and two smaller places where music is happening at all times. But I got around. Here are some highlights.
On Friday, Noah Kahan canceled at the last minute due to vocal exhaustion, and James Taylor subbed on an hour’s notice. He told stories and performed eight hits, including “Fire and Rain,” “Sweet Baby James,” “Carolina on my Mind,” and “You’ve Got a Friend.” Once word spread, folks left fine sets by Maggie Rogers and Edie Brickell’s new band Heavy Makeup and ran to see JT.
Saturday morning, Taylor was back at the fort rehearsing a song that was to be part of Jon Batiste’s headlining set. That performance never happened, as thunder and lightning ended the day’s music early.
Also on Friday, Mdou Moctar, a songwriter and musician from West Africa, got the crowd dancing with his guitar-driven modern rock music; Thee Sacred Souls, blessed with a lead singer who sounds like Marvin Gaye and a hot seven-piece band, were blissful, sublime and soulful; The Heavy Heavy, a British band led by powerhouse Janis Joplin-like singer Sophie Fuller and guitarist Will Turner, wowed with a set of bluesy rock in the mold of Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac and Delaney & Bonnie; and Newport’s Laden Valley opened the festival with a fine set of folk-rock gems.
Saturday’s first performer, Arkansas’ Willi Carlisle, one of the few actual folk singers at the fest, provided a powerful Newport moment that I will never forget. After getting attendees to laugh at his witty stories and songs about life in these not-so-United States, he put down his guitar and sang an a cappella rendition of Steve Goodman’s heart-wrenching Vietnam War protest song “The Ballad of Penny Evans.” The man standing next to me – a Vietnam vet – was sobbing and nearly everyone was fighting back tears.
Danielle Ponder, who quit a full-time job as an attorney five days before her 40th birthday, has a powerful, expressive, soulful voice, and deserves to be a star. Her songs of love, broken hearts, and redemption and a cover of “River Deep, Mountain High” in honor of the late Tina Turner earned thunderous applause.
A rousing hard-rocking set on Saturday was delivered by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Isbell is one of our premier songwriters and guitarists; I wish he had performed “If We Were Vampires,” one of this decade’s greatest songs, and I was surprised he didn’t cover a song by the late David Crosby since the two played together at Newport.
Goose, The Hold Steady and The Backseat Lovers were terrific as usual, as were country rocker Jaime Wyatt, the Turnpike Troubadours (with dobro ace Jerry Douglas), and longtime favorites Aimee Mann and John Oates.
Billy Strings, an otherworldly guitarist, and his top-notch band closed the fest Sunday with a riveting bluegrass extravaganza that included some Beatles melodies amongst the classic country tunes.
Also on Sunday, Los Lobos celebrated its 50th anniversary year with a high-powered set. Impressive dancing broke out during the Latin-flavored numbers. Special guest Nels Cline added blistering guitar to a couple of songs. Deer Tick’s John McCauley and Neko Case also joined the fun.
It was impossible to stand still while the infectious African beats of Jupiter & Okwess roared. Fans rushed toward the stage and danced like crazy; even the volunteers were moving and grooving. The Black Opry Revue featured stellar performances by some of the country’s most impressive Black singers and musicians. Gregory Alan Isakov and his band played brilliantly-written songs performed with gusto and subtlety. Mournful violin and double bass added emotion to “Liars,” one of the day’s best performances.
Those who skipped the Del Rey show likely attended the Folk Family Review, which featured fest faves playing lively singalong versions of classics like “Big Bad Leroy Brown” and “The Joker.”
