We all knew the cancelation of Newport Folk Festival was inevitable in 2020, but 2021 remained somewhat of a mystery until not long before its scheduled dates. Whether or not it would happen was a big question mark in the aftermath of (and really, the ongoing) COVID-19 pandemic, and if it did happen, what would it look like?
Turns out, it would be twice as nice. The aptly named “Folk On” event was split into two separate three-day festivals back-to-back with two separate lineups. The idea being to lessen the density, and likely, to accommodate as many artists as possible after the devastating last 18 months where so many musicians found themselves out of work and unable to earn a living.
The first segment, from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, July 25, featured a wide-ranging schedule of artists like Ida Mae, Lucy Dacus, Joy Oladokun, Yola, Waxahatchee, Margo Price, Jason Isbell and Randy Newman, to name a few. Cut down to just two stages, plus a “busking” performance area, there would also be plenty of room for the unannounced appearances and spontaneous collaborations for which Newport Folk Festival is known. Some artists might even stick around for both festivals and pop in to perform in a different iteration.
All this to say, despite living in a time where we must be vigilant in planning ahead and keeping each other safe, “Folk On” is still finding ways to surprise and delight music lovers who have had to go without for so long. It is a reminder to keep on keeping on, to stay in the light no matter how dark the world around you gets. Here are some highlights from day one of the second installment of the artist formerly known as Newport Folk Festival:
Erin Rae opened things up with the promise of a new record, her first since 2018’s acclaimed Putting On Airs. She performed familiar tunes from that album but gave a taste of what’s to come from her recently recorded new set. Courtney Marie Andrews followed suit, bringing her stunning vocal prowess to the newly coined “Lawn Stage.” Making up for lost time, Andrews played tracks off her 2020 release Old Flowers—songs we would have heard last year had Newport Folk Festival taken place. Songs like “If I Told” and “Ships in the Night” expressed all the pain and longing that comes with being separated from loved ones in a way only Andrews can deliver.
Later, Eric D. Johnson brought a jolt of energy and excitement to the stage for a much anticipated Fruit Bats performance. Joined by usual cohorts Josh Kaufman and Andy Cabic (of Vetiver), Kaufman’s wife Annie Nero (on backup harmonies), and a special appearance from Anais Mitchell, Johnson headbanged to songs off his recent release The Pet Parade, his long hair wild and unkempt. Across the fort, a quiet solo set from M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger (with assists from artists like Rae and Allison Russell) captivated a crowd wanting to hear cuts off the band’s 2021 release Quietly Blowing It. Without the infectious smile of keyboardist and bandmate Phil Cook, it felt like a subdued preview of what’s to come on their tour this year.
A 10-year reunion of Middle Brother brought members Matthew Logan Vasquez (Delta Spirit), John McCauley (Deer Tick) and Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) to the stage to perform tunes off their sole supergroup album. It felt like a true coming back together in the spirit of Newport Folk Festivals past as the audience sang along, still remembering all the words to songs like “Portland,” “Blue Eyes” and “Million Dollar Bill.” It was a stark contrast to Ben Gibbard’s (Death Cab for Cutie) solo acoustic set on the fort’s other stage, which included the timely “Grapevine Fires” and “I Will Follow You Into the Dark,” comforting if melancholy songs for our times.
But ultimately, the first day, and maybe the festival as a whole, would not have been complete without Billy Strings. The young picker wunderkind stole the fort with his head-spinning performance, bringing the crowd to their feet as they danced jubilantly to some damn fine bluegrass tunes like “Red Daisy” and “Hide & Seek.” Strings shreds an acoustic guitar like its five different instruments, creating an explosion of sound that has to be heard and seen to be believed, and his band left the first-day audience euphoric, howling for an encore—the plucky “Slow Train.” It was a shot of pure adrenaline to our pandemic brains.
Photos by Andrew Benedict
