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I don't feel this is a true lowlight, but more of a "what if" that will never be answered. While I agree with most of the comments I've seen of that being a lackluster headliner, I have been wondering how much of that was due to forces outside of their control.
I'm sure plenty have seen the "original" set list for the Bastiste set that's been floating around, and it's clear that it had to be abandoned for one reason or another - likely that the weather played a big part in it. But also, it had James Taylor listed on it, and had Noah not canceled the day before and thus thrust James Taylor into an unexpected set the day before Batiste, I think that would've won many people over for the headliner set Saturday evening. You add a Batiste cover of Sinnerman, and I'd have probably lost my shit!
Noah Honestly, I didn't think much of it, and I wouldn't even mention him here, but playing the following night sure seems suspect. We weren't going to catch his set as we saw him earlier this summer and left a few songs into it (Joy Oladokun was opening for him and was great as usual), but it just seems fishy to me. Not that anyone cares what I think.
Collabs Honestly, other than those, my only other gripe related to the musicians/sets is the seeming lack of collabs and sit-ins this year compared to years past. Aside from Erin and SistaStrings, there were a few individual sitings throughout the festival (TC, Margo), but overall it seemed like a ton of the sets were done in isolation from the rest of the festival and there seemed to be a lacking of the folk family feeling in years past (maybe that's not a bad thing but it's certainly a noticeable change from recent past).
The Festival I don't know what the deal is, but it seemed as if they had just completely forgotten about some of the logistics that are involved every single year.
- Security lines were absolutely horrible this year. I thought they figured it out Friday afternoon when they opened up an express lane for those with no/small bags and no chairs. It definitely helped speed things up on Saturday morning, but then they completely abandoned the idea for Sunday. It's not like they were lacking in open parking lot space that they could've used to create separate chutes based on what you're bringing (no/small bag line, coolers & large bags, family line, etc.).
- Walkways seemed to be an afterthought (unless they were under a tent). The paths along the fence leading to either side of the Fort stage are a fraction of what they used to be. I don't even recall seeing a painted line for where the blanket section was supposed to end, and the walkway started. The area near the lobster rolls is always a bit congested, but there were spots where the walkway was 3-4 feet wide at most (thinking of the Greek spot with their roped-off posts).
- Blankets & Chairs need to be gotten under control. They were covering every patch of free grass they could. I'm not opposed to them, and hell, I don't even care about height restrictions for them, but they need to have better control of where people place them. And there should be no blankets under the quad tent! Although personally, I'd rather they eliminate that tent entirely and just toss in a half-dozen more shade sails and then have a "normal" stage.
- Food. I don't have any complaints about the individual vendors, but I wish they'd include more places that were better at high-volume food. I miss the burrito place - you had a handful of choices, no substitutions, and they just churned through customers. I went to try and get plain waffle fries from the bunny food truck (near harbor stage), and the wait was over 30 minutes! For plain waffle fries! Having said that, Thai Jasmine was fantastic, as always. The sausage and peppers guys and the Texas fries booth also get props for always being quick and good.
- Dels can KMA if they want to charge $9 for that sippy cup they called a large. This was the first year that I didn't buy a single one.
- Bring back the museum stage! I loved when they used to have the obscure acts talking about aspects of folk music I had never before known about (thinking of the two girls that talked on Appalachia folk music and had the winding paper "theater" thing) or from musicians from across the globe introducing us to their cultures folk music.
Overall, I find it frustrating that they seem to be trying to add more and more stuff to the festival in recent years but don't seem to give any consideration to congestion and how best to lay things out. The setup of the actual festival grounds seems to be a bit of an afterthought to them.
Oh, and the absolute hardest working person at the fort this weekend was the dude that was restocking the bathrooms in the quad. As soon as he’d make one round, he’d restock and do it all over again. All day long, every single day.
Oh, and the absolute hardest working person at the fort this weekend was the dude that was restocking the bathrooms in the quad. As soon as he’d make one round, he’d restock and do it all over again. All day long, every single day.
Hold on! Did you see the staff that was fishing portos out of the water at the beer pier? That was something.
So attendees at a festival designed to prioritize artist well being and (mental) health are judging a performer’s decision to not perform for health reasons?
What I find strange is the quick recovery for a potential career altering medical issue. I wish my physical/mental health crises ended in 24 hours.
I’ve called a day off from work because I wasn’t feeling well. I’ve lost my voice for a day. I’ve had a 24 hour bug, or ended up with physical exhaustion from working myself too hard. Many bands plan their tours with breaks between shows to give themselves necessary rest - maybe the wear and tear was underestimated before he turned Red Rocks into a fundraising livestream set for flood recoveries in Vermont and needed just one more day off.
I’m not a medical doctor but I can only imagine many would give a dozen plus scenarios that would require 24 hour vocal rest to prevent severe injury.
His merch also arrived in Newport.
Last Edit: Jul 31, 2023 19:19:28 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
I’m sure some were frustrated by how long it took to get the schedule up on the board on Friday.
I assume it had to do with the Noah cancellation. At one point, I saw someone carrying one of the handwritten signs with Del Water Gap and 5:20 written on it. I was super confused because Del wasn’t scheduled to play at 5:20 and the Bike stage wasn’t available at that time. Before news of the cancellation I thought Newport was making a last minute change to move Noah to the Fort Stage. But I guess in hindsight, at one point Del was going to be moved to Noah’s spot. Not sure if that would have put James Taylor on the Fort Stage or if this was the first solution not involving James Taylor. (Would have sucked to split the Maggie and Del Water Gap crowd.)
Another Newport in the books. Overall, a good one with lots of fun music.
Highlights:
1) Lana Del Rey. As I stated in a previous post, I thought LDR’s set was incredible, offering both a touch of her full production and some intimacy, rawness, and collabs fit for a Newport set.
2) The Hold Steady. That was fun! Long time fan, first time seeing them. Better than even expected.
3) Jupiter & Okwess. It’s a shame they got the same Quad Stage set as last time - should have been elevated to the Fort for a massive dance party. But I made it into the front and enjoyed the feel of a rowdy club set.
4) The Beths. Came into this year’s fest with them in my Top 2 to see (having not listened to them before their announcement for Newport) and they did not disappoint.
Lowlights:
1) Noah Kahan canceling. He was my top act to see, and there were some moments where I was thinking of planning an alternative vacation to Newport and knowing I’d see him kept me fully set on attending. I have no ill feelings about the cancellation and the replacement was one only Newport could provide. I have tickets to see him in a 20,000+ person shed in the fall. But will miss the intimacy that only Newport could provide.
2) Congestion. I didn’t think it was any worse than last year, but both last year and this year felt worse attendance-wise than pre-Covid fests. It’s still enjoyable and the crowds are managed decent enough (this year was the first time I waited in longer lines for portapotties; and the beer gardens are too crowded to enjoy so another Newport without a single beer for me). But some of the Newport magic has definitely been removed with what’s seemingly an increase in capacity. (Also noticed way more people wearing badges this year thinking Newport gave out more guest passes to artists than normal.)
3) Special moments being saved for after parties. That John Prine tribute should not have been kept for just an after party. I don’t think this would be as concerning if it felt like the fest had those same moments, but it didn’t this year.
4) Missing collaborations in big time sets. I don’t need Joni or Paul every year. But it didn’t feel as if anyone really stepped into the Brandi or Margo roles this year. The artists around seemed to spend more time in the back partying than side stage watching or walking the fest. I felt like Mumford and Sons even better embodied the ethos when they pulled up Phoebe for a cover after catching her set earlier in the day.
My top moments at the festival were: 1.The Newport County Choir School singing backup for Nickel Creek at the Foundation Tent. 2. Indigo De Souza was so incredible. I didn't know anything about her and was so impressed. 3.The energy of Jupiter and Okwess and the Folk Flock kids dancing their hearts out in front. 4. M. Ward!!! 5.Lana Del Rey sounded so great! She was more down to earth and modest than I thought she would be. 6. Danielle Ponder is going places. What talent! I really tried to be more go with the flow with my schedule this time and I caught more beautifully unexpected moments. As much as there are aspects that are a pain about the festival---travelling 11 hours in the car, long lines. At the end of the weekend it's all worth it.
Post by matthewgroehl on Jul 31, 2023 19:52:21 GMT -5
Everything I saw this weekend:
Greg Freeman: opened for happiness and immediately got the attention of the room. Should be playing a small stage at the festival next year. We were trying to figure out a comp for him in the audience and I think the closest was Jason Molina.
Happiness: Loved their album and this was my first time seeing it live. Excellent. New songs were great too especially International Star.
Ron Gallo: perfect start to the fest. A ton of energy. Probably the most "punk" artist this year.
The Beths: Had a terrible spot on the packed quad. The heat was brutal around this time to the point that Elizabeth had to leave the stage but she returned for a few more songs and sounded great.
Nickel Creek: Foundation tent pop-up. Got lucky because we were sitting on the grass right at the tent when this was announced. They played my two favorites from the new album with a children's choir. Probably the best thing I saw on Friday.
Del Water Gap: Loved his energy but the music didn't do much for me.
Caamp: My wife and I were hoping to see Strawberries since it was our first dance at our wedding. We were there for 5 songs and weren't really familiar with them. We were considering staying for Maggie since we already saw a couple Nickel Creek songs but at this point the heat was really getting to me so we were hoping for shade in the quad and a good spot for Noah Kahan.
Nickel Creek: Exactly what you would expect from Nickel Creek. Felt safe but good. Friends thought we were still at the main stage and were excitedly texting us about Caamp playing Strawberries, then came the Noah Kahan news... Big regret to not stay at the main stage.
James Taylor: Is it okay to not be a JT fan? We saw him when he had that short unannounced set a few years back and it was a cool experience especially since it was the one time my parents came and they love him... but his music bores me. We stayed for three songs and then left to catch MMJ. Got a rude comment from an old guy as we were walking out about leaving the real folk music. This fan base has been gatekeeping the festival aggressively this year and it's been eye opening.
My Morning Jacket: Second time seeing them. Thought they were okay opening for Bob Dylan in 2015(?). I have become a bit more of a fan since then. This set was much better than I was expecting... Probably top 5 for the weekend.
Willi Carlisle: Got in late and only saw half the set but everything I saw was perfect. As everybody has been saying, the cover was maybe the best of the weekend.
Nanna: Sleepy. Ate at the back of the quad...
Bartees Strange: First time I managed a chair under a tent this year. This was another top 5 set. I would love to see him come back to play the main stage with the ability to play guitar.
Indigo De Souza: Maybe my most anticipated set of the weekend other than Lana. Seemed a bit subdued compared to other live videos I've seen of her but the crowd that was unfamiliar with her seemed blown away. She admitted she was unfamiliar with the festival but loved it and plans to be back every year.
Goose: Not my thing but decided to try them again. Animal coming out again was cool but they're still not my thing.
John Oates: Only caught a few songs. It was fine.
Angel Olsen: Wish I went to her full set as I had originally planned. She sounded great and was having a lot of fun giggling through every song - specifically when joined by Erin Rae and Margo Price.
Jason Isbell: I really wanted to see Aimee Mann but the Harbor was too full so we went straight to Isbell. Aimee sounded great while walking by and Isbell was Isbell. Would have rather been at the Harbor.
Jon Batiste: I've skipped him every time he's played before. I finally started listening to his stuff a couple weeks ago and have been digging it. This was a fun set but the length was disappointing. Understandable to cut it short though I suppose.
Senora May: Sounded good but unexciting.
Sumbuck: Decidedly not Caamp. I was being put to sleep and decided to try to get a good spot in the quad for Madison Cunningham.
Jupiter and Okwess: Had no idea who they were while walking in and was totally confused as to why the aisles under the tent were non-existent but this was the best thing I saw all weekend. My wife and I jumped into the crowd to dance and managed to snag a couple seats in the third row which was somehow the 10th row while they were performing.
Madison Cunningham: Terrible scheduling to put such a subdued artist between the two highest energy sets of the weekend. I heard a lot of comments about her being disappointing which seem crazy because she sounded great. I was hoping to see her stellar In My Life cover but that would have brought the energy down even more so it's probably best she didn't play it.
Remi Wolf: Infectious. This set was an absolute blast. It reminded me a lot of the Tank and the Bangas set a few years ago but Remi has much more star power. Another top 5 set.
Los Lobos: Only caught a couple songs but it was fun and a nice full circle moment for John McCauley.
Lana Del Rey: I'm a big fan and have been since 2012. Based on live videos I've seen I expected to be disappointed and I was entirely wrong about that. Lana not being the closer was an embarrassing move for the festival. Her set was everything a closing set should be and would have been even more impressive with the additional time given to headliners. Top 5.
Billy Strings: Wasn't a fan going in and still not a fan today. I understand why people like him. He's genuine and absolutely shreds but if you're not really familiar with the old folk standards it just sounds like pluck pluck pluck really fast over and over again for 75 minutes. Happy for the people who hate pop music though especially the chick in the Billy MFS hat in front of us who sat down in the crowd covered her head with a bandana and did some coke while a few teenage girls next to her were dancing to the music. You're all right (in the Facebook group), the teens are the problem.
In short: 1. Jupiter and Okwess 2. Lana Del Rey 3. Bartees Strange 4. My Morning Jacket 5. Remi Wolf
Upcoming Shows: August 7: Green Day/Smashing Pumpkins/Rancid/The Linda Lindas August 30: Waxahatchee/Snail Mail/Tim Heidecker September 17: Pearl Jam/Glen Hansard September 24: Idles/English Teacher
Another Newport in the books. Overall, a good one with lots of fun music.
Highlights:
1) Lana Del Rey. As I stated in a previous post, I thought LDR’s set was incredible, offering both a touch of her full production and some intimacy, rawness, and collabs fit for a Newport set.
2) The Hold Steady. That was fun! Long time fan, first time seeing them. Better than even expected.
3) Jupiter & Okwess. It’s a shame they got the same Quad Stage set as last time - should have been elevated to the Fort for a massive dance party. But I made it into the front and enjoyed the feel of a rowdy club set.
4) The Beths. Came into this year’s fest with them in my Top 2 to see (having not listened to them before their announcement for Newport) and they did not disappoint.
Lowlights:
1) Noah Kahan canceling. He was my top act to see, and there were some moments where I was thinking of planning an alternative vacation to Newport and knowing I’d see him kept me fully set on attending. I have no ill feelings about the cancellation and the replacement was one only Newport could provide. I have tickets to see him in a 20,000+ person shed in the fall. But will miss the intimacy that only Newport could provide.
2) Congestion. I didn’t think it was any worse than last year, but both last year and this year felt worse attendance-wise than pre-Covid fests. It’s still enjoyable and the crowds are managed decent enough (this year was the first time I waited in longer lines for portapotties; and the beer gardens are too crowded to enjoy so another Newport without a single beer for me). But some of the Newport magic has definitely been removed with what’s seemingly an increase in capacity. (Also noticed way more people wearing badges this year thinking Newport gave out more guest passes to artists than normal.)
3) Special moments being saved for after parties. That John Prine tribute should not have been kept for just an after party. I don’t think this would be as concerning if it felt like the fest had those same moments, but it didn’t this year.
4) Missing collaborations in big time sets. I don’t need Joni or Paul every year. But it didn’t feel as if anyone really stepped into the Brandi or Margo roles this year. The artists around seemed to spend more time in the back partying than side stage watching or walking the fest. I felt like Mumford and Sons even better embodied the ethos when they pulled up Phoebe for a cover after catching her set earlier in the day.
My top moments at the festival were: 1.The Newport County Choir School singing backup for Nickel Creek at the Foundation Tent. 2. Indigo De Souza was so incredible. I didn't know anything about her and was so impressed. 3.The energy of Jupiter and Okwess and the Folk Flock kids dancing their hearts out in front. 4. M. Ward!!! 5.Lana Del Rey sounded so great! She was more down to earth and modest than I thought she would be. 6. Danielle Ponder is going places. What talent! I really tried to be more go with the flow with my schedule this time and I caught more beautifully unexpected moments. As much as there are aspects that are a pain about the festival---travelling 11 hours in the car, long lines. At the end of the weekend it's all worth it.
Can you give some deets on the M. Ward set? I saw a video of Lullaby + Exile with Neal Cline and Steve Berlin that sounded great!
Oh, and the absolute hardest working person at the fort this weekend was the dude that was restocking the bathrooms in the quad. As soon as he’d make one round, he’d restock and do it all over again. All day long, every single day.
Hold on! Did you see the staff that was fishing portos out of the water at the beer pier? That was something.
That was Sunday morning.
These staff members are in bed today due to ecoli infection.
What I find strange is the quick recovery for a potential career altering medical issue. I wish my physical/mental health crises ended in 24 hours.
I’ve called a day off from work because I wasn’t feeling well. I’ve lost my voice for a day. I’ve had a 24 hour bug, or ended up with physical exhaustion from working myself too hard. Many bands plan their tours with breaks between shows to give themselves necessary rest - maybe the wear and tear was underestimated before he turned Red Rocks into a fundraising livestream set for flood recoveries in Vermont and needed just one more day off.
I’m not a medical doctor but I can only imagine many would give a dozen plus scenarios that would require 24 hour vocal rest to prevent severe injury.
His merch also arrived in Newport.
Yeah, we have all called out of work. I don’t lie about my reasons for needing a day off. If I need a mental health day, I say I need a mental health day. vocal exhaustion? And it was so bad, he was worried about the long term consequences then plays the next two nights? Even Noah must understand how suspect that sounds. He could have played an instrumental set or find friends to sing the songs. The crowd would have ate it up as a special Newport moment. If he needed a day off he should have just said he needed a day off.
I’ve called a day off from work because I wasn’t feeling well. I’ve lost my voice for a day. I’ve had a 24 hour bug, or ended up with physical exhaustion from working myself too hard. Many bands plan their tours with breaks between shows to give themselves necessary rest - maybe the wear and tear was underestimated before he turned Red Rocks into a fundraising livestream set for flood recoveries in Vermont and needed just one more day off.
I’m not a medical doctor but I can only imagine many would give a dozen plus scenarios that would require 24 hour vocal rest to prevent severe injury.
His merch also arrived in Newport.
Yeah, we have all called out of work. I don’t lie about my reasons for needing a day off. If I need a mental health day, I say I need a mental health day. vocal exhaustion? And it was so bad, he was worried about the long term consequences then plays the next two nights? Even Noah must understand how suspect that sounds. He could have played an instrumental set or find friends to sing the songs. The crowd would have ate it up as a special Newport moment. If he needed a day off he should have just said he needed a day off.
Noah was in the hospital and was told by multiple doctors to rest his vocal cords. Either you believe that statement or you don’t. And more importantly, either Jay believes that statement or he doesn’t.
Last Edit: Jul 31, 2023 22:17:25 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
I did one full day (Saturday) and floated for the first time to catch Lana's set. This was my first time back since before the pandemic. A few off the cuff remarks:
It definitely felt more full and hectic than it did in year's past. I don't ever remember having trouble getting into the back of the pit at the Fort stage but I spent the entirety of Isbell's set being nudged out of the walking lane by the ushers, even with people coming and going. The Quad having less seating was weird too. Harbor stage being flipped around threw me for a loop, but I think it is a nicer layout.
Floating was fun, but an absolute shitshow! The sound was great, tough to see anything from a kayak, but overall I'm glad I did it. Great way to take in a dreamy LDR set.
Pineapple Club was the best set I saw all weekend. Everyone was having a great time. I was lucky to see Tyler Childers after, and that was amazing as well but people showing up late and the make up of the crowd was a little weird (Morgan Wallen hat at NFF??? Really???) His band is tight as hell though, and it was really special to see him in the same room I first saw him in for DT&F however many years ago that was.
Overall, weird and different NFF experience, but I enjoyed myself. It's sort of like seeing an old friend after some years and they're the same person, but a lot's changed. I can't say I haven't changed either. We're all fluid!
Newport Folk was great again. It’s always GREAT. The issue is we just compare it to previous years
Best of 1. Robert Ellis, Phil Cooke, and Beau Bedford (and friends) at the Pineapple Club …..for free. They played from 7:15 to 10:15. Bunch of guests sat in. Loose. It replaced the DeerTick and Friends feeling, albeit not as rowdy. Thanks Beaker for finding this…. 1A - The Folk revival 73 set (which was almost completely different than the Pineapple club. 2. TurnPike Troubadours set. My big surprise of the weekend. On Fire. Tyler sitting in was gravy. 3. Illiterate Light and Sir Woman on the bike stage. 4. Los Lobos bringing up John and Nels Cline. 5. The Hold Steady 6. Grace Bowers
Regrets. Missed Danielle Poinder and Jupiter.
Caught snippets from Abraham Alexander Eastern Medicine Singers, Gallo, Free Range, and Mdo Moctar. All very good. Lucky in the randomness
Only real Complaint was getting in on Friday. It’s just WAY too long. Came early for Gallo and we were in line for over an hour. They just have to do a better job of getting people in without chairs faster. Also felt weird not having a Sunday night aftershow.
Robert/Phil/Beau played a show for the artists inside the fort afterward. Boo.
If something isn’t Vibing at newport where you are, just move. You will find it somewhere. Our crowd is the lobster wearing goofballs. So we always have fun.
Post by Larry Farnsworth on Aug 1, 2023 8:52:15 GMT -5
Speaking as someone who brings kids to the fest, I wish they'd go back to requiring a ticket for any kid over 3 or whatever it used to be. I do think a lot more people are just bringing their kids along since it's free, and while I love that the fest is so family friendly, I do think it contributes to the overcrowded feel. I think changing that back, plus removing some of the vendors/tents in the Fort area would really ease up congestion. I'm also fairly certain they're giving out more guest/family/friends passes, it felt like every fifth person I saw had a "Kin" badge on.
Newport Folk was great again. It’s always GREAT. The issue is we just compare it to previous years
Best of 1. Robert Ellis, Phil Cooke, and Beau Bedford (and friends) at the Pineapple Club …..for free. They played from 7:15 to 10:15. Bunch of guests sat in. Loose. It replaced the DeerTick and Friends feeling, albeit not as rowdy. 1A - The Folk revival 73 set (which was almost completely different than the Pineapple club. 2. TurnPike Troubadours set. My favorite of the weekend. On Fire. Tyler sitting in was gravy. 3. Illiterate Light and Sir Woman on the bike stage. 4. Los Lobos bringing up John and Nels Cline. 5. The Hold Steady 6. Grace Powers
Regrets. Missed Danielle Poinder and Jupiter.
Caught snippets from Abraham Alexander Eastern Medicine Singers, Gallo, Free Range, and Mdo Moctar. All very good. Lucky in the randomness
Only real Complaint was getting in on Friday. It’s just WAY too long. Came early for Gallo and we were in line for over an hour. They just have to do a better job of getting people in without chairs faster. Also felt weird not having a Sunday night aftershow.
Robert/Phil/Beau played a show for the artists inside the fort afterward. Boo.
If something isn’t Vibing at newport where you are, just move. You will find it somewhere. Our crowd is the lobster wearing goofballs. So we always have fun.
See you guys next year
They absolutely have to somewhat reward people for showing up with themselves and a small bag. Having to wait on line for people that have 5 chairs, two coolers, and three bags to be checked is absurd. Go nuts if you want to bring in everything, but all three days i showed up with my wallet, keys, and an empty water bottle and had to sit on line with people who packed for a week.
Speaking as someone who brings kids to the fest, I wish they'd go back to requiring a ticket for any kid over 3 or whatever it used to be. I do think a lot more people are just bringing their kids along since it's free, and while I love that the fest is so family friendly, I do think it contributes to the overcrowded feel. I think changing that back, plus removing some of the vendors/tents in the Fort area would really ease up congestion. I'm also fairly certain they're giving out more guest/family/friends passes, it felt like every fifth person I saw had a "Kin" badge on.
Badges were absolutely everywhere in the crowd this year. I can’t recall any year comparing to the amount I saw this weekend.
I agree with the child tickets, but I’m skeptical that will return.
It definitely felt more full and hectic than it did in year's past. I don't ever remember having trouble getting into the back of the pit at the Fort stage but I spent the entirety of Isbell's set being nudged out of the walking lane by the ushers, even with people coming and going.
Having only been last year and this year, i felt this too. Last year it was incredibly easy to walk up and get a spot in the back of the pit, even a song into the headliner on at least 1 or 2 days, but always for any act earlier than that. This year, it felt like the pit was slammed with 0 capacity for the last 3 performances each day if you showed up even a couple minutes before the set started.
Along the same lines as what others have said about the chairs/blankets being out of control -- They really should extend the pit back to reach at least the front of the sound tent. Clearly as the years pass a higher percentage of attendees want to stand up close like a normal concert and not be boring sitting people, so let's make the space reflect that and allow for it.
Too many screaming toddlers Too many toddlers in general
Security line idea 1. No bags, coolers, or chairs line. Get those people out the way faster. 2. Chairs only line, no bags or coolers. (Admittedly, I'm in this group.) 3. Lines for families and/or people who pack everything but the kitchen sink.
It definitely felt more full and hectic than it did in year's past. I don't ever remember having trouble getting into the back of the pit at the Fort stage but I spent the entirety of Isbell's set being nudged out of the walking lane by the ushers, even with people coming and going.
Having only been last year and this year, i felt this too. Last year it was incredibly easy to walk up and get a spot in the back of the pit, even a song into the headliner on at least 1 or 2 days, but always for any act earlier than that. This year, it felt like the pit was slammed with 0 capacity for the last 3 performances each day if you showed up even a couple minutes before the set started.
Along the same lines as what others have said about the chairs/blankets being out of control -- They really should extend the pit back to reach at least the front of the sound tent. Clearly as the years pass a higher percentage of attendees want to stand up close like a normal concert and not be boring sitting people, so let's make the space reflect that and allow for it.
YES!
It should be standing room only for everything directly in front of the stage up to the front of the sound tent.
One secret that seemed to not get shut down as much as in the past is to enter the pit from right alongside the sound tent (the side opposite the ada section). My gf lead us that way and we managed to get well into the pit about 10 minutes before Lana.
Yeah, we have all called out of work. I don’t lie about my reasons for needing a day off. If I need a mental health day, I say I need a mental health day. vocal exhaustion? And it was so bad, he was worried about the long term consequences then plays the next two nights? Even Noah must understand how suspect that sounds. He could have played an instrumental set or find friends to sing the songs. The crowd would have ate it up as a special Newport moment. If he needed a day off he should have just said he needed a day off.
Noah was in the hospital and was told by multiple doctors to rest his vocal cords. Either you believe that statement or you don’t. And more importantly, either Jay believes that statement or he doesn’t.
Thr either/or you presented if false. It Is not about believing/not believing him. hence I was seconding the opinion of the OP his explanation is strange and appears hyperbolic. I can believe he needed a day off AND that he exaggerated how bad it was in his tweet. Just my 2c.
Greg Freeman: opened for happiness and immediately got the attention of the room. Should be playing a small stage at the festival next year. We were trying to figure out a comp for him in the audience and I think the closest was Jason Molina.
Happiness: Loved their album and this was my first time seeing it live. Excellent. New songs were great too especially International Star.
Ron Gallo: perfect start to the fest. A ton of energy. Probably the most "punk" artist this year.
The Beths: Had a terrible spot on the packed quad. The heat was brutal around this time to the point that Elizabeth had to leave the stage but she returned for a few more songs and sounded great.
Nickel Creek: Foundation tent pop-up. Got lucky because we were sitting on the grass right at the tent when this was announced. They played my two favorites from the new album with a children's choir. Probably the best thing I saw on Friday.
Del Water Gap: Loved his energy but the music didn't do much for me.
Caamp: My wife and I were hoping to see Strawberries since it was our first dance at our wedding. We were there for 5 songs and weren't really familiar with them. We were considering staying for Maggie since we already saw a couple Nickel Creek songs but at this point the heat was really getting to me so we were hoping for shade in the quad and a good spot for Noah Kahan.
Nickel Creek: Exactly what you would expect from Nickel Creek. Felt safe but good. Friends thought we were still at the main stage and were excitedly texting us about Caamp playing Strawberries, then came the Noah Kahan news... Big regret to not stay at the main stage.
James Taylor: Is it okay to not be a JT fan? We saw him when he had that short unannounced set a few years back and it was a cool experience especially since it was the one time my parents came and they love him... but his music bores me. We stayed for three songs and then left to catch MMJ. Got a rude comment from an old guy as we were walking out about leaving the real folk music. This fan base has been gatekeeping the festival aggressively this year and it's been eye opening.
My Morning Jacket: Second time seeing them. Thought they were okay opening for Bob Dylan in 2015(?). I have become a bit more of a fan since then. This set was much better than I was expecting... Probably top 5 for the weekend.
Willi Carlisle: Got in late and only saw half the set but everything I saw was perfect. As everybody has been saying, the cover was maybe the best of the weekend.
Nanna: Sleepy. Ate at the back of the quad...
Bartees Strange: First time I managed a chair under a tent this year. This was another top 5 set. I would love to see him come back to play the main stage with the ability to play guitar.
Indigo De Souza: Maybe my most anticipated set of the weekend other than Lana. Seemed a bit subdued compared to other live videos I've seen of her but the crowd that was unfamiliar with her seemed blown away. She admitted she was unfamiliar with the festival but loved it and plans to be back every year.
Goose: Not my thing but decided to try them again. Animal coming out again was cool but they're still not my thing.
John Oates: Only caught a few songs. It was fine.
Angel Olsen: Wish I went to her full set as I had originally planned. She sounded great and was having a lot of fun giggling through every song - specifically when joined by Erin Rae and Margo Price.
Jason Isbell: I really wanted to see Aimee Mann but the Harbor was too full so we went straight to Isbell. Aimee sounded great while walking by and Isbell was Isbell. Would have rather been at the Harbor.
Jon Batiste: I've skipped him every time he's played before. I finally started listening to his stuff a couple weeks ago and have been digging it. This was a fun set but the length was disappointing. Understandable to cut it short though I suppose.
Senora May: Sounded good but unexciting.
Sumbuck: Decidedly not Caamp. I was being put to sleep and decided to try to get a good spot in the quad for Madison Cunningham.
Jupiter and Okwess: Had no idea who they were while walking in and was totally confused as to why the aisles under the tent were non-existent but this was the best thing I saw all weekend. My wife and I jumped into the crowd to dance and managed to snag a couple seats in the third row which was somehow the 10th row while they were performing.
Madison Cunningham: Terrible scheduling to put such a subdued artist between the two highest energy sets of the weekend. I heard a lot of comments about her being disappointing which seem crazy because she sounded great. I was hoping to see her stellar In My Life cover but that would have brought the energy down even more so it's probably best she didn't play it.
Remi Wolf: Infectious. This set was an absolute blast. It reminded me a lot of the Tank and the Bangas set a few years ago but Remi has much more star power. Another top 5 set.
Los Lobos: Only caught a couple songs but it was fun and a nice full circle moment for John McCauley.
Lana Del Rey: I'm a big fan and have been since 2012. Based on live videos I've seen I expected to be disappointed and I was entirely wrong about that. Lana not being the closer was an embarrassing move for the festival. Her set was everything a closing set should be and would have been even more impressive with the additional time given to headliners. Top 5.
Billy Strings: Wasn't a fan going in and still not a fan today. I understand why people like him. He's genuine and absolutely shreds but if you're not really familiar with the old folk standards it just sounds like pluck pluck pluck really fast over and over again for 75 minutes. Happy for the people who hate pop music though especially the chick in the Billy MFS hat in front of us who sat down in the crowd covered her head with a bandana and did some coke while a few teenage girls next to her were dancing to the music. You're all right (in the Facebook group), the teens are the problem.
In short: 1. Jupiter and Okwess 2. Lana Del Rey 3. Bartees Strange 4. My Morning Jacket 5. Remi Wolf
I only went Friday, but Greg Freeman was my favorite new find of the weekend. He was great and is 100% a Jason Molina type act and it was awesome.
I wasn’t a James Taylor fan, but I figured it was something I should see while having the choice. I personally was blown away by it. The calmness and beauty of it with the crowd singing along really struck me down to my core. I did realize in this moment that it was one of the only acts I had seen that day that felt like what I imagined NFF to feel like. And did think they could integrate more straight forward solo acoustic folk acts. I by no means am saying that the direction the fest is headed in is bad, but I would like to see the ratio come back a little more on indie bands. It’s a bummer that that guy put it the way he did.
Had a wonderful time this weekend. While it was certainly not one of the best versions of Newport Folk I've experienced (been every year since '06), I wouldn't miss this shit for the world.
FRIDAY
I swear the humidity made it feel 15 degrees hotter than the actual air temperature. Scorcher. Was surprised that they moved the bicycle parking a bit further away from gates. Was fortunate enough to get there before the security line got long (my friends were not so lucky). Ron Gallo kicked ass. I've seen him play at various small clubs around Cambridge/Somerville over the years, so it was exciting to see him on a real stage at my favorite festival and totally seize the moment. Him replacing Jay's typical festival opening set introduction with a deadpan note reading and a construction tape ribbon-cutting was perfect. Mdou Moctar was the other big highlight. Shred city. Was hard to transition to the basic white boi flavor of Slaughter Beach, Dog after how mind-blowing Mdou Moctar was. Illiterate Light on the bike stage ruled. Was talking to Jeff Gorman afterward about the great 2008 Black Crowes Newport Folk set and seeing IL at my favorite venue right before it was cruelly taken from us (RIP Great Scott), and was unexpectedly interrupted by the guy who plays Trent Crimm on Ted Lasso, who I had no idea was at the fest. Miraculously, I was not awkward after having a beloved TV actor appear in front of me without warning, and we even dapped up as I swiftly dipped out before I had the opportunity to get weird. Regret not going with Heavy Make Up rather than Maggie Rogers -> James Taylor. My girlfriend said it was extremely cool musically despite absolutely no one being over there to watch it as the Quad filled way up for the surprise JT. MMJ ripped as always.
Went to the Sir Woman & Friends/Joshua Ray Walker afterparty at The Parlor. Had never been in there. It was a funny vibe at first because people were still in there having their normal dinner and such. A lot of chatting during JRW (until they adjusted the house lights at least) and not a ton of people making it in early enough to catch most of his set. My group were the only ones actually standing in the performance area until the last song or two. The punctual ones got a treat, though, because he was wonderful. Great voice and guitar playing, and a unique songwriter. Played a beautiful cover of the Cranberries' "Linger" that evolved into a cathartic singalong. For the most part, the "& Friends" portion of the Sir Woman & Friends was portions of the Sir Woman band itself getting small sets of their own material (first the four instrumentalists, then those 4 + the two backup singers, then the actual Sir Woman set). The portion that was the two backup singers taking the lead was better than the actual Sir Woman material (they perform under the name "Us", apparently). They are great talents. During Sir Woman, Kelsey Wilson's mic was a bit low, and she was visibly frustrated with the sound technician the entire night. I left a couple songs early because I had a 20-minute walk to my AirBnb and it was already very late after going through the other versions of the ensemble.
SATURDAY
My girlfriend and I got a ride in my friend's car because I was concerned about biking home during the forecasted lightning. I'll add to the choir commending Willi Carlisle for that great set. He has such a obvious love for the power of folk music — it's always exciting to be around someone who is so passionate. Some really funny bits also. Definitely made me feel like I might have accidentally time-traveled to the 1963 Newport Folk Festival (in the best way possible). Jaime Wyatt didn't really grab me, so I switched to Danielle Ponder even though I'd already seen her before. She had previously made me cry during "Creep" at Newport Jazz a couple years ago, aaaaaaaaaand now she's 2 for 2 on that. Bartees was pretty good, was mostly there to get as close to the stage as possible for the Hold Steady, whom I love. It seemed that the vast majority of people up close during that time were just parking in those chairs for the shade, but I didn't let it hamper my crazed excitement, and I absolutely treated it like a regular Hold Steady show in a club surrounded by other die hard fans. Pretty sure everyone around me thought I was insane other than the maybe 3 other Hold Steady sickos who had also managed to reach that general area toward the front of the Quad Stage. Funny vibes. They played all the hits and I absolutely loved it. Was thrilled to see Aimee Mann for the first time after many years of enjoying her music and even snagged a front row chair for the last two songs, despite starting the set near the middle of the grass. Jon Batiste was fun, but I don't think it will go down as a particularly memorable one for me, despite having a good time dancing it up to "Down by the Riverside > When the Saints Go Marching In" at the end there. Traffic was tough with the slightly early ending making more people than usual leave at the exact same time. Not used to having to deal with that as someone who always bikes in. We were in the small grass lot that's to the right of the of the driveway on one's way in, and the line of cars getting out was moving very slowly. Two ass/holes (both driving Toyota Rav4s, weirdly) were trying to jump the curb and cut the line, despite literally everyone else waiting in line patiently. One of them successfully did so a few cars ahead of us. The other one we passed before they could cut while the person in the passenger seat of the car with Quebec plates directly in front of us gave them a tremendous Dikembe Mutumbo-style finger wag as they went by. Much respect to the French Canadian heroes in that automobile.
SUNDAY
It's all my fault! Was so excited to finally catch a "For Pete's Sake" set after having to deal with some logistical stuff during the first two mornings. I repeatedly told my friends how thrilled I was to get a full 40 minutes of JP Harris & Friends at the Bicycle stage now that nothing could possibly prevent me doing so. So I thoroughly jinxed it and we got that charming 30 min delay at gates, drastically shortening that set as a side effect. Happy for Dan Blakeslee — nice guy. Jupiter & Okwess vs Earls of Leicester was my toughest scheduling conflict of the weekend (Jupiter was maybe my favorite set of 2019). Did first 30 mins J&O and last 30 mins of EoL. You'd better believe I condensed 50 mins worth of dancing energy into that first 30 mins. What a great time. Made friends with the very nice people set up behind us on the Fort stage during the end of EoL, which was also excellent. A perfect hour of music right there. After the first couple Black Opry songs, went over to Harbor stage for Mereba, whom I knew nothing about. I suspect it was a little too "urban" for some of the people primarily using the Harbor chairs for shade because there was a lot of turnover during the first few songs, but I loved it and was able to snag a great spot for the last two thirds of her set. Definitely want to see her again. Hopped into the pit for Los Lobos which was a set I was VERY much looking forward to. The loudest talker in the world was nearby clearly just waiting it out for Lana and would not shut the fu/ck up. It was really densely packed, so I was having trouble getting out of earshot despite my attempts to keep sliding further to the side. So fu/ck you to whoever that is because now my most distinct memory of the first two thirds of that set is your annoying voice. "Not Fade Away > Bertha" with Nels Cline was sick and better than Dead & Company (to be honest, I've never actually seen Dead & Company, but I'm just going assume this is correct anyway). The slowed-down, hard rock style "La Bamba" at the end absolutely ruled, also. Got a little bored 3 songs into LDR with her, uh, let's say "stoic" stage presence and caught the rest of Dawn Landes, which exceeded my expectations. Her dramatic readings of the history lesson bits were a bit too community theater for my tastes, but the music was very good. Caught like 3 songs of Folk Family Revue before heading over to Billy (should have stuck that one out, oh well). Was starting to feel a bit ill from the 3 full days of direct sun paired with getting terrible sleep on a deafeningly loud mattress at our AirBnb, so wasn't able to fully accept Billy's greatness into my heart at that time despite his immense talent. I didn't need any big surprise special guests or whatever, but I was a little disappointed that there wasn't even a tiny bit of collaboration (get Jerry Douglas up there for a song at least). But there's no denying that the dude absolutely shreds.
Capped it all off with a beautiful beach day at Second Beach on Monday. Going to catch just the Sunday of Jazz this weekend, so there's one extra taste of Newport for me before "see you next year".
Sounds like a lower stakes affair this year, which might not be a bad thing for the future of the fest.
Any standout sets? The videos I saw from Maggie and MMJ sounded great. Anybody check out Angel Olsen, Madison Cunningham, Remi Wolf or M. Ward? Haven't seen much about those yet.
Any setlists emerge from Folk Family Revue?
Hope everybody had a great weekend, I definitely had some FOMO and can't wait to be back next year
Watermelon Man opener was tight!
Songs of 1973
i need to find a video of cleto singing the joker so badly
