Newport Folk Fest Lineup/Dates Announced – Tix On Sale Wednesday

Okay, first off we all need to dispel the notion that the Newport Folk Festival is just a bunch of hippies sitting in a circle with acoustic guitars. The word “Folk” in the title really doesn’t fit the general lineup – in the past few years, there have been acts ranging from Elvis Costello to Wilco to Pixies to the Allman Brothers headlining this eclectic mix of performers. Which isn’t to say that there aren’t any stinky hippies, but that’s beside the point.

The real story is twofold:

First, it’s about the best outdoor venue I have ever visited - Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island. Why so good? Well, out of the three stages, two are right on the water. Some people actually dock boats right outside to watch the show. And the entire area is covered in grass, rather than the harsh tar-and-concrete surface of most summer fests.

Second, the most important story is about the talent that shows up to these two-day festivals every year. It’s great to see a new, sometimes unknown band on the smallest stage (reserved for up-and-comers or more intimate performances from big stage acts) one show, and see them again on the headlining stage the following year. That’s the move Old Crow Medicine Show made, and now you can hear their music everywhere. And the headliners are nothing to sneeze at either – the Pixies acoustic set was one of the best performances I’ve seen (and if you know their music, acoustic isn’t so easy to pull off).

And this year’s show may be even more intriguing than all the past years. We’ve got the Black Crowes headlining on Saturday, with the mayor of Margaritaville himself, Jimmy Buffett, up front on Sunday. Jakob Dylan (son of Bob – you think he’ll go electric?) will be out promoting his first non-Wallflowers solo effort. And I don’t generally go for the actress-turned-chanteuse thing, but I’m willing to make an exception for She & Him – Zooey Deschanel’s beautifully off-kilter vocals mesh perfectly with M. Ward’s odd, alt-country leanings. And there are many more bands to see this year, as shown in the early lineup listed below (with still more acts to be added to the roster):

Saturday, August 2

The Black Crowes
Cat Power
Stephen & Damian Marley
Cowboy Junkies
Jim James (of My Morning Jacket)
She & Him (feat. Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward)
Jakob Dylan
Willy Mason
The Felice Brothers
Jesca Hoop

Sunday, August 3

Jimmy Buffett
Levon Helm
Gillian Welch
The Avett Brothers
Calexico
Brandi Carlile
Kaki King
Over The Rhine
Jake Shimabukuro
Kate Taylor
Richard Julian

Tickets are on sale Wednesday, April 23rd at 9 AM. You can get them online at:
https://ticketing.festivalnetwork.com/
Just be warned – it looks like there are only a limited amount of two-day passes, so start early if you don’t want to pay full price for two single-day tickets.