The Newport Folk Festival always fosters a sense of community -- both among the fans that relax on abutting blankets at the Fort Stage, as well as among the bands that are welcomed, if not encouraged, to mingle backstage and collaborate onstage. This year's festival took that sense of community and collaboration to a new level with numerous artists, including Andrew Bird, Jim James, The Swell Season and headliners John Prine and Levon Helm, inviting others to share their stage.
Another high-water mark for Newport this year was the eclecticism of the lineup, a trademark of the festival in the Jay Sweet-era. Sure, there were folk traditionalists like Ritchie Havens, Tim O'Brien and, of course, John Prine. However, the lineup was rounded out by established songsmiths Jim James and Andrew Bird; up-and-coming artists like A.A. Bondy, Dawes, Daniel Martin Moore and Ben Sollee, The Felice Brothers, O'Death and The Low Anthem. Nneka brought a refreshingly unique sound to the festival with her blend of Afro-hip-hop rhythms and a social/political message. Calexico and The David Wax Museum took slightly different takes on Mexican/Southwest-inspired Americana, while Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Levon Helm and Elvis Perkins in Dearland brought varying degrees of New Orleans jazz to the festival. It was an eclectic and successful mix, proving that the term "folk music" is a broad umbrella.
Here's my attempt at narrowing down a weekend of great memories to a handful of highlights:
Dawes: I've been a fan of Dawes since I saw them open for Delta Spirit at the Middle East a couple years ago, and while their record North Hills is fantastic, it's still the live show that reminds me how fantastic this band is. Their headlining set at Great Scott earlier this year was a revelation - the energy was off the charts from the start. Dawes' set at Newport got off to a slower start - that isn't to say the performance wasn't great, but it took longer to win over a crowd that was undoubtedly less familiar with the music. However, by the end of the show they had the entire crowd on their feet, singing along as Taylor Goldsmith stood at center stage, arm around his father as they both sang "I've got a feeling it's gonna be alright". An amazing performance to close out the Quad stage on Saturday.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band: I ducked out a few minutes early from The Avett Brothers because I know that Preservation Hall Jazz Band was a must-see, but to be honest, I didn't exactly know what to expect. When I arrived at the Harbour Stage I found Jim James on stage, crooning along with a group of New Orleans jazz legends that looked like kids on Christmas morning. The smiles from all parties were infectious, but the music moreso - Blue Yodel No. 9 with Jim James was downright nasty (in the best way possible). Before the set was done Andrew Bird, Ben Sollee and Tao Rodriguez Seeger had also joined the band and the crowd was on its feet, dancing and singing along. I was grinning from ear to ear - my favorite performance of the weekend.
The Avett Brothers: I've only seen the Avett Brothers a handful of times, but I left each of those shows thinking that they were, hands down, the best band on the planet. Last year the Avett Brothers came to Newport on the cusp of releasing their major label debut I And Love And You. Their set was great, but not the catharsis that a normal Avetts show is - maybe it was the timeslot, or the fact that most of the crowd wasn't familiar with the new songs - or maybe it was just me. But this year was completely different. The Avetts put on an absolutely frenetic show, and the crowd at the normally laid-back Fort Stage was as active as I saw all weekend. They mixed trademark ballads and banjo-punk stomps and kept the crowd on their feet. They reminded me what a great band they are.
The David Wax Museum: I feel like I'm overdoing it a bit on the David Wax Museum love lately, but I can't help it - they're just too good. To recap, the band entered a contest run by Magic Hat to win a slot at Newport. From over 150 entries, they were selected as one of three finalists. They won with over 3,000 votes - a testament to the number of fans they've collected through rigorous touring. Obviously a big opportunity for the band to reach a larger audience, but it's what they did with that opportunity that made them one of the highlights of the festival for me - they absolutely played their hearts out. Playing a mix of Mexican-influenced songs with eclectic instrumentation - accordion, jarana and donkey jawbone are featured prominently - they slowly won over the large crowd at the Quad Stage. The clear turning point was when, halfway through the show, the band left the stage, trading the comfort of amplification for the intimacy of playing acoustically amongst the crowd. The gospel-influenced "Let Me Rest" from 2009's Carpenter Bird showcased the band's harmonies, but it was "Unfruitful", an accordion and fiddle-led stomper from the band's upcoming album, that really brought the house down. As the band climbed back on stage to finish their set the roar from the crowd was deafening - the had come to Newport as underdogs and conquered.
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 8:27AM 
