Jack Antonoff and Bleachers brought out the guests Friday during their set at the Newport Folk Festival, welcoming the likes of Hayley Williams, Jeff Tweedy, Weyes Blood and more to the stage during what was billed as “The Ally Coalition Talent Show.” Waxahatchee, Rufus Wainwright, and Dan Reeder also took …
Read More »
For anyone who saw A Complete Unknown and wondered how close it resembled the actual Newport Folk Festival where Bob Dylan amped up his music, a new documentary will help answer that question. Among the many films just announced as part of the annual Venice Film Festival in September is …
Read More »
Luke Combs is one of contemporary country music’s biggest live draws, headlining stadiums all last summer on his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour and playing country festivals. But this summer, country fests are mostly absent from Combs’ tour schedule. While he headlined Stagecoach back in April, bringing out surprise …
Read More »
The Newport Folk Festival threw fans a curveball on Monday when it announced its latest performer at this summer’s folk gathering: Country superstar Luke Combs. Known for country radio hits like “Hurricane,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart,” and “Beautiful Crazy” — along with a crossover cover of Tracy Chapman’s 1988 …
Read More »
The final guest during Conan O’Brien’s star-studded Sunday evening set at Newport Folk Festival was his podcast companion and friend Jack White. The pair first delivered a duet of the White Stripes classic “We’re Going to Be Friends,” with White and O’Brien trading verses. White played electric guitar alongside O’Brien …
Read More »
It wouldn’t be a Newport Folk Festival without Mavis Staples leading an ensemble sing-along of “The Weight.” Staples was not on the bill at this year’s festival, so the crowd roared even louder when she appeared as a special surprise guest during the end of Hozier‘s Friday evening headlining set …
Read More »
What is a folk festival to do after becoming a global news story? That was the central question for this year’s Newport Folk Festival, which over the past half-decade has drawn increased attention with a slew of surprise guests, world premieres, and special appearances — from Dolly Parton to Chaka …
Read More »
Joni Mitchell’s surprise return to the stage at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival — her first live performance in 20 years — will be released as the upcoming live album At Newport. In what’s now been dubbed “The Joni Jam,” Mitchell played an unannounced set at the legendary fest with …
Read More »
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND — A decade ago, Pete Seeger gave the organizers of the Newport Folk Festival a mission statement. “If you’re going to have the torch, I need to know you’re going to continue to give the people who need a voice the voice,” Jay Sweet, the long-running festival’s …
Read More »
Yes, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell were this year’s big surprises — but the 2022 Newport Folk Festival contained so much more than a pair of jaw-dropping legends. The first full-capacity iteration of the fest since 2019 featured the desert instrumentals of Hermanos Gutiérrez, the soulful country-pop of Maren Morris, …
Read More »