• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • BOSTON BETTER BEER BUREAU
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

FOTOBOM: NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL, DAY 1

Written by TIM BUGBEE Posted July 23, 2016 Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews

NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND - JULY 22: The oldest folk festival in the US continues its run of sold-out events, with the first day featuring a performance from NZ music/comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, the East Coast debut of Case/Lang/Veirs, and performances from The Arcs, Ray Lamontange, Violent Femmes, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Fruit Bats, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Freakwater, Basia Bulat, Wild Child and more.
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND – JULY 22: The oldest folk festival in the US continues its run of sold-out events, with the first day featuring a performance from NZ music/comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, the East Coast debut of Case/Lang/Veirs, and performances from The Arcs, Ray LaMontagne, Violent Femmes, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Fruit Bats, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Freakwater, Basia Bulat, Wild Child and more.

Story by Amie O’Hearn/Photos by Tim Bugbee

Folk music at its heart is about telling stories. If you listen closely, the crux of the songs inspire, impart wisdom and and invoke hope in others.

 

But don’t all songs have, or strive to, a resonating message regardless of what type of music it identifies as?

 

There are decidedly two types of fans at the legendary Newport Folk Festival. Their roots can be traced back as far as the Bob Dylan electric controversy of 1965 – the purist group who demand stripped down acoustic fables and social messaging and those who embrace new acts  with open arms, regardless of the ethos it might fit into.

 

Day 1 of Newport Folk tested this theory with a diverse, rich billing that included the likes of the Violent Femmes (folk-punk), Raury (soul/hip-hop) and Flight of the Conchords (comedy.) Each set, a departure from “folk” in the traditional sense of the word, was clearly adored as evidenced by the booty shaking occurring. Raury, a prolific 20 year-old from Atlanta, who has a decidedly more hip-hop leaning, spread messages of let peace prevail as he spun a tale of a childhood friend who made different life choices from Raury and ended up as an unfortunate casualty.

 

Themes of the impending election and Brexit were felt throughout all of the sets, as new spins on the more classic folk sound, such as the Staves, Brett Dennen, and Freakwater took the stage.

 

Artists seem to enjoy the inspiration gained from the range in artists too, noted Alexander Beggins and Kelsey Wilson, who share lead vocal responsibilities for Wild Child, who opened the festival. Beggins said they draw inspirations from the different artists and recalled watching a set by Dr. Dog earlier that day and feeling blown away.  He said “There is so much good talent..it makes you want to stop playing or be more creative.”

 

The rival forces of old versus new style was apparent and downright welcome during the two most anticipated acts of the day; the kick-off of the Case Lang Viers tour and the reunion of the Flight of the Conchords, who each drew enormous and distinctive crowds proving that there is in fact enough room in the world for all kinds of music to peacefully co-exist. Whether it be through the kinetic energy of three folk rock goddesses or the comedic stylings of a New Zealand duo.

 

Seems that Pete Seeger and Bob Dylan intrinsically knew the spirit of folk took many forms on that day in 1965 and Newport Folk Festival still embraces that philosophy today. In the wise words of Dylan “Come gather ’round people wherever you roam. And admit that the waters around you have grown.”

 

More to come Day 2.

 

Photo gallery from day one (click to access the gallery):
Newport Folk Festival 2016 - Day 1

Author profile
TIM BUGBEE

Primarily based in Boston, Massachusetts, Tim Bugbee is no stranger to traveling throughout the country or overseas to capture the best live music photos.

Related posts
  • TIM BUGBEE
    https://digboston.com/author/tim-bugbee/
    FOTOBOM: ROLLING BLACKOUTS COASTAL FEVER + DROPPER @ THE SINCLAIR
  • TIM BUGBEE
    https://digboston.com/author/tim-bugbee/
    FOTOBOM: NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL, 2022
  • TIM BUGBEE
    https://digboston.com/author/tim-bugbee/
    FOTOBOM: ROGER WATERS @ TD GARDEN
  • TIM BUGBEE
    https://digboston.com/author/tim-bugbee/
    FOTOBOM: DESTROYER + ROSALI @ THE SINCLAIR

Filed Under: Fotobom, MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: Basia Bulat, Black Keys, Case/Lang/Veirs, Dan Auerbach, flight of the conchords, Fort Adams State Park, Freakwater, Fruit Bats, KD Lang, Matthew Logan Vasquez, Music Festival, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, Newport Folk Festival, Ray LaMontagne, Rhode Island, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, The Arcs, violent femmes, Wild Child

WHAT’S NEW

State Wire: Massachusetts Ranks #1 in Child Well-Being

State Wire: Massachusetts Ranks #1 in Child Well-Being

Trump-Loving Mass Republican Party Freaks Out Over Mar-a-Lago Raid

Trump-Loving Mass Republican Party Freaks Out Over Mar-a-Lago Raid

Governor’s Council Weighs Controversial Parole Board Renomination

Governor’s Council Weighs Controversial Parole Board Renomination

Bay State Gas Providers Pay Up

Bay State Gas Providers Pay Up

State Wire: Mass Needs to Reform Youth Restitution Policies

State Wire: Mass Needs to Reform Youth Restitution Policies

“Pie” by Eric Ferdinand is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

Share and Share Alike: Major Funders Need to Give Equally to All Nonprofit News Outlets

Primary Sidebar

Advertisement

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • The T Will Stay Broken Because Poor and Working People Are Seen As Expendable 
  • Inside the Bay State’s Legendary (and Only) One-Man Brewery
  • Meet the Phantom Behind Greater Boston’s Awesome Food Feed Everybody Gotta Eat
  • Worcester’s Wasteful, Never-Ending War on Police Transparency
  • The “Biggest Masshole In Massachusetts” Is Running For Secretary Of State

Footer

Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Advertise

Customer Service

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial (and for inquiries about internship opportunities): [email protected]