Top 5 National and Local Acts I Want to See at Newport Folk 2015

So every year my wife and I sit and eagerly await the slow roll out for Newport Folk Festival. The discussion is usually a mix of “holy sh*t I am so happy they are playing this year and haven’t in the past” and “I can’t believe they are playing again”. Regardless of the conversation, we know that we will have 3 days of amazing music and walk away from Fort Adams Sunday evening fulfilled, if not slightly depressed that it is all over.

 

That being the case, we always have ideas of who is going to play this year. People we want to see come back from a few years back, guesses at who will be gracing the Newport stage based on the end of the previous year, other festival line ups and who is releasing or has released records that year. Newport has always been a proving ground for local acts that have caught the eye of the producers of the festival as well…so I wanted to include some of the talented “more-local-folky folks” I think would wow the Fort’s crowd in Late July as well.

So, here are my 5 high hopes (split locally to New England based musicians and national acts).

National

Sturgill Simpson – The cinderella story of country music. The man who was sent here to save the world from Florida Georgia Line and their cohorts cranking out garbage, Waylon Jennings reincarnated. Simpson blew up in a huge way in 2014 and is slated on a TON of major festivals this summer…I have an inkling he may show his face with his excellent songwriting and “put the O back in country” style may garner a few new folkie fans this summer.

Joe Fletcher – Sure, sure, Joe may have his roots in Rhodey, but with the move to Nashville, the relentless touring schedule and all, I am putting him in the national bucket this year. His stripped down and honestly beautiful but gruff “You’ve Got the Wrong Man” received much acclaim and is a testament that a great song does not need extravagant production. Joe is a favorite here locally and with his successful opening night show last year but absence from the daytime stages (though I saw him a bunch backstage), I think putting him on the big stage this year is a no brainer.

Gillian Welch/David Rawlings – With the short run of shows in the past year that didn’t quite make it up to New England and as alums of NFF I am praying to Jesus every night that Gillian and Dave come back this year. As a huge fan and them being probably my largest influence as a songwriter, I am very hopeful that the duo (or some form of it) will be seen pickin’, grinnin’ and singin’ in Newport this July…cause I want to sing that rock n’ roll.

Sarah Jarosz/Sara Watkins/Aoife O’Donovan – Two years ago Sarah Jarosz stole the hearts of many on the Harbor stage. Last year the duo of Aoife O’ Donovan and Paul Kowert filled the gigantic space of the Fort stage with a guitar, an upright bass and a voice like no one else could, and to everyone in the world’s delight, Nickelcreek was back at it after a far too long hiatus. These three all-stars of the bluegrass/folk fusion joined forces to tour late last year and a boy can dream about it happening again, right? Come on….please!?

Punch Brothers – New record, very exciting. The boys of bluegrass seem to have swept this one out pretty swiftly on us. Even new record aside, their chamber grass take on Josh Ritter covers, fiddle tune extravaganzas highlighting just how brilliant each of them are on their instruments, their own bluegrass tinged, but something more original tunes, and of course a Bach sonata or two are always a crowd pleaser at a festival…I am making the call now that they are a definite.

Northeast Locals

Haunt the House– HtH performs music in a way that you need to just feel. I am not sure if that makes any sense to most folks, but if you have seen them perform you know what I mean. They intricately weave their harmonies and instruments to create beautiful, heartfelt songs. Every year without fail, there is one performance that brings me to tears at Newport and if Will, Bessie, and Amato perform at the festival over the course of the next few years, that will be the performance that does it.

Ian Fitzgerald – I have been told perhaps I write enough about Ian Fitzgerald that I should be the author of his biography. There is good reason and I am not the only one who constantly praises his songwriting. Smart, well thought, and delivered in such an unpretentious, what some may call “dry wit” flavored way it is incredible to sit and just listen to his songs. I could see Ian bringing the audience to a complete hush on any stage…but would really love to hear his voice echo through the Museum stage, line out the door and folks packed in line sardines to listen to this fine songwriter’s stories.

Smith&Weeden – Shhhh, don’t say anything yet, but I have a feeling the boys of S&W will be getting a ‘Big Red’ award that wasn’t announced in the polling on February 28th at our 2 Year anniversary. These boys were my favorite act I found and fell in love with last year. With Jesse running sound for the Late July tent last year, I think he has proven his devotion and love for Newport…and Newport would love these gents back equally. Rock n’ roll has made its way in as a thread of Newport’s idealogy that ‘folk’ is a relative genre and can be inclusive. These boys are proof that rock n’ roll isn’t just alive and well, its being played with all the heart and energy you can pour into it

Christopher Paul Stelling– A mainly acoustic player that plays his guitar behind his head…enough? Nope, CPS isn’t merely just a phenomenal guitar player and entertaining performer, he also writes great songs and has a voice you will remember. Last year in the museum stage he turned a whole bunch of heads with his performance of two songs…here’s to hoping he finds his way onto a larger stage this year with that beat up acoustic of his.

Dan Blakeslee – If Dan isn’t already being cut a check every year by the ferry company for entertaining folks while they wait to board and cross back over the Newport harbor, they should do it this year. Dan could be any one of his characters in one of his fabled songs. His famous “octo-guitar” (seriously, on more than one occasion I have heard people say “hey, you play the octopus guitar, right?!) and his well crafted and emotion driven – from humor to bleak sadness to elated joy – songs are wonderful. His stage presence is uncanny and watching him perform would be a joy. Dan is folk music and folk music runs through this guy’s veins.