Recap: Newport Folk Festival, Day 2

Newport Folk Festival: July 26, 2014 @ Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

Day 2, Saturday, at the Newport Folk Festival was bright and sunny which is great for a festival but frankly, it was a bit too warm for this old gal!  I ended up a sweaty mess with haphazard hair!  

The big deal of the day seemed to be Jack White and for the most part he was, I suppose.  There were lots of 'there's Jack White' loudly whispered when he was spotted strolling around.  Then came the excited loud whispers of  'did you see Joaquin Phoenix?', he's filming a movie in the area. Then more excited loud whispers of 'Beck's here, did you see him?', he had a show in the area. For the record, I saw White watching several sets, the back of Phoenix and not a glimpse of Beck though I had several phones thrust in my face showing me his presence. But, it was The Oh Hello's that stole the day.  This is what the day looked like through my lens… minus the sweat!

Fort Stage

Jack White

There were three I wanted to hear.  One he didn't play.  One I missed because I had to leave before he played it.  But, then there was that moment when my head said, 'is that "Icky Thump"?  Why yes, I do believe it is.'  Which means for one song, we were simpatico.  So, after a day full of folks excitedly speaking of sightings, loud whispers, pointing and squeals, Jack White closed out day two to a happy mass of folks.

Deer Tick (more photos HERE)

They made their main stage debut and were decked out in white.  "Baltimore Blues #1" happened so I have no bones to pick.

Shovels & Rope (more photos HERE)

Possibly the sexist set of the whole festival.   Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent sizzle when they perform.  They are a heck of a lot of fun and it was an excellent main stage debut.

Pokey LaFarge (more photos HERE)

Gosh darn it, what's not to like about Pokey?

Aoife O'Donovan

Quad Stage

Kurt Vile & The Violators 

The Milk Carton Kids (more photos HERE)

These guys won me over last year.  Good music and wit.  I saw them perform twice over the weekend. Their stellar set on the Quad stage had the audience captivated and laughing.  And, thanks to my friend Monica, who hooked me up with a ticket, I caught their revue style after show the night before at Jane Pickens Theater where they were joined by Joe Pug, Gregory Alan Isakov, Anais Mitchell, Jefferson Hamer, a guy who did a couple of songs that I really liked but for the life of me I can't remember his name (if anyone knows, drop me a line!) and more.

Houndmouth (more photos HERE)

Benjamin Booker (more photos HERE)

The Oh Hello's (more photos HERE)

Their fantastic set was the talk of the day.  Yeah, yeah, folks were all a buzz about Jack White but this was hands down the best set of the day.  Anyone who was anywhere near the Quad while they were playing got caught up in their high energy set.  For the rest of the day I kept bumping into people who questioned, 'did you catch The Oh Hello's?  and exclaimed, 'OMG! they were amazing!'  

The Haden Triplets

Harbor Stage

Puss N Boots (more photos HERE)

I was amazed at the amount of people who were surprised when they saw Norah Jones on stage.  The audience got a tickle when Catherine Popper offered Jones her "boob pick" when the latter's guitar pick went missing.  

Lucius (more photos HERE)

J. Roddy Walston & The Business (more photos HERE)

J. Roddy announced, 'we don't play folk music, we play rock n roll.'  No truer words, no truer words! They rocked the hell out of the Harbor stage.  My ears may still be recovering.

Willie Watson (more photos HERE)

Newport Folk Festival: John McCauley

John McCauley: July 26, 2013 @ Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

John McCauley made another appearance at the Newport Folk Festival; in recent years, he's been there in some configuration or another.  This year, he came and did his thing solo. He took the stage looking all Leave It To Beaver, clean cut, boy next door...well, as clean cut, boy next door as a man can get with random looking stuff inked on his arms and low level facial hair. 

As it poured down rain outside, McCauley played about 15 songs under the tented Quad Stage.  This was probably the most controlled I've personally heard him vocally.  He was joined by Vanessa Carlton on "In Our Time", a song they duet on from the upcoming Deer Tick album Negativity.  And, in a move that was met with roaring approval from the audience, his mother, Marge McCauley, sporting a tee-shirt with "Mama Deer Tick" across the back, joined him for a cover of "Margaritaville".  It was a fun set.  My only complaint, no "Baltimore Blues No. 1" ... guess he didn't pick up on my silent plea to play that!  For those that missed it or want to re-live it, the good folks at NPR are streaming it HERE.

More photos HERE.

Oh, and New York, McCauley along with the rest of Deer Tick will be at Webster Hall on Thursday, November 7.  Doors are at 6PM, it'll cost you $20 and they've got Robert Ellis on the bill with them.

Deer Tick - "The Rock"

When the new track from Deer Tick landed in my inbox, I initially kept it as new and moved on.  A couple of days later, I gave it a listen.  "The Rock", from their upcoming album Negativity, caught me by surprise.  I'm not a huge Deer Tick fan yet, I found myself putting the song on repeat.  The track begins rather delicate and vulnerable before kicking into a rocker, infused with a grand blast of horns.  I now find myself curious and looking forward to hearing the upcoming album which will be released on September 24 via Partisan Records.

Last week, the video for "The Rock" was released.  It's a black and white affair that consists only of Deer Tick leader John McCauley.  The clip is about four minutes of an up close view of his face.  My first thought was, 'I don't know you like that!'  It's somewhat uncomfortable to watch and decidedly intimate.  I felt determined, perhaps compelled even, to resist the urge to avert my eyes.  And, I admit, it did take several views to sit through the entire video without turning away.    
  
The Colin Devin Moore directed clip has the effect of one of those silent conversations you have with your significant other.  Again, I don't know you like that Mr. McCauley.

The song, one of heartbreak, gives this uncomfortable clip an intensity that for a brief moment, makes you feel some sort of a connection to those eyes that are staring at you from the screen.  So perhaps, for a little over four minutes, a small part of me, the viewer, does on some extremely minuscule level, know you like that.

Negativity Track List

• The Rock
• The Curtain
• Just Friends
• The Dream's In The Ditch
• Mirror Walls
• Mr. Sticks
• Trash
• Thyme
• In Our Time (feat. Vanessa Carlton)
• Hey Doll
• Pot Of Gold
• Big House

Deer Tick To Release Divine Providence, October 25

Rhode Island band Deer Tick will release their newest release, Divine Providence, on October 25 via Partisan Records. The record was produced by the band along with Adam Landry and Justin Collins. Grab "Miss K." in our MP3 Grab at the bottom of the post to whet your appetite for the upcoming release.

"After so many years of critics praising [and making fun of] us for our 'folk' and 'country' sounds, and hardly ever mentioning the fact that we've also recorded virtually dozens of other kinds of music, we wanted to make a record that was truer to our live set: raw, loud, heartfelt, and completely uninterested in whatever the hell the rest of the music industry is up to," says McCauley. "The results are unlike anything you've heard on a Deer Tick album."

Divine Providence is the Rhode Island quintet's fourth album in just five years, and is the first one the band has recorded in their home state. It's a follow-up to their fantastic Black Dirt Sessions, that New York magazine called "flat-out great," and inspired the Late Show with David Letterman to give the band its network television debut. The new record features for the first time lead vocal turns on a couple of songs by guitarist Ian O'Neil and drummer Dennis Ryan.

Track Listing

• The Bump
• Funny Word
• Let's All Go to the Bar
• Clownin' Around
• Main Street
• Chevy Express
• Something to Brag About
• Walkin Out the Door
• Make Believe
• Now It's Your Turn
• Electric
• Miss K.

MP3 Grab: "Miss K"