If you've dropped by to visit my corner of the internet world this past week then you will have noticed that there has been a lack of updates. Well, in addition to having some severe and annoying computer issues over the last several weeks, I've been on the road with limited internet access. Yeah, it has all made updating a challenge. What's been going on in these parts? I'll tell you. Your resident quirky chick took a roadtrip. Where? QNYC spent the weekend in Newport, RI for the granddaddy of festivals, the Newport Folk Festival. Yes folks, one night and two days filled with music!
The festival kicked off Friday night at the International Tennis Hall of Fame with Sarah Jarosz, Tim O'Brien and the evenings headliner Steve Martin with The Steep Canyon Rangers. I didn't feel like taking my camera for Friday's show so no photos of that! I actually wasn't sure I was going to attend that show as I tend to only like Steve Martin in small doses. But, I decided to check out his set. Martin was funny which being a comedian, is a good thing and did a bang up job musicially, which being a musician is a good thing! He kept the crowd laughing be it with song, "Atheists Don't Have No Songs" or with stage banter such as telling the audience the seat of his pants don't wrinkle because he has a 'steaming hot ass.' He closed his set with a terrific version of "Orange Blossem Special" before encoring with "King Tut" which had the audience on their feet singing along. Several people even did the dance ... I resisted the urge!
Saturday morning had me up bright and early for the first full day of the festival at Fort Adams. Jim James (pictured below) was shown some major love from the audience.
Sunday morning, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (pictured below) killed it on the main stage. Anyone who may have still been a little sluggish when they arrived quickly got over that the minute Jones and gang hit the stage. The high energy set had folks on their feet dancing.
Levon Helm (pictured below) closed the festival this year to thunderous applause. The crowd cheered him on and shouted out words of adoration. He closed his set with the back to back punch of "The Weight" and "I Shall Be Released."
It was a great festival and I'll share more from the weekend in upcoming posts.
newportfolkfest.net
