Review: Newport Folk Festival Pt. 3

Whereas some bands I saw at the festival played a number of songs that each sounded like each other, Calexico’s music always kept me guessing. It almost seemed as if a completely different band came out for each tune. I especially dug the use of the vibes on a few of their numbers. Towards the end of their set Calexico called upon Newport MVP Jim James to sing Bob Dylan’s Goin’ To Acapulco, a song they performed in last year’s I’m Not There. Both James and the band put forth plenty of emotion and passion into their stirring rendition. I left wanting to see much more of Calexico, and I’ve already purchased two of their albums.

Next, I headed over to the Harbor Stage where I found a much more subdued scene. The stunning Kaki King gave quite a clinic on how to impress and scare an audience at the same time. King’s silky-smooth voice and percussive guitar playing sucked me in immediately. Katherine Elizabeth King and her band of multi-instrumentalists amazed me with the gorgeous sounds they were producing. Towards the end of her dynamic set she explained that the band loves listening to German Death Metal and were gonna play one of their favorite German Death Metal tunes. The few older folks that remained in the crowd quickly bolted from the tent when Kaki started screaming lyrics and the band picked up the pace behind her. That was hot. I think I’m in love with Kaki King.

On my way back to the Main Stage I made sure to stop at the Waterside Stage to check out ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. The tent holding the stage was packed to the gills and the audience was hooting and hollering along with every song. Jake’s got some impressive fingering skills and a number of gorgeous originals. He ended his set with a spectacular version of the cover that made him a viral video star: While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I left a bit bummed that I couldn’t have heard more of Jake’s performance, but that’s one of the problems you run into at a multi-stage festival.

As the humidity started to break singer-songwriter Gillian Welch and musical partner David Rawlings treated the crowd at the Main Stage to an hour’s worth of glorious Americana. Her music has elements of bluegrass, folk and soul, but she puts it best when she called her music American Primitivism. Welch and Rawlings mesmerized with a cover of Paul Simon’s Gone At Last that they made their own. Throughout the set Gillian couldn’t stop telling everyone how much she enjoyed playing at the festival. That sentiment was repeated by many different musicians throughout the weekend, which shows just how special Newport is to both the performers and audience.

Another guy that got a big kick out of playing Newport was Levon Helm. Helm brought the Ramble On The Road to the folk festival and dropped plenty of Band classics and some tunes from his latest album, Dirt Farmer. The band absolutely nailed Rag Mama Rag and Chest Fever, but the highlight of the set was Shimabukuro, Welch and Rawlings sitting in for a heartwarming take on The Weight. Other great moments were blues legend Little Sammy Davis’ appearance, Jimmy Vivino’s incendiary guitar playing and Larry Campbell’s gutsy vocals on Deep Elum Blues.

Once The Weight wrapped up I ventured back to the Harbor Tent to check out North Carolina’s Avett Brothers. The quartet gave one of the more intense performances of the weekend. I was immediately taken by the boys’ massive talents and mature sound. They reminded me of a more straight-laced version of the Felice Brothers, and I’m not just saying that because both bands contain siblings.

Finally, it was time for the weekend’s headliner: Jimmy Buffett. While Buffett’s performance was billed as acoustic he brought the whole Coral Reefer Band out to play. I couldn’t help but be taken by Jimmy’s enthusiasm. After each song not only would the crowd in front of the stage explode, but all of the sailors who brought their vessels to the harbor around Fort Adams also expressed their pleasure by pounding on their air horns.

One of the things I loved about Buffett is that he talked to the crowd after each song. He clearly knows what his audience likes and kept them entertained throughout. Sure his music may be incredibly cheesy, but the tunes have a nice easy-going vibe that makes you forget about your worries. The crowd was filled with families including many young children, so I was a bit surprised when he cursed on multiple occasions.

All in all I had a terrific time at both days of the Newport Folk Festival. You can’t find better surroundings for a concert, and it was really nice to sleep in a warm bed in between the two days of the festival. There wasn’t much folk goin’ down at the folk festival, but there was plenty of fantastic music from some of the best artists this country has to offer.