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I think many people have quickly forgotten that we still are in a pandemic, we are still dealing with many performers who have not been performing, have been going through a ton of shit, and we need to support them. And no, I’m not a mark for Jay Sweet.
I have not seen a bad set at this festival. I’ve certainly enjoyed some more than others. In my opinion, The one thing that has been proven false this year is this long-held belief that the people that go to Newport are the good people when a lot of them are the same shitbirds who bitch and complain about everything wherever they have an outlet. It’s like we came out of this past year and a half as a bunch of curmudgeons who are never satisfied with whatever is put in front of us. I really hope it stops because the attitude of the attendees (not the performances) is bumming me the fuck out.
Beck rocked.
Let’s talk about the important stuff - why the fuck did almost every band on the quad end 20 mins early? Why does it take 30 mins to set up a single person w an acoustic guitar? Why was there not a busking stage on the quad? Why are the food options so incredibly limited?
My criticisms of the Beck set were more to let weekenders know that they need not have FOMO and that in hindsight, the headliners are/so far fairly even across the two events. (Other than that the Night Sweats were rained out.)
I agree with the others, the Beck set was fun. Even bringing up the stripped down sets: they are what I expected when I bought my ticket and I love that I feel that I’m a part of something special. I wouldn’t want it every year, but no hate here. Same goes for Beck… maybe not the best rehearsed or polished but you could tell he was just out there having fun and channeling the Newport Folk spirit.
I get that it probably wouldn’t work due to sound check, but I wish they could pump the busking stage sound out the main speakers. (This in lieu of a Quad busking stage.)
And in airing my opinions re: Beck, while I am happy he was here, a part of me wishes that an artist like Billy Strings or Allison Russell was elevated to that headliner spot.
I think many people have quickly forgotten that we still are in a pandemic, we are still dealing with many performers who have not been performing, have been going through a ton of shit, and we need to support them. And no, I’m not a mark for Jay Sweet.
I have not seen a bad set at this festival. I’ve certainly enjoyed some more than others. In my opinion, The one thing that has been proven false this year is this long-held belief that the people that go to Newport are the good people when a lot of them are the same shitbirds who bitch and complain about everything wherever they have an outlet. It’s like we came out of this past year and a half as a bunch of curmudgeons who are never satisfied with whatever is put in front of us. I really hope it stops because the attitude of the attendees (not the performances) is bumming me the fuck out.
Beck rocked.
Let’s talk about the important stuff - why the fuck did almost every band on the quad end 20 mins early? Why does it take 30 mins to set up a single person w an acoustic guitar? Why was there not a busking stage on the quad? Why are the food options so incredibly limited?
My criticisms of the Beck set were more to let weekenders know that they need not have FOMO and that in hindsight, the headliners are/so far fairly even across the two events. (Other than that the Night Sweats were rained out.)
I agree with the others, the Beck set was fun. Even bringing up the stripped down sets: they are what I expected when I bought my ticket and I love that I feel that I’m a part of something special. I wouldn’t want it every year, but no hate here. Same goes for Beck… maybe not the best rehearsed or polished but you could tell he was just out there having fun and channeling the Newport Folk spirit.
I get that it probably wouldn’t work due to sound check, but I wish they could pump the busking stage sound out the main speakers. (This in lieu of a Quad busking stage.)
And in airing my opinions re: Beck, while I am happy he was here, a part of me wishes that an artist like Billy Strings or Allison Russell was elevated to that headliner spot.
Allison already got a headline spot, she didn’t need a 2nd.
She was weird on Sunday with the drawn out introductions, and the poetry messed with the flow too. The music was great though.
I’m sure I’ll get some hate for that opinion, but that’s ok.
My criticisms of the Beck set were more to let weekenders know that they need not have FOMO and that in hindsight, the headliners are/so far fairly even across the two events. (Other than that the Night Sweats were rained out.)
I agree with the others, the Beck set was fun. Even bringing up the stripped down sets: they are what I expected when I bought my ticket and I love that I feel that I’m a part of something special. I wouldn’t want it every year, but no hate here. Same goes for Beck… maybe not the best rehearsed or polished but you could tell he was just out there having fun and channeling the Newport Folk spirit.
I get that it probably wouldn’t work due to sound check, but I wish they could pump the busking stage sound out the main speakers. (This in lieu of a Quad busking stage.)
And in airing my opinions re: Beck, while I am happy he was here, a part of me wishes that an artist like Billy Strings or Allison Russell was elevated to that headliner spot.
Allison already got a headline spot, she didn’t need a 2nd.
She was weird on Sunday with the drawn out introductions, and the poetry messed with the flow too.
But Billy….yes!
The point I’m making is that there are plenty of artists who came to Newport to slay. They found a backing band. They rehearsed. They were ready to have their Bob Dylan goes electric moment… pandemic be damned.
There’s nothing wrong with the others. That Gibbard set was a Top 5 for me because it felt like he was inviting us into his home. Give me that Bleachers set every year; it felt like they were inviting us into their studio. I had fun at Beck.
But I wish the schedule did some of those earlier mentioned artists a favor even if it meant elevating some over the other set.
Last Edit: Jul 27, 2021 21:58:29 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
Any rumors or talk about tomorrow's To Be Announced?
I have heard a rumor, and I'll leave it as a surprise for the festival to announce, but it is quite an exciting one and not to be missed (at least for me.) Wish I was going
I will say this, it is a group that was invited back from last years canceled festival
Enjoy
God damn it if it’s Big Thief I’m gonna be so mad I couldn’t make it
Any rumors or talk about tomorrow's To Be Announced?
I have heard a rumor, and I'll leave it as a surprise for the festival to announce, but it is quite an exciting one and not to be missed (at least for me.) Wish I was going
I will say this, it is a group that was invited back from last years canceled festival
Enjoy
The National so I can listen to people question whether Taylor Swift is going to be at Newport all morning/afternoon…
My real guess is Black Pumas before they head off to Lollapalooza.
Brittany Howard would also make sense for the same reason, but I feel like you wouldn’t have said “group”.
I personally am hoping for Sylvan Esso, since it seemed as if they’d be an easy act to rebook… but their Instagram leads me to think they’re just hanging back and prepping for their upcoming tour.
Last Edit: Jul 27, 2021 22:18:58 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
Allison already got a headline spot, she didn’t need a 2nd.
She was weird on Sunday with the drawn out introductions, and the poetry messed with the flow too.
But Billy….yes!
The point I’m making is that there are plenty of artists who came to Newport to slay. They found a backing band. They rehearsed. They were ready to have their Bob Dylan goes electric moment… pandemic be damned.
There’s nothing wrong with the others. That Gibbard set was a Top 5 for me because it felt like he was inviting us into his home. Give me that Bleachers set every year; it felt like they were inviting us into their studio. I had fun at Beck.
But I wish the schedule did some of those earlier mentioned artists a favor even if it meant elevating some over the other set.
This is a much better way of describing the Gibbard than how i tried to do it. It was warm and inviting and I don't at all regret going to see him over MB.
The point I’m making is that there are plenty of artists who came to Newport to slay. They found a backing band. They rehearsed. They were ready to have their Bob Dylan goes electric moment… pandemic be damned.
There’s nothing wrong with the others. That Gibbard set was a Top 5 for me because it felt like he was inviting us into his home. Give me that Bleachers set every year; it felt like they were inviting us into their studio. I had fun at Beck.
But I wish the schedule did some of those earlier mentioned artists a favor even if it meant elevating some over the other set.
This is a much better way of describing the Gibbard than how i tried to do it. It was warm and inviting and I don't at all regret going to see him over MB.
I only caught the last few songs of ben gibbard because I saw his whole set last time he was at newport and I had never seen middle brother. That being said it was still a highlight for me. I loved when he told people not to clap because it fucked with his rhythm. I would describe it as the complete opposite of the billy strings set, but in the best way possible. Silent and attentive audience. Heartfelt performance. I may be biased because he's probably my favorite artist on the whole lineup this year, but he managed to take me from a high energy middle brother set to stunned silence and tears in my eyes in a matter of minutes.
I have heard a rumor, and I'll leave it as a surprise for the festival to announce, but it is quite an exciting one and not to be missed (at least for me.) Wish I was going
I will say this, it is a group that was invited back from last years canceled festival
Enjoy
The National so I can listen to people question whether Taylor Swift is going to be at Newport all morning/afternoon…
My real guess is Black Pumas before they head off to Lollapalooza.
Brittany Howard would also make sense for the same reason, but I feel like you wouldn’t have said “group”.
I personally am hoping for Sylvan Esso, since it seemed as if they’d be an easy act to rebook… but their Instagram leads me to think they’re just hanging back and prepping for their upcoming tour.
Yeah, listening to the teenagers up front chirp about If/if not TS was coming was absolutely entertaining lol. One dude was talking about how he has a cop buddy in her town and he would know if she was in town. He reached out to said buddy, and as far as he knew she was not even in town lol. They seemed less enthusiastic after that lol.
Upcoming Shows: August 7: Green Day/Smashing Pumpkins/Rancid/The Linda Lindas August 30: Waxahatchee/Snail Mail/Tim Heidecker September 17: Pearl Jam/Glen Hansard September 24: Idles/English Teacher
This is a much better way of describing the Gibbard than how i tried to do it. It was warm and inviting and I don't at all regret going to see him over MB.
I only caught the last few songs of ben gibbard because I saw his whole set last time he was at newport and I had never seen middle brother. That being said it was still a highlight for me. I loved when he told people not to clap because it fucked with his rhythm. I would describe it as the complete opposite of the billy strings set, but in the best way possible. Silent and attentive audience. Heartfelt performance. I may be biased because he's probably my favorite artist on the whole lineup this year, but he managed to take me from a high energy middle brother set to stunned silence and tears in my eyes in a matter of minutes.
Middle Brother was my Number 1 set this week so far, and Gibbard was my Number 3. It’s a shame I had to split them. We left Middle Brother a few songs early prepared to be disappointed, because we were leaving something so great for something knowingly quieter (and we’ve seen Death Cab many times before)… but that Gibbard set was something else. Even with just an acoustic guitar, it was inviting and open. (Acoustic Postal Service songs are my new favorite thing. Can Newport book a Ben and Jenny acoustic duo set some year?). For a guy who entertained weekly during the pandemic, this felt like a breaking out moment where he wanted to entertain one last time and then break free from the pandemic.
Last Edit: Jul 28, 2021 7:57:55 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
As much as I dislike sending business their way Livenation are doing that $20 basic seat sale again for next few days. I once saw Tom Petty for $20 so good deals can be got.
I’m a massive Julien Baker fan and I’m enjoying this set, but this is such a strange slot on the schedule for just her without a band. Black Pumas brought the house down. I am assuming Deer Tick will as well. Shoulda swapped Lake Street Dive and Julien Baker to give her a more intimate stage and allow LSD to keep the energy going to the end of the fest.
Last Edit: Jul 28, 2021 15:38:57 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
I’m a massive Julien Baker fan and I’m enjoying this set, but this is such a strange slot on the schedule for just her without a band. Black Pumas brought the house down. I am assuming Deer Tick will as well. Shoulda swapped Lake Street Dive and Julien Baker to give her a more intimate stage and allow LSD to keep the energy going to the end of the fest.
I just want to know who’s going to sit in the empty chair next to her!!
"You look like you're listening to every note." - Lady to me during LCD's "final" show 2023: Mar 29 - Guster Apr 6 - Postmodern Jukebox Apr 26 - Father John Misty May 14 - Taylor Swift (Philly) May 17 - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss July 12 - moe. July 16 - CAKE (Portland, ME) July 28-30 - Newport Folk (#12!) Dec 8-9 - Goosemas!
I’m a massive Julien Baker fan and I’m enjoying this set, but this is such a strange slot on the schedule for just her without a band. Black Pumas brought the house down. I am assuming Deer Tick will as well. Shoulda swapped Lake Street Dive and Julien Baker to give her a more intimate stage and allow LSD to keep the energy going to the end of the fest.
I just want to know who’s going to sit in the empty chair next to her!!
Her and John McCauley would make for a lovely duet.
Last Edit: Jul 28, 2021 15:45:33 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
Post by Larry Farnsworth on Jul 28, 2021 20:26:09 GMT -5
also in like four months we went from "I'd kill my own mother to watch someone play live music" to "i'm going to complain incessantly because this music festival didn't do everything i personally think is good" and i just love to see it
Post by burgheburg on Jul 28, 2021 20:38:38 GMT -5
Assuming no dates for next year announced since not posted. Guess makes sense to some extent as I'm sure it was much more chaotic booking basically 2 festivals this year.
I’m a massive Julien Baker fan and I’m enjoying this set, but this is such a strange slot on the schedule for just her without a band. Black Pumas brought the house down. I am assuming Deer Tick will as well. Shoulda swapped Lake Street Dive and Julien Baker to give her a more intimate stage and allow LSD to keep the energy going to the end of the fest.
This is one of the few sets I was really bummed to miss (we could only do Fri-Mon) but I was skeptical of that slotting for her.
Her Newport debut a few years ago is still one of my all-time favorite moments from the fest.
literally saw a couple of middle aged dudes being legitimately upset that they ran out of free seltzer.
Newport, in real life, wasn’t bad. I found people to be joyous and grateful. The message boards and Facebook, on the other hand, have been exhausting. This is an extreme example but I made the mistake of reading some of the responses on the Emma Swift posts and it quickly soured any Newport high I had been on.
As for the six days, I found the energy to be much lower. I think the intensity of three days makes it feel like more of a special event. Folk Family artists have to pick which event they want to be a part of or they all come on Sunday/Monday leaving the other days feeling like ramp ups/ramp downs from the collaborations.
literally saw a couple of middle aged dudes being legitimately upset that they ran out of free seltzer.
Newport, in real life, wasn’t bad. I found people to be joyous and grateful. The message boards and Facebook, on the other hand, have been exhausting. This is an extreme example but I made the mistake of reading some of the responses on the Emma Swift posts and it quickly soured any Newport high I had been on.
As for the six days, I found the energy to be much lower. I think the intensity of three days makes it feel like more of a special event. Folk Family artists have to pick which event they want to be a part of or they all come on Sunday/Monday leaving the other days feeling like ramp ups/ramp downs from the collaborations.
ive never thought of NFF as "intense" in any sense of the word, fwiw - there was no difference this year as far as i could tell
Top 5 Sets: 1) Middle Brother 2) Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats 3) Ben Gibbard 4) Black Pumas 5) Fruit Bats Honorable Mention: Julien Baker
Best musical surprises:
That Fruit Bats performance was everything. How did I sleep on them for 20+ years? I’d totally catch an Allison Russell or Bonny Light Horseman set again (the latter I knew I’d like; I didn’t know I’d like it that much). Erin Rae and CMA were both a lot of fun.
Special shout out:
The live video was some of the best live produced video I’ve ever seen. It felt like I was watching a concert documentary. The shots were great.
Reduced capacity was great. We never waited to get through bag check. We never waited to get out of the lot at the end of the day. We could get as close to any set as we’d like. No bathroom lines. It was very refreshing. (Although no matter how hard we tried to keep some separation when setting up our blanket and chairs, we felt like people always set up too close when there was enough space to spread out.) On a few occasions I’d have wished there be a larger crowd for the band playing. I thought Deer Tick started their headlining gig to a fairly empty Fort Stage. Julien Baker’s crowd was sparse for such a big set.
Covid comfort: I have a skewed perspective because Covid is raging back home. There were more moments than I’d like when I didn’t feel comfortable. I don’t blame organizers- they did a great job- I’m just not sure festivals and concerts will ever be inherently safe without requiring vaccines. I wish masks in pits and lines were a little more normal. Especially by Day 3 when coughs were growing around the festival and it had been a week since an unvaccinated person might have last tested negative.
While I’ve questioned some of the scheduling decisions, organizers did a fantastic job booking an exciting and diverse lineup. Day 1 was my favorite day of Newport Folk yet. Days 2 and 3 came back down to earth. But I still enjoyed them. And I’m still happy I came. Let’s just not do 6 days again because it spread talent out too much (which is great this year; but it doesn’t need to be a regular thing.)
Great job Newport. Thanks for giving me live music. Especially because I worry that we may lose our privilege of attending festivals over the next few months if the Delta strain has its way.
Last Edit: Jul 28, 2021 22:24:21 GMT -5 by k2b - Back to Top
Post by itrainmonkeys on Jul 28, 2021 23:57:03 GMT -5
I had an amazing time. Were sets deliberately toned down and stipped back to mostly acoustic/solo type sets? Yeah. In some cases I liked that even more. It's clear they wanted to do a festival but also didn't/couldn't go the normal route so I was happy with this.
I don't know if I'd like two separate 3-day periods with half capacity unless we knew the lineups more clearly ahead of time but I definitely did enjoy the lack of lines/waiting for just about everything (spots in the standing room at the stages, bathrooms, food vendors, entrance to the fest, exiting the parking lot). Everything was really smooth.
I'd like to maybe see them go back to full weekend (with Harbor tent) and maybe cap it at 75% normal capacity. But who knows what the future will hold?
The one complaint/suggetion I had for the weekend was the lack of bathrooms in the beer prisons. I thought they should have at least had a couple of portas in the two beer prisons. But hopefully that was just a "this year" issue.
Upcoming Shows: August 7: Green Day/Smashing Pumpkins/Rancid/The Linda Lindas August 30: Waxahatchee/Snail Mail/Tim Heidecker September 17: Pearl Jam/Glen Hansard September 24: Idles/English Teacher
also in like four months we went from "I'd kill my own mother to watch someone play live music" to "i'm going to complain incessantly because this music festival didn't do everything i personally think is good"
This.
Attended all six days — and was on the verge of tears several times each day, just grateful to be standing in front of stage listening to live music again. The stripped down format was just what we needed at this stage of transitioning back — there was a beauty and intimacy in the imperfection and spontaneity…so many of the artists were shaking off the cobwebs after not performing live for so long - it felt like fans and artists alike were all sharing the same experience (which is the whole point of Newport Folk in the first place). It was also pretty great to have space to move around and to not have to deal with a single line beyond Friday morning….
In terms of highlights, it is hard to know where to begin — for me, it was all about the sheer breadth of the experience (~45 hours of music in 6 days). That said, for me, Newport has always been more about the new discoveries than the tried and true……e.g. as awesome as it was to see Middle Brother back on the Fort stage, the most memorable images for me are Celisse tearing it up again and again (from her opening set on Friday to her appearance at Newport Blues w/ Yola on Monday - and at many points in between), and the two most impeccable sets of the week — both courtesy of Allison Russell. Her Tuesday set was near perfection, and that Sunday closing set was a singular work of art, and probably the most powerful thing I have seen in my dozen years coming to Newport. And Beck’s exchange with Fred Armisen during “Deborah” may have been the funniest.
Langhorne Slim summed things up really nicely during his final busking set last night — to paraphrase, this was six days of rejuvenation that I will never forget. I am so grateful for the experience.
