Newport Folk Festival

Video | Joe Fletcher and friends at the 2012 Newport Folk Festival Backstage BBQ

After a major storm blew through Newport, Rhode Island, the events planned for the after-festival intimate Backstage BBQ took an unexpected turn when Mother nature made an appearance and shaped the evening to come by stripping the stage from power. Those that chose to remain to the bitter (sweet) end were treated to what evolved into the purest example of what the Newport Folk Festival strives to foster: the celebration of music through collaborations. Unplanned, off-the-cuff, the stage was electrified not through a power supply, but through a sheer communal love of music as one by one musicians stepped forward to grace the stage with their presence. Once such collaboration evolved from a song brought forth by Joe Fletcher, who joined Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion and friends onstage to share it. Here is a glimpse into the night:

While organizers of the event may feel that it didn’t go quite as they planned it, I walked away (ankle deep in water) feeling that the unexpected extreme weather event created a sudden sense of unity—”we are all in this together” as they say! —and it will undoubtedly go down as a truly legendary musical event for all those were there.

More of our photos from the Backstage BBQ (a benefit event which reportedly raised over $20,000 for the Newport Festival Foundation and the Boys and Girls Club of Newport County), will be shared here very soon, which also include Jim James (My Morning Jacket) who led the audience in a lovely singalong version of Inxs’ “Never Tear Us Apart,” Ben Sollee, Spirit Family Reunion, Eric George and others.

Thanks to everyone involved for making it a beautiful night, and to Jay Sweet and his crew of advisors for making decisions to keep us all safe and smiling through it all.

(photo by Shan, video by Ady for Sisters Dissonance)

Photo | 2012 Newport Folk Festival

Fort Stage at Fort Adams State Park, RI Friday July 27, 2012 just prior to Wilco taking the stage.

We are working on sharing our photos and stories from this legendary festival. They will be shared via posts over the course of the next few weeks. Thrilled to have been in attendance this year.

(photo by Shan for Sisters Dissonance)

Preview | Newport Folk Festival Wilco

For now, here is a quick preview. But stay posted for a photo set and some words about last night’s Wilco at Newport Folk Festival Fort stage.

Conor Oberst Live in Bethlehem, PA 7-24-12

July 24, 2012– Conor Oberst traveled to “the land Jesus was born in” to play a lengthly solo set that eventually ended with him accompanied by the Band Dawes . Dawes opened the evening, drawing attention and pleasing many. Conor Oberst told the crowd that Dawes will be recording soon, so keep your eye out for something new from these friendly, talented guys (and also keep an eye out for the photographs of their set as well, those are coming soon).

I’ve never been to the Musikfest Cafe, what a neat venue. Facing old steel stacks, the Musikfest cafe provides a beautiful glass window view from floor to ceiling. Quite the ambiance, sun setting, as a band takes the stage. Perfect.

I didn’t write down the set list, I was busy taking photos for the first three songs- and then went to my seat to enjoy music. Happy crowd, smiling faces and several new songs filled the evening.

This is just the beginning of the week for Conor Oberst. He’s slowly making his way over to the Newport Folk Festival this weekend. Sisters Dissonance will also be there covering the fun. Check back this week for more and more and more… This is going to be a great week.

Click here to view the full photo set of Conor Oberst live in Bethlehem.

2012 Newport Folk Festival is upon us!

We can just about start counting down to the sold out 2012 Newport Folk Festival in terms of hours now, and I think I can feel the collective surge of excitement. All of the usual social media outlets are abuzz with tweets and posts about the impending fun that awaits.

I have arrived in Philly, part one of our own personal journey there, and Friday Ady and I shall head out together to attend our first ever NFF in the flesh, something we’ve been dreaming of taking part in for a long while. Our excitement is just about at fever pitch now.

This year’s line up is jam packed with a bounty of good music, it’s truly amazing what is in store this year. If you aren’t headed there in person there will be loads of coverage here on the blog, and elsewhere on the web from many other sources. NPR will be broadcasting via live web stream which you can tune in to here via the NPR Music Presents 2012 Newport Folk Festival link. If you can’t be there, it is highly suggested you set aside your entire weekend, pour yourself a drink and flip on the—well, we can’t say telly—boot up the ol’ pixel box and join in virtually! The line up and celebration of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday promises to be, to borrow a great term from the festy’s organizers, folkin fantastic.

Ady and I will be there and we will be covering via our own Sisters Dissonance style, which of course means in addition to photos and words, a couple of interactive creative projects for everyone to join in on. You can keep up here on this site as well as our Facebook and Twitter ( @2sisdissonance )accounts.

The line up:

Day 1: Saturday:
My Morning Jacket
Iron and Wine
Patty Griffin
Guthrie Family Reunion
Dawes
Deer Tick
City and Colour
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Alabama Shakes
Sharon Van Etten
Blind Pilot
First Aid Kit
Brown Bird
Jonny Corndawg
Spirit Family Reunion
Robert Ellis
Ben Sollee
Frank Fairfield
The Apache Relay
HoneyHoney
Sleepy Man Banjo Boys
Elizabeth Mitchell & You are my Flower
Anthony D’Amato
Grave Robbers

Day 2: Sunday
Jackson Browne
Conor Oberst
Head and the Heart
Punch Brothers
Tallest Man on Earth
Tune-Yards
Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman
Tramled by Turtles
Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires
Gary Clark jr.
Of Monsters and Men
New Multitudes
Parker and James
Sara Watkins
Jonathan Wilson
The Deep Dark Woods
Carl Broemel
Spider John Corner & His Rag Tag Boys
Joel Rafael
Rodriguez
Joe Fletcher and the Wrong Reasons
The Kossoy Sisters
Berklee City Music Choir
RJ Storm & Old School
Jonah Tolchin

We’d also like to take a moment to mention the very important Newport Festivals Foundation. The Foundation maintains and supports both the Newport Jazz and Folk festivals, to present performers around the world at these festivals, to educate its audiences and to help create partnerships around the world to invite American musicians to festivals elsewhere around the world under the Newport banner. The full mission of the Newport Folk Foundation is stated on their site and is as follows:

To maintain the famed Newport Jazz Festival® and the Newport Folk Festival® in perpetuity, to be presented at historic locations, including Fort Adams State Park and other facilities in Newport, RI;
To continue the Newport Jazz Festival® as it has since 1954 in the presentation of the greatest jazz performers who follow the traditions of New Orleans, swing, bebop and modal as the core and heart of jazz music; and to continue the Newport Folk Festival® by maintaining the excellence of folk artists as it has since 1959, in the tradition of Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and others;
To realize that jazz and folk music as with any art form, is an ever-evolving cultural expression which encourages and recognizes the freedom of creativity necessary to the growth and continuing vitality of this music;
To present performers who respect and honor folk music traditions, and at the same time reflect the changes in today’s musical trends;
To present all forms of jazz and folk music from yesterday, today and tomorrow;
To educate young people primarily from RI and New England, but also from around the globe, about jazz and folk music as presented at the NJF and NFF through the establishment of partnerships with local grade schools and colleges/universities;
To bring jazz artists from around the world to the festival, since jazz is no longer just “America’s music”, but has influenced musicians from all over the globe;
To create partnerships around the world which would invite American musicians under the Newport Jazz Festival® or Newport Folk Festival® banner to their festivals.

To help with their mission you can make a donation here.