Newport Folk Festival at Fort Adams State Park

with Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, Band of Horses, PHOX, Sun Kil Moon

Jul 25, 2014
Newport, Rhode Island

Band of Horses performing on the Fort Stage at Newport Folk Festival, stone wall backdrop — Band of Horses belting

Made it to the Newport Folk once while living in the boston area. I didn’t really have a pulse for the Rhode Island scene. Went for Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, and Band of Horses. Those three lept past expectations. Crowd stunners.

I posted up to watch the Sun Kil Moon set. I was only vaguely aware of the band at the time, and that the front man Mark Kozelek was in Almost Famous. I left early due to him being a vibe killer. He awkwardly and belligerently yelled at some listeners. The music is slow and calm, and he was confrontational and couldn’t hide his jerkness behind it.

Wisconsin’s PHOX

So good.

PHOX performing at Newport Folk Festival

Stone archway entrance at Fort Adams State Park during Newport Folk Festival — Outdoor venue in an old fort, now a state park

Third Man Records mobile recording booth at Newport Folk — First time seeing anything Third Man Records in the wild

Hand-painted sign reading 'THIS AREA is for DANCING ONLY' at Newport Folk Festival — Setting expectations

Festival crowd on the grass at Newport Folk