The Newport Folk Festival has returned with a weeklong special celebration called Folk On. Sunday’s highlight was an evening of black female artists curated by singer, songwriter, poet and activist Allison Russell. With extraordinary love and enthusiasm, she introduced one phenomenal artist after another to the Newport crowd. The biggest headlines were Brandi Carlile and the legendary Chaka Khan joining the stage, but the performance of the night may have been Celisse, who sang a dynamite version of “Eyes on the Prize,” beginning a capella and channeling Aretha Franklin before transforming the song into a rowdy, Chuck Berry-esque romp. I can’t imagine I’ll see a better performance all festival.
Celisse Henderson photo by Michael Dunaway
Allison Russell photo by Michael Dunaway
Chaka Khan and Allison Russell photo by Viva Vadim
Brandi Carlile photo by Viva Vadim
Allison Russell and Friends photo by Michael Dunaway
Monday was a busy busy day of interviews and portraits, but we did manage to catch some fantastic sets. As mentioned earlier, the Middle Brother set was wonderfully energetic. On the other end of the spectrum, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard held the entire crowd spellbound, alone on a stage with a guitar, gently fingerpicking and softly singing—he also covered The Magnetic Fields, which was a fun surprise. Christopher Paul Stelling was a high-energy dream on the busking stage. And Brothers of a Feather, otherwise known as Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, proved that they definitely don’t have to have howling guitars to impress. Another favorite highlight was Middle Brother’s set, from the very first moment when they opened with the Traveling Wilburys’ classic “Handle Me With Care”—one great supergroup tipping their hats to another one. But we need to bring special attention to Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and his fantastic rock-star preening.
Erin Rae photo by Michael Dunaway
Sunny War photo by Michael Dunaway
Sunny War photo by Michael Dunaway
Courtney Marie Andrews photo by Viva Vadim
Aoife O’Donovan photo by Viva Vadim
Aoife O’Donovan photo by Michael Dunaway
Hiss Golden Messenger photo by Viva Vadim
Middle Brother photo by Michael Dunaway
Ben Gibbard photo by Viva Vadim
Andrea von Kampen photo by Michael Dunaway
Brothers of a Feather photo by Viva Vadim
Crowd photo by Viva Vadim
Michael Dunaway is a writer, a filmmaker and an editor-at-large at Paste Magazine.
