Newport Folk Festival
This weekend the folk head up to Fort Adams for the Newport Folk Festival. After a hiatus last year for the birth of our son, we’ll be back up at the Fort to bring you stories and pictures of the happenings (the boy in tow). Newport Folk is the sister festival to our Jazz and Heritage Festival. Both festivals were developed by George Wein and have a long history of breaking with genre conventions and creating spaces for collaboration. This year features performances from Sturgill Simpson, Courtney Barnett, Brandi Carlile, Jenny Lewis, St. Vincent, Bedouine, Colter Wall and more. I have to say that organizer Jay Sweet and company have done an absolutely fantastic job scheduling the festival this year. At any moment I want to see at least two and often three acts – I want to be everywhere at once. The festival is teeming with outstanding music. You can follow along all weekend on Newport Folk Radio (link) and look for more here.
BODEGA on Wednesday at Gasa Gasa
Wednesday night Brooklyn based post-punk ensemble BODEGA with be at Gasa Gasa. Their outstanding debut record Endless Scroll was recorded by Austin Brown from the Parquet Courts and features an immediately catchy blend of harmony and dissonance. These songs are fun, loud and wryly funny. They have a great understanding of our modern moment while refusing to succumb to the idea that the things we currently find ourselves doing are normal.
To Do This Week
Tomorrow night Honey Island Swamp Band is the Free Friday show at Tipitina’s with Sonic Bloom, and Paul Cole drops into Republic. Saturday The Lost Bayou Ramblers play the Joy Theater. Sunday you can catch The Hot 8 Brass Band at the Howlin’ Wolf. Monday The English Beat hit the House of Blues. Tuesday Sales are at Gasa Gasa with No Vacation and Very Lynn plays One Eyed Jacks. Wednesday the outstanding Bodega are at Gasa Gasa.
To Listen This Week
- Check out a great new track from Greta Van Fleet via Youtube
- Waxahatchee has announced a new EP and released the first track via Youtube
- An original Bowie demo from 1963 turned up in a bread box via CoS
