The Venerable John Prine
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- The Low Anthem
O' Death
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- AA Bondy
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- Nneka
I have to admit, when the lineups for this year’s 2010 Newport Folk Festival were announced, I was one happy camper, but I knew way back in April that I could attend only one day. My choice was Saturday, with no less than 10 acts that piqued my interest: old standbys like John Prine and Doc Watson; new faves The Low Anthem; and such up and comers as A.A. Bondy, Blitzen Trapper, and Horse Feathers. Throw in the likes of Calexico, Yim Yames, and Andrew Bird, and it promised to be a great day.
But you see, I’m a photographer, and with ten acts to photograph, the problem would be scheduling. When the day the cubes came out, listing who was playing when and where, I knew I was in trouble---a logistical nightmare and a challenge for my musical inquisitiveness. The day started out nicely with Nneka on the main stage, in her Nigerian pop-protest mode sounding at times like Fela, Thomas Mapfumo, or Erykah Badu, all of it convincing and danceable, followed by local phenoms, The Low Anthem. Their act seems made to order for a smaller, more intimate venue, but the planners gave them due respect and put them on the main ‘Fort’ stage where the big boys hang out. They opened with the ever-evocative “Ghost Woman Blues,” and their sound carried like a fresh breeze across the green field of Fort Adams. Playing at the same time as TLA on the smaller ‘Harbor’ stage was Blitzen Trapper. On the smallest ‘Quad’ stage was A.A. Bondy. During the upbeat “Home I’ll Never Be,” halfway through TLA, it was time for me to move. The Harbor stage was packed for Blitzen Trapper, but I skirted the crowd and found a spot for several songs and a few animated shots, then outmaneuvered the appreciative masses in time to make it for the final few songs of Bondy’s set. The long tall Alabama boy started in on “Black rain black rain” just as a few drops fell from the darkened sky, and finished up with a rousing rendition of “Killed myself when I was young,” banging his guitar against his upraised knee and bouncing around to the beat. I had a spot that was close to the front, and after a few of Bondy’s fans left, I slipped into the front row for the next act, O’Death.
I knew little about their music, but read that they incorporate punk, metal and jazz into their folk stylings. I was intrigued. And I wasn't disappointed. They rocked rough around the edges, they shook the tent, and they literally bounced off each other, starting with the drummer who led the initial charge while standing on his drum set and egging the crowd on, along with the bare-chested and heavily tattooed bass player that looked every bit like a young Joe Cocker. I was thinking they might provide the most animated pictures of the day.
But alas, I had to scamper before their set ended to catch Calexico, another band that is better suited for a smaller stage. They got some of the Fort crowd up and dancing, to their credit, but I was faltering in my goal. I had to move if I was going to catch Yim Yames and Horse Feathers, and Calexico was the first casualty of the day – no photos of note to post. Yim Yames is the solo alias of My Morning Jacket’s frontman, Jim James, and his popularity was apparent the minute I saw the crowd jamming the Harbor stage. There was no way I was going to get close, so I played a hunch and went over to see Horse Feathers at the Quad stage, a folk band from Portland, Oregon that has gotten some attention of late, for good reason. Their sound was soothing, smooth, and had just the right amount of pep to pick me up (although I got a boost from a medium Del’s, thankyouverymuch).
Again, as the day would have it, I left to try to save what I could of Yames’s set. This time, the hunch paid off. The crowd had slackened a bit and I found myself in place for a single tune, close enough for the shot I wanted, lights gleaming off Yames’s sunglasses, adding a cool visual to his growing mystique. With seven of ten acts caught on digital bytes, I entered the home stretch.
By this time, I was regretting the quest to photograph ten acts in one afternoon. Well, not exactly regretting the photos, but regretting that it was causing me to miss so much music. So far, I had seen only one act in its entirety, the Nigerian-born Nneka. I caught the beginning of Andrew Bird’s act, which guaranteed that some number of females in the crowd would be up and swaying to his glorious violin. I should’ve given in to the urge to stay, but not even the swaying bodies could hold me back from photographing the remaining acts.
This time, my hunch was flat wrong. I couldn’t get anywhere near Doc Watson for a good photo. Although I listened to the old master for a few minutes, I was just too beat by then (5pm) to fight the good fight and get closer. I wandered half-heartedly over to Dawes at the Quad stage. I’ve heard a bit of their music, but I was uninspired, or perhaps just exhausted.
I wandered aimlessly, taking the long way back to the Fort area and my lonely and vacant chair, where I sat myself down and waited for John Prine, the final act of the day. He came out, looking and sounding as great as ever. He played some classics, but by the time he got to “Angel from Montgomery,” it was time for me to catch a ferry back to Jamestown.
So, a day of great music, perfect weather, with twelve acts caught, nine photographed, but only one entire set. When will I ever learn?
Blitzen Trapper
The Low Anthem
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- O'Death
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- Andrew Bird
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- O'Death
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- Horse Feathers
John Hames is a frequent contributor to shaking like a mountain. His last piece was an interview with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals lead guitarist, Neal Casal:http://shakinglikeamountain.com/2010/06/11/ryan-adams-and-the-cardinals-a-view-of-other-windows/
