The Newport Folk Festival has been under new ownership since last year, and this weekend�s pop-heavy lineup (including Brian Wilson, the Black Crowes and Cat Power) points to a radical change in the notable fest�s folk music identity.
The truth is, the festival in Rhode Island has been tip-toeing toward pop for years, and the stream lineup is just a longer stride in that direction.
�It�s simply going more toward the way we�ve already been heading: a contemporary youthfulness event,� said founder George Wein, 82. �But there ar more crush bands and big pop names this year. Getting Jimmy Buffett was a coup.�
Wein sold his Festival Productions to Festival Network in 2007. He remains a chairman.
Wein believes the jazz fest (Aug. 8-10) hasn�t been altered much since reverting to Newport in 1981. But he admits that the kinfolk fest has, gradually, changed enormously.
The new Newport aims to be a musically progressive, popular fest. Instead of the usual deuce or three pop acts of the Apostles to draw the crowds, this class the lineup is chock-full of acts that experience, at best, tangential connections with sept: Phish�s Trey Anastasio, Brandi Carlile, Jim James, and She & Him (M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel) among them.
�Sure, there�s a lot more indie-pop,� said longtime folk fest producer Bob Jones. �Some are fey by folk music traditions, some aren�t. Levon Helm and Steve Earle are identical rootsy. Jimmy Buffett started out as a folkie, and he�s doing a stripped down, non-Parrothead show up. But Brian Wilson? I haven�t figured that one out myself. I infer he has a few folk albums in his house.�
Folk is such an ill-defined musical genre, it is possible to create justifications for most any act�s inclusion at Newport. The Cowboy Junkies started their career with Canadian folk. Stephen and Damian Marley are divine by their dad, Bob, who for certain made the folk music of Jamaica. Jakob Dylan is playing solo, and acoustic.
The bottom line - folk is no thirster popular enough to fill Fort Adams State Park with fans, and so this year Festival Network has interpreted a chance on a very expensive lineup, with pricey tickets to boot. According to Wein, the folk fest talent price triple what jazz went for this year. With no major sponsor, it�s a immense gamble.
�A fete needs people to be a festival,� aforementioned Wein.
Newport Folk Festival, Friday-Sunday. Tickets: $40-$500; 877-655-4TIX. Newport Jazz Festival, Aug. 8-10. Tickets: $40-$100; 877-655-4TIX.
musingmusic@aol.com
More information
