Saturday, August 1, 2009

Newport Folk Festival 50.
Billy Bragg - Ramblin' Jack Elliott - The Decemberists.
The reason for the road trip to RI was this amazing music festival celebrating it's 50th anniversary.
The day starts with the audience spontaneously breaking into Happy Birthday to You for Ramblin' Jack, and ends with Pete Seeger leading a massive singalong with the audience and every festival performer on Saturday up on the stage with him. You look up and there is Billy Bragg and Tom Morello at the same mic singing to This Land Is Your Land. How do you not join in...
Caught sets by Ramblin Jack, Bill Bragg, Tift Merritt, The Avett Brothers, Gillian Welch, Fleet Foxes, The Decemberists and Pete Seeger.

Gillian Welch.

Pete Seeger leads the singalong.

The main stage was set up against the massive Fort Adams, that was built in the early 1800's. In front of you is the fort, behind you is Newport Harbor, jammed with boats all packed in for the music. Pretty incredible setting.