With additional highlights to come, we can definitively say that Newport Folk Festival this year was nothing short of insane. With powerhouse performances by so many living legends, it was an unforgettable weekend. Saturday was no different, bringing highlights from bands like Craige and Slim, Chaparelle, Hermanos Gutierrez, Killer Mike, Rhiannon Giddens, and more. Highlights by Eric Tsurumoto below.
Grammy-winning psychedelic soul outfit Black Pumas dazzled the crowd during the first day of the 2024 Newport Folk Festival. Talented photographer Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some set highlights for us.
It’s no secret that Massachussetts-bred alt-rock outfit — and activist act — Guster is a crowd favorite. Things were no different for the festival crowd at Newport Folk Fest this year, as the band played an energetic set on the coast. Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some photos for us.
De La Soul is one of the most iconic groups of all time. They brought their energetic brand of hip-hop to the Newport Folk Festival to help us close out the last day. Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some snaps of the set.
Award-winning musician and writer Allison Russell has been bringing her unique blend of magic to the Newport Folk Festival for quite some time. She has performed there in bands and as a solo act now, and is absolutely thrilling to watch. Photographer Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some highlights from her set during Day 1, below.
On Sunday, Conan O’Brien stepped out on stage at Newport Folk Festival and proved to us that television isn’t the only thing he is good at. Joined by the incredible band Dawes, O’Brien played guitar and sang to an absolutely delighted audience. Later, Jack White joined him on stage.
Eric Tsurumoto grabbed some early set shots for us.
Crowd favorite Hozier hit the stage to make a sprawling crowd swoon on day 1 of the Newport Folk Festival. His cool stage presence almost seemed to seduce the crowd, even before his booming voice came over the speaker. Hozier ended his set with a bang, bringing out Joan Baez and Mavis Staples to sing “The Weight” with him. Eric Tsurumoto nabbed some great shots for us.
Newport Folk Fest 2024 was one for the ages. Hozier, Mavis Staples, Brittany Howard, Billie Marten, Orville Peck, and more entertained thousands in the sweltering heat over the last weekend in July. The crowd was cooled by the ocean air off the coast of Rhode Island, and blessed with some spectacular views during the three-day fest.
Photographer Eric Tsurumoto was on the ground for Imperfect Fifth, nabbing gorgeous, dimensional highlights from the event for us. Today, some shots of the festival and crowd before we delve into artist coverage.
…and we loved it.
It had, admittedly, been years since we had had the privilege of witnessing Young the Giant live and in person. Even as such, it was normally in a festival setting, so the set was a bit different than the headlining tours offered.
I have the honor of speaking to a couple who spoke about how they have followed Young the Giant on tour, witnessing their growth as they travel and experience different landscapes alongside their favorite band. As worrisome as a follower might otherwise seem, this couple seemed genuinely inspired by the music, and were truly living their best lives in love.
And if I didn’t understand the allure of Young the Giant before, I certainly do now. The colorful set was full of some of the most incredible textures, patterns, and colors you have ever seen on stage. Fringe surrounded a disco ball, warm and cool colors collided in carefully curated layers to bring the music to life in a way I have never seen – nor felt – before. Instant goosebumps were felt, and maintained throughout the set while memories associated with deep cuts flooded my mind.
Smoke danced around us – hence the “smoke show” – and magic filled the air. The crowd absolutely erupted when “Something to Believe in” began, and continued at that heightened energy throughout “Cough Syrup”. And that was just four tracks into their 17-track lap around the city. (From the confines of the Starlight Theater stage, of course.) The gorgeous instrumentals and beautifully woven lyrics that we have come to expect from this band continued into the night, on one of the most unseasonably cool evenings Kansas City has had yet to see this year.
Our favorite moments are below.
SETLIST
American Bollywood
Wake Up
Something to Believe In
Cough Syrup
The Walk Home
I Got
Nothing’s Over
Dollar $tore
Cult of Personality
Heat of the Summer
Dancing In The Rain
Mind Over Matter
Firelight
Superposition
Tightrope
Silvertongue
My Body