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.
Ohio-bred indie folk outfit Oliver Hazard swooped through Kansas City last night, lighting up the stage at recordBar — quite literally, with their backdrop and Edison bulbs. The trio brought their melodic magic to a captivated crowd.
To note, it was an audience of mostly Gen Z, carrying Nikon point-and-shoot cameras to capture their memories in a wholesome, “old-fashioned” way. It was a delightful way to spend an otherwise uncomfortably warm Wednesday evening, as the band rolled through their catalog and spoke of singing the national anthem at a Royals MLB game. (You know, as one does.)
Catch Oliver Hazard on one of the upcoming tour dates!
Oliver Hazard Tour Dates:
Headline dates
June 27 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill
Jul 26 – Jul 28, 2024 – Newport Folk Festival*
August 2 – Bozeman, MT – Sweet Pea Festival*
August 16 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center^
Aug 17 – Waterville, OH – Oliver Hazard Day*
w/the 502s
Sept 3 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
Sept 5 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount
Sept 6 – Portland, ME – Aura
Sept 7 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Soundstage
Sept 8 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
Sept 10 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
Sept 14 – Charleston, SC – The Riviera Theater
Sept 15 – Charleston, SC – The Riviera Theater
Sept 16 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
Sept 18 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt Club
Sept 19 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz
Headline dates
Oct 16 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
Oct 17 – Syracuse, NY – Funk ‘n Waffles
Oct 18 – Concord, NH – Sound and Color Festival*
Oct 19 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom
Oct 20 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
Oct 22 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live
Oct 23 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 24 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
Oct 26 – Lexington, KY – The Burl
*festival dates
^show w/Trampled By Turtles
This was my second year witnessing the greatness of Big Freedia at Boulevardia. (I have been lucky enough to see her twerking class at Bonnaroo in years past as well, thankfully.) The hottest weekend of the year so far in Kansas City, this weekend slot of the biggest beer and music festival in the area is always sweltering. And Big Freedia always brings the attitude and energy to make that heat bearable.
What I love about a Big Freedia performance is that, as I walk around the perimeter of the main stage area, I can see people in every direction realizing she is on stage, or hearing dance music, and running in her direction. What an insane power to have. What a great thing to get to see in my life. Here, some early highlights. (And we have gifs to come!)
Love them or hate them, bands that were popular at the turn of the century are making a comeback. And Hanson? They never really went anywhere. After going indie when their label failed them professionally, the three-brother band has maintained a brand – with multiple creative endeavors within it, including a beer company, tiered fan club membership, collaborative fan community, and more – that has continued to serve them and their growing family over the years. They have consistently toured, continuously contributed to nonprofit funding efforts, and continue to deliver new music as a sibling project year after year.
On Friday, June 14th, Hanson entertained a large crowd gathered in front of the Visit Missouri main stage at Boulevardia in Kansas City, Missouri. There, they announced the release of their new peach cider venture – that comes in honor of the 20th anniversary of “Penny & Me” – that they would be pouring themselves at the Taps & Tastes event the following day.
Boulevardia draws thousands to the Kansas City area every Father’s Day weekend for an interactive beer and music festival, with local makers and food vendors galore.
If you didn’t know who Goose was already, then you could have gotten the full run-down from any man found within a 4 block radius of The Midland on Tuesday evening. “Do you know who Goose is?” a man in a gray tie dyed shirt excitedly asked me as I walked up to the box office to nab my photo pass. “Yes, I’m photographing them.” (And I do know their music. And they’re fantastic.) “Oh.”
But I didn’t have to worry about taking this man’s shine for too long. Almost immediately, he turned to a woman walking from the other direction and excitedly asked, “Do you know who Goose is?” She didn’t, and he was aghast. Immediately he launched into a tale about a young jam band that he and his friends championed from the beginning. I laughed at her expression, got my pass, and went inside.
But that’s what Goose does – they fire up the crowd. They are, in essence, a feel good band with an open, excitable fan base. Walking in, it felt like I was headed to camp. Everyone was complimenting each other’s shirts and looks, asking about strangers’ favorite songs, taking photos with signs and posters.
And that’s another thing… I’ve never seen so many banners and posters in this venue before. I’ve never felt the nostalgia of summer camp inside a venue in Kansas City. In my life. And I’m a native.
That was the vibe they brought. With an enchanting stage set, some quirky accessories (hello stuffed Luigi on a keyboard), and a crowd that was ready to be best friends, Goose brought everyone together on a perfect 70 something degree evening in the midwest.
On May 15th, Kansas City favorite Local Natives made an appearance at The Truman alongside Uwade. Visual artist Jennifer Casida was on-hand to deliver some fun and psychedelic photos of the sold-out event, which took place on a gorgeous, temperate spring evening under a pink midwest sunset.
I’m not sure I could think of a better pairing than the indelible Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton. Luckily, not only did they partner on a phenomenal album titled Death Wish Blues, but they are currently touring together with their incredibly unique styles of alternative blues. A more electric stage – and a more excited crowd – I had yet to see in 2024.
That all changed on Thursday, February 22nd. The Truman opened its doors to a full house, welcoming Samantha Fish back for a truly delightful hometown show. The band came out to near ear-piercing screams, and excited cheers of recognition with the first notes of the very first song. Smoke filled the crevices of the stage as Fish and Dayton’s mindblowing musicianship took over the warehouse space.
Selects from the evening below.
