This year, Newport Folk Festival is celebrating its 65th year, and The Honey POP is here to cover all of the action! With lots of new faces and some iconic returning acts, we’re beyond excited to see what the weekend has in store for us at the historic Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI.
Here’s a look at everyone we caught on day one!
Billie Marten + Wednesday
First on deck was English singer-songwriter and all-around sweetheart, Billie Marten. Alongside letting the crowd know that she’s been in the studio for the past month recording a new project, Billie treated the crowd to two unreleased tracks during her set, including the immediately infectious ‘Swing.’ Billie’s breathtaking and ethereal vocals immediately lit up the stage and were the best way to start the day.
With more of a rock edge than typical of a “folk” festival, Wednesday shredded their way through their high-energy set, getting the crowd on their feet and dancing.
Illiterate Light + Guster
Moving over to the bike stage (a pop-up stage powered by bicycles and solar energy), we caught an electric set from the stage’s hosts, Illiterate Light. This was the duo’s fourth time performing at the festival, and for good reason. Their set was an absolute delight, and we’re keeping our fingers crossed they’ll become a yearly festival staple.
Guster is just one of those bands that makes every live performance feel like a party, and their Newport set was no exception! With a set filled to the brim with hits and humor, Guster had the crowd dancing from start to finish.
MUNA + Adrienne Lenker
Muna. Muna. Muna!!! Swapping their usual high-energy pop performance for a stripped-back and vibey set of some of their biggest hits, Muna’s Newport Folk debut was filled with surprises. Their set also included a solo performance from lead vocalist Katie Gavin of ‘As Good As It Gets,’ an unreleased track off of her upcoming EP, and the announcement that she’ll be playing a solo set later this weekend!
Up next, was the mythically cool Adrienne Lenker. Lenker’s soft guitar picking and unmistakable voice immediately mesmerized the crowd as she played some of her own solo work and a few tracks from Big Thief alongside bandmate Buck Meek.
Hozier
There are libraries worth of words we could use to describe seeing Hozier live, but we’ll try to keep it short and sweet. Coming off a gargantuan year filled with chart-climbing, world touring, and major festival headlining, it was an indescribable treat to see Hozier take over the Fort stage last night. With special guests ranging from Mavis Staples and Joan Baez to Allison Russell and Nathaniel Rateliff, Hozier’s set felt like a well-welcomed return to his home away from home.
Check out our gallery from the show below!
Have you been to the Newport Folk Festival before? If you have, let us know which artist has been your favorite to see!
What’s your favorite song from each of these artists? Let us know in the comments below or chat with us on Twitter, Instagram, and Discord.
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Photos + Review: Emma Egan
