This year had particular significance. Narrowly avoiding cancellation when sponsors walked away from the 2009 50th anniversary celebration (the number is a bit disingenuous; the festival took a hiatus between 1971 and 1985), the festival returned to non-profit status this year under the Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. banner. In addition, now in its “52nd” year, the festival experienced its first-ever complete sellout. 10,000 hungry folk fans took the water taxi across the harbor or wound around Harrison Avenue to attend each day.

Under nearly cloudless blue skies and despite the cruel heat doing its best to boil the good out of you, the venue really seemed to bring the best out of everyone. Whether contemporary risers or established legends, musicians brought their finest to the Fort. They couldn’t escape the magic of the place, love and passion flowing through every note sung or strummed. Covers and cameos were standard, tributes to music’s past, present and future.

The crowd’s appreciation and respect weren’t reserved for the performers, though it surely washed over them in waves. I’ve never seen a venue left cleaner at the end of the day, nor so many smiles and hugs shared by complete strangers – I myself partook in more than a few. Despite the odd segregation of the split main (Fort) stage crowd, with its square standing section on the right roped-off from the sea of beach chairs and blankets on the left, the sold-out crowd commingled as much as the bands. Indie-leaning youth danced with old-fashioned maturity to Emmylou Harris and Delta Spirit alike.

Photo by Nate Slevin

And there was still so much I missed. I’ve heard tales of Trampled by Turtles doing incredible things on the Quad Stage (I caught their encore cover of “Where Is My Mind?”), and The Devil Makes Three was a highlight for many. The story of John McCauley leading a score of artists through an amalgamation of “Goodnight Irene”, “La Bamba”, “Twist & Shout”, and “I Wanna Be Sedated” at the Backstage Benefit BBQ on Saturday night is already mythical. I never even made it to the newly added Lego DUPLO Kid’s Stage.

Yet it doesn’t bother me. The festival provided more than a fair share of fulfilling experiences. As Taylor Goldsmith said amidst Middle Brother’s set, “It’s not about what’s new or what’s different – it’s about what’s good, and folk music.” There was plenty of both to go around, and anyone in attendance should feel lucky to have witnessed what they did. I know I do.

-Benjamin Kaye
News Writer

Saturday, July 30th

PS22 Chorus – Alex and Ani Harbor Stage – 11:30 a.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

When people say the festival is getting younger, they’re usually referring to the audience, not the musicians. The inverse was true as the first notes of 2011 came from the voices of some of the youngest performers ever to take a Newport stage: a group of 11-to-12-year-olds from Staten Island. The PS 22 Chorus, an ever-graduating group of youth led by one Mr. B on keyboard, performed strong renditions of songs the typical middle-schooler wouldn’t even recognize. The audience was enthralled by the kiddy karaoke. Opener “Energy” by Austra roused true emotion, Mr. B pointing to one crowd member and ribbing, “No crying. I see you.” Soloists shined, like Roseli confidently tackling Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer”, generating applause at every big note. Of course, they’re still just kids, often looking like another bored choir practice, some lazily half-doing hand choreography or omitting it entirely. But by the time they closed with Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”, the crowd was on its feet, showing the blooming performers a lot of love. Hopefully, some of these kids keep it up after graduation, because there’s certainly something special in the mix here.

Wailin’ Jennys – Fort Stage – 11:40 a.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

I initially had no intention of catching Wailin’ Jennys‘ set, but after hearing them do a stirring soundcheck of Gershwin’s “Summertime”, I wanted more of those lush harmonies. The trio of ladies didn’t disappoint, providing warm, perfectly keyed notes to the first main stage crowd of the festival. They also proved to be not just great vocalists but great performers, passing instruments back and forth between songs and telling tales to the obliging audience. Before gutsily covering headliner Emmylou Harris’s “Deeper Well”, Nicky Mehta told of how she mixed parenting and practice by playing for her twin boys in their Johnny Jump Ups, the bouncing babies acting as a barometer for a song’s success. “This next song is a winner for them, inspired much height in the bouncing,” she said. “Occasional impact.” Helped out by the fierce viola of a “male Jenny”, band member Ruth Moody’s brother Richard, the group played a sweet set of resplendent folk tunes, dropping a fair amount of reverential covers amongst their own catalog.

Typhoon – Alex and Ani Harbor Stage – 12:35 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

By noon, it was so hot that you would sweat sitting still, so I was relieved to find seating up front under the tent for the indie musical storm of Typhoon. After forming a hands-in pep-circle onstage as they were introduced, 13 band members took up 13 instruments and went into a cacophonous rendition of “White Lies”. At first the sound was overwhelming, but once it leveled out, the performance was commanding. Kyle Morton led the collective with a powerful voice and confidence that added miles to his stature. Songs like “The Honest Truth” and new number “The Common Sentiment” took full advantage of the mighty orchestration such a large band can bring to a performance when properly utilized. As the final notes of the last song faded, they realized they had more time, and without a word, they all jumped into “Down, Cowboy” with a boisterous breakdown befitting their name. Adding to the enumerable reasons this band separates from the congested Northwest indie-folk scene, I’m pretty sure they’re the only group around that could give emotional resonance to a refrain of the words “kitchen tile.”

Freelance Whales – Quad Stage – 1:40 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Yes, Freelance Whales have many “folk” instruments in their arsenal, and many of their songs distinctly tilt in that direction. Still, while their synth-pop sounds were more evidence of Newport’s modern proclivities, something didn’t settle in properly at their set. “Elevator, First Floor” (which they later encored at the LEGO Duplo Kid’s Stage with the PS22 Chorus) rang true enough, but others, like “Kilojoules”, felt out of place and, worse, just strange. Part of this is the band’s seeming inability to reproduce live some of the more complicated vocal layers of their debut, Weathervanes. One of that album’s standouts, “Starring”, came off as haphazard, off-timed, and all around weak. This young, buzzing band has some work to do before they come together as a live unit.

Gogol Bordello - Fort Stage - 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

“I warn you, this band is not for the faint of heart” was the introduction given to one of the most anomalous bands on the lineup, Gogol Bordello. The stage was sparse for a Gogol set: Only five members of the normally nine-piece band sat on chairs. No chair can hold what this band brings, though, even in acoustic form. Frontman Eugene Hütz was up on his feet by the second number, “Wanderlust King”, and shirtless by “Tribal Connection”. They didn’t bound about stage like they would at a plugged-in show or even at other unplugged shows they’ve played. Instead, the set showed respectful understanding of the setting. Their energy remained high, playing their hearts out for what at times felt like a private concert for the packed dance section. “I’m sorry, people over here,” Hütz addressed the lawn chair and blanket crowd on the left. “This music is not really for laying down type of purposes.” After a set consisting of hits from their wealthy repertoire plus new track “General Amnesty”, even the older crowd was out of their chairs and swaying about. “They’re getting the message,” Hütz said. We all did by the end: No matter the venue, these guys put on an incredible show.

Delta Spirit - Quad Stage - 2:55 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

A packed Quad proved I wasn’t the only one anticipating a killer set from Matthew Vasquez and his Long Beach crew, aka Delta Spirit, and it’s safe to say no one left disappointed. “Come on, you can get up!” Vasquez beckoned as they took the stage, and within half a second every chair was vacated. The band ripped through “Bushwick Blues”, “White Table”, and even furiously tore down the end of “Ransom Man”. Their fans loved them through and through, dancing about and singing to every song from “St. Francis” to older numbers like “People C’mon”, though there were understandably no crowd vocals for new track “Empty House”. The love was returned with an earnest, impassioned performance song after song. While Vasquez has mesmerizing energy as a frontman, guitarist William McLaren plays his axe to bits, and Jon Jameson is one of the most fun-to-watch bassists I’ve seen in a while, multi-instrumentalist Kelly Winrich may be the unsung hero of the group, bouncing between keys and percussion even in the middle of songs. Together, the band provided one of the brightest highlights of the weekend.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Tegan and Sara - Quad Stage - 4:25 p.m.

Given an acoustic set, Tegan and Sara had a chance to let their folk-side shine, but it was a show that might not have panned out as they’d hoped. Though they played hits like “Back Into Your Head” and “Nineteen”, a lot of it sounded similar in the stripped-down setting. Slipups and restarts were near constants; Sara stopped “Alligator” abruptly saying, “I fucked up, that’s me, that’s on me.” But what kept the show from awkward nonsuccess was the constant banter. “No? Not again?” Sara asked her sister. “Yeah, no, do it again,” Tegan quipped back. “Do it by yourself, in fact.” Despite the flaws, the packed Quad loved it, prompting Sara to satirically remark, “It’s so hard to start a song when everyone keeps yelling that they love you.” It wasn’t a standout set, but the intimacy they created with their adoring audience was commendable. As was Tegan’s time spent signing every article fans threw over the backstage fence. Their fans honestly love them, and it’s nice to see that love returned with equal sincerity.

Mavis Staples - Quad Stage - 5:35 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Full disclosure: I wasn’t actually at most of this set. I walked by, planning on just catching a song before moving on. Then Ms. Staples announced a special guest, and out came The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy, and this happened. It was one of those great moments that only happens at Newport, and watching the 72-year-old Staples literally punch out the end of “The Weight” till she was breathless was inspiring. After the song, Meloy wished Staples a happy birthday (it was July 10th) and gave her a warm hug before heading off to his own headlining set.

The Decemberists - Fort Stage - 6:05 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

With a new number-one record nestled firmly in folk stylings, The Decemberists were poised for a triumphant return to Newport, this time as headliners. Colin Meloy led his troupe onstage with a glass of wine held high to the applauding crowd. “Some of you look like you may be over-folked,” he remarked on the sunbaked lot. “But for those of you who are under-folked, we will try to folk you right now.” The joke garnered as many groans as laughs and set the stage for what I’ve come to expect is a typical Decemberists outing.

As always, the music sounded fine–great, even. These guys can play exquisitely, there’s no doubt. The setlist was nothing unexpected, relying heavily on The King Is Dead tracks like “Rise to Me” and “Rox in the Box”. They did sneak Meloy’s purposefully dreadful “Dracula’s Daughter” into the middle of “O Valencia!” but quickly abandoned it. “That was a bad detour,” Meloy laughed slightly. “Forget it.” The biggest problem here is that while everything sounds wonderful, it doesn’t sound like a great live show. Little is unpredictable, and nothing really pops with stage presence. “The Rake’s Song” came close with its powerful drumming and refrain and Meloy managing to get just the seated section to clap along was amusing. “Won’t Want for Love” also showed signs of life, but while Sara Watkins has settled into her role standing in for the ailing (and much missed) Jenny Conlee, her voice lacked the haunting quality that makes the track so affecting, and Meloy’s voice doesn’t play off hers as well.

Photo by Nate Slevin

For the second time this summer, I walked away from a Decemberists show with more memories of their repartee than their songs. Meloy dedicating “This Is Why We Fight” to festival founders Pete Seeger and George Wein for “teaching us that the ‘S’ word, socialism, isn’t a bad word and that we’re all in this together.” Calling “The Soldiering Life” a song about “homoerotic love between sailors” and dedicating it to “that flotilla of yachts over there. Hope you’re having fun and keeping the rosé chilled, because Lord knows mine isn’t.” The stage-farce that was closer “The Mariner’s Revenge”, complete with Chris Funk climbing down the stage rigging to get that one woman who wasn’t doing the moaning and groaning of being devoured by a whale to stand up and go “argh.” While Gillian Welch and David Rawlings coming out for an encore of “All Arise!” and “June Hymn” was a delight, even that was predictable and overshadowed by the tongue-in-cheek performance. In truth, this talented band shines in their humor, and it was an altogether fun show. However, I expect something more than sit-com entertainment from a live show, especially a headlining one in front of a sold-out festival crowd. Entertain me, sure, but put some energy into more than just cheekiness.

Sunday, July 31st

David Wax Museum - Fort Stage - 11:40 a.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

A year after winning a spot on the festival’s smallest stage, David Wax Museum was opening the main stage on Sunday. The band owned the promotion with a truly rousing set of their particular blend of Mexo-Americana. David Wax was a The Warriors look-alike with his red bandana and vest, hunched over his guitar like he was protecting the sound during “Look What You’ve Done to Me” with guest vocalist Rhiannon Giddens of Carolina Chocolate Drops. Suze Slezak was charming and elegant in her specially designed Lily Brush dress, even as she stomped about, creating unique vibrating and ratcheting sounds by playing, of all things, a donkey jawbone on “Yes, Maria, Yes” and “Chuchumbe” (roughly translated as “belly button”). As Wax explained, it’s a song rediscovered in archives 20 years ago after being banned by the Church in Mexico for inciting belly-to-belly dancing. The duo showed endless appreciation for their strong horn section and dancing percussionist Julia del Palacio, eliciting applause at every solo. Both smiled ceaselessly, and their sheer joy was contagious. “Can you feel what an honor it is for us to be here?” Slezak asked. Yes, the crowd answered, and it’s an honor to have you.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Mountain Man - Alex and Ani Harbor Stage - 12:30 p.m.

Where the Wailin’ Jennys impress with musicianship as well as vocals, Mountain Man are all about harmony. True, those harmonies are damn near perfect, but with nothing else but a subtle guitar, the show is far less interesting. The trio of ladies still haunted with their vocals on the likes of “Mouthwings” and the Kate Bush cover “Rivers of Babylon”. What was most surprising about the serious-sounding group is that they’re kind of dorks, though maybe the ironic band name should’ve given that away. Amelia Meath told a story of dreaming she was in love with and spooning Marilyn Manson. After one song, they remarked how sometimes howling like wolves was a suitable replacement for applause. The next song, which Amelia explained was a cover of someone she’d met online (“I’ve never met anyone on the Internet,” said Alexandra Sauser-Monnig. “You’ve never played World of Warcraft,” Meath replied), received a chorus of howls from the crowd. “This is great,” Meath said through laughter and baying. “We sound totally insane!” They sort of did, but when they were singing, they also sounded downright bewitching.

Cave Singers - Alex and Ani Harbor Stage - 1:40 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Pete Quirk doesn’t look like a lead singer. With his trucker hat, tank top, and full beard, he looked more like the roadie behind the wheel of the equipment truck. Then he gave a holler before the first notes of “At the Cut” came out in his distinctively pinched voice, and you couldn’t picture him behind anything but a mic, even if it was sometimes hard to pick out lyrics. His neck vanes popped like Macho Man Randy Savage during “Beach House”, stark proof of how much he was putting into the performance. He couldn’t have a more appropriate name than “Quirk”, with his constant blinking, head scratching, and jerky hand gestures. Seated, guitarist Derek Fudesco rocked back and forth like he was having a musical fit, and the sound he created with drummer Marty Lund was rowdier than many larger bands could muster. Straightforward and hard, when they were told they had 10 more minutes left, Quirk panted, “We’re done.” They ended early, but they left a lot of sweat and a great set behind them.

Amos Lee - Fort Stage - 3:25 p.m.

There was no introduction to Amos Lee as he took the stage–just the first notes of the title track to Mission Bell, gentle and subtle like the man himself. Chatter was minimal, though he echoed a sentiment many other acts shared about the strange crowd setup: “The beach chair people, while I know you’re enjoying it, it’s just a very strange thing to look at.” Seated or not, his voice demanded the fullest attention of the Fort Stage crowd, heartfelt and pure as it poured out through the thick air. A well-constructed set found him grouping rockier and bluesier songs like a slightly faster take on “Truth” and “Low Down Life” between soulful numbers like “Loose Tight” and “The Wind”. What it boils down to with Lee, as always, is that he can sing the hell out of a song. His voice is just undeniable, and when he was helped out by Secret Sisters on “Clear Blue Eyes”, it was even better.

Middle Brother/Dawes - Quad Stage - 4:20 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Another Matthew Vasquez set, another massive highlight. There’s not enough space to detail how truly awesome this set was. A notification sent through the festival’s app said it best: “If you’re not @Middle_Brother, you should be.” No band had more fun on stage the whole weekend than they did: Vasquez, his garb far less formal than the previous day, bounding about, sharing his mic with his bandmates during “Someday”; Taylor Goldsmith getting the crowd to sing on “Thanks for Nothing” and the bloodiest, gutsiest rendition of “Blood and Guts”; John McCauley sharing the stage with Mountain Man for “Daydreaming”, the girls visibly touched by the large, sublime harmonies provided by the crowd. “We haven’t even practiced!” Vasquez whooped at one point. “We haven’t even seen each other since North Carolina!” They had every right to be impressed with themselves. No band played as hard as they did that weekend, and no crowd was more responsive, hands constantly up, voices ringing out, bodies moving.

Photo by Nate Slevin

While I missed a Jonny Corndawg appearance (the honorary fourth middle brother), a text from my trusty photographer Nate had me rushing from Elvis Costello to catch an impromptu set by Goldsmith’s other band, Dawes. The mini-set opened with “Fire Away” and closed with “When My Time Comes”. For the latter number, the other brothers returned to take a few verses, appearing equally as enamored with their bandmate’s music as their own. One of the most lasting moments of the festival came when McCauley held his mic stand out over the crowd, the music cut away, and the Quad was reduced to rubble by the hundreds of voices belting the final chorus. Magic, plain and simple.

Elvis Costello - Fort Stage - 4:45 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

While it was hard to split time between a legend and a supergroup whose time together may well be limited, I somehow found a way to catch the majority of both sets. Billed as a solo, acoustic set, it was a welcome surprise to turn the corner and find Elvis Costello backed by The Impostors, though their presence could have been the result of his voice being too weak to hold the Fort down alone. He had a lot more help, though, as Secret Sisters came out for “A Slow Drag With Josephine” and a cover of Hank Williams’ “Why Don’t You Love Me Like You Used to Do?”. Chris Thile appeared on mandolin for “Brilliant Mistake” and stuck around for the next number, too, as Costello giddily proclaimed, “Please welcome to the stage–I always like saying this–Ms. Emmylou Harris.” Applause resounded as the headliner entered for “Scarlet Tide”, and on the eve of a debt crisis, the line “No more money left to spend” was especially poignant.

Closing with “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding” was equally fitting and a spirited way to finish his set. Steve Nieve worked the theremin, possibly a first for the festival, like a magician, awing many. Saying how pleased they were to end their tour at Newport, Costello remarked, “You know you’ve come to the right place when you’re standing side-stage behind Pete Seeger watching Wanda Jackson.” Newport was even happier to have them, and for the first time the chair and blanket crowd was mostly on their feet. In fact, many of them stayed that way and walked towards the exits when Costello left the stage. While his voice was clearly fatigued, he never let up once, a showman to the end, and a headliner in many hearts.

M. Ward - Quad Stage 5:40 p.m.

Photo by Nate Slevin

Simple and cool, M. Ward started his set solo. Most of his time was spent making gorgeous tones come from his acoustic guitar, like slowing down “Chinese Translation” and making it pretty as hell. On two occasions he sat at a piano, his posture like he was playing a dive bar, to perform some covers. First was David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”, almost unrecognizable as a near ballad. The second was of Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist”, the lyrics of which Ward delivered with such a faux-deadpan expression and mocking tone that chuckles speckled the audience. Immediately after that, the mood shifted entirely as Dawes provided rocking back up for the remainder of the set, including a ridiculously fun delivery of “Roll Over Beethoven”. After an encore of “Ferry Boat”, Secret Sisters came out for “Something Stupid”, putting two of the most cameoed bands on one stage with the great Mr. Ward–a perfect way to close the Quad on the final day.

Emmylou Harris - Fort Stage - 6:05 p.m.

Though many left the Fort after Costello had finished, the remaining folks packed the main stage area full for the monument of grace that is Emmylou Harris. With her silvery white hair kept from her eyes with a black headband, a black leather bracelet, and a flowing black dress with white pill-stripes, she was a half step away from punk. At 64 years old, she stood tall and confident in the setting summer sun, glorious and classic all at once. When she introduced “The Road”, the ever-present sadness at the loss of her late mentor and partner Graham Parsons could be felt in the quivers of her voice. After “Get Up John” and some spot on a cappella harmonizing with her band for “Calling My Children Home”, she returned to some melancholy. “Okay,” she said, “I gotta get back to the sad stuff before people think I’ve been taken over by some jovial person.” It wasn’t her own sorrow that came next, but Steve Earle’s in the form of “Goodbye”.

Photo by Nate Slevin

A gentle country set isn’t exactly my cup of tea as a headliner, but Ms. Harris still did an applaudable job in the spot. It was the very essence of the modern Newport Folk Festival to see so many people, varied greatly in age, race, and background, shuffling their feet and swinging their arms to tunes like “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight”. Present and past sensibilities met onstage, as well, when the duo of The Civil Wars came out for Harris’s encore (well, she called it an encore, but she never actually left the stage). Dancing happily and singing for “Evangeline”, Joy Williams looked pleased as could be to be sharing the legendary Newport Fort stage with the equally legendary Harris.

Photo by Nate Slevin

That was it for Harris’s set, but the true closer of the festivities was something even grander. Out walked Pete Seeger, the eternal Newport icon, even at 92, guitar in hand. Then Middle Brother and Dawes walked out with Jonny Corndawg and Mountain Man. The Secret Sisters returned, David Wax Museum led out Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, and Brown Bird and M. Ward joined Emmylou Harris and The Civil Wars–a truly impressive array of artists. Even festival founder George Wein stepped onto the stage. As the crowd gathered closer to lend their voices, Seeger led the bevy of talent in “Turn! Turn! Turn!”. When he slung on his banjo, even the musicians on stage applauded and smiled. Calling out the lyrics for the unaware, Seeger paced us all through “Where Have All The Flowers Gone?”. It was felicitous, moving, and immutably beautiful. It was the Newport Folk Festival summed up in a single, neatly wrapped performance.

Photography by Nate Slevin.

The Culture of Newport Folk Festival

Gallery by Nate Slevin

They promised us a view. Specifically, the Dave Matthews Band Caravan’s own website promised us that from Lakeside, “the panoramic vista of downtown Chicago across the water will provide a stunning backdrop for the festivities.” Instead, we got a panoramic view of security fencing and a grubby, toe-stubbing festival ground littered with broken bricks, shards of metal and glass, and a covering of wood chips that were apparently meant to improve conditions but instead lent the entire place a hamster-cage like feeling. It seems that this site of a former steel plant needs some further TLC before it becomes a staging ground for anything else. Add to this its far South Side location and overcrowded, under air-conditioned shuttle buses for the three-mile trek to and from the Red Line subway, and the result was a recipe for disaster.

And yet the Caravan was actually a lot of fun. Its savior? The music, naturally.

Even the side-stage acts were buzz-worthy: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Folds, O.A.R., the Flaming Lips—the list goes on and on. And with the promise of a full Dave Matthews Band setlist every night—itself usually a $60+ ticket—the festival was a regular bargain for DMB-heads, who came out in full-force. It seemed to be no one’s first show; it was their eighth or their third or their 30th. A small boy, when queried, offered that it was his fourth show and he was hoping to hear “Time Bomb”. Though mostly drunken, deeply sunburned, and backwards-baseball-cap wearing, casual fans these were certainly not.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

So though they were initially overheard to complain noisily about conditions, people learned from their day one mistakes and soldiered on. They replaced sandals with sturdy sneakers, wore extra sunscreen, and drank a little less on days two and three, the better to enjoy the music without passing out from heat stroke. This bill was too good to miss.

Offered here is Consequence of Sound’s snapshot of that bill. A few acts were necessarily missed (Michael Franti, why, WHY did you have to be scheduled at the exact same time as the Flaming Lips?), but overall it was a weekend jammed full of folk rock, bluesy guitars, pot smoke, and sunshine. Would we go again? To Lakeside, heck no. But to the Caravan? Sign us up.

-Megan Ritt
Deputy Editor

Friday, July 8th

Dirty Dozen Brass Band- Slip Stage- 4:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

As one of the inaugural events of the weekend, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band had the unique honor of playing to a mostly-sober crowd. The seven-piece brought their straight-outta-Nawlins sound and their cool-dude attitudes, shouting, “You all ready for this here?!” before launching straight into some ferocious funk. A ripping bari sax solo was particularly impressive, booming around the basement of the low instrument’s register before soaring higher than this listener was previously aware possible. Somewhere someone lit up a joint, and the weekend was officially on.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros- South Works Stage- 4:30 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Edward Sharpe (aka Alex Ebert) took the stage to swooning wails from ladies in the audience. Dressed in a wife beater and a snazzy hat, Ebert smiled at the attention and waved, granting the audience’s screamed-aloud wish for “Jangling” as the opener. The band’s throaty, joyful folk rock filled the air, with folks streaming over from other stages to listen. Despite all the attention, the band was pretty low-key; Ebert announced that this was their last stop on a two-year album tour, and now “We’re gonna make some new stuff!” (First, it seems, they may need a nap). Always talented, though, even in repose, they blasted through cacophonous piano falls, tambourine beats, screaming vocals, like some wild band of art kids locked in the school gym with only instruments for entertainment. “40 Day Dream” drew a massive roar from the crowd, as did a “remix” of “Home”—“It’s not a remix, we just fucked it up.”

Ray LaMontagne- South Works Stage- 6:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Did the crowd know what to expect from Ray LaMontagne? It’s hard to say. But when his wispy, scratchy voice came bellowing out over his acoustic guitar, the stoners and the meatheads stopped to take notice. Dressed in lumberjack plaid and starting on stage with just himself and a bass player, Montagne sang with the kind of quiet passion that stops traffic. He was joined onstage by a full band after his first number, but the focus remained on him: the dark, nuanced rasp of his voice; long, technical guitar jams in between verses; his face contorting with his efforts. Particularly arresting were “Repo Man”, with its crunchy guitar-and-cymbals beat, and “Devil’s in the Jukebox”, alive with country twang. Many tough-looking dudes were heard to declare LaMontagne’s set as “the best of the day” post-concert.

O.A.R.- Lakeside Stage- 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

By now, the well-sunburned crowd was thoroughly drunk, the falling-down-and-also-vomiting kind of drunk. This turned out to be the perfect setting for an O.A.R. set. They launched directly into “Crazy Game of Poker” and had the whole crowd singing along and raising their beers to the stage. A trumpet player and a trombone guy did some skillful solos, and the beachy, calypso stylings of the guitar and drums were the perfect soundtrack to summer. Did the crowd notice the band’s musical prowess? Survey says likely not. But who doesn’t like singing along to “Night Shift”?

Dave Matthews Band- South Works Stage- 8:05 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

It was more like 8:20 p.m. before Dave Matthews Band (DMB) got started, one of the only delays of the long day, but the wait turned out to be worthwhile. Dave Matthews himself walked alone with his guitar onto the stage before the screaming masses, the band filling in quietly behind him, and nailed a surprisingly epic opener with “Squirm”.  Most bands have to build up to that kind of power; DMB brought it onstage with them, rolled it on as easily as their sound equipment. Their sound and their lightshow filled the stage from floor to vaulted fabric roof, shooting beams and beats out into the mercifully darkened fest grounds. Anybody who wants to say that DMB was over 10 years ago needs to see them fill a whole damn park with sound before they continue that argument.

DMB staged their typical seven-piece line-up and played songs everyone was familiar with. For many fans, this was the third, the fifth, the dozenth show, and yet the whole thing felt fresh and vital. “Big-Eyed Fish” tore down the house, with plenty of fans screaming out the lyrics. Matthews, ever the consummate performer, acknowledged this with a barely-lifted eye, a mischievous grin towards the crowd, even as his face twisted and mouth stretched with the effort of hitting the notes. If ever a man gave 110% at a show, it was Matthews.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

The setlist this first night included “Don’t Drink the Water” and a steamy version of “Rapunzel” that started Matthews on his deep-performance rocking dance. Bassist Stefan Lessard smiled, looking no longer like a kid but a seasoned member of the band. Jeff Coffin, filling LeRoi Moore’s large shoes on sax duties, hit a wailing soprano sax solo that established him as a worthy second act. “What Would You Say”, “Tripping Billies”, and a cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times Bad Times” rounded out a set so passionate that one was inclined to warn Matthews to save some for tomorrow (and the next day).

Saturday, July 9th

Liz Phair- South Works Stage- 4:45 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Representing the ladies on Day 2 of the fest was Liz Phair. She took the stage in a short black dress, leaving her blonde hair to stand out as it flowed in the lake breeze. This turned out to be the best thing about a set that suffered from bad sound mixing and low energy. Phair’s vocals could barely be heard over the drum set, and she couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to even “yeah” convincingly during her own song. After a few minutes, most of the audience turned their attention to procuring dinner.

G. Love and Special Sauce- Lakeside Stage- 5:30 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

G. Love, aka Garrett Dutton, came on stage wearing a harmonica in a holder around his neck and carrying an acoustic guitar. “This is a song about coffee—you all like coffee? Me too—whaaat!” he cried, reeling into “Milk and Sugar”. G. Love’s music is a mix of hip hop and blues-flavored, knee-slapping good times, which sat just fine with the audience. In a backwards ball cap and sunglasses, Dutton could’ve been mistaken for a festival-goer himself, except that he deftly played his harmonica and guitar at the same time while a guy on the upright bass got funky behind him. G. Love’s set also included a rollicking cover of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, which inspired a haphazard, drunken sing-along from the crowd. He might look like a bro, but Dutton plays the hell out of his guitar.

Ben Folds- South Works Stage- 6:00 p.m.

Ben Folds started his set with the super-topical “Levi Johnston’s Blues”, which rang home all the more for its opening lyric: “Woke up this morning/ what do I see/ 3000 cameras pointing at me.” Folds crouched over the piano, beating maniacally at the keys (and a fabulous camera angle showed the key depressions on the projector screen, which was awesome). Levi Johnston’s big moment may have passed, but Folds didn’t care what we thought about that—or anything else, it seems. In a black t-shirt and hipster glasses, he was a larger than life nerd posterboy, proud to be up there doing his thing, and the crowd loved it.

Promising a cover song—“whatever is the #1 cover song on iTunes”—the band did Ke$ha’s “Sleazy” to a first disbelieving and then grooving crowd. The keyboard player intoned “get sleazy” in a voice so low and so regular that it sounded like a pre-recorded sample, with Folds singing the verses higher above the beat. Even the sign language interpreter got down to that. Folds played a long and varied set, including “Annie Waits”, “Still Fighting It”, and “Saskia Hamilton”, the latter of which was drop-dead gorgeous live, complete with manic pianos and a crowd sing-along.

Kid Cudi- Lakeside Stage- 7:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend—and one of the only non-jam, non-folksy acts on the bill—Kid Cudi had amassed a crush of people before he even took the stage. By the time he emerged, dressed in a bedazzled jean jacket, to a pounding, epic bass reverb, things had reached a fever pitch. “Are you ready for the revolution?” he shouted, launching into “REVOFEV”. His work seemed on the surface to be incongruous with the style of the weekend, but Cudi raps at the speed of jam, meaning all the crowd had to do was sway along to the beats and holler when he said something provocative. “Soundtrack 2 My Life” was met with a roar, the sick bass throbbing in everyone’s ears and Cudi’s voice coming warm and easy like a summer beer. He waved his hands and egged them on: “This is epic—this is a sea of people! And you’re here to see me!” Playing a cross-section of his catalogue, Cudi kept things rolling with a simple imperative: “We’re here to party—keep that in mind.”

Dave Matthews Band- South Works Stage- 8:05 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

On the second night of their three-show residency, Dave Matthews Band took things back a bit. Whereas the first set hit a lot of newer material, the second was a feel-good, fan favorite set that struck just the right note amongst the legions of sun-roasted and drunken audience members. Saturday’s crowd swelled to apparently peak capacity, and DMB kept things appropriately cool and friendly. They started their set with classic “#41”, which featured long solo sections by Boyd Tinsley and Tim Reynolds that eventually grounded down into near-silence. “This is a whole lot of lovemaking!” Matthews mumbled cheerfully. Lest they lose momentum, they picked up the pace next with hard-driving guitars and pounding bass on “Seven”, and then blew the doors off with a cover of Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House”, featuring a deeply funky guitar line and Rashawn Ross helping with vocal duties.

Things got sentimental with “Why I Am”, a tribute to late sax man LeRoi Moore, which featured Jeff Coffin switching from soprano to tenor sax mid-song, as Moore was famous for doing often. Reynolds’ guitar solo on the same song was so spirited and powerful that women screamed. A delicate rendition of “Proudest Monkey” was followed by perennial favorite “Satellite”, colored by the contrast of tinkling, swirling chimes and a deep, booming bass beat.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

There were many other songs and many other moments, but the best of the night was “Crush”. Tinsley and Matthews danced together, soloing face to face as they are wont to do in the heat of the moment, encapsulated in their own little world together in front of thousands of people. The crowd sang together, not screaming as they had on many other tracks, but singing sweetly along, all the lyrics clean and clear in unison, arms stretched overhead, reaching and smiling, Matthews surfacing enough to give his winking half-smile, the lights reflecting up into the stars overhead.

Sunday, June 10th

The Wailers- South Works Stage- 2:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

The hottest day of the festival had to kick off with something breezy, so it was fitting that most early attendees started their day with the Wailers. The band slipped into their bass-heavy jams just as the wind picked up, creating an instant beach sensation. The crowd grooved in place to a set that picked up significant momentum when the sound was finally adjusted properly (well into their second song). Jamming through well-worn hits such as “Is This Love” and “Three Little Birds”, the Wailers started Sunday off right.

Emmylou Harris- Slip Stage- 3:00 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Fans who braved the heat to see classic country-folk singer Emmylou Harris were treated to an Easter egg appearance by Dave Matthews himself, who introduced Harris as “one of my personal heroes” and hugged her before watching the rest of her set from backstage with members of his family. After such an introduction, a lesser songwriter might’ve been intimidated, but Harris possesses a self-assuredness that captivated the sweat-soaked audience. Her throaty alto swooped steadily through “Six White Cadillacs”, “Orphan Girl”, and “Hello Stranger” while she strummed away on her guitar, her backing band capably changing instruments to fit her arrangements. The audience came away just as charmed with Harris as Matthews was.

Mariachi El Bronx- Lakeside Stage- 4:15 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Taking the stage between set pieces for the upcoming Flaming Lips show, Mariachi El Bronx nonetheless managed to keep the crowd’s attention. The seven-piece came out resplendent in matching black mariachi costumes (“You think you motherfuckers are hot?” bellowed the punk-rocker look-alike lead singer). But the heat of the day finally broke as the band started burning through their zippy setlist, including “Revolution Girls” and “Cell Mates”. Their south-of-the-border flavored songs featured plenty of trumpet inter-played with violin and laid over rock guitars to create instant party ambiance.

David Gray- South Works Stage- 4:45 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

David Gray drew quite a crowd. Any debate over whether it was just the ladies who wanted to see him was quickly squelched by the sheer size of the throng surrounding the South Works stage. Gray was dressed in a classy collared shirt and jacket with dark glasses, and if he was hot, he didn’t show it. He played a full hour set that was grounded with his hit songs; there was “Fugitive” and “Sail Away” and, of course, “Babylon”. On the latter, Gray got particularly passionate, holding the long notes and throwing his head back to fully release his captivating, instantly recognizable voice. The crowd sang along serenely, and Gray let his guard down for a charming moment to conduct the audience sing-along.

The Flaming Lips- Lakeside Stage- 5:45 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

How does one explain what happened on the Lakeside stage once the Flaming Lips were in charge? Should we start with the pre-performance instructions from Wayne Coyne, requesting that everyone smush together in preparation for the ball? Or his declaration that, in addition to the anticipated performance of Pink Floyd’s legendary Dark Side of the Moon, the Lips would also include some Wizard of Oz music because “we know everybody here smokes a lot of fucking pot—we want you to! It’s a great way to spend two weeks of your life.”

Perhaps we should start with the strobe lights flashing at the same frequency on the guitar in the opening salvos of Dark Side, as Coyne rolled out over the audience in his famous ball, as ersatz Dorothies let dozens of giant balloons loose in the air, as rainbow-colored confetti and streamers shot from cannons on either side of the stage and fell around our incredulous heads, blanketing the ground in a sea of paper glory. Or Coyne shouting the words to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” into a megaphone that simultaneously blasted pink smoke above him like the physical representation of his sound. Or maybe the eerie accuracy of Coyne, the wizard himself, sneaking in choruses of “because of the wonderful things he does!” in between twisting, grooving sections of Floyd’s music, blending and grinding the two together until it all became a glorious mélange of color and sound.

And if I told you that a rainbow appeared behind the Ferris wheel just as Coyne and co. wrapped things up, would you even believe me? It was just that kind of set.

Dave Matthews Band- South Works Stage- 7:05 p.m.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

Dave Matthews Band got a late start on this late night of their three-day stand; the crowd had enough time to organize a few rounds of the wave in the meantime. Much like Friday, Matthews kicked things off solo, with band members entering one at a time until the full group took the crowd through a long rendition of “One Sweet World”. Matthews, clearly loving the experience, added little beatbox-style interludes here and there, much to the crowd’s great delight.

Fat sax beats lead into a dirge-like rendition of “Bartender”, which curled darkly in the fading daylight. Matthews’ voice turned to a snarl on the last verse, which evolved into a vocal jam as the song went forward. Beautiful open high notes, sounds without meaning, escaped his mouth as Matthews closed his eyes and turned his face towards heaven, crying out.

Photo by Meghan Brosnan

DMB played more of their classic tracks on the third night, including the sexy “Say Goodbye”, a jam-heavy version of “Best of What’s Around”, “Warehouse”, “Seek Up”, “When the World Ends”, “Gravedigger”, and much, much more. Nearly every band member took at least one extended solo section as the night wore darker. They even included a dance-inducing cover of Aerosmith’s “Sweet Emotion” that rocked surprisingly hard.

Finally, though, as the old saying goes, “all good things must come to an end,” and so it was that the Caravan finally ran out of time. With plenty tired, some hungover, and most unhappily contemplating a return to work and real life come the next morning, the crowd loaded onto the shuttle buses for one final trek back to their homes (or hotels), leaving the ringing of guitars and the sweet, newly packaged memories of a weekend well spent echoing in their ears and thoughts, respectively.

Photography by Meghan Brosnan.

The Culture of DMB Caravan

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With an artist of Emmylou Harris’ stature and pedigree, it is difficult to lend too critical an ear over the proceedings without risking disrespect. The lady can furnish an entire apartment with Grammys and simultaneously exit from several halls of fame. Hard Bargain begins on a real high. In the opening song, “The Road”, Harris recalls her musical partner and mentor, Gram Parsons. It lacks the pain and allusive imagery of, say, “Boulder To Birmingham”, but works as a mellower, reflective view on her memories with Parsons. The song also sets the tone for a record; Harris comes to terms with the past and reassesses her life. She draws up some great images – though, not many. The soaring guitar on “The Road” allied to Harris’ breathy yet still powerful vocal is a total dream and makes it a particularly tough act to follow. Sadly, there’s not that much here to hold a candle to it.

Emmylou Harris has rightly earned a reputation as an interpreter of songs and as a songwriter. Most on this offering are her own and not all hit the spot. The swamp rock of “Six White Cadillacs” sounds a bit too familiar for comfort while a post-Katrina “New Orleans” sees Harris attempting to rock out in competition to some frighteningly upfront percussion. She convinces more on the measured reflection of “Lonely Girl” and on “Darlin’ Kate”, a song which fondly remembers her dear friend, Kate McGarrigle. Both are sung from the heart without a whiff of pretension. It’s left to the Jay Joyce-penned closer, “Cross Yourself”, which ends the album in a hopeful, spiritual mood and, along with the Ron Sexsmith written title track, serves as a reminder of the real strength of Emmylou Harris.

After taking some well-deserved time off to get married, launch a label, and review video games, Ryan Adams’ musical comeback is quickly picking up steam. Last summer, he released a death metal album, which he then followed up in the fall with the release of a double LP featuring 21 previously unreleased gems from the Cardinology era. Last week, he opened the vault once more, this time to include four rarities for a Record Store Day EP. And amidst all this, the acclaimed singer-songwriter found time to hit the studio with legendary producer Glyn Johns to begin work on his first new full length since 2008′s Cardinology.

Last night, Adams offered what could be a few early tastes of his new LP when he delivered a surprise opening performance for his longtime collaborator Emmylou Harris at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, California. Below, you can check out clips of four new songs, including a full length version of “Dirty Rain”, a song which we first heard in snippet form last fall. Adams also performed “Blue Hotel” and “Everybody Knows”, plus he joined Harris for a rendition of their duet on the classic track “Oh My Sweet Carolina”.

“Dirty Rain”

New Song

New Song

New Song

“Oh My Sweet Carolina” w/ Emmylou Harris

“Blue Hotel”

Dave Matthews Band has announced the second of their four summer music festivals and it looks pretty similar to the first. Set to take place July 8-10 at Chicago’s Lakeside, the festival will feature three sets by DMB, as well as David Gray, Ray LaMontagne, O.A.R., Kid Cudi, The Flaming Lips performing Dark Side of the Moon, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Amos Lee, Emmylou Harris, and Ben Folds.

Other confirmed acts include G. Love & Special Sauce, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Gomez, Drive-By Truckers, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub, The Jayhawks, SOJA, Soulive, The Wailers, Blind Pilot, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, TR3, Vieux Farka Toure, Alberta Cross, Mariachi El Bronx, Bobby Long, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Jeff Coffin’s Mu’tet, Gary Clark Jr., and special performances by Dave Matthews Band members Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard plus a Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds acoustic set.

Tickets, which will be available as three-day passes only ($195), go on sale to general public on Friday, April 15th at 10:00AM CST via DMBCaravan.com. Also, an online ticket request period for the festival begins today and concludes Friday, April 15th, at 8:00 AM CST  at warehouse.davematthewsband.com.

In addition to Atlantic City and Chicago, the band plans to hold two other music festivals this summer. Stay tuned for more details.

On July 25th, 1965, one of the most fabled concert moments in history occurred when Bob Dylan plugged in his guitar at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, RI. In homage to that man’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” this year’s George Wein’s Newport Folk Festival line-up was revealed with the help of fans turning over cards displaying the artists’ names. And like years past, those names make one hell of a lineup.

The Decemberists, Emmylou Harris, and Elvis Costello (solo acoustic) will all make return appearances, this time as headliners. Other familiar faces making a repeat showing at Fort Adams Park include Gillian Welch, Amos Lee, Earl Scruggs, M. Ward (with special guests), The Felice Brothers, and David Wax Museum, who won a spot on last year’s lineup.

The acts only get bigger from there: Gogol Bordello (acoustic), Wanda Jackson, Mavis Staples, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Tegan & Sara, and Carolina Chocolate Drops will also perform. Plus, after bowing out last year with an injured hand, Justin Townes Earle will be in triumphant attendance.

If that weren’t enough, Delta Spirit is on the bill, as is lead singer Matthew Vasquez’s super-group side-project Middle Brother. The Wailin’ Jennys, Freelance Whales, The Secret Sisters, Trampled by Turtles, The Civil Wars, The Head & The Heart, Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three, The Cave Singers, and Mountain Man add to the mix.

Filling out the roster are What Cheer? Brigade, Devil Makes Three, Typhoon, The Ebony Hillbillies, Brownbird, River City Extension, and even the PS 22 chorus (really). Finally, two unexplained but mega-intriguing inclusions are listed: Song Circle with Dar Williams, Ellis Paul, John Gorka & Liz Queler; and The Seeger Clogging All-Stars. Be excited.

Recent years have featured a special Friday night show, but this year it is apparently “under consideration” [sic]. More artist announcements are promised, however.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, March 31st at 10 AM EST and can be ordered online, by phone, or by mail. Single-day GA passes can be purchased at the Newport Visitor Information Center, and a festival office in the Newport area will open at a later date. More information can be found at the festival’s website, as can the announcement video (psst! That’s yours truly holding the Pokey LeFarge sign). See you at the Fort!

Front page photo by Nate Slevin

Titled Hard Bargain, and due for release on April 26th (via Nonesuch), the 13-track effort features production by industry-lifer, Jay Joyce, and came together in a snapshot moment in Harris’ life. As she explained in an issued statement: “I had all of the material written beforehand. We did the whole record in about a month, which is quite unusual for me.”

Most famous for his work on the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack, Joyce most recently had his hands on Cage The Elephant’s Thank You Happy Birthday and the Country Strong soundtrack, on which he played guitar.  e also played multiple instruments on Bargain, which Harris claims only took three musicians to lay down the tracks. “It’s not a stripped down record,” she insists, “[but] we did the whole thing with just three musicians – Me being one of them.”

No word on how she’ll recreate the songs in the live setting, but if you’re close to Austin, you’ll get your chance to find out on March 17^th at South by Southwest’s Americana Music night. More shows are in the works, but you can peep Harris’ itinerary — as well as Hard Bargain‘s tracklist — below. Tickets for select dates are available at SeatGeek.com. Preorder the album here.

Hard Bargain tracklist:
01. The Road
02. Home Sweet Home
03. My Name Is Emmett Till
04. Goodnight Old World
05. New Orleans
06. Big Black Dog
07. Lonely Girl
08. Hard Bargain
09. Six White Cadillacs
10. The Ship On His Arm
11. Darlin’ Kate
12. Nobody
13. Cross Yourself

Emmylou Harris 2011 Tour Dates:
03/04 – Birmingham, AL @ BJCC Concert Hall *
03/05 – Hunstville, AL @ Von Braun Center Concert Hall *
03/12 – Toronto, ON @ Fairmont Royal York Concert Hall
03/14 – Lexington, KY @ Lexington Opera Hall
03/17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW at Antone’s
04/09 – Chicago, IL @ Maurer Concert Hall
04/30 – Oslo, NO @ Sentrum Scene
05/01 – Bgergen, NO @ Bergenfest
05/12 – New York, NY @ The Town Hall
05/13 – New York, NY @ The Town Hall

We’re still two months off from this year’s event, but a number of the special edition releases have already been detailed. After scrolling through Record Store Day’s UK website, Wax Poetic, and Pop & Hiss, we narrowed down some of our early favorites and then fleshed ‘em out below. Mind you, many more releases are still to be announced, so keep checking back to Consequence of Sound for more updates. It would also be a good idea to bookmark our Upcoming Releases Calendar.

– The Beach Boys – “Good Vibrations”/”Heroes and Villains”: 78 rpm vinyl double disc set includes commercially released versions of both songs on the first disc, and early alternate takes on second disc.

– The Black Angels – Another Nice Pair: Limited edition red vinyl featuring the band’s first two albums. Artwork designed by founding member/guitarist Christian Bland. Download card also included. 100 inserts signed by the band will be randomly packed through the pressing.

– Busdriver – “Ass to Mouth” b/w “Colour Wheel”: The first offering from Busdriver’s upcoming studio album. [1000 copies]

– The Clash – The Magnificent Seven: 7″ heavyweight red vinyl reissue, plus bonus 4-track CD.

– Clinic - Ladies Night: An EP of cover versions featuring songs originally recorded by Cilla Black, Audrey Hepburn, Man Parrish & The Seeds.

– Deftones – Covers: Classic Deftones’ cover tracks, pressed together on limited edition vinyl for the first time ever. [5,000 copies]

– Derek & The Dominos – “Got to Get Better in a Little While” b/w “Layla”: 7 inch single featuring previously unreleased track backed by the classic “Layla”.

– The Flaming Lips – Heady Nugs: First 5 Warner Bros. Records 1992-2002: Special RSD edition black vinyl version. [5,000 copies]

– Franz Ferdinand – Covers EP: A 12″ EP featuring cover versions of songs from Franz Ferdinand’ Tonight album performed by Debbie Harry, LCD Soundsystem, Peaches, ESG, and Stephin Merrit (of Magnetic Fields).

– Green Day/Hüsker Dü – “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely”: Split 7″ featuring Hüsker Dü original plus Green Day’s cover.

– Grinderman – “Evil”: 12” red glitter vinyl featuring remix with lead vocals by The National’s Matt Berninger. [UK only] [750 copies]

– Jenny & Johnny/Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris – “Love Hurts”: Split 7″ featuring Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris original plus Jenny & Johnny’s cover.

– The Kills – “Satellite”: Special dub 10″ features mixes by Mad Professor.

– Mastodon: Live at Aragon: A 180-gram vinyl edition of the band’s new live album, featuring a live DVD. [2,500 copies]

– Mastodon/ZZ Top – “Just Got Paid”: Split 7″ featuring ZZ original plus Mastodon’s cover.

– Omar Rodriguez-Lopez – Telesterion: 4LP box of his new greatest hits collection. [350 copies]

– Ozzy Osbourne – “Flying High Again”: RSD 7″ featuring live version of “I Don’t Know” as the B-side.

– Queen – Stormtroopers In Stilettos: Limited edition 7″ features two previously unreleased versions of tracks recorded in the early 70′s, “Keep Yourself Alive (Long Lost Retake)” (from Queen) and “Stone Cold Crazy” (2011 Remaster) (from Sheer Heart Attack). [2,000 copies]

– R.E.M. – Three: 3 x 7″ box set featuring three live singles.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers/The Ramones – “Havana Affair”: Split 7″ featuring Ramones original plus Chili Peppers’ cover.

– Panda Bear – Tomboy: Limited edition of new album on clear vinyl, featuring exclusive t shirt. [1,000 copies]

– Phish – Two Soundchecks: The band’s first ever live vinyl release and their first release in conjunction with Record Store Day. The A-Side is an instrumental jam culled from the soundcheck of Phish’s third show of a sold out three-night stand at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA. The B-Side is an especially exotic soundcheck from Hartford, CT in 2009, featuring Trey on Bass, and Fish on drums. [2,000 copies]

– The Rolling Stones – “Brown Sugar”: 7 inch single vinyl replica of the original EP. B/w b-sides “Bitch” and “Let It Rock”.

– Syd Barrett: An Introduction to Syd Barrett: 180 gram double LP features tracks that Barrett recorded while he was with Pink Floyd as well as solo recordings.

– Yeasayer – End Blood: 7″ single featuring two previously unreleased tracks.

Of the 14 gazillion acts that will end up playing South by Southwest 2011, here are some more to consider:

Widespread Panic, Emmylou Harris, Black Lips, and Okkervil River head the latest batch additions to this year’s lineup. Other newly confirmed notables include Diplo, Kylesa, Wavves, Times New Viking, Cold War Kids, Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam, Greenhornes, The Raveonettes, Friendly Fires, The Chain Gang of 1974, OFF!, Boys Noize, Richie Hawtin, Esben and the Witch, The Chapin Sisters, Cults, Tennis, and Tech N9ne.

Still going: Raphael Saadiq, The Moondoggies, Edwyn Collins, Deer Tick, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Fake Problems, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Fang Island, Twin Shadow, Memoryhouse, April Smith and the Great Picture Show, and Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band are also set to play, as are Dirty Ghosts, Ear Pwr, Emmure, Gold Panda, Ha Ha Tonka, The Hood Internet, Shabazz Palaces, Tape Deck Mountain, Denison Witmer, The Octopus Project, and Royal Bangs.

And while we’re on the subject, it’s also worth mentioning that Foo Fighters have announced that they will premiere their forthcoming documentary at this year’s festival. Hopefully we’ll get a show at Stubb’s, too.

For an exhaustive look at all of this year’s confirmed participants, head on over to Festival Outlook.

The music portion of South by Southwest 2011 runs from March 16-20 in Austin, Texas. For ticket information and all other necessary details, visit sxsw.com.

The 2011 festival season lineup news continues to roll in, as Colorado’s Telluride Bluegrass Festival has announced the beginning (emphasis on beginning) of the lineup for its 38th incarnation. Leading the list of familiar names are Robert Plant & Band of Joy, The Decemberists, The Sam Bush Band, and Béla Fleck & the Original Flecktones (‘original’ refers to the groups 1991 lineup, which recently regrouped). Further highlights include Emmylou Harris and Yonder Mountain String Band. Bush and Fleck will also be part of the Telluride House Band, set to feature Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton, and Stuart Duncan, all bluegrass icons in their own rights.

Other acts of note on the bill include Railroad Earth, a solo-set for Meyer, the Punch Brothers, Peter Rowan, Cornmeal, and The Infamous Stringdusters. For a complete rundown of the lineup announced so far, check out Telluride’s festival outlook page. Stay tuned as more artists are announced.

Planet Bluegrass, the company behind Telluride, also recently revealed the lineup for their 39th annual RockyGrass Festival. Steven Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers top the preliminary announcement, along with the Del McCoury Band and the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band. Complete details and artists list for the July 29th-31st event can be found here.

The Telluride Bluegrass Festival goes down June 16th-19th in Telluride, CO. Tickets for both festivals are currently on-sale here, or by calling 800-624-2422. The fest’s website makes note of “a limited number of discounted holiday-priced tickets,” so if you want to give someone bluegrass for the holidays, get your tickets now.

The names that stand out are frankly shocking gets for a free and ticketless festival: Joan Baez, Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes, and the Godmother of Punk herself, Patti Smith. Other old guys include Richard Thompson, Robert Earl Keen, Steve Earle and the Dukes, and some Grammy-winning singer-songwriters in The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue (Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, and Boz Scaggs). Oh, and right off the heels of Toy Story 3, Randy frigging Newman. Yeah.

There’s stuff for the cool kids too: Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, The Avett Brothers, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Umphrey’s McGee, Jenny & Johnny (Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Rice), Lucero, The Felice Brothers, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Gillian Welch, and…drumroll…SF hero Mike Patton as Mondo Cane.

Other notable acts include Emmylou Harris, Hot Tuna Electric, The Del McCoury Band, T-Bone Burnett and Friends, Indigo Girls, Moonalice, Fountains of Wayne, Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller, Doc Watson and David Holt, The David Grisman Quintet, Bonnie “Prince” Billy & the Cairo Gang, The Flatlanders, and Railroad Earth.

There are plenty more acts, and you can see the full list here. The website promises additions, so begin rumor-mongering. This thing goes down the weekend of October 1-3; check back here for updates.

As Rolling Stone reports, on January 29th, in Los Angeles, the event will honor both Young’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-worthy musical achievements as well as his philanthropic work, which includes leading roles in both Farm Aid and the Bridge School benefit concerts.

And to celebrate the occasion, artists like Dave Matthews, Wilco, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Jackson Browne, Norah Jones, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris, Ozomatli, Josh Groban, Everest, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (hiatus no more!) will come together to provide the evening’s entertainment.

If you’re interested in attending the event (and have at least $1,250), click here to download the reservation form.

The gala will be among the highlights in the week leading up to the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, taking place January 31st at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Bono, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin and, most recently, Neil Diamond are among those who have been past honorees of MusiCares Person of the Year.

Elvis Costello & Emmylou Harris – “Scarlet Tide”

Tom Waits – “Day After Tomorrow”

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