VIA PRESS RELEASE | This year’s Newport Folk Festival—one of the oldest and longest running music festivals in the world, will not happen in person.
Since fans can’t be together at the Fort, Newport Folk is bringing the music to you with radio broadcasts from over 60 years of archived sets, webcast concerts, and a very special film to close the weekend. The ticketed events will feature never-before seen live performances from artists such as Mavis Staples, Deer Tick, Leon Bridges, Roger Waters & Lucius, Sharon Van Etten, Jim James, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Tom Morello, Phoebe Bridgers, Trombone Shorty, Langhorne Slim, Molly Tuttle, Ben Harper, Joe Henry and more! Fans can also tune in via WFUV, WMVY and WEXT all weekend long to listen to broadcasts of archived sets. Schedules and more details are below. To purchase tickets and find additional information visit https://newportfolk.org/revival.
The Revival Weekend is Newport’s way of celebrating all of the work we’ve done together, bringing music to our communities any way we can. “In the history of this festival, there has never been a time like we’re in now,” says Executive Producer Jay Sweet. “A global pandemic shuttering our plans to congregate before quickly shifting into the biggest civil rights movement in over 50 years. Many of our lives have drastically changed, financially, emotionally, and/or irrevocably. It has been painful for many of us, on the front lines fighting the pandemic, on the front lines fighting social injustice and especially for those losing loved ones along the way.
While it was an emotional gut punch to cancel the festival in a year where it is so clearly needed, we felt it was imperative to our community to do something. Music has always brought our family together, even when we’re divided. The Newport stage has always been a sanctuary for artists to speak their minds on the times in front of us, not with merely one voice alone, but many in unison. This year’s Newport is no exception, collectively representing what it feels like to be human in today’s world by amplifying our convictions. For 2020 these voices will be our megaphone, these events our stage.”
LISTEN: NEWPORT FOLK REVIVAL RADIO
What: Stream the most memorable sets from Newport Folk’s archives
When: All weekend long (July 31-Aug 02) | 11AM-7:30 PM Daily
How: Tune in to WFUV (NYC), WMVY (Martha’s Vineyard), WEXT (Albany) or via newportfolk.org
WATCH: MAVIS 80
What: Premiere of Mavis Staples birthday celebration. Previously recorded live in LA at The Theatre At Ace Hotel on May 22, 2019. Proceeds go to support the continued work of Newport Festivals Foundation to support artists and music education programs during these trying times.
When: Friday, July 31st | 8:30 PM EST
Who: Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Ben Harper, Phoebe Bridgers, M. Ward, Lucius, Trombone Shorty & more
How: Tkts via Fans.com | $30 w/ poster, $12 adv, $15 day | On-sale Tues, July 14th @10AM EST
WATCH: LAGUNITAS PRESENTS: DEER TICK & FRIENDS IN-YOUR-HOUSE PARTY LIVE FROM FORT ADAMS, A Benefit For Newport Festivals Foundation
What: Premiere of never-seen-before Deer Tick concert recorded in an empty Fort Adams with special guests joining remotely. Proceeds go to Newport Festivals Foundation to support artists and music education.
When: Saturday, August 1st | 8:30 PM
Who: Deer Tick, Leon Bridges, Sharon Van Etten, The Tallest Man On Earth, Robert Ellis & Courtney Marie Andrews
How: On sale now via Seated | $20 adv, $25 day of
WATCH: OUR VOICES TOGETHER
What: For over 60 years Newport has given artists a place to speak truth to power. This film will serve as this year’s stage. Shot both at Fort Adams and remotely, Our Voices Together will feature never before seen, original performances.
When: Sunday, August 2nd | 8:30 PM EST
Who: Brandi Carlile, Jim James, Roger Waters w/ Lucius, Jason Isbell, Tom Morello, Our Native Daughters, Langhorne Slim, Molly Tuttle, Devon Gilfillian, John McCauley, Chris Funk and special guests.
How: Via Youtube | Free
Join the Newport Folk family for some or all of the Newport Folk Revival Weekend festivities. To learn more visit https://newportfolk.org/revival.
The impact of this year’s cancellation has been felt deeply throughout the community as Newport Festivals Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3, relies on the money it makes each year at the festivals in order to carry out its work.Thanks to the support of our Newport Folk and Jazz fans, the foundation has been able to support music programs in our own backyard of Newport and all across America. In addition to its year round work, the foundation also created the Newport Festivals Musician Relief Fund to help mitigate financial hardship for musicians with over six figures in donations to date. We encourage fans to consider making a tax-deductible donation (newportfestivals.org/donate). Help us continue the festivals, support year-round music education initiatives, and provide grants to artists in need.
Created by George Wein (now 94) in 1954 and 1959 respectively, The Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals are some of the longest running music festivals in history. Newport Jazz has been home to legendary performances by Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, and Herbie Hancock while Newport Folk has had its stages graced by its co-founder Pete Seeger, Johnny Cash and of course Bob Dylan. Widely considered two of the most treasured cultural institutions in American history, they are known for their once-in-a-lifetime collaborations and more for what’s not announced than what is last year’s folk festival alone saw surprise performances from Dolly Parton, Jim James, James Taylor and even Kermit The Frog.
About Newport Festivals Foundation | Newport Festivals Foundation fosters the legacy and expands the impact of its Festivals through educational initiatives that celebrate innovation while preserving the deep traditions inherent in Jazz and Folk music. The Foundation’s goal is to offer opportunity, inspire through exposure and facilitate the collection of resources needed for musicians to celebrate and innovate. The focus on creating unique experiences to spark engagement is accomplished through a variety of initiatives, including instrument donations and performances at schools throughout Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
For more information on education initiatives offered by Newport Festivals Foundation, visit www.newportfestivals.org. Please consider making a donation to support the continued work of Newport Festivals Foundation.
