Day three of Newport Folk Festival could have been a tad bit a letdown after surprise sets by My Morning Jacket on Friday and James Taylor on Saturday. So, expectations were high for ’65 Revisited. I am a huge David Rawlings (and Gillian Welch) fan, and while the guests, including Robyn Hitchcock, John McCauley and Ian Patrick O’Neil of Deer Tick, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, Hozier, and others were not the big names buzzing throughout the day, it was a very solid set. And, hey, 10,000 voices singing “How does it feel?” as one is true bucket-list stuff, not to mention the “Rainy Day Women” closer with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was appropriately raucous.
The find of the day was Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats (check out “S.O.B.”). Kick ass Americana at its best. Blake Mills is worthy of the buzz. Raw and stripped, but in the best way, like when he tore up “When I Paint My Masterpiece”. Totally unassuming. And I dug First Aid Kit, even though the Soderberg sisters were one voice down. And Hozier has had quite the climb since he played a small stage at NFF last year…
Check out my gallery from day three below.
