Newport Folk Festival Lineup - Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst

Photo: Courtesy of Lost Highway.

By definition, folk music is music for the people, and in 2014 America, the people get down to lots of different sounds. You can bop to Miley, dig the Mumfords, and even blast the occasional metal album without getting weird looks, and that’s what makes this year’s mad-eclectic Newport Folk Festival an essential summer pilgrimage.

It’s not just three days of sensitive chicks and dudes strumming acoustic guitars, though there are plenty of terrific singer-songwriters on the bill. Newport ’14 skews rootsy but presents a good picture of where music is right now, and it’s way worth a drive to Rhode Island.

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Scheduled for July 25 through 27, Newport boasts one of the summer’s more diverse festival lineups, as headliners include resurgent alt-rock hero Ryan Adams, crazy-pants garage-rock chameleon Jack White, and R&B legend Mavis Staples. Other notable acts include reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, pop-bluegrass faves Nickel Creek, Wilco main man Jeff Tweedy, grungy Americana bashers Deer Tick, and Philly’s kings of blissed-out highway-ready Petty-esque wooze-rock, Kurt Vile and the Violators. Also, two of the best songwriters of the last 15 years: Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst.

Oberst, of course, was once tapped as the “new Dylan,” so it’s fitting the Bright Eyes mastermind play the festival where Bob notoriously “went electric” in ’65 and changed the face of rock ‘n’ roll forever. These days, plugging in ain’t no thang, and when those trippy folk-pop pups in Phox take the stage, they won’t have to worry about getting booed.

Neither will nimble-fingered Mexican Flamenco-metal duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, the Berklee Gospel and Roots Choir, or actor John C. Reilly, who recorded a mighty fine 2011 single for Jack White’s Third Man imprint.

Speaking of Third Man, the label will be on hand promoting spoken-word poetry via readers from Language Lessons Volume 1, a book of modern poems and prose released earlier this year. The learning continues over on the Museum Stage, where a series of “For Pete’s Sake” performances and workshops will celebrate the legacy of late troubadour Pete Seeger, a man who defined folk music for generations.

Check the full lineup after the jump, then start making those travel plans. Bonus points for anyone who gets there by hitching or hopping a boxcar.

Photo: Courtesy of Columbia.

Ryan Adams
Jack White
Mavis Staples
Band of Horses
Nickel Creek
Jeff Tweedy
Jimmy Cliff
Kurt Vile and The Violators
Conor Oberst
Jenny Lewis
Deer Tick
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Sun Kil Moon
Shovels & Rope
Dawes
Robert Hunter
The Milk Carton Kids
Trampled By Turtles
Devil Makes Three
Pokey Lafarge
Hurray For The Riff Raff
Lake Street Dive
Puss N Boots
Lucero
Reignwolf
Lucius
Pegi Young & The Survivors
Noah Gundersen
Houndmouth
Gregory Alan Isakov
Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer
J. Roddy Walston & The Business
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
Phox
Shakey Graves
Valerie June
Death Vessel
John Reilly & Friends
Hozier
Mandolin Orange
The Haden Triplets
The Lonesome Trio
Tall Tall Trees
The Oh Hellos
Caitlin Rose
Communion
Aoife O'Donovan
Ages and Ages
For Pete's Sake
Willie Watson
Leif Vollebekk
Benjamin Booker
The Deslondes
Berklee Gospel & Roots Choir
The Bluegrass Situation
Language Lessons V.1

AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

More from Music

Entertainment

JoJo Is All Grown Up & In Her ‘Favorite Chapter Of Life’

In 2004, Joanna “JoJo” Levesque was 13 years old and already making history. Off of her self-titled debut album, her breakout single “Leave (Get Out)

by Lia Tabackman

Unbothered

Black Swifties At The Eras Tour Defend Their Love Of Taylor Swift

This week, Billboard named Taylor Swift as the second greatest pop star of the 21st century. The top spot, of course, went to Beyoncé. As it should! (Is m

by Kathleen Newman-B...

Unbothered

Yes, British Group FLO Uses AAVE — Because Their Sound Is Global

In 2022, British R&B group FLO released their debut single, Cardboard Box, quickly becoming a viral sensation. It’s an anthem for anyone who’s

by Susan Akyeampong

Unbothered

Michaela Jaé Rodgriguez On Debut Album, Pose Reboot Chance...

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is no stranger to making history. As the first transgender woman to win a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Blanca Evangelista on P

by Ty Cole

Unbothered

GloRilla Feels Like She “Could Conquer The World” On ...

When it comes to creating a summer anthem, we can count on GloRilla to deliver infectious hooks on top of a monstrous beat. The Memphis rapper is a bonafid

by Giana Levy

Unbothered

Halle Bailey and DDG Have Split, But Was A Breakup Announcement N...

It’s official – Halle Bailey and Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr., who goes by the stage name DDG, have called it quits. The breakup between Bailey and DDG

by Giana Levy

Somos Latinx

With Gap Year, Laila! Is More Than a Viral Moment — She’...

There is nothing average about Laila! — at only 18, the singer, songwriter, rapper, and producer is working toward becoming one of Generation Z’s next

by Brenda Barrientos

Latine Heritage Month

Tokischa Is a Rebel With a Cause

It was a quiet summer evening in Washington Heights when suddenly an excited crowd gathered in front of a bodega on Juan Pablo Duarte Boulevard and 163 Str

by Zameena Mejia

Music

Tyla’s Historic VMA Win (& Great Speech!) Shouldn’t Be Overshadow...

Tyla etched her name in history as the first South African artist to win a VMA at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday. For her first VMA achieveme

by Giana Levy

Unbothered

Beyoncé Doesn’t Need The CMAs To Validate Her Genius. Cowboy C...

On Monday, the 2024 Country Music Association Awards (CMAs) made it clear that they want nothing to do with Beyoncè. The CMAs completely snubbed Queen Bey

by Giana Levy

Unbothered
Ice Spice vs. Cleotrapa Feud, Explained: A Clash of Friendship & ...
The feud between New York rappers and former friends, Ice Spice and Cleotrapa, has recently set the Internet ablaze. The back-and-forth drama the artists h
by Giana Levy

Unbothered
Victoria Monét & Usher School Us In Desire On “SOS (Sex On ...
Victoria Monét surprised fans on Tuesday by releasing another sultry R&B track for music lovers to add to their playlists. Her new song, “SOS,&#
by Giana Levy

The Newport Folk Lineup Is The Most Eclectic Yet

The Newport Folk Lineup Is The Most Eclectic Yet

More from Music