Hear Full Newport Folk Sets from Sturgill Simpson & Jason Isbell
The legendary Newport Folk Festival is the new old place to discover the music that is righteous and relevant at this very moment in time, however loosely used the term “folk” has become when perusing the fest’s lineups of recent years. The place where Dylan first went electric, and where Johnny Cash first introduced the world to Kris Kristofferson has been working extra hard over the last few seasons to rekindle its history as a place where landmark shifts in music occur, and legendary careers are launched.
And if you’ve charged yourself with such pursuits, it would only seem fitting that you would book country music’s current golden boy Sturgill Simpson, and this generation’s King of Americana Jason Isbell. Only a select few music listeners can trek to the Northeast and secure a ticket for the famed event, but luckily NPR and the miracle of the internet can allow you to pull up a lawn chair right in front of the stage overlooking the coastline and listen along in the comfort of your own home.
The Newport Folk Festival was founded in 1959 by George Wein with the help of Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Oscar Brand, and Albert Grossman. Since its beginning, it has remained a non profit.
Enjoy.
Judd
July 31, 2015 @ 8:04 am
It seems sturgill was having some throat issues but still solid as ever. His band is just amazing
Jim Bob
July 31, 2015 @ 9:06 am
Yeah, he does sound a bit off. Don’t care though, cause this is great listening to while I unpack! And his band really is just the best. They’re so good I bet they could make a sam hunt song sound halfway tolerable. Maybe
Stephen
July 31, 2015 @ 8:13 am
I’ll be seeing Sturgill twice this fall – the Atlanta show and the Los Angeles gig. I missed seeing him this past weekend in New Hampshire due to letting that date sneak up on me and I totally dropped the ball.
Charlie
July 31, 2015 @ 8:28 am
I’ve been rick-rolled with that intro shit. Damn.
judd
July 31, 2015 @ 8:34 am
He did the same intro for Bonnaroo.
Seems be a kick he is on.
I know when I saw him may 2nd in cary, NC with OCMS he came out to some real traditional country and the intro maybe lasted 15 seconds
Matt
July 31, 2015 @ 10:42 am
Sturgill loves EDM. Saw him in Milwaukee last December and he walked out to similar music. I remember him saying after Glastonbury (I think it was Glastonbury) that his favorite part of the festival was seeing Skrillex perform. Would not be surprised if he incorporated that kind of music into his next album. If he does, I hope it’s done well.
Albert
July 31, 2015 @ 10:55 am
“Sturgill loves EDM. Saw him in Milwaukee last December and he walked out to similar music. I remember him saying after Glastonbury (I think it was Glastonbury) that his favorite part of the festival was seeing Skrillex perform. Would not be surprised if he incorporated that kind of music into his next album. ”
Maybe the Sturge man has been hanging with Zak Brown or Eric Church…or even Hunt . That EDM thing is as contagious as all that chanting shit . Let’s leave chanting to the Gregorian monks and the EDM to the rappers . All that trendy post -hip crap just dates a record and alienates fans . I can understand an artist wanting to be adventurous and creative ON THEIR OWN TERMS ( Sgt . Pepper’s , Pet Sounds , Graceland , Close To The Edge ) but wanting to do something cuz its supposedly ‘ hip ‘ cheapens your product , I think . How ’bout ditch the EDM and put an accordion ( organic …no pun ) on your record …something that actually evokes an emotional response and not a gag reflex ?
Cool Lester Smooth
August 1, 2015 @ 6:41 pm
Hahaha, no self-respecting rapper uses EDM.
That shit is for, and by suburban white kids.
Jim Bob
July 31, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
If he incorporates it, I have no doubt it’ll be done well. It’ll piss me off, of course, but he did say this next one’s gonna make a lot of people mad.
I just look at the listening to the rain/motivator bit and have no problem with it. Even when he goes a but funky it’s still badass. And still WAY more country than Sam hunt. Can’t wait!
John Hennessy
July 31, 2015 @ 9:07 am
Thanks for sharing! Isbell and Simpson, good for the soul!
jimmy row
July 31, 2015 @ 9:09 am
Solid show Sturg, but please fuck off with the techno music! I like the addition of the keys, but please stop jamming that buttfucking techno music before the show!
“60 years ago you people would have booed me off the stage” I’m about to boo you off the stage before you even get on there if you don’t stop playing that goddamn burning man bullshit!
His next album is gonna piss me off, I just know it.
BrettS
July 31, 2015 @ 9:25 am
Yeah that’s a weird transition, going from that techno stuff right in to ” Sitting Here Without You “. Seemed very odd.
Castor Troy
August 1, 2015 @ 12:39 pm
It’s almost like– some people like certain music and others don’t. I’m sure your opinion is really valid when you use the phrase “buttfucking music” to get your point across.
I think it’s pretty damn lame to judge an artist based on music he himself likes to listen offstage. I’m sure he loves having fans such as yours in his camp.
James
August 2, 2015 @ 3:08 am
I hear his next album is gonna have horns on a few tracks and is gonna be awesome, but then again this may just be a rumor I herd.
RG
July 31, 2015 @ 10:28 am
I love the riff’s toward the end of Listening to the Rain with The Motivator. Lil Joe just tears it up!
judd
July 31, 2015 @ 10:32 am
Hope he keeps ” Lil Joe” in the band. That Estonian has to have a lot of offers on the table for him
RG
July 31, 2015 @ 11:38 am
Yea I hope so! I know his Visa is coming due soon though. I assume he’ll get an extension on that.
Jim Bob
July 31, 2015 @ 2:04 pm
I’ve thought from the beginning that lil joe would only be temporary. Good, bad, or indifferent, that dude’s too good on the guitar for country music. Kinda surprised he’s still around, to be honest
Stephen
July 31, 2015 @ 5:29 pm
Brad Paisley is also “too good on the guitar” for country music. Hahaha
RG
July 31, 2015 @ 7:12 pm
I agree. Surprised somebody hasnt offered him a nice chunk of change and he bolt. I doubt he stays much past the end of this fall tour.
ElectricOutcast
July 31, 2015 @ 10:33 am
From what I heard Isbell was given an electric guitar played by Bob Dylan at the 65 Festival
Jake
July 31, 2015 @ 11:28 am
I could be totally off base but I do have concerns about Sturgill’s next album too. He is one who doesn’t seem to care about carrying a torch for traditional country and would do a complete 180 in his music just because. Again, this could be totally wrong but just a sense I get.
judd
July 31, 2015 @ 1:30 pm
I was at first not in love with metamodern… But it grew on me. “it ant all flowers” is rock but its well done.. And the next track “pan bowl” is as country as anything. ” Living the dream” isn’t exactly traditional country but its a dang good song.
Will I be mad if he does some EDM heck yes… but if its well done I can learn to love the artist for who he is even if its not in the genre I selflessly want him to be in.
Big Pete
July 31, 2015 @ 12:45 pm
There’s also a very good live set of sturgill simpson available on the internet archive: https://archive.org/details/SturgillSimpsonLiveAtTurnerHall2014-12-5
Steel
July 31, 2015 @ 2:07 pm
Who cares if Sturgill comes on stage to EDM? The dude is just about as authentic a human being as they come and he’s going to do whatever the hell he wants. Just be happy he is making awesome music. My assumption is that the more people try to hold him to the standards they believe the “Savior of country music” should have, the more he will veer away from the whole scene. No wonder he says he is only doing 5 albums, people are already trying to scrutinize every little thing.
Big Cat
July 31, 2015 @ 5:42 pm
Thank you. Amen. People bitch about anything. Traffic, politics, religion…… Figure out how to pay your power bill and shut up. Metamodern was not close to “traditional country”. He’s moving this way since High Top. I hope he does piss people off. Do your thing Sturg, that’s why we love you.
Whoever above mentioned Sam Hunt and Sturgill Simpson together should received a lifetime ban from SCM for ignorance of the ass mouth.
BrettS
July 31, 2015 @ 8:22 pm
Well I wasn’t necessarily bitching in my earlier post. Was just saying that the intro sounded weird to my ears followed by one of his more country sounding offerings.
Trigger
July 31, 2015 @ 9:28 pm
Look, whatever Sturgill’s next album is, is what it will be, and we’ll cross the Rubicon when we get there. I’ve been saying for months I am expecting to be let down, and anything above that will be gravy. And just because it has some EDM stuff doesn’t immediately mean it’s going to be crap. We’re not stupid. If you’ve been listening to what Sturgill has been saying lately, then you know exactly what to expect from this next record.
But doing something that inadvertently pisses people off is one thing. Doing something to intentionally piss people off is another. So anyone “hoping” Sturgill’s next record pisses people off is something I take issue with, whether that’s what some fans want, or what Sturgill wants himself. And frankly, that’s my greatest fear about this upcoming record, that there will be stuff to intentionally piss people off instead of a creative effort that may inadvertently end up with that result. But maybe it won’t be like that. We’ll just have to see.
Big Cat
July 31, 2015 @ 11:34 pm
Think you misunderstood my point. Obviously we all hope musically it’s a great record. I’ve seen SS 3 times in last 18 mos and have tickets to 3 more shows this year. My point was he’s not going to let down his true fans, but just as he has written about in his songs, he isn’t going to be pushed into any corner (“traditional”, the “savior” of some genre, etc.). So my point was I hope he does rub some people who are trying to force him to be something he doesn’t want to be (hence all the EMD bitching above).
Metamodern clearly had some such elements. If you listen to the guy his thoughts and beliefs are on the edge of the galaxy, literally. I look at it more in the psychedelic arena than any techno desires. I thought such comments were laughable that’s all.
Trigger
August 1, 2015 @ 7:27 am
So fans of Sturgill that hope his momentum helps right the country music ship aren’t true fans? I agree lumping our own expectations and goals for Sturgill on his shoulders is unfair to him, and I personally have been given a lot of credit for doing that by other media outlets who ask Sturgill if he’s “saving country music,” which appears to piss him off every time he’s asked, even when I’ve been cautioning for folks NOT take that approach to Sturgill. But being contrary for the sake of being contrary I think can (and has) resulted in some bad music over the years. Many of the people who see Sturgill as a “country music savior” are the people he built his career on. If it wasn’t for them, he would not be where he is today.
I’m really not trying to get in an argument here. I understand your point. Overall I would caution all of us to just let the new album come out (we don’t even have a street date yet), and then we’ll go from there. Who knows, there could be EDM stuff all over it, but it’s out generation’s version of “Pet Sounds.” Maybe Sturgill’s just trolling us all to throw us off the scent. We’ll just have to see.
Cool Lester Smooth
August 1, 2015 @ 6:46 pm
He’s drawing a distinction between people who love Sturgill because they love his music, and people who love Sturgill because they think he’s Country Music Jesus.
I think that’s entirely fair.
If Sturgill goes in a radically different direction, while still maintaining what makes him quintessentially Sturgill, then the first group of fans will stick with him, and a large percentage of the second group will abandon him en masse to the next person the internet tells them to like.
Big Cat
August 1, 2015 @ 8:00 am
To your reply below we are on same page. I agree. However Metamodern was a big shift from High Top. So I would debate your merit some on ‘those are the fans who built his career’. I think he’s posted here how broke he was trying to launch Metamodern. Metamodern put him on the music screen map, not High Top (which I love). I think the alternative, Americana and hippie scenes have boosted him further post Metamodern than any traditional followers. Your buddy Shooter has repeatedly said the same on the Waylon comparisons.
My personal opinion is the material is going to be pretty far out there where his thoughts are. If that incorporates more electric sounds that Cobb cooks up I’m all for it.
You are right, he’s tired of the ‘savior’ crap and the Waylon comparisons; he wants to have his own mark and the guy is off to a great start doing just that.
Wicket
August 1, 2015 @ 3:45 pm
Trigger, no offense but your comments are pretty disrespectful to Sturgill as an artist. You’re already betting against him after saying that he’s not reaching his full potential in your reviews. Which is it man? And why all this handwringing over an album that isn’t even out yet? The man has proved to put out some pretty solid work. Why would the next album be any different? Maybe you should abate your expectations and appreciate it for whatever it turns out to be.
Trigger
August 1, 2015 @ 6:20 pm
Wicket,
I’ve prompted most or all of my comments by saying we haven’t heard the album yet, and should wait to hear it before passing judgement. The only reason I even entered this discussion is because someone else said they hoped Sturgill’s new album pisses certain people off. But that’s not really a controversial comment, because Sturgill himself, and his producer, have been saying his new alum is going to piss some people off. So who is Sturgill in a position to piss off with this new album? Is he going to piss off pop fans? Is he going to piss off EDM fans? There’s only one demo he is in a position to piss off, and that is traditional country fans who have glamed onto him after his first two albums. This whole thing is fait accompli. We all know where we’re headed here. The reason this subject came up was because of the EDM music Sturgill had playing before his set.
Saying that I’m expecting the worst from Sturgill’s next album, and will be happy with whatever positive comes from it is my way to prepare based directly on Sturgill Simpson’s comments. I’m not asking or telling anyone else to take that same approach. And I have not made my mind up about the album. It could be the best album anyone’s released in the last decade. We’ll just have to see. And whatever opinions I share on it will be my honest thoughts. A hip-hop album is one of my favorite so far this year, so I maybe more open to new ideas than most people think.
Trigger
August 1, 2015 @ 6:37 pm
Also, Sturgill wants these discussions to be happening. That’s why he’s playing EDM cuts before his country set at a folk festival. He wants people to be flipping out. He also wants people defending him. This is all part of the process.
Wicket
August 1, 2015 @ 7:11 pm
Who cares what Sturgill says about an album, the album is all you have to worry about.
You’re all “Of course I believe in you Dewey, I just know you’re going to fail.”
Steel
August 1, 2015 @ 8:39 pm
The thing is that artists always say their next album is going to piss people off or at least surprise people but in reality its never that far off what is expected. Again, I do not think Sturgill is purposefully playing mind games, he does what he wants to do and I doubt there is a hidden agenda.
The build up to “Something More Than Free” made us expect something completely different, and its definitely a different sound than Southeastern, but its still distinctly Jason Isbell. I expect the same pattern from Sturgill. I bet if he was getting this much attention post High Top and pre Metamodern that we would be having the same fears leading up to Metemodern. Yes, it was different than High Top, but still Sturgill. Also, he has claimed he already tried to bring EDM to Metamodern but by only using real instruments (http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/the-new-age-outlaw-country-of-lydia-loveless-and-sturgill-simpson).Dave Cobb does not seem to do bad work, I’m sure its going to be solid music.
BetsyG
July 31, 2015 @ 3:53 pm
Having seen Sturgill four times now (going on five), both with an opening act and with a DJ, I have to confess that I prefer the DJ for a couple of reasons: 1) The DJ gets the audience revved up. I’m no professional musician (or even a mediocre one), but I think I’d rather have an energized audience over one that’s asleep. An excited audience also usually has a better experience at the show (and this I do know from experience, having produced more than a few performing arts events). 2) The DJ gives people a chance to get the damn talking out of their system. It functions more like background noise — sure it has a beat and you can dance to it, but you can also have a few beers, catch up with your buddies, and then shut the eff up for Sturgill’s set.
Stephen
July 31, 2015 @ 5:31 pm
For shows this fall, Sturgill will be having a comedian open for him.
judd
July 31, 2015 @ 5:45 pm
Next year when sturgill steps up venue size yet again it will be interesting to see who his opener is. I know its been either that DJ or Chris Jacobs or Billy wayne davis. I would personally love to see him pick up Pokey Lafarge but Im guessing next year Pokey goes out with OCMS.
At some point he has to pick up a “name” opener. but then again he is sturgill and he seems to buck trends…. and usually does a dang impressive job at it.
frosty
August 1, 2015 @ 3:11 am
Love me some Sturgill But sure do miss me some Leon Virgil Bowers!
BrettS
August 1, 2015 @ 3:16 am
Really wish I lived near Dallas and could see Isbell tonight with Randy Rogers Band , Whiskey Myers and Sunny Sweeney.
Zack
August 1, 2015 @ 6:40 am
It’s not really that this EDM on Sturgill’s next record will be “shit”, but as someone who doesn’t follow that genre AT ALL, I can say that it’ll be hard to form an opinion on the album. I don’t know what’s good or bad in that genre, because I don’t care.
Anyways, thanks for posting this.
Bill Goodman
August 1, 2015 @ 6:59 pm
These two need to do a co-headlining tour
James
August 2, 2015 @ 2:51 am
That sharecropper’s son tease was killer!