Saturday proceedings at this annual go-to festival:
The Mammals: Veteran folkies from Woodstock showcased recent release with a good tune about climate change and a screwed-down Aretha Franklin cover.
Big Mean Sound Machine: Instrumental Afro-beat group ( maybe from Chicago?) had a nice full sound. The female trombonist was great.
Birds Of Chicago: Duo of acoustic guitar and banjo/clarinet were quiet in the small tent.
Lucy Dacus: Critically acclaimed guitarist/vocalist had songs that started slow but crescendoed loud.
Deer Tick: Providence stalwarts showed that they are still rocking. This band is not afraid to turn it to 11. Did a great Pogues cover and a heart-wrenching version of Joe Cocker's "You Are So Beautiful".
Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express: Chuck has played this festival several times, spewing his trademark blend of Frisco-centric snarkiness. Gave a full band treatment to classics like "Storm Across The Sea" and "The Left Hand and The Right Hand", an ode to two brothers who owned a strip club. Chuck thought it would be a good idea for the audience to cajole the festival promoters into "getting the Kinks here next year".
Femi Kuti and The Positive Force: Son of Afro-beat legend Fela, Femi came with a large band with costumes and dancers carrying the flame. Behind a new release that is getting good reviews, Femi's high energy output was great.
Bella's Bartok: Regional gypsy-swing Rock outfit always puts on a great show. With horns and accordion and two charismatic front men, they displayed Eastern European traditional music with a rock and roll touch. A dancing lemur and a one-eyed monster made for a crowded stage presence.
Dr. Dog: Sophisticated pop from Philly have been at it for 10 years. Some of the young people in the crowd seemed to know most of the tunes, which is a good sign.
Marco Benevento: Scroll back in the blog a few months to get a positive review of Marco and talented bass player Karina. She seemed relaxed singing The Butthole Surfers classic "Pepper". Highlight of the day was Marco's take on Pink Floyd's "Fearless" that flowed into "Bennie and The Jets", back to "Fearless"... Wow.
Michael Franti and Spearhead: It has been a long time since the socially conscious Spearhead released the amazing "Stay Human" record. His newfound pop pivot is outweighed by his positive spirit, that oozes optimism, which is a rare commodity in today's world.
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