I look forward to the Newport Folk Festival all year. It's a weekend filled with unforgettable moments, inspiring new discoveries (Lord Huron, Bombino, Hurray For the Riff Raff) and collaborations you won't see anywhere else (Beck and Ramblin Jack Elliott!) in a setting that can't be beat. A few of my highlights from this year include being just inches away from The Lumineers during an impromptu performance among the crowd, checking out Jim James' one-of-a-kind dance moves from above the stage with my daughter Evangeline (perhaps his youngest superfan), watching Phosphorescent's head-banging keyboard player Scott Stapleton, hearing the sweet sounds of one of my all-time favorites, Andrew Bird, and getting goosebumps when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds as Beck closed out the festival with "Sunday Sun." For a music lover, it was a magical weekend. I love the moments when I share a smile with the person next to me, perhaps a perfect stranger, and know we are thinking the same thing – that we're bearing witness to something special, a moment that will stay with us forever. These are the moments that drive me to take pictures. Beck summed up my motivation perfectly when he said, “I see all these pictures backstage from the early days. (It has me) thinking about how good it looked back then, but it looks really good right now. Some day, in the 2024s, people will look back at the golden days of the 2010s.” I hope that someday in the future I'm lucky enough to have my photos serve as a window to this wonderful time in music.
Stelth Ulvang and Neyla Pekarek of The Lumineers take their performance from the Newport Folk Festival's main stage into the crowd.
Scott Stapleton plays keyboard with Phosphoresecnt.
Lord Huron
James Felice of The Felice Brothers plays accordion and sings.
Brian Elmquist, left, andZach Williams of The Lone Bellow
Kanene Pipkin performs with her band The Lone Bellow
Bassist Alan Hampton and guitarist Tift Merritt collaborate with violinst Andrew Bird on stage at the Newport Folk Festival. During the performance, Bird debuted the new song "Begging Questions."
Annah Hardesty sings and plays percussion with The Last Bison.
Teresa Totheroh plays violin with The Last Bison at the Newport Folk Festival.
Paul Niehaus plays pedal steel with Justin Townes Earle.
My girl, soaking in the scene, wearing the same serious expression as her father.
Did these ladies coordinate their outfits?
Evangeline couldn't get enough of the bottomless supply of Late July chips in the Family tent.
Ian Felice of The Felice Brothers
Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, of the Charleston, SC, band Shovels and Rope, perform a high energy set.
Jim James puts on a performance full of dance moves including twists, jumps, and even a short waltz with a golden animal figurine, on the main stage.
Note the excitement on Evangeline’s face as she watches her favorite performer Jim James.
Jim James makes the most of his wooly mane during his performance.
Tuareg guitarist and singer/songwriter Bombino brings his hyponotic desert rock from the Sahara to Newport.
Rhode Island’s own John McCauley plays an acoustic set.
Brothers Seth and Scott Avett and bass player Bob Crawford come together to sing during their Newport Folk Festival performance.
Avett Brothers fans show some love for the wildly popular North Carolina band during their Newport Folk Festival performance. Listen to the set on NPR: Here
Seth Avett of the Avett Brothers plays piano and sings during their performance.
Throughout the weekend I kept noticing the fantastic outfits worn by this stylish beauty, Odessa Rose. I love the way she combines this look, reminiscent of the late 60's/early 70's, with a pair of leather boots.
Guitarist Matt Myers and bassist Zak Appleby perform with their band of Houndmouth.
Folk music legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott entertains the Newport Folk Festival crowd with stories and songs.
After dedicating the Jimmie Rodgers song "Waitin ' For A Train" to Ramblin Jack Elliott, Beck is surprised on stage by Elliott himself, whom he calls "a big influence."
After I quickly squeezed my way through the crowd to capture this wonderful moment between Beck and one of his music idols Ramblin Jack Elliot together on stage, I made a couple of new friends and discovered these awesome sunglasses made of wood
This was our view as we enjoyed Beck's set backstage after a long weekend full of wonderful music.
Beck, seen in silhouette from backstage, closes out the 2013 Newport Folk Festival.
The sun comes out from behind the clouds as Beck fittingly closes out the 2013 Newport Folk Festival with the song Sunday Sun.
Newport Folk Festival producer Jay Sweet lights a sky lantern to release from the roof of Fort Adams in celebration of another successful weekend of music coming to a close.