Waters, others launch a collaborative Newport Folk Festival
BEN STAS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE
From left: Roger Waters, G.E. Smith, and My Morning Jacket's Jim James performed at the Newport Folk Festival on Friday.
By Sarah Rodman GLOBE STAFF JULY 25, 2015
NEWPORT, R.I. — Roger Waters promised that he would do something special as the Friday night headliner of the Newport Folk Festival, and he kept his word giving a one-of-a-kind performance.
The former Pink Floyd singer-songwriter not only surprised the sold-out crowd by teaming up with My Morning Jacket as his band, he also convened an all-star ad hoc backing choir with Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of Lucius, Amy Helm — daughter of the Band’s Levon — and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, who added extra color to Waters’s eclectic set with her fiddle, just minutes after ending her own superb set on a different stage with the Watkins Family Hour.
Bandleader and guitarist G.E. Smith rounded out the group as Waters dipped into the Floyd catalog for a tender take of “Wish You Were Here” — that had the crowd singing along — “Mother” from “The Wall,” and “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” from “The Dark Side of the Moon.”
He also celebrated the re-release of his 1992 solo album, “Amused to Death,” by playing the title track and “The Bravery of Being Out of Range.”
The classic rocker might have seemed an odd fit for the festival, but he made several pitch perfect gestures towards its storied history including a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young,” in honor of the 50th anniversary of the year Dylan famously went electric at the Fest, and John Prine’s crushing “Hello In There,” and was clearly having a ball. He also recruited Helm to help perform her dad’s song “Wide River to Cross.”
As if Waters himself wasn’t enough of a surprise, My Morning Jacket also played an unannounced, and fiery, set of their own prior to welcoming him to the stage.
That spirit of collaboration ruled the first day of the three-day festival.
Sam Beam — aka Iron & Wine — teamed with longtime buddy Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses to perform tracks from their recent album — including sublime covers of Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)” and Sade’s “Bullet Proof Soul.”
The two also individually guested with Calexico during that band’s vibrant set, which swung from rousing cumbia to moody ballads.
Bracing Americana rockers the Lone Bellow continued the cross-pollination vibe, inviting the ladies of Lucius to help provide harmonies on a cover of the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved” and buzzed about new soul singer Leon Bridges up for a prayerful take of their own “Watch Over Us.”
The Watkins Family Hour itself is a collective effort as Sara and brother Sean of Nickel Creek joined forces with Benmont Tench of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and Fiona Apple among others for a rousing set that careened from the sass of the Boswell Sisters to a bluegrass breakdown.
NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL
with Roger Waters, My Morning Jacket, Watkins Family Hour, Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell, and others;
Repeats Saturday and Sunday
Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GlobeRodman.
Roger Waters joins My Morning Jacket for surprise performance at Newport Folk Festival
Setlist: Crystal Clear (New song) Mother (Pink Floyd) The Bravery of Being Out of Range Hello In There (John Prine cover) Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) Wide River to Cross (Buddy Guy cover) Amused to Death Brain Damage > Eclipse (Pink Floyd) Forever Young (Bob Dylan cover)
*****
Setlist: Crystal Clear (New song) Mother (Pink Floyd) The Bravery of Being Out of Range Hello In There (John Prine cover) Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd) Wide River to Cross (Buddy Guy cover) Amused to Death Brain Damage > Eclipse (Pink Floyd) Forever Young (Bob Dylan cover)
*****
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