A Legend Returns

Bob Dylan

On Saturday, August 3, the Newport Folk Festival celebrated its 28th annual weekend event at the Fort Adams State Park with a sold-out crowd of 10,000 fans. This is a dramatic increase in attendance from recent years, which probably had something to do with the long-awaited return of folk/ rock legend Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan began his career exploring New York City coffeehouses in the early 1960s, and at age 19 recorded his first album. He quickly established himself as a folk poet whose songs told stories that defined an age. Dylan has won six Grammies and one Oscar and has recorded 45 albums; his latest, Love and Theft, won a Grammy this year for Best Contemporary Folk Recording. Life Magazine has recognized Bob Dylan as one of the hundred most important Americans of the 20th century.

It has been 37 years since Dylan made his July 25, 1965 debut "electric" appearance at the Festival Field in Newport (the original site of the Festival). Since that day there has been disagreement as to the crowd's reaction when the 24-year-old singer appeared playing a sunburst Fender Stratocaster guitar and sporting a lime green, polka-dot shirt with a black leather jacket. Some say he was booed off the stage and that folk icon Pete Seeger, along with folk purists, became enraged when Dylan went on stage with an electric band. But many local residents who were at the Festival Field on that day recall the audience as cheering and not booing. Perhaps the crowd had difficulty hearing Dylan's voice over the amplifiers, or maybe when he ended his set after three songs the fans were yelling for an encore …

Whatever the details of that historic 1965 concert, it's only one scene from Dylan's long career, and definitely didn’t have a lasting negative impact on his popularity. This time it was clear that when Saturday's crowd of 10,000 began clapping and chanting Dylan's name at 5:30 p.m., they wanted to hear one of the great folk legends perform! It didn't matter whether it was acoustic or electric, or even that Dylan went on stage 37 minutes late. The fans had weathered heat in the mid 90s all day, and they weren't ready to go home.

Arlo Guthrie

Dylan's controversial new sound had influenced the birth of folk-rock—especially his 1965 and 1966 releases Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde—and the crowd recognized whatever injustice may have taken place in '65. One fan yelled out: "We owe you, Bob!" Another added: "Thanks for 37 years of great music!"

The fans also yelled out requests, but Dylan ignored them. He came with a prepared set list and shifted between acoustic and electric. Dylan didn't converse with the audience. He is a bit shy, as well as hyper-photo-sensitive. Press photographers were not allowed to take shots from the photo pit, and festival producer Bob Jones asked the crowd not to take pictures—particularly with long-lens cameras.

Dylan began his 14-song set (which was followed by a 5-song encore) with "Roving Gambler" and ended with "All Along the Watchtower." Dylan is known for rearranging his songs beyond recognition, especially songs from earlier in his career. He has never been in the habit of playing his songs the same way twice, a fact which displeases some fans. It took me 30 or more seconds to recognize that Dylan was playing "Mr. Tambourine Man," one of my favorites.

Dylan's presence, complete with personal security force, made for a security overload backstage. Reporters, photographers and sponsors were not permitted backstage. There were special guests in attendance, including former Vice President Al Gore, actor Richard Gere, and crew from the Hell's Angels, who were welcomed guests of Dylan.

The Blind Boys of Alabama

His appearance was a bit different from '65, but it defined who Bob Dylan is—his own man. He wore a white satin shirt, a silk western scarf around his neck, and a black vest and black pants; he concealed his face with a scraggly beard, a big white cowboy hat, and a ponytailed hairdo with short loose ends that hung around his face. Dylan obviously knew that the press and fans would sneak a photo or two, which may be why he wore a wig and fake beard.

Other great performances at the Festival on Saturday included Slaid Cleaves, The Waifs, Rosie Ledet, John Gorka, Jonatha Brooke, Shawn Colvin, Maura O'Connell, a song circle with Vance Gilbert and others, and Pastures of Plenty, to name a few.

Sunday's atmosphere was much more relaxed, with about 6,500 people in attendance. The hype about Dylan's return had died down, and the tone was festive. Performers on the Fort and Borders stages included Dar Williams, Mark Erelli, Melissa Ferrick, Richard Shindell, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Natalie MacMaster, Bruce Cockburn, Vance Gilbert, Dave Massengill, Lynn Miles, The Hackberry Ramblers, Jack Williams, and headliner and closing act Arlo Guthrie.

The Blind Boys of Alabama gave a spirited performance that the audience loved; to the right side of the stage, Festival founder George Wein could be seen tapping his feet and clapping throughout their set. Their rendition of "Amazing Grace" laced with "House of the Rising Sun" was spine-tingling. Natalie MacMaster, known as the "fiddle-wielding bolt of lightening," captivated the audience with her high-energy performance, as she fiddled and step-danced simultaneously.

Dar Williams

The real crowd-pleaser came when Arlo Guthrie entered the stage, a half-hour behind schedule. (The earlier performance by The Blind Boys of Alabama had run over its scheduled time, which the crowd viewed as an extra bonus.) The crowd didn't have to wonder what to expect from Arlo Guthrie. He is down-to-earth and seems to enjoy having his photo taken, as well as mingling with the crowd backstage prior to his performance. Unlike Bob Dylan and his entourage, Arlo's presence didn't overshadow the other performers.

Arlo Guthrie has been singing and writing songs since he was 13 years old. His career took off in 1967 with the debut of "Alice's Restaurant" at the Newport Folk Festival. Arlo closed the weekend with a laid-back, chatty set full of storytelling and audience sing-alongs.

Guthrie reminisced about his longtime friendship with Bob Dylan and growing up as the eldest son of the late, great Woody Guthrie and Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, a professional dancer with the Martha Graham Company. He recalled how, at a music festival in the early '60s, Mrs. Guthrie entrusted Bob Dylan to keep a watchful eye on her 14-year-old son. Arlo paused and snickered mischievously, exclaiming: "Boy, did we have a good time!"

This was a record-breaking year for the Newport Folk Festival, and the artist line-up was extraordinary. The festival returned this year with a new sponsor (Apple and Eve fruit juice) and two new stages—the Family stage, where parents and children enjoyed various programs designed for all ages, and the Roots stage, similar to the famous workshop of Newport in the ‘60s. The Borders stage drew in a steady stream of fans to see renowned artists and emerging songwriters. On the Fort Stage, Vance Gilbert served as the weekend emcee (another new concept); his great sense of humor kept things moving along between sets.

Natalie MacMaster

This year's festival met with new challenges by presenting an eclectic group of artists who not only reflect the trends of today, but also link us to the past. Do we dare hope that next year's artists might include Joan Baez or Peter, Paul and Mary?

Each year, whatever the line-up, fans at the Newport Folk Festival can expect to be treated to a host of musical greats, past and present, so buy your tickets early. And if you attended Saturday's show at this year's festival, save your ticket stub. It's a hot piece of memorabilia.

Apple and Eve CEO Gordon Crane, and Festival founder George Wein