No Newport Folk Festival this year, you can guess why

By adamg on Wed, 04/29/2020 - 11:28pm

Jay Sweet, executive producer of the annual festival announced today they've called off the festival, originally scheduled from July 31 to Aug. 2 because of Covid-19 concerns.

This is the letter I was praying I wouldn’t have to write, feeling we need the healing powers of live music more now than ever. It is with the heaviest of hearts we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Newport Folk Festival. As devastating as it is to write those words, it’s balanced with a renewed sense of, well, HOPE. It’s Rhode Island’s motto for good reason and it’s also the feeling you, our festival family, constantly exudes when we come together in good times and perhaps more importantly, in difficult times as well. This community is truly unlike any other in music, and I believe we can emerge from this hardship stronger and more connected than ever before.

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Too late but missed opportunity

By JohnAKeith on Wed, 04/29/2020 - 11:40pm.

You should start rhyming cancellations like you did with the T delays ...

Folk Fest

By perruptor on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:32am.

Under Arrest

Dylan Famously There Went Electric

By John Costello on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 9:34am.

This Year's Fest Got Cancelled By A Pandemic.

And what ever happened to T delays?

By jmeltzer on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 7:13am.

Are they still happening, now that ridership is way down?

I still get the alerts on my

By anon on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 9:24am.

I still get the alerts on my phone even though I haven't used the T in six weeks. Makes me reminisce.

Blue Line Fail

By anon on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 10:42am.

Twice in the past week the Blue Line ceased functioning and had to run shuttle buses. Even with ridership at an all time low they STILL can't keep the darn thing moving.

Makes sense

By Parkwayne on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 9:33am.

The average age of a Newport Folk festival attendee has to be around 80, same as covid victims.

Any institution that venerates a creep like Livingston Taylor can fuck off anyways.

Eek

By Scratchie on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 11:22am.

That escalated quickly.

Made me look

By perruptor on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:24pm.

I wondered why you called Livingston Taylor a creep, so I searched on the web. Nothing. So, why is he a creep?

I had to Google it too

By Scratchie on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:32pm.

He's been accused of sexual harassment at Berklee:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/16/metro/sexual-harassment-allegatio...

I have to wonder if ParkWayne was so concerned about his creepiness prior to March 16th.

As for "veneration"? I wasn't aware that he was particualrly "venerated", as opposed to, say, booked occasionally. Anyone care to dig up a list of how often, and how recently, he's even played the Newport Folk Fest?

It seems pretty moronic to write off an entire festival (that is enjoyed by fans of all ages) because of the behavior of one past-his-prime performer, but what do I know?

So, after 4 years...

By perruptor on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:51pm.

The Glob won't let me read anything but the headline there. After 4 years, has there been a court case, or any official action, or does this remain an allegation?

The allegations are from this

By Scratchie on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:59pm.

The allegations are from this year, and Taylor has been placed on leave while the school investigates.

The social media frenzy started on Feb. 29.

Only two months away from her Berklee graduation, Leng Bian posted a black-and-white photo of her smiling and holding her harp — her “favorite pic” of herself, according to the caption. Below the picture, she detailed the sexual comments she allegedly endured from her unnamed professor — identified by others as Taylor — in the 32-student class. With more than 3,000 likes and 300 comments, her public post encouraged the administration to terminate her alleged abuser.

Berklee doesn't have a great record in this regard, obviously, but it just strikes me as a little bizarre that someone's first reaction to a news story about one of the most famous and historic music festivals in the world is "But... Livingston Taylor!"

Unfair

By Parkwayne on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 3:38pm.

My first reaction was to make fun of the age of folkies THEN I went after Taylor second.

It's all just a bit of shit talking on the internet honestly. A music festival that brings joy to people who want to be there is a good thing whether it's the Gathering of the Juggalos or the Folk Festival.

(But seriously, folk music .... ooof.)

Cool story, bro.

By Scratchie on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 3:39pm.

Cool story, bro.

Obviously...

By Hunter on Fri, 05/01/2020 - 7:48am.

...You've never attended the festival. There's a good balance between folk, rock and blues and the artists that play always bring their A Game. It's a fantastic weekend at the waterfront and a very chill atmosphere. Forums like this have devolved into people who know little taking the opportunity to prove it with other people who like to gripe all the time. Congratulations.

Four years?

By Allstonian on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 1:00pm.

I know that time is all messed up these days, but the linked article is from March 16, 2020, which is roughly six weeks ago.

Yes

By perruptor on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 3:55pm.

I'm clearly having a numbers problem today.

No Newport Folk Festival this year, you can guess why

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