August 18, 2023
Newport Folk Festival Series Part 5, featuring Illiterate Light; Slaughter Beach, Dog; Orchestra Gold; and Laden Valley
Roadcase PodcastAbout this episode
It's time for the final installment of this year's in-person interviews I conducted at the legendary Newport Folk Festival which took place in Newport, Rhode Island, July 28-30. First up, my friends Jeff Gorman and Jake Cochran of Illiterate Light stopped by to chat with me about the Bike Stage that they hosted, curated and operated. Jeff and Jake -- a hard-core rocking two-piece by day -- have created a sustainable and entirely off-the-grid solution to set a shining example of how we can mitigate the environmental impact of the live music ecosystem. This is the embodiment of Think Globally, Act Locally!! Next up, I spoke to Jake Ewald of Slaughter Beach, Dog , a Newport Folk first-timer whose alt-folk brand of artistry was a perfect fit for the Harbor Stage audience. I talk to Jake about his powerful songwriting and how very unexpected it was for him to even be at Newport Folk. We share tons of laughs as Jake's comedic timing is spot-on. Slaughter Beach, Dog's new album Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling will be out September 22. I also had the pleasure of sitting down with Erich Huffaker and Mariam Diakite of Orchestra Gold , a band with roots both in Oakland, CA as well as Mali, West Africa. I talk with Erich and Mariam about the African Psychedelic Rock movement and how African Dance is integrated into the ethos of this band, whose mission is to "spread healing and community through the universal gift of music." Amen. And to close down the 2023 Folk Fest series, I had a gem of a convo with Newport natives Evan St. Martin and Dave Sarazen of Laden Valley . The first act to hit the stage this year, it was a surreal experience for sure, and they both related to me just how incredibly special it was for them, after years of attending the festival as fans, to actually be up there performing one of their rare live shows. This was an example of the pure joy of live performance for both fans and the artists themselves. It has truly been an honor to bring all these amazing artists to the Roadcase audience. Newport is a truly special experience for artists and fans alike, and I'm glad I can bring some of that excitement and musical joy to all of you. See you all at Newport 2024, and in the meantime, Rock On!!