Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI — July 25-27, 2025

In 2025, Newport Folk Fest is Still on the Cutting Edge of Modern Folk.

In 2025, Newport Folk Festival continues to cement itself as one of the most unique and special American music festivals, from its small seaside location to its refreshing take on the fluidity of genre. The festival’s continued success lies in its ability to appeal to music lovers of all generations by successfully toeing the line of upholding festival traditions and pushing folk music forward into its bright future. Each year, folk and rock legends carry on the festival’s legacy of returning performers and surprise guest collaborations– as highlighted last year when the festival served as a backdrop in the acclaimed Bob Dylan biopic, A Complete Unknown. 

DAY 1

One of the earlier performances on Friday was long-time indie rock fan favorite Alex G, fresh off the release of his tenth album, but his first on a major label. The album has received critical acclaim already and features the exciting first single Afterlife, which Alex performed along with his other hits from his bottomless discography. He played an acoustic set very fitting for Newport, with his partner Molly accompanying him on violin and keyboard.

The Brooklyn alt-rock band Geese is having a busy year between the success of their frontman Cameron Winter’s spectacular solo record and the upcoming release of their new album. Cameron Winter’s striking vocals give the band a very unique and immediately recognizable sound that is reminiscent of classic rock vocalists of past eras. Winter performed a solo set on piano earlier Friday morning, on Newport’s smaller stage which highlights mostly solo performers playing short sets throughout the weekend. In the afternoon, Winter was joined by the rest of Geese for an exciting performance of guitar hooks and deeply resonating vocals that could be heard from all around the festival. Unfortunately, Geese’s set was cut short by a severe storm warning and a brief evacuation from the festival grounds. In a fantastical change in weather, storm clouds parted and fans re-entered the historic seaside park just in time for one of the most impressive performances of the weekend.

In 2025, it’s hard to talk about the indie music scene without talking about alt-rock darling MJ Lenderman, who has been on the rise since his latest album was released last fall. The indie rock singer-songwriter has gained rapid popularity for the way he charms music lovers of all backgrounds with his dryly funny lyrics, masterful guitar hooks, and alt-country vocal sensibilities. Lenderman is no newcomer to the scene, and even performed on this very stage last summer playing guitar with his boundary-pushing punk-folk band Wednesday. But this year, the spotlight was on him directly, and he performed songs from the much-adored 2024 album Manning Fireworks as well as many songs from his previous record, Boat Songs. 

In many ways, nostalgia and respect for great musicians of the past are what drive the older audiences to Newport Folk Festival. When the festival first began, it was heavily rooted in folk tradition, but has since become a place for bringing out familiar faces of music or paying homage to classics of the genre.  

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been an established voice in indie rock since the turn of the century, and while they have been consistently releasing albums since their inception, there is an undeniable nostalgia for the early years in their performance. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, led by front woman Karen O began their early evening set with a cover of David Lynch’s hauntingly beautiful In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song), before continuing to play classics from their early 2000s records and a cover of Björk’s Hyperballad. 

Today, Jack Antonoff’s reputation as a prolific pop music producer often precedes him, but to indie rock fans of the near past, his band Bleachers is responsible for some of the most formative hits of the 2010s. When Jack took the stage on Friday night at Newport, he opened with a handful of these hits, including Rollercoaster and Goodmorning. Unlike at other festivals where the headliner of each day is a chart-topping pop star, Newport Folk’s headlining set of Friday was billed as “Jack Antonoff & Bleachers presents the Ally Coalition Talent Show”, and that obscurity usually means you can expect some surprise guests! The set featured guest after guest, including Weyes Blood, Waxahatchee, Dan Reeder, Jeff Tweedy, and most surprisingly Hayley Williams of Paramore. This collaborative portion of the set was kicked off by Weyes Blood singing an ethereal cover of Dream a Little Dream of Me. Her striking performance was one of many to enjoy in an evening of covers, talented stars, and Bleachers favorites as the sun set over the bay. 

DAY 2

The festival’s smaller Bike Stage continued to bring exciting and unexpected performers on Saturday, one of the first being the multitalented actress and model Diana Silvers. 

Silvers excitedly took the stage for her first-ever music performance, in a stylishly folksy red patterned outfit and an acoustic guitar. She played a handful of original songs and candidly told the crowd about her frustration with current national politics and the strong influence these feelings have on her songwriting. While still very early in her musical journey, Silvers is a strong newcomer to the indie folk scene, and her cover of Joni Mitchell’s California proved she has the vocals to fit in among other talented stars of today. 

Another exciting new star on Saturday’s lineup was Canadian pop singer Saya Gray, whose 2025 self-titled record SAYA includes many songs that have gained popularity online.
Her recent record quickly catches the listener’s attention with layered vocals, strong basslines, and rhythmic kick drums that are often reminiscent of early 2000s folk and rock. Gray performed her biggest hit SHELL (OF A MAN), early in her set to the delight of the crowd, who sang along enthusiastically.

During the morning and early afternoon sets at Newport Folk Festival, you never know what you will get, but it is often a refreshing combination of genres, and Obongjayar put on a great performance that embodies this fusion of sounds. The Nigerian-British performer has been gaining traction on the heels of his 2025 sophomore album and recent collaborations with Fred again..  and Little Simz. His unique musical blend can be attributed to his cultural influences from living in Nigeria before moving to the UK as a teen. Leading with his soulful, breathy voice, Obognjayar’s musical style has strong threads of afrobeats and sometimes spoken word or R&B throughout it in his silky Nigerian-British accent. On stage, these British influences are present, and he dominates the stage oozing confidence and dressed like a rockstar in leather boots and sunglasses.

Remi Wolf has played Newport Folk before, and this time her set was billed as “Remi Wolf & Friends. “The festival said, ‘How would you like to play a set and bring out all your friends?’” Remi told the audience after excitedly taking the stage. Her performance featured acoustic and stripped-down versions of her own songs and covers, joined by numerous guests. Her rotating crew of friends on stage included Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, John C Reilly, Saya Gray, Tiny Habits, and more.

This has been evident for a while – Waxahatchee is one of the brightest shining stars in the modern folk genre.  Her sound demonstrates the influences of country and rock as the umbrella of “folk” snowballs into its future, picking up more genres as it goes. 

Her evening performance on Saturday at the festival’s main stage had old fans and new listeners alike dancing and spinning around the harbor-side field. On Waxahatchee’s 2024 record, Tiger’s Blood, there was a strong country twang to her usually more folk rock style, all built upon the songwriting foundation she’s been quietly building for over a decade. Waxahatchee’s uniquely belting vocals are exploding with expressions of both angst and appreciation for the beauty of the world around her. At Newport on Saturday, she brought out friend and collaborator MJ Lenderman to perform their duet Right Back To It. Their artistic collaboration runs deeper than just one song, and he stayed on stage for numerous other songs to accompany her on guitar and vocals. Pairing Waxahatchee with MJ Lenderman on stage proves to be a striking combination that embodies modern alt-country sound. 

DAY 3

The third and final day of Newport Folk Fest saw a sprinkling of rain showers but nothing could stop fans from enjoying their final day at Fort Adams. Sunday kept that fantastic acts going, and the daily schedule featured two “to be announced” surprise sets on the Bike Stage. But one of the first scheduled acts was Jensen McRae. She has been an internet indie darling for a few years now. Between recent hit, Savannah and break-out 2021 hit My Ego Dies at the End, if you’re listening to sad indie-folk girls you’ll love Jensen McRae. 

The festival’s first surprise set of the day was revealed on the morning’s schedule to be a solo set by Matt Berninger of The National, who has recently released a solo record. Berninger’s status as a seasoned musician and performer was evident in his comfort and relaxation on the stage, even as a solo performer.

Chicago-based indie rockers Dehd took the stage on Saturday afternoon, performing a number of songs from thor recent fifth album, Poetry. Their high energy garage/surf rock had festival-goers swaying and dancing, especially to their renowned 2020 hit Bad Love. 

After a weekend of folk music and Bob Dylan references, a surprise stand-up comedy set that good-naturedly pokes fun at the whole thing was exactly what audiences needed. The second surprise time slot on Sunday was revealed to be SNL cast member James Austin Johnson, who delivered a hilarious 20-minute comedy routine including bits about Bob Dylan’s current performance style, the confusing local politics of suburban Rhode Island, and other topics tailored perfectly to a folk festival audience. Johnson concluded his set with a gut-busting rendition of a Bob Dylan song performed in his over-the-top impression of the folk icon’s aging voice. 

A few days after the 2025 festival came to a triumphant end, Newport Folk Festival was announced to be returning next year from July 24-26, 2026. You can find more information on their official website here!

Words & Photography: Kimmy Curry