I'm 30 now and.....

I turned 30 a few weeks ago. I targeted my birthday as the day that I'll try to make some positive changes. Once again I would try to eat better and go to the gym, I would dedicate some time every day (even if it's only a half hour) to writing a few pages of a screenplay I've been trying to write and I would read more books.

At least New Years is only a few months away so I can try again.

Newport Folk Festival - Part 2

This weekend was the tale of two days. Saturday the weather was bad but the lineup was awesome. Sunday, the weather was great but the lineup wasn't as good. Unlike the day before, we brought a cooler with pre-made mixed drinks in soda bottles (since you weren't allowed to bring in alcohol).

Since the music wasn't as important today, just a brief recap:

Brandi Carlisle - I really like her 1st CD, was off put by them using a song off her second album to promote a new season of Grey's Anatomy so I never got it. She sounded great and did the only encore I've seen at the festival so far doing Hallelujah.

Calexico - I only have one Calexico CD which I like a lot. Unfortunately they didn't play anything off of it. Other than JIM JAMES coming out for a song with them, the highlight was a good cover of Alone Again Or. I like Calexico's sound with the brass section and everything. I'm going to pick up some more of their stuff.

Son Volt - I was really big into Alt-Country a few years ago and Son Volt's Trace was a big album for me so it was cool to get to see them. We walked over to the Harbor Stage to see them. Hanging out behind the stage watching and eating some food was none other than JIM JAMES again. Between coming out with these other acts and just seeing him just taking in the whole festival raised my man-crush level to orange.

That pretty much wrapped up the festival for me. Jimmy Buffett was coming up next and the place was filled with Parrotheads. We hung out back at our blanket for a little bit. As soon as the applaud came for Jimmy Buffett we started packing up our blanket to the stunned amazement of some fans.

Fort Adams was a great venue for a festival. It was very spacious and the sound carried far. The atmosphere was great with boats crowded as close to shore as they could. It looked like a great party out there. I need a sailboat.

Back at the hotel, me and my friend were on the elevator back from the hotel rooftop bar. When the doors opened JIM JAMES was waiting to get on. We shook his hand and told him that we were fans and all that other stuff. He was really cool and genuinely seemed to appreciate it. Later on when we went back to the rooftop bar, he was still there. We had one more brief interaction and quietly shared a Newport sunset. Man-crush level...red.

Newport Folk Festival - Part 1

I've wanted to check out Newport for a few years now. Unbeknownst to me, it was my friend's favorite town in the world. So when I sent him a link (half jokingly) saying we should check out the festival he got really excited and it was booked two days later.

We got up there Friday night with our lady friends and went out for dinner and drinks. After dinner we went to a bar called The Red Parrot. At the back end of the bar we saw Jakob Dylan. In short, we met him, he seemed like a nice guy and he was very nice about taking a nice group photo with us. But he wasn't even the coolest musician I would meet that weekend.

Saturday:
Young at Heart Chorus - They were a novelty act but very entertaining. These guys were 75 to 85 years old singing Hendrix, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen songs. Seeing people move around singing, dancing and having a good time at their age was actually pretty moving. I'm actually glad I left before they were done so I didn't have to stay around for their inevitable standing ovation. If I had stayed I might have started welling up in front of people and I wasn't ready for that at noon.

Cowboy Junkies - Only went over for the last four songs. I'm only really familiar with their radio stuff which I didn't get to hear any. Pretty decent though.

Jakob Dylan - I was in to the Wallflowers first CD, but since then it seems like if you've heard one Jakob Dylan song, you've heard them all. I should have left this set a little earlier to go back to the main stage, but at the time, I thought meeting him the night before obligated me to stay for most of it.

Richie Havens - The reason I wish I left Jakob Dylan's set earlier. I only got there to see him close with a kick ass rendition of Won't Be Fooled Again.

When we first got to the festival, we were fortunate enough to lock down seats under the tent of the Harbor Stage which was where most of the good acts were playing that day. Between the threat of thunderstorms and the fact that the Harbor Stage had the better acts, it got more crowded at the tent as the day went on. As a group, there were acts that some of us wanted to see that others didn't which made saving seats alot easier.

Steve Earle and Alison Moorer - I enjoyed the 2nd half of his set more than the first. He brought out a DJ and played 'Satelite Radio' which I've heard before somewhere. As a fan of The Wire, the highlight was him closing with Down in The Hole.

She & Him - Probably my favorite performance of the festival (I may have retroactively changed my mind on that though which I'll explain later.) I've been getting into Zooey Deschanel lately as a singer and as a piece of ass. I love her voice on the album and it really holds up live too. She doesn't always look comfortable on stage but that is expected from someone who only recently started performing her own music. It started to downpour during this set which for some reason makes it seem alot more epic. I'm glad we had our seats since there was about a thousand person overflow coming out of the tent with only 500 seats tops under the tent. Jim James came out for an M. Ward cover which really electified the crowd since I would imagine half of them were there at the She & Him set to jockey for position for his set coming up next.

Jim James - Going in to the festival this was the performance I was looking forward to the most. After watching his set there were two things that were abundantly clear to me. First, the guy's voice is sick. Second, I need to see My Morning Jacket live. Since being back from Newport and relistening to the broadcast of it online, it might be my favorite of the festival and I think I'm developing a man-crush.

Black Crowes - I wasn't excited about seeing them. I just don't get the appeal. I guess my biggest problem was with their set list. If you're familiar with their whole catalog then it was probably amazing for you. Being at a festival where everyone is there for many different bands, I think a greatest hits kind of set would have been more appropriate. The highlight of the performance was looking up at the top of the fort and seeing Jim James. We actually waved at him and got one back. My man-crush level is raised to yellow.

Coming up...Day 2

Newport Folk Festival Teaser

I got back from the Newport Folk Festival and I'll probably blog it out in a few installments but I'll show you the highlight of the trip.

That's me sharing a Newport sunset with Jim James