Concert Reviews

The Philadelphia
Folk Festival

Old Poole Farm, Upper Salford, PA
August 28-30, 1998

The Nields

Nineteen ninety-eight was a pivotal year for the Philadelphia Folk Festival. The longest continuing event of its kind in the United States, the festival is held on the Old Poole Farm in Upper Salford, Pennsylvania, about 45 minutes northwest of Philadelphia. It took a major step forward by signing a lease that extends through the year 2010. A dance stage was launched for the first time with a diverse variety of dance sessions — spanning contradance, Prince Edward Islands, international, Irish, Cajun and square dance styles — scheduled on Saturday and Sunday. Another permanent stage was erected to shade performers during the sun-baked afternoon workshop sessions.

Although this year's celebration, which marked its 37th anniversary, lacked the major headlining acts that made past years' festivals so memorable, the more than 60 performers that appeared represented an eclectic view of the state of modern folk and acoustic music. While the Anglo-American connection continued to be dominant, the usual stable of singer-songwriters was balanced by bluegrass groups, old timey string bands, bluesmen and women, Cajun bands, traditional folk musicians, and humorists.

The festival began Friday afternoon with a showcase of mostly new performers, including the pop-folk group Eddie From Ohio, the high-energy Celtic band Clandestine, country music songwriter Slaid Cleaves, Dobro ace David Hamburger, and songstress Debi Smith. The high point of the afternoon came with the debut of a new duo featuring long-time New England folk music favorite Lui Collins and Dana Robinson.

The main stage was the focal point of the three evening concerts, which ran from 7 p.m. until midnight. Friday's performers included Irish band The Cassidys, Canadian singer/songwriter Garnet Rogers, Midwestern multi-instrumentalist and singer Claudia Schmidt, soulful Phila del phia folk-rock-reggae group June Rich, and the Queen of Chicago blues, Koko Taylor (and her electrifying band, The Blues Machine). In addition to veteran emcee Gene Shay, the evening was co-hosted by British poet/humorist Les Barker, who offered tongue-in-jowl word plays like the immortal "Dachshunds With Erections." The evening began with a multi-bagpipe salute to the late bagpiper Bruce Martin, who had opened each evening concert since the festival's inception in 1961.

Saturday's mainstage evening concert included performances by Scottish trad-rock group Battlefield Band, acoustic bluesman Guy Davis, bluegrass band Front Range, and the percussive African group, Samite of Uganda. The harmonies of the Ithaca, New York, based Burns Sisters were heard during their own set and during a witty topical set by Tom Paxton. Sunday's evening concert featured the traditional folk duo, John Roberts and Tony Barrand; the energetic, North Carolina-based string band, The Freight Hoppers; power-driven folk-rock band, The Nields; pop-folk singer/songwriter Susan Werner; and turbo-charged Celtic accordion master, John Whelan and his band.

The main stage also served as the site for afternoon concerts on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's performances by Arlo Guthrie (joined by his son and daughter) and Josh White, Jr. celebrated the U.S. Postal Service issuing stamps to honor the influence of the late Woody Guthrie and Josh White on contemporary American folk music. Sunday's afternoon performance showed the diversity of Louisiana's music with performances by Cajun fiddler Michael Doucet and his band, Beausoleil, and big band, blues, bluegrass and swing guitarist and fiddler, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.

Saturday and Sunday mornings were marked by a variety of workshops, held on four small stages, addressing such themes as Fun Music, Sea Songs, Guitar Power, Back Porch Special, Bands Unplugged and the Songs of Phil Ochs. Family-oriented programming was featured throughout the weekend, mornings and afternoons, with appearances by jugglers, storytellers, magicians, puppeteers, and children's music performers. - Craig Harris (Watertown, MA)