Newport Folk Festival today announced that The Backseat Lovers will return to Newport for its 2023 festival, performing on Saturday, July 29.
The Backseat Lovers is an indie rock band from Salt Lake City, Utah. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Joshua Harmon, drummer Juice Welch, bassist and backing vocalist Jonas Swanson, and lead guitarist and keyboardist Ethan Christensen.
The band was formed in 2018 when Harmon released a solo EP under the name The Backseat Lovers. The EP received positive feedback, and Harmon began collaborating with other musicians to form a full band. They released their first single, “Kilby Girl,” in 2019, and it quickly gained popularity on streaming platforms, leading to the band signing with an independent label, Roll Call Records.
In 2020, The Backseat Lovers released their debut album, “When We Were Friends,” which features their signature indie rock sound with catchy hooks and poignant lyrics. The album received critical acclaim and helped the band gain a larger following. They have since released several more singles, including “Just a Boy” and “Stay.”
The Backseat Lovers have been compared to bands such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, and The 1975, and their music has been described as a blend of indie rock, pop, and alternative. They have been praised for their high-energy live performances, and they have toured extensively throughout the United States.
Newport Folk Festival has also revealed that on behalf of The Backseat Lovers a donation has been made to the Nurture the Creative Mind, an organization in their home state of Utah that provides free multimedia experiences for youth including music production, recording and film. Funds will be used to buy an interface, keyboard and plug in acoustic guitar, electric guitar and condenser mic for their after school program that teaches youth how to produce their own music and provides free professional recordings to youth throughout the year.
The sold-out 2023 Newport Folk Festival will take place July 28 – 30, 2023, at Fort Adams State Park.
This announcement is just one of several made by Newport Folk Festival recently. The festival’s Artist Gives program, which donates funds to music education programs for every artist on the lineup, has also seen donations made to various other charities.
Among the previously announced lineup is Jupiter & Okwess, a Congolese band that has garnered international recognition for its unique fusion of traditional Congolese rhythms with contemporary rock and funk influences, will perform on Sunday, July 30. The band is known for its high-energy live performances and has been lauded for its commitment to using music as a means of promoting social change and cultural exchange. On their behalf, Newport Festivals Foundation has made a donation to Guitars not Guns, a nonprofit organization that provides guitars and lessons to foster children and at-risk youth as a way to steer them away from violence. The funds donated by Newport Festivals Foundation on behalf of Jupiter & Okwess will be used to purchase guitars, straps, tuners, gig-bags, and instruction books.
Jonathan Richman, an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his minimalist, acoustic sound and quirky, often humorous lyrics, will perform on Sunday, July 30. Richman’s donation will support the festival’s music education programs.
Billy Strings, an American bluegrass guitarist and singer, has also been announced as a performer and will perform on Sunday, July 30. On his behalf, Newport Festivals Foundation has made a grant to the Appalachian Artisan Center’s Culture of Recovery program, which teaches people suffering from substance abuse disorders to build high-quality stringed musical instruments.
New Zealand indie-pop band The Beths is also set to perform at the festival on Friday, July 28, and on their behalf, Newport Festivals Foundation has made a grant to Die Jim Crow Records, a non-profit record label dedicated to releasing the music of formerly and currently incarcerated musicians.
CAAMP, the Ohio-based folk-indie band, kicked off the festival’s lineup and will perform on Friday, July 28. The band has previously played at the festival and is passionate about supporting music education programs. This year, they have generously agreed to match Newport Folk’s grant to support the Harmony Project, a music education program in Columbus, OH.
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