Oliver Hazard, a band from Waterville, Ohio, made their Newport Folk Festival debut on Jul. 27, 2024, opening the day’s performances.
The trio, consisting of Michael Belazis, Devin East, and Nate Miner, expressed their surprise and gratitude for the reception at the festival.
“It was amazing. We didn’t expect many people to come,” one of the band members said. “I think just having folks experience our first time [at Newport] was great.”
The band explained that their name, Oliver Hazard, pays homage to their Lake Erie roots and local history. “We decided to keep a local name safe,” a band member stated.
Oliver Hazard has recently released a single titled “Wild at Blue” and plans to drop an EP in the fall. They’ve also been touring extensively throughout the year.
The band expressed excitement about seeing other performers at the festival, mentioning Langhorne Slim and Ocie Elliott among those they were looking forward to watching.
A band member shared, “I feel like the first time that I heard about it was whenever I was getting into music, probably like middle of high school. The legacy seems just as strong as it was now.”
The Newport Folk Festival is celebrating its 65th year.