Groove Merchants headline the final NIMFest concert of the 2026 season on Sunday, Aug. 23, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the King Park Gazebo, 125 Wellington Ave. The show is free and open to the public, weather permitting.
The Newport-based six-piece plays a funk-inflected take on pop and jazz, moving between laid-back grooves, hard-hitting funk and jazz fusion, drawing on Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, Prince, Trombone Shorty and D’Angelo, among others. Many local listeners know the band from its long-running residency at The Fifth Element.
Sunday’s lineup features Nephtaliem “Nephrok” McCrary on vocals, Marcus Monteiro on saxophone, Chris Loftlin on bass, Joe Davis on drums, Rob Martin on guitar and Nick Sanfilippo on keys.
Opening is Olivia Nied, a singer-songwriter based in Western Massachusetts whose guitar-driven songs draw on Ezra Furman, Jack White, Cyndi Lauper and Esperanza Spalding. She has shared stages with Loudon Wainwright III and Niki Luparelli, performed in the United Kingdom and France, and her 2024 album “Just Enough” has picked up radio play in the Netherlands.
NIMFest — short for Newport Independent Music Festival — is presented by the New England Music Organization, a nonprofit supporting musicians across the region. The series is funded by The Hamilton Family Foundation and the City of Newport.
Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. King Park is accessible by paddlecraft for kayakers and paddleboarders. Parking is limited and organizers suggest carpooling. Alcohol is not permitted in the park, and there are no rain dates.
More information is at NewEnglandMusic.org.
