The Rhythm & Roots Festival returns to Rhode Island this weekend! The annual Labor Day Weekend festival begins Friday, August 30th, with a tremendous lineup scheduled to perform this year. The three-day festival at Ninigret Park in Charlestown features headliners Emmylou Harris, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, along with Larkin Poe, […]
Ken Abrams
Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams writes about music, the arts and more for What'sUpNewp. He is also an Editor and Writer for Hey Rhody Media. Ken DJ's "The Kingston Coffeehouse," a roots/folk/rock radio show every Tuesday, 6-9 PM on WRIU 90.3 FM. He is a former educator in the Scituate, RI school system where he taught Social Studies for over 30 years.
He is on the board of the Rhode Island Folk Festival and Newport Live (formerly Common Fence Music), a non-profit that brings diverse musical acts to the Newport area.
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Concert recap and photos: 2024 Rhode Island Folk Festival a big hit down by the river
The Rhode Island Folk Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary on Sunday, August 26, with over 40 performers, dozens of vendors and food trucks, and a guitar giveaway at Crescent Park in East Providence. The free festival enjoyed its largest crowd yet, with an estimated 2,500 fans in attendance. Fans young and old filled the sprawling […]
Posted inArts & Culture
What’s Up Interview: Michael Graham of the River Bend East Songwriters Festival coming to Pawtucket August 30-31
Looking for some free music to kick off the Labor Day Weekend? We’ve got you covered. The River Bend East Songwriters Festival returns to Slater Mill in Pawtucket from August 30-31, as part of the Pawtucket Arts Festival. Featured performers include Motif music award-winning singer-songwriter Allison Rose, Chris Monti, RI Music Hall of Famer Mark […]
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What’s Up Interview: Singer-Songwriter Michelle Malone, playing Rhode Island Folk Festival Sunday, August 25
The annual Rhode Island Folk Festival returns to Crescent Park in East Providence this Sunday, August 25. The free festival has grown from modest beginnings in Providence to a “not to be missed” event held annually on the last Sunday in August. This year’s headliners include folk legend Tom Rush and Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Michelle Malone, […]
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What’s Up Interview: Ocie Elliott, Canadian duo on playing the Newport Folk Festival
By Ken Abrams and Anna Lofgren The 2024 Newport Folk Festival is fondly remembered for headliners like Joan Baez, Conan O’Brien, and Gillian Welch. But as always, first-time artists serve to steer the historic festival in new directions, keeping things fresh while honoring the folk tradition. One of the standout acts at the July festival […]
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Judy Collins coming to Jane Pickens August 15-16 – We revisit our 2022 interview with legendary singer-songwriter
Note: This interview was originally published in July 2022. It has been updated. Click here for tickets to see Judy Collins at Jane Pickens Film and Event Center. So what do you ask a folk music icon who inspired one of the greatest love songs of all time? That was my challenge recently as I […]
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What’s Up Interview: Malcolm Bruce, of Sons of Cream, playing the Greenwich Odeum Sunday, August 18
They were one of the great bands of the 1960’s, a supergroup that continues to influence the direction of modern music. Cream was a groundbreaking power trio featuring three rock legends – Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker. Now, a new band comprised of two children and a grand-nephew of the original members is […]
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What’s Up Interview: Meet Mark Stickney, Founder of Historic Music of Newport
Newport’s contemporary summer music scene is dominated by three internationally known festivals: Newport Folk, Newport Jazz, and Newport Classical. But the city’s musical heritage runs deep. Live music on the island is a tradition going back almost two hundred years, when classical musicians and military bands entertained summer visitors and year-round residents. One organization working […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Ocean State Brewers Fest a hit at Farm Fresh Rhode Island
The 2024 Ocean State Brewers Fest brought over three dozen Rhode Island breweries to Farm Fresh Rhode Island in Providence on Saturday, August 10 for a celebration of local beer and the breweries that provide it. Sponsored by the Rhode Island Brewers Guild and BrewBox, a local beer delivery service, the event saw hundreds of […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Newport Jazz Festival 2024: Jazz is alive, well, and thriving – Day 3 recap and photos
Jazz music as a popular art form has been declared dead more than once. But America’s original art form has endured, resurrected on several occasions, each time characterized by a slight change in direction. The core essence of the genre – improvisational music played collaboratively among a group of well-trained musicians – remains at the […]
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Newport Jazz Festival 2024: Classic jazz and new beats – Day 2 recap and photos
Day two at the 2024 Newport Jazz Festival saw a continuation of a trend that began on Day one. That trend saw both new and veteran acts bringing their A-game to the historic happening at Fort Adams State Park. The 70th annual festival saw another banner day, with rising stars blending in brilliantly alongside several […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Newport Jazz Festival 2024: This is not your grandfather’s festival – Day 1 recap and photos
The 70th Anniversary of the historic Newport Jazz Festival kicked off on Friday August 2 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, RI. A sellout crowd saw a warm summer day usher in cool vibes that rained down on musicians and attendees. Good feels were abundant. There was great jazz of course, but there was […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Michael Corrente produced film ‘The Tributaries’ to screen at the Rhode Island Film Festival August 8
Note: The film The Tributaries contains mature subject matter. The Tributaries, a new film produced by longtime RI filmmaker Michael Corrente, is screening as part of the Rhode Island Film Festival on Thursday, August 8 at 6:30 PM in the RISD Auditorium in Providence. The movie is the first full-length feature directed by Kat Gueli, […]
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“Six Picks” Newport Jazz Edition – Don’t miss these sets at the historic festival this weekend
The Newport Jazz Festival is back! Founded 70 years ago, the historic festival at Fort Adams State Park begins Friday, August 2, and runs through Sunday, August 4. With over 50 performances on the schedule, every fan has their favorite. Below are my “Six Picks” for 2024 with an important reminder – like last weekend’s […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
What’s Up Interview: Kamasi Washington, headlining the Newport Jazz Festival on Friday, August 2
NOTE: Portions of this story were originally published in May 2023. Kamasi Washington exists on the cutting edge of jazz. He is the avant-garde, who along with a group of fellow visionaries, is setting the tone in the jazz world. Like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, Washington’s music transcends what came before, pushing […]
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Newport Folk Festival 2024: Conan and Friends wrap up 65th annual event – Day 3 recap and photos
The 2024 Newport Folk Festival is in the books, and oh, what a time it was. The 65th anniversary of the historic festival closed out on Sunday, July 28, with an all-star set led by musician, podcaster, and former late-night host Conan O’Brien. Sprinkling in a bit of comedy as a light rain fell in […]
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Newport Folk Festival 2024: Diverse lineup plays Fort Adams – Day 2 recap and highlights
Day two of the 2024 Newport Folk Festival reflected the level of diversity on stage that this festival has achieved. Where else can you experience a poetry reading from Joan Baez, a gospel-inspired hip-hop set from Killer Mike, a spot on Grateful Dead tribute band in drag (Bertha), and a masked gay cowboy (Orville Peck) […]
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Newport Folk Festival 2024: High energy at Fort Adams – Day 1 recap and photos
65 years since it was established by the late George Wein, the Newport Folk Festival still knows how to “rumble.” The festival got off to a great start Friday, July 26, with beautiful weather and a diverse line up of new and established stars in folk music and beyond. The Fort Stage opener, Medicine Singers, […]
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Folk Family celebrates return of Newport Folk Festival
It’s hard to find fans anywhere more passionate about music than Newport Folk Festival fans. On Thursday, July 25, a pair of events were organized by members of the “Newport Folk Festival Family,” a Facebook fan group that was started in 2009 and has since grown to over 5,000 members. The afternoon began with a […]
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PPAC Announces Collaboration with Trinity Rep – “A Christmas Carol” to run at PPAC this holiday season
At a press conference held this morning, Lynn Singleton, President of the Providence Performing Arts Center, announced a partnership with Trinity Repertory that will bring the annual Dickens story “A Christmas Carol” to the PPAC stage in December. The change in venue is necessary due to construction at Trinity’s Chace Theater, which is expected to […]
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“A Complete Unknown,” Bob Dylan biopic trailer released – Movie due out in December
Music fans rejoice! The first trailer from the upcoming Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” dropped earlier today. The two-minute trailer features official footage of Timothée Chalamet, who plays the iconic singer-songwriter, on the Dylan classic “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall,” with accompanying clips of iconic New York City clubs and concert venues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcNNteP22gQ The […]
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Woods Hole Film Festival to feature documentary “Linda Perry: Let it Die Here” on July 29
A compelling new documentary, screening July 29 at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Woods Hole, MA, examines the life and career of singer, songwriter, and producer Linda Perry. We viewed an advance screener of Linda Perry: Let it Die Here and found it to be an often-disturbing look at a fearless artist in search […]
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“Six Picks” Newport Folk Festival Edition – Don’t miss these sets at the annual festival this weekend
The Newport Folk Festival is back! Founded 65 years ago, the annual event begins on Friday, July 26, at Fort Adams State Park and runs through Sunday, July 28. With over 50 performances on the schedule, every fan has their favorite. Below are “Six Picks” for 2024 with an important reminder – you can’t go […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Concert Recap and Photos: Foo Fighters hit it out of the park at Fenway
One of rock and roll’s all-time greatest bands, the Foo Fighters brought an epic show to Fenway Park on Sunday, July 21, in their first trip to the historic ballpark since 2018. The band played for nearly three hours, powering through a robust set of new music, old favorites, and a few deep cuts to satisfy […]
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What’s Up Interview: Billy Bragg, singer and activist, playing the Newport Folk Festival on July 27
English folk singer, songwriter, and activist Billy Bragg is no stranger to the Newport Folk Festival. He first played the annual gathering at Fort Adams State Park in 1993, returning most recently in 2017 as part of the “Speak Out” sessions, where he shared the stage with Jim James, Margo Price, and Nathaniel Rateliff. Bragg […]