Local favorites stand out among national acts at 63rd Philly Folk Fest
Sug Daniels, Ben Arnold, The Tisburys, and more local outfits held their own at the 63rd Philadelphia Folk Festival alongside big national names such as Tom Rush, Leftover Salmon, and Damn Tall Buildings.
Sug Daniels | Photo by Ryan Claypole for WXPN
As a lifelong Philadelphia Folk Festival attendee, witnessing this volunteer-run institution emerge from post-COVID turmoil has been truly remarkable. While the volunteer core has changed over the years, the festival has successfully re-anchored itself in its grassroots origins. Distinct from other traditional festivals, the Olde Pool Farm grounds feature a warm greeting of “Welcome Home”—a sentiment shared equally by first-time attendees and multi-decade veterans alike.
This year’s lineup featured many local and national acts, as well as some WXPN favorites, including The Tisburys, Sug Daniels, Tom Rush, and Ben Arnold & the 48 Hour Orchestra. The nationally acclaimed Leftover Salmon and Sam Bush headlined Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and Grammy Award-winning Terrence Simien and the Zydeco Experience also shared the main stage Saturday. Other festival highlights included the talents of Damn Tall Buildings and Big Richard.
The Tisburys brought their high-energy indie rock to the Camp Stage Saturday afternoon, playing some of their new songs off their latest album, A Still Life Revisited. The local favorites had people dancing and singing along throughout their set.
Sug Daniels brought soulful folk rock to the festival, paying homage to forebears who pushed boundaries and created opportunities for others in the scene. Her music is personal, colorful, and at times vulnerable, with a clear message of positive change. The energy she and her band bring is simply something you can’t miss.
Rush is a Philadelphia Folk Festival icon who’s played the festival multiple times over many decades and received rave reviews for his songwriting. Rush helped other songwriters—Joni Mitchell and Emmylou Harris among them—gain wider attention. That and his own work are why his career has endured for more than 60 years.
Ben Arnold, the Philadelphia singer-songwriter who crosses multiple genres, brought the energy but also slowed things down during the Thursday Night Campers-only concert, closing out the night and ushering in an amazing start to the festival. His version of Americana roots writing across multiple albums was on display Thursday night, even breaking out a cover of The Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey.”
Leftover Salmon closed out Saturday night on the Martin Stage. Known for their energetic jamgrass, they did not disappoint the crowd, who danced all night long. Dirk and Amelia Powell were welcome additions to the band for one song, bringing some Creole music to the night after their set earlier that evening. A relative staple for Leftover Salmon, “High Country” had tons of festival-goers dancing and singing along.
The New York-based Damn Tall Buildings—whose members hail from Philadelphia, New Hampshire, and Montana—brought their high-driving bluegrass with an old-school jazz and blues harmony feel. Coming off their newest album, The Universe is Hungry, they highlight some of the desperation of modern societal challenges posed by artificial intelligence, technology, and the end of time in a witty manner. Their three sets across the Culture Tent, Camp Stage, and Martin Stage showcased their rhythmic force, Sasha Dubyk’s powerhouse vocals, and the harmonies of Max Capistran and Avery Bollotta.
Big Richard, the all-female bluegrass band, is known for pushing the boundaries of the male-dominated bluegrass scene. They have taken aim at traditional bluegrass by marking songs with moments of raw live energy and playing stripped-down tender ballads. Their newest album Pet is an eclectic, unapologetic protest of modern corruption, greed, and societal norms. Even through it all, their technical prowess is impeccable, highlighting how much of an under-the-radar supergroup they truly are. They hit the Camp and Martin stages Saturday, showcasing what a powerhouse group they can be. I would not be surprised as they continue to rise.
The Philadelphia Folk Festival has survived multiple challenges, but continues to lead with its grassroots volunteers, highlighting nationally acclaimed talent while offering local and small artists the opportunity to be heard.