George Wein's Folk Festival 50

Tom Morello as The Nightwatchman is among the acts at Wein's Folk 50 that bridge the festival's generational divide.

With Wein's Folk 50 coming up in two weeks, the festival released its stage schedule this week, giving a better idea how it is integrating its something old, something new strategy on the ground. For some reason, the Wein organization refers to its stage schedule as "cubes." That could be because there are three stages and there used to be three days. This year, it is Saturday and Sunday only.

Nomenclature aside, a reading of the schedules confirms that more of the old-timers will play Sunday, so if you are so inclined and want to attend one day only, that would be the way to go. Sunday on the main stage, called Fort, closes with Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger with Judy Collins. Or conversely, choose Saturday, when The Avett Brothers, Fleet Foxes and The Decembrists get prime exposure on the Fort Stage, if you are mainly interested in the youth contingent.

Actually, there is a third group of performers who are not old-timers by years but who are identified with more traditional styles of folk music. Among that group, Billy Bragg, Gillian Welch and Tift Merritt are featured on Saturday. For some reason, Merritt is scheduled for just a 30-minute show. Most other acts on all three stages run 60 minutes, except for 75-minute sets by The Decemberists, Baez and Seeger/Collins. Also, the Saturday closing singalong with Pete and Tao Seeger and Friends runs 45 minutes.

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Pete Seeger performs at the Clearwater Great Hudson Revival in June. Photo courtesy of Russ Cusick.

While there will be no shortage of young talent on view at the upcoming George Wein's Folk Festival 50, the new name for the venerable Newport Folk Festival, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary August 1-2 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport RI. But there is little doubt that the man of the hour will be the festival's 90-year-old co-founder, Pete Seeger, who has been having a summer to remember.

In May, Seeger celebrated his milestone birthday with thousands of fans and an all-star cast of musicians at Madison Square Garden in New York. Last month, he was honored again at another festival that he founded, the Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival (photos). At Newport, he will close the main stage on both nights of the festival, returning the event to its roots at least one more time.

With the box office opening for business tomorrow, May 6, George Wein's Folk Festival 50 announced a final lineup and schedule, adding 10 new artists for Saturday and Sunday but hinting that the customary Friday night opening show may be dropped from the schedule.

The new adds are Mavis Staples, Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Brett Dennen, Billy Bragg, Tift Merritt, Guy Clark, David Rawlngs Machine, Deer Tick and Dala. Staples adds star power to the festival's mini gospel theme. The others bolster the already strong groups of old folkies, middle-aged singer songwriters and younger indie artists.

Both daily schedules look good, with Pete Seeger headlining both nights, once on his own and once with Judy Collins. For those most interested in the old-time artists, Sunday looks to be the day not to miss, while Saturday may be the preferred day for fans of the younger artists. That said, there is a mix of both types on both days.

Let’s first address the elephant in the room. Bob Dylan will not be appearing at George Wein’s Folk Festival 50 in Newport RI this summer. He’ll be touring minor-league baseball stadiums around that time and was not available.

But many other important figures from the festival’s 1960s heyday will be on hand, starting with festival co-founder Pete Seeger, who famously tried to pull the plug when Dylan went electric at the 1965 festival, and including Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins, and more.

Nor is it just about the old-timers—not by a long shot. Continuing in the direction the predecessor festival took last season, the Folk festival lineup is brimming with exciting young talent. Some of the names sure to appeal to a younger generation of music fans are The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Neko Case, Ben Kweller, The Avett Brothers and lots more.