Jack Antonoff Brings Out Hayley Williams, Rufus Wainwright, and Extra at Newport Folks Competition: Pictures + Video

Jack Antonoff introduced his Ally Coalition Expertise Present from New York Metropolis to Newport Folks Competition on Friday, basically splitting his headlining set between a Bleachers gig and a guest-heavy superjam. The large “shock” of the night was when Paramore’s Hayley Williams got here out to present a dwell debut to her new monitor “Mirtazapine.”

Beforehand launched solely on Nashville Public Radio, this was possible the primary time many had even heard the tune. For as reduce with a ’90s jagged edge as “Mirtazapine” is, it didn’t really feel overly anatopic at Newport Folks; maybe it’s as a result of William’s vocals weren’t as washed in delay, or as a result of Antonoff’s acoustic guitar was extra ahead. Moreover which, on the trendy Newport Folks Competition, a bit of screaming and head-banging isn’t as unfamiliar because it as soon as was.

Williams stayed on to duet with Antonoff on Trendy English’s traditional “Soften with You,” contributing to the Competition’s joyous legacy of collaborative tributes.

Whereas her look onstage could have been a shock to some followers, many in all probability knew she was coming. As a substitute of secreting herself backstage earlier than the set, Williams loved her first time on the Fort, and might be seen watching Geese’s Cameron Winter’s solo set and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s “Hidden in Items” efficiency from side-stage.

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That doesn’t imply Antonoff and Bleacher’s set wasn’t filled with true surprises. Appearances by Maren Morris (for Bleacher’s “Don’t Go Darkish” and never her Antonoff-produced “Welcome to the Finish,” oddly) and Jeff Tweedy (a canopy of Lana Del Rey’s “Margaret” and Wilco’s “Kamera) made sense, as each have been additionally on the Newport Folks invoice. So have been Waxahatchee and Dan Reeder, however they have been each joined by unlisted visitor Weyes Blood on Roy Orbison’s “You Obtained It” and Reeder’s personal “Possibly” with Peggy Reeder. Weyes Blood additionally delivered a beautiful “Dream a Little Dream of Me” with Antonoff.

Rufus Wainwright was one other large shock, as he joined the band for Bleacher’s “45” and a canopy of Bob Dylan’s “Not Darkish But.” With a large grin, Wainright thanked Antonoff for inviting him to “do a Bob Dylan tune on the Newport Folks Competition!”

As for Bleachers’ personal setlist, they performed “91,” “Rollercoaster,” “Goodmorning,” and acoustic model of “I Wanna Get Higher” (which Antonoff famous he initially wrote “as a people tune however produced it actually loud to cover behind it”), their cowl of The Waterboys’ “The Complete of the Moon,” and “Trendy Woman.” The stability between Antonoff originals and guest-aided covers was, admittedly, a bit off for what these Newport Folks headlining collaborations are usually — and, from what I’ve heard, what the Ally Coalition Expertise Exhibits are usually — however we bought to see Hayley motha-effing Williams at Newport Folks Competition, so we’re not complaining.

Take a look at video and photographs from the set beneath.