From the surface wanting in, Newport People Pageant has turn into more and more outlined by headline-grabbing performances. This yr it was Beck’s shock covers set and Conan O’Brien bringing out Jack White. Final yr it was the Lana Del Rey experiment and The Muppets’ a number of cameos. The yr earlier than that, it was Joni Mitchell, a headline so huge it really relegated Paul Simon popping out of retirement to a subheadline.
There may be, after all, a purpose headlines are headlines. In addition to, if I’ve mentioned it as soon as, I’ve mentioned it for 14 years: Newport People is healthier skilled than described. However the fact is, the story of the pageant’s sixty fifth anniversary version is just too giant to be diminished to a single notable second or just a few blurbs saying “this glorious factor occurred.”
That story can be informed — in due time. Nonetheless, there have been three attention-grabbing experiences that, of their methods, can act as a microcosm of Newport People Pageant 2024: Conan’s star-studded Sunday night time closing jam and each Killer Mike and De La Soul’s game-changing hip-hop reveals. Put in context, these headline-worthy units say a lot about this treasured music establishment.
Conan O’Brien Jams with Jack White, Mavis Staples, Nick Lowe, and… Triumph
Conan O’Brien and Dawes, photograph by Ben Kaye
There are typically three sorts of Newport People headliners: main star, people heroes, and celebratory collaborations. This yr noticed Hozier charmingly fill the previous slot, doing his half to acknowledge Newport’s legacy by bringing out Mavis Staples, Joan Baez, Allison Russell, Madison Cunningham, Nathaniel Rateliff, The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz, and others to shut with “The Weight” and lead the group in “We Shall Overcome.” Gillian Welch & David Rawlings took the heroes function, showcasing materials off their forthcoming Woodland.
After which there was “Conan O’Brien & Actual Musicians” to cap issues off on Sunday. The great thing about the Newport People collaborative headline set is that you simply by no means actually know what’s coming. With the late night time host and comic on the head this time, you actually didn’t know what was coming. “I’m right here tonight on a mission,” Conan mentioned throughout his opening monologue, “to show I can destroy any style.”
The true joke was that not solely did he not destroy a factor, however he demonstrated a honest understanding of the setting and state of affairs he was strolling into. He simply did it in a really Conan O’Brien approach. That meant introducing his set like a late night time present, riffing on Rhode Island city names (“Arraquontock! Ashananapanquonatock! Quonpawntucketchallog! I made up these final three and also you didn’t know!”) and looking on the harbor as he joked about individuals strolling out of his units “however swimming — that takes dedication.”
