ALL FEMALE FRONT: A Newport to Nashville festival night

Paralleling this year’s events at Newport Folk Fest is a show called “ALL FEMALE FRONT: A Newport to Nashville Festival Night,” produced by Spring Street Productions at Newport Playhouse. Normally, you would only associate a playhouse with the typical plays and theater productions, but Newport’s one-and-only houses much more than just that!

On Friday, July 28, folks can pop down to the Playhouse to see great acts like Julie Rhodes & The Electric Co, Coral Moons, The Wolff Sisters, The Devil’s Twins, Mary-Elaine Jenkins, and special guest Ali McGuirk. It’s rare to find an event that celebrates the achievements of women in music — particularly women in a male-dominated genre — and it’s quite exciting to be able to see such an event hosted in Newport. With some of the groups touring in the New England area and some groups spanning the nation, the line-up is an incredible mix of impressive women-led groups. Julie Rhodes was voted favorite vocalist in Motif’s RI Music Awards earlier this year, and veteran Motif music commentator Mark Clarkin called her, “reminiscent of Janis Joplin, but different. She can … hold the room hostage with her voice. Definitely a must-see performer.” Boston-based rockers/almost-punks The Devil’s Twins also play RI somewhat regularly and have developed an ardent following for their odd, powerful vocal arrangements in particular. Ali McGuirk is nationally known and nationally touring, a singer-songwriter who spans several genres around the R&B zone. You can count on an amazing vocal experience in such a relatively intimate setting with her.

“ALL FEMALE FRONT” presents a unique line-up of country and country-adjacent artists that are sure to entertain, and ticket prices come in at a financially reasonable $20! Even if you’re not the biggest country music fan, these performers span a range of genres and present a perfect opportunity to beat the heat and enjoy talented performers in a beautiful beach town.

The Playhouse also presents a cozy atmosphere that shields its audience from the heat, chaos, and crowds. Not only that, but a full bar will be available. The line-up starts at 7, making it a great follow-up/after-party to Folk Fest, which wraps up at 6:30. The Folk Fest afterparties have achieved their own legendary status over the years, and this will be a potent entry in that arena.