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The Mammals photos Debra Penk

Door manager "Crepe" Suzette photos Debra Penk

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Balla Kouyaté and the Mike Block Band photo Debra Penk

Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs photo Debra Penk

Tropa Magica photo Debra Penk

Lizzie No photo Debra Penk

Chris Jacobs with local star Benji Nagel photo Debra Penk

Cassandra Lewis with Acoustic Minds photo Debra Penk

Amanda and Jenni Price photo Bob Howard

Kyshona photo Debra Penk

Host at the Belfry photo Debra Penk

Allison De Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves photo Debra Penk

The Langdan Band Debra Penk

Chris Smither photo Debra Penk

Peter Mulvey photo Debra Penk

Michaela Anne photo Debra Penk

Fantastic Cat photo Debra Penk

GlitterFox photo Debra Penk

Paul McDonald photo Debra Penk

09/29/2024

Sisters Folk Festival Opens With Diverse Line of Genres

By BOB HOWARD// Portland phenom Glitterfox, made their first appearance to standing room only audiences after touring all summer including the iconic Newport Folk Festival.

Artists on the first day included Luke Winslow-King and Roberto Luti, Chris Smither, Chris Jacobs, Peter Mulvey, Kyshona, Cassandra Lewis, Michaela Anne, Fantastic Cat, Peter Mulvey, Paul McDonald, the Mammals who presented genres of singer-songwriter, orchestral string band, rootsy folk blues, and "subversive acoustic traditionalists." They are at the top of a line-up of 34 artists that included Balla Kouyaté from Mali who plays the balafon, the West African antecedent of the xylophone. His knowledge of his traditional repertoire is unparalleled. The original musical instrument, known as the “Sosso-Bala,” is under the care of his father in Kouyaté’s father’s home village of Niagassola, on the Mali-Guinea border. In 2001, the “Sosso-Bala” was declared an item of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO and is brought out once a year for ceremonial playing. Cajun sensation Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs bring ancient traditions with incomparable energy straight from the blackjack boggy woods of Cypress Island, Louisiana.

Portland artists duo Acoustic Minds were busy on Friday night backing Cassandra Lewis and Glitterfox.  It is no surprise that they were invited by the stars.  We talked to them backstage, it was their first time at the festival and honored to be asked to support their friends.  

Grammy award winners and nominees brought it all to the festival. Brad Tisdel told us, “our venues allow us to present extraordinarily talented artists to large and small audiences who will fill their sets with the right vibe, energy and thrilling performances on each stage and venue setting." "The diversity of music comes from trying to bring new artists, artists we’ve wanted to work for years, the occasional returning artist, and those who are up and coming and who are most likely going to be much bigger in years to come.”

photos by Debra Penk

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