The second annual two-day celebration of of folk and Americana music’s diverse range of sounds and voices boasted a stunning lineup of heavy hitters and rising stars.

Evanston Folk Festival. (All photos in this article by Christine Davis.)

For the second year in a row, the Evanston Folk Festival has managed to get Mother Nature to bestow absolutely perfect conditions for the nascent musical gathering. It’s about 64°, partly cloudy, with a gentle breeze at Dawes Park, which borders a quiet beach in Evanston, IL, right on the edge of Lake Michigan. I’m running late and sadly missed the opening notes, but the vibe is immediately welcoming, easy, and joyful. I can already tell that this year there will be an even bigger turnout than last. People have heard the message: the EFF does folk festival right.

The EFF was created by Space Presents, the parent company of local music venue SPACE, to celebrate folk music and to celebrate the town of Evanston. The lineup, after 2024’s overwhelmingly successful inaugural festival, is phenomenal.

A new performer takes one of the three stages every 15–30 minutes all day for two full days. Then there’s the WBEZ Talk Tent, Family Stage and kids’ activities, local community organizations, many food and beverage vendors, local artisans, and a thriving sense of the importance of communicating feelings, thoughts, opinions, and purpose through music.

As attendees shuffle in, they set up folding camp chairs in front of their chosen stage: The Lagoon: at the south end of the Arrington Lakefront Lagoon, built in the 1930s, restored in 2015, and currently filled with many happy ducks; The Dawes: on the west lawn of the home of former Vice President Charles Gates Dawes, who was also a philanthropist and music-lover (he wrote the melody for the song that became “It’s All in the Game”), which now serves as the home of the Evanston History Center; and the Main stage: constructed specially for the EFF and set adjacent to the beautiful Lake Michigan, which today is calm and a deep steel blue.

I hustle over to the Dawes stage first just in time to see the second half of Sima Cunningham’s set. Cunningham is a Chicago local I’ve seen a few times in different settings, but even though I know there are no yappers at EFF, a surreal hush comes over the crowd as she sings. No one wants to miss a second of her beautiful melodies and turns of phrase.

Next, I walk up to the Main stage just as LA-based emo/folk singer-songwriter Truman Sinclair is starting his set. Often, when one thinks of folk music, the mind goes to history and heritage. Sinclair shakes up that image with his raw energy and powerful voice, bringing youth, love and heartbreak into the folk equation with his captivating lyrics and music.

At this point it hits me that I’m just not going to be able to see everything there is to see at this festival. There’s sooo much! And it’s all good. I head back to the Dawes Stage and promptly get completely bowled over by the rising star that is Luke Tyler Shelton. Are there a lot of singer-songwriter-guitarists at this event? Sure—I mean, it is a folk festival—but even in the midst of so many others, Shelton is a standout performer with a clear, melodious voice. In the tradition of Labi Siffre, he sings of love and loss, sharing many songs from his first full-length album, Blue Sky, just released this year, along with Big Star’s “Thirteen,” a song that breaks my heart every time I hear it. You must check him out. Must.

Next up is Grammy nominee Amythyst Kiah, who brings the spiritual and esoteric into the folk music realm. She was an incredibly commanding presence on the Main stage as she sang and talked about trauma, the loss of her mother, personal discovery, and healing, all with her Tennessee twang. Being on the Main stage automatically creates a physical distance between performer and audience, but Kiah makes a concerted effort to shorten that gap with her discussion between songs. I loved the whole set, but an especially fun highlight was an interpretation of Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” on banjo!

My phone is close to dying at this point and I realize that I’ve brought the wrong plug for my backup battery. Rookie mistake! But I take some time to appreciate the uplifting messages that have been lovingly scattered throughout the venue as I run back to the car for the right wire.

Thankfully, I get back to the main stage in time for NC-based husband and wife duo Watchhouse. Both Emily Frantz and Andrew Marlin are talented multi-instrumentalists. Their most recent album Rituals, released this year, highlights their gorgeous melodies, easy vocal harmonies, and poignant lyrics.

Next on the Main stage is the act I’ve been most excited to see: Tune-Yards. There simply isn’t anyone who does it like Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner. Despite some technical glitches—there are many, many layers to their stage show—they deliver a knock-out performance of some new pieces followed by my favorites, “Water Fountain” (a song about the importance of contributing to our community) and “Powa,” with vocals that rock you to the core.

John Moreland is next at the Dawes stage. Born in Texas, based in Oklahoma, Moreland plays thought-provoking, rough-edged songs from his repertoire to an adoring crowd. The Dawes stage is adjacent to the concessions and vendors and I watch his music catch the attention of many who saunter over to enjoy his charm.

The grand finale for the day is headliner Samuel Ervin Beam, aka Iron & Wine. He and his band open, under fiery red lighting, with “On Your Wings” from his 2004 album, the one that made me a fan, Our Endless Numbered Days. The original is more gentle and whispered, but this rendition’s got a biting, staccato edge to it. Each phrase is angry, impatient, and demanding: “God, give us love in the time that we have / God, there are guns growing out of our bones / God, every road takes us farther from home.”

Beam’s voice is distinct and can at times be comforting, soothing, but often his lyrics illustrate yearning, heartbreak, and soul searching. He plays a set that’s about half from his newest solo album—he also has an EP released this year collaborating with Ben Bridwell (of Band of Horses)—and half from his distinguished list of albums past, including bringing Jobi Riccio on stage for “All in Good Time.” I wasn’t able to make it to her set earlier, so I’m glad I had a chance to hear her beautiful voice!

With Day 1 complete, my soul has been uplifted, mentality shifted, and I’m ready for a good night of rest and then … Day 2!

It’s a lot sunnier when I arrive on Sunday, though the temperature is every bit as pleasant as the day before. The ducks have quickly acclimated to having all these people around and though there are signs requesting not to feed them, I’m pretty sure I saw a gaggle of kids slipping them some chips.

I’m anxious to try to see as many acts as I can today. The schedule is just as tight as the first day, but I’ve pared down my accoutrements so I can be faster and marked my musical route to cover as much ground as possible.

I walk past the concession stands just starting up and find a cozy spot on the lawn right in front of the first act of the day, The Wildmans, a band led by a brother/sister duo from rural Virginia. It’s still kind of quiet at the festival since it’s just noon on a Sunday, but these folks knocked my socks off! Aila Wildman plays fiddle while her brother, Elisha, plays guitar. They sing beautiful harmonies of their own creation, but also a few covers (The Flying Burrito Brothers, among others—Aila has a tattoo on her forearm that reads “Hot Burrito #2,” which they played today; Elisha has “Hot Burrito #1” on his). Their energy is electrifying and I feel like I’m witnessing a special moment—I have no doubt their star is about to skyrocket.

The Wildmans

I have to physically tear myself away from this awesome set, but there’s no way I can miss Ms. BettySoo over at the Lagoon stage. An Americana singer/songwriter from Austin, BettySoo has a powerful voice and relatable lyrics, but she’s also really funny! Her seemingly effortless charm is captivating and her sense of humor about the folly of relationships and challenges of family connections paired with lovely melodies brings a delightful buoyancy to the day.

I’m continually admiring the range of performers presenting this weekend. The EFF has gone above and beyond to make sure that the colorful quilt of folk music is well represented. I’m especially grateful for this in our current dystopia, when inclusivity and kindness are constantly challenged. Evanston has always felt like a bit of a multicultural microcosm, so it’s not surprising, but it still feels special and important. Here is where we come to celebrate the beauty of all the threads of our humanity that, woven together, create utopia.

Next up is the Mexican singer/songwriter and creator of Folkpirano, a new genre of music, Dámaris Bójor. She takes the Main stage and immediately commands attention. A blend of folk music and Campirano (regional music of Sierra de Sonora, where Bójor is from), Folkpirano has a driving guitar-propelled beat combined with rich melodies and uncompromising lyrics. Her recent album Folkpirano includes the track “Extranjero,” which she performs today, that illustrates—with piercing detail—the experience of being an immigrant. Every song she sings is filled with fire and the passion of her convictions.

I head back to the Dawes stage for Chicago-based Elizabeth Moen, a rock/blues artist who absolutely shreds on the guitar. Her simple stage arrangement—accompanied only by an upright bassist—highlights her voice and musicianship. Moen plays loud and with incredible skill and her vocals about love and heartbreak are eloquent yet raw. Not since Bonnie Raitt have I encountered this level of beauty, talent, and raucous fun.

I rush over to catch the second half of Canadian singer/songwriter William Prince’s set. What a delightful contrast! The two-time JUNO Award-winning artist from Peguis First Nation has a soft stage presence, his music soulful and heartfelt.

Next, it’s back to the main stage for singer/songwriter/musician/essayist/poet and former U.S. National Youth Poet Laureate and Chicagoland native (phew, that’s a lot!) Kara Jackson. Her family has come out to support her today and her striking solo performance is filled with emotion. She sings of her personal journey through life and the challenges she’s endured as a queer Black woman. It’s hard to believe someone as young as she is (25!) has experienced and accomplished so much already. It will be exciting to see what comes next for her.

Although I’ve seen him a bunch of times before (and interrupted his reverie to say hello earlier while he sat on the bench watching sparkling Lake Michigan this morning), it’s always a delight to see Minnesotan Charlie Parr perform. I always feel that his guitar playing sounds like the notes have all been placed in a popcorn popper—they bubble and bounce around yet somehow stick together to make such enjoyable tunes. Today, he plays on a special guitar, one that was passed down to him from the late Spider John Koerner, a Twin Cities legend and mentor to Bob Dylan. Parr sings “817 Oakland Avenue” from his 2021 album Last of the Better Days Ahead, which encourages us to “spread it around” (love, light, comfort, shelter, food, support). An important reminder for us all.

At just 18 years old, Muireann Bradley has traveled from Donegal, Ireland to perform at the festival. Her lovely voice is reminiscent of a young Joan Baez. I stop to watch the bees enjoying the flowers as she sings. Pretty sure I’ve arrived in heaven.

Ezra Furman, former lead singer of Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, takes the Main stage next for a solo performance. Their lyrics are honest, angry, and pressing; the music is tidal and rough. Furman sings of love and restlessness. Their albums have a much larger production, but as a solo performer, the music takes on a much more personal appeal.

I bounce back over to the Dawes stage because I’m excited to see Grammy award-winning (the first Grammy for Sun Records—CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?) Ruthie Foster. With her guitar named Pearl, she sings stories to us, including a beautiful song about Maya Angelou called “Phenomenal Woman” and a bluesy version of Arthur Crudup’s “That’s Alright Mama.” We are truly in the presence of greatness with Foster, but she’s down to earth and breaks the boundary between performer and audience. I feel included in her joy as she plays her tunes. It’s amazing how one person can create such a full sound with simply her voice and guitar.

I only caught part of her discussion with the ladies at the Tent Talks about “How Women Made Music” (based on a book of archival NPR interviews of the same name), so I’m excited to see Ken Pomeroy perform. This young Oklahoma-raised Cherokee artist’s voice is sweet and comforting, belying the difficult stories her lyrics tell. Her beautiful songs focus on small moments and self-reflection.

I race back to the Tent Talks to hear Roseanne Cash’s interview with journalist Ann Powers. I wasn’t able to make it to Cash’s performance that kicked off the festival the night before its official start, but she’s an amazing performer, speaker and, beyond her father’s legacy, an icon of the music world. She talks about her book Composed: A Memoir; the importance of finding one’s creative voice, especially as a woman; and plans for her future as she winds down her performing life to enjoy health, family, and serenity.

Next on the Main stage is California indie-rock duo The Milk Carton Kids. Their fluid harmonies remind me a bit of Simon and Garfunkel, but with a lot more levity and … well, they actually seem to like each other. It’s easy to fall in love with their music immediately because of their delightful voices, but they also have wonderful skill coordinating acoustic guitar playing. A light breeze comes over the water as the audience sways to the wonderful sounds of the music.

I can only catch a couple of songs from Chris Smither, but I’m grateful not to miss his set completely! Even though he’s a veteran folkie and blues musician, he’s still got a sparkle in his eye, and you can see how much fun he’s having up there. Born in Florida and raised in Ecuador, Texas, and finally New Orleans, you can hear the textures of all these different cultures in his music.

Tommy Prine, the son of the late Chicago folk/blues/country musician John Prine, performs next at the Lagoon stage. He’s not as audacious as his dad, and he talks about how he’s learned to accept both the public persona of his father and woven it together with the personal relationship he had with him. He sings songs reflecting on his family and friends and how he’s carving his own path.

I know I’m late to the party, but I’m thrilled to finally see Bonny Light Horseman! A supergroup of Anaïs Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats, The Shins) and Josh Kaufmann (The National, Hiss Golden Messenger Service, Josh Ritter), they were joined by Minneapolis drummer JT Bates for their performance on the Main stage. Some folk music is quiet and thoughtful, but they raise the energy and make it vibrant and fun.

Loudon Wainwright III’s songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, and his son Rufus Wainwright. His song “Dead Skunk” was a top 20 hit produced by Clive Davis for Columbia in 1972. He is an accomplished actor and performer. And he is HILARIOUS. LWIII has stories for days and his delivery is impeccable. I laugh the whole way through his set. He’s touring now, so definitely go see him if you get the chance!

The headliner for tonight is none other than the illustrious Margo Price. There is a noticeable buzz as the audience members who dared wait until the last minute to stake their space try to find a good spot. Based in Nashville, the home of sparkly, sleek country music, Price’s star is rising fast. She received a Best New Artist Grammy nomination in 2018, and it seems like she’s everywhere these days.

The front rows of fans scan the area for signs that she is coming out, waiting with bated breath. Just as she is about to take the stage, Nature steals the spotlight as an absolutely incredible full Blood Moon ascends over Lake Michigan. Literally thousands of audience members turn their heads to the horizon to watch the incredible sight.

At last, after several minutes pass, Price takes the stage and the audience goes wild. The phenomenal weather, the unfathomable moon, the rocking country music is overwhelming. As the people sway to the music and Price stomps around on stage singing her fiery tunes, I feel grateful for this amazing experience.

The Evanston Folk Festival is only in its second year, but it’s destined to return. There is so much passion, creativity, and love here. Folk music and its adjacent genres challenge us to reflect on who we are, what we stand for, and what we want to make in and of our world. EFF has brought together some of the most powerful voices for this generation of song makers. It was passionate yet peaceful, huge yet cozy-feeling. The seeds of creativity and love have been planted, and if the last two years of the fest are any indication, we can expect this thing to keep growing. Coming together like this is how we make the change we want to see in the world.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Davis. Photo courtesy of the author.

Christine Davis was raised in NJ but is an honorary Midwesterner living in the Chicago area. She’s an acupuncturist by day, but there’s always music playing in her head. Live music brings her a thrill like no other, but she also listens to her favorite albums over and over (and over). A music historian at heart, she loves to find the threads that connect pieces, artists, genres, and fans together. She’s the wife of a musician, mom to two of the best humans on earth, and amateur lap steel guitarist.

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