Friday, May 23

The 2008 Northwest Folklife Festival got into full swing on Friday, May 23 with performances from seasoned Folklife veterans and first-time Folklifers alike. Amongst eager youth orchestras, blues dance bands and everything in between, we managed to record some steller performances.

The Alki Stage on Friday night hosted the eclectic sounds of Na Leolani, a Hawaiian slack key-guitarist and singer, Chet Corpt, a Seattle-based player of the West African kora, and country-tinged songs from Gabriel Mintz.

On Friday evening, audiences on the Fisher Green were treated to a special event celebrating the music and life of Utah Phillips, folk singer, activist, and icon for many who attend the Festival.

Rebel Voices started things off, and were followed by Utah Phillips' son Brandon performing songs as Fast Rattler. He was followed by a string of amazing singers from across the Pacific Northwest.

The evening's dedication to an influential and poetic folksinger, pacifist, and labor leader became even more poignant on Saturday morning, when news reached us that Utah Phillips had passed away in his sleep on Friday night.

Read Utah's official obituary provided by the family here.

Listen to streaming performances from the Utah Phillips Celebration, listed on the right.

Audiences looking for more amplitude headed to the Fountain Lawn, where funk, country and flamenco kept bodies moving all night.

The Vera Project was transformed into a cathedral of sound on Friday night, as four incredible bands demonstrated the huge scope of progressive folk metal in the Pacific Northwest. Bands Novemthree, a minority of one, and Waldteufel played amazing sets, and the night ended with the brain shattering wall of sound that is Fauna. The whole thing was streaming live by the folks at Hollow Earth Radio, and you can listen to Fauna's performance here.

Friday Night Storytelling

The Center House Theatre is home to the annual Friday Night Storytelling Concert. This year, the program included Dr. Maggie Bennett, Karen Haas, Roger Coles, and Auntmama. These storytellers spun tales from as far afield as Ireland and Appalachia for a spellbound audience. Check out the tales told by clicking any of the speaker buttons on the right.