Boston Folk Festival, crit tips

The Boston Folk Festival takes place at UMass-Boston – almost right across the street from WBOS – so it was high time that I checked it out. It’s a really sedate affair – it almost makes the Newport Folk Fest seem like a rowdy Lollapalooza – but it’s an ideal setting for singer-songwriters who want a totally enraptured crowd minus any Newport trendiness.
There were plenty of graybeard hippies (many brought their own lawn chairs), but also some fresh-faced young people who were keeping the folk tradition alive and were digging a low-key presentation where you could actually hear the lyrics and not have any yahoos screaming in your ear. There was no alcohol served (even Newport now has alcohol), but the seriousness of the audience was matched by the sincere, often brilliant, music that I heard.
Without question, the scene-stealer was Lori McKenna, the folk-country local who has been embraced by Faith Hill (who recorded a few of her songs) and Tim McGraw, who produced her fine new album. McKenna writes about the subtleties of life, and the wisdom gained by being a mother of five who has survived the Boston suburbs, as well as the vagaries of the music business for many years.
McKenna engaged in a song swap with her guitarist, Mark Erelli, and with longtime local fave, Catie Curtis. They sat next to each other on the small festival stage on the grass by the harbor – and for at least a few minutes, all was right with the world.
I found the price of the Boston Folk Festival a little daunting -- $30 a ticket, especially because I couldn’t stay long – but there’s a definite magic to this event, however low-key. The craft tents that ring the grounds are first-rate, as are the food offerings and the vendor tents selling hard-to-find folk records. Although it’s a grass-roots event, I’d say about 3,000 people were there – a pretty impressive crowd despite the lack of hype, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen an audience that listened more intently. The annual event will return next summer, so put it on your calendar if you believe in the hypnotic spell of up-close-and-personal acoustic music.

CRITIC’S TIPS:

* Kings of Leon – at the Orpheum Theatre on Friday, Sept. 28. A rock battle royale between Kings of Leon and openers Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Guitarslingers unite.
* Audrey Ryan – at the Lizard Lounge on Friday, Sept. 28. Local artist Ryan has been under the radar, but she’s ready to emerge at this CD release party.
* ZZ Top – at the Bank of America Pavilion on Saturday, Sept. 29. The little ol’ band from Texas is still looming large after all these years. Always a fun time.
* Dropkick Murphys – at Avalon on Sunday, Sept. 30. The Dropkicks’ new album, “The Meanest of Times,’’ just debuted on the Billboard charts at No. 20 – the highest debut ever for this beloved Boston band.
* Josh Ritter – at the Somerville Theatre on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 4-5. The quietly brilliant Idaho singer-songwriter, who lived for a while in Somerville, returns to his home away from home.