The blast that is Rhythm & Roots

The end of summer party at Rhythm & Roots in Charlestown, R.I. is a great time every year, and this year was no exception. I couldn’t stay for the entire 3-day festival. But I got a good taste of everything fun that the festival had to offer. There were stellar stage performances, of course, from cajun groups like Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys to the more laid-back blues of Keb’ Mo’.

My personal faves in the time I was there included the bluesy piano-slapping singer Marcia Ball, whose voice and stage persona are infectious. She captivated everyone the moment she hit the stage. But it was when I went to investigate some of the other action at the Dance Tent, when the true energy of the festival emerged. There, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha-Chas played a game of cat and mouse on stage. It was fun watching Nathan Williams, playing a full-sized accordion, dash back and forth with his cousin, rubboard player Mark Williams. Between songs they reached out and shook hands with the audience, who were dancing almost right up to the stage.

There were plenty of food vendors, and, I dare say, some of the best food I’ve had at a festival, from jambalaya to lobster bisque or Thai chicken. Craft vendors offered their wares, and others provided temporary tattoos or neck and foot massages for the weary.

Check out some scenes from the festival:

~ by folkmaster on September 4, 2008.