Festival Circuit – Details, episodes & analysis

Hey there, Festival Circuit fans! Check out the first episode of our new fiction podcast Sugar Maple, starring Fred Savage. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to hear where the story goes from here!

In the series premiere, we meet our narrator, Terrance Woodridge, who brings us a tale he’s chased down: the story of Sugar Maple, the guitar of legend with a timeless sound that's passed from hand to hand over the years.

In this episode, we go back to 1951 and hear the story of "Sweet Licks" Bobby Lindro, an orphan from the farmlands outside Chicago. When his brand new Telecaster’s neck is destroyed, he's sure nothing can replace it, until his Aunt procures mysterious wood that seems to make Bobby's guitar truly sing, and gives Bobby dreams that carry him places he never meant to go.

Sugar Maple is presented by Osiris Media. Be sure to listen to the premiere of the song from this episode, Brimstone Lampfire, on March 15, wherever you listen to music. Please check out the limited edition poster for this episode, and the limited NFT release of episode and series art. If you like what you hear, please give us a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Episode 1 stars Fred Savage as Terrance Woodrige, pRicky Gee as Bobby Lindro, Connie Castanzo as Becky, Jo Walker as Rebecca Woodridge, Deborah Geffner as Aunt Buggy, Daniel Light as Del Faucet, and Michelle Hurst as Doc. 

Brimstone Lampfire was written by Patrick Hart and Michael John Hancock.  

The Executive Producers of Sugar Maple are Tom Marshall and RJ Bee. Produced, Edited, Mixed and Mastered by Brad Stratton. Story by Ben Colmery, A.R. Moxon, and Tom Marshall. Episode 1 written by A.R. Moxon and Ben Colmery. Directed by James Masciovecchio. Musical direction by Don Hart. Produced by Tom Sullivan. Production assistance from Zach Brogan and Christina Collins. Art by Mark Dowd. Legal assistance from Gerald Gottesman. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to episode 5 of Festival Circuit: New Orleans. In this final episode, we wrap things up by looking at what the future holds for live music and jazz fest and how the music industry needs to change, and we pay tribute to some of the people who made New Orleans music what it is today. We include an interview with Tank from Tank and the Bangas, and hear from many other interviewees as well. 

As we mentioned at the end of the episode, we'd love to hear from you. We want to know what festival you’d like to see covered, or what you liked most about this series. Give us a review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, and mention your feedback in the review. Or, you can send us an email at [email protected]. We read them all, and appreciate the feedback and input. 

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. The theme song is “JazzFest Time,” by Circus Mind. Thanks to our partners at WWOZ. To check out more shows that help deepen the connection to music you love, please visit OsirisPod.com. 

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Welcome back to Festival Circuit: New Orleans. In this episode, we’re going to explore the late night music scene around jazz fest.

We hear from George Porter, Papa Mali and Robert Walter about the magic of one-time late night collaborations, and we talk with Irma Thomas about performing with Allen Toussaint on the President. We also explore the growth of Frenchmen Street as a destination, the legacy of Tipitina’s, and amazing late night shows over the past 50 years. 

If you like the show, please subscribe and share, and leave a review. Thank you. 

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. The theme song is “JazzFest Time,” by Circus Mind. Thanks to our partners at WWOZ. To check out more shows that help deepen the connection to music you love, please visit OsirisPod.com. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to Festival Circuit: New Orleans. In episode 3, we’re going to jazz fest! We’ll look at how the festival started, hear from interviewees about standout performances, talk about the evolution of the festival itself, and of course, talk a bit about jazz fest food. 

We spend some time in the Gospel Tent, dance with Mardi Gras Indians, and look at the explosive growth of the festival over the past 20 years. And of course, there’s plenty of music. 

This would have been the 51st jazz fest, and we all wish we could have been there. But this tribute to the festival and to New Orleans music helps us all feel a little more connected to live music and to this event that is truly one of a kind. 

If you like the show, please subscribe and share, and leave a review. Thank you. 

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. The theme song is “JazzFest Time,” by Circus Mind. To check out more shows that help deepen the connection to music you love, please visit OsirisPod.com. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back Festival Circuit: New Orleans. In episode 2, we explore the idea of family in New Orleans, in all the ways that it manifests—the famous musical families of the city, the broader New Orleans musical family, and the idea that the city feels like one big family in many ways. There's discussion of food, a lot of music, and so much more. We also talk about how the New Orleans family came together around a tragedy, after Hurricane Katrina.

For this series, we interviewed Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Irma Thomas, Anders Osborne, Ben Jaffe, Papa Mali and dozens of other musicians. We also talked to writers, academics and music fans about what makes the music of the city so unique. Thanks to all interviewees, and to our partners at WWOZ.

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. The theme song is “JazzFest Time,” by Circus Mind. To check out more shows that help deepen the connection to music you love, please visit OsirisPod.com. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Festival Circuit. This is a new narrative series focusing on the history and impact of festivals and cities around the world. The first season, focused on the music of New Orleans and the annual jazz festival, premieres today.

In episode 1, we explore the history of the city and the history of music in New Orleans, including how the institution of slavery influenced the unique rhythms of the city. We also trace the evolution of jazz music and how that led to the creation of the jazz fest in 1970. The next episodes will focus on the families of the city, the creation and evolution of the jazz festival, memorable performances in the festival’s history, the impact of late night shows around the city, and the legacy and lasting appeal of New Orleans music.

For this series, we interviewed Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Irma Thomas, Anders Osborne, Ben Jaffe, Papa Mali and dozens of other musicians. We also talked to writers, academics and music fans about what makes the music of the city so unique. Thanks to all interviewees, and to our partners at WWOZ.

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. The theme song is “JazzFest Time,” by Circus Mind. To check out more shows that help deepen the connection to music you love, please visit OsirisPod.com. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new narrative series focusing on the history and impact of festivals and cities around the world. The first season, focused on the music of New Orleans and the annual jazz festival, premieres July 9.

We set out to answer the question: What is it about New Orleans that makes it such a special place for music? Is it the families of the city? Is it the centuries of unique history? Is it the rhythm? Or is it something more elemental, more spiritual?

This five-part series will explore the history of music in the city, the creation and evolution of the jazz festival, memorable performances in the festival’s 50 year history, the impact of the late night shows around the city, and the legacy and lasting appeal of New Orleans music.

For this series, we interviewed Ivan Neville, George Porter, Jr., Irma Thomas, Anders Osborne, Ben Jaffe, Papa Mali and dozens of other musicians. We also talked to writers, academics and music fans about what makes the music of the city so unique.

The series is narrated by Rob Steinberg, an actor and a New Orleans resident for the past 25 years. Rob has appeared in hundreds of films and TV shows, most recently in “12 Years A Slave.” He’s also a huge music fan.

Tune in on July 9 as we explore the power of music in New Orleans. Subscribe now.

Festival Circuit is presented by Osiris Media. This series is Narrated and Produced by Rob Steinberg. Executive Producers are Christina Collins, Andrew Goodwin and RJ Bee, who also double duties as series writer and creator. Produced, Edited and Mixed by Matt Dwyer. Show logo by Liz Bee. Theme song by Mark Rechler, with guest Ivan Neville. Thanks to all interviewees and to WWOZ.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the series finale, we go back to the Fort. Join us as we bring you the sights and sounds we experienced at Fort Adams as Newport Folk returned after a necessary break in 2020, and presented their six-day, half capacity 2021 festival, Folk On. We'll take you from the meaningful first notes sung by the first performers to grace the stage, Resistance Revival Chorus, to one of the last - Lake Street Dive, and their tribute to beloved member of the folk family and former WFUV Program Director, the late Rita Houston. We also hear from Andrew Bird and Hiss Golden Messenger's MC Taylor about their return to performing and paying homage to John Prine, from mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile about the magic of Newport and why it continues to gives him hope, and the kismet journey of Allison Russell organizing and performing during the most talked about set at Folk On, Sunday night's 'Once and Future Sounds', curated by, and featuring women of color, with a very very special guest.

We also check in with Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey, Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), Yola, Newport Executive Director Jay Sweet, and many other artists, fans and members of the Folk family about their experiences at Folk On, their reflections of the past 18 months, and where we are headed. Through it all, the feeling of family and community is ever present, giving us the courage to take tentative steps forward, leaning into the truth and power of music, and the magic that happens when we dream together.

Festival Circuit: Newport Folk is presented by Osiris Media, and hosted by Carmel Holt. It is co-written, co-produced and edited by Carmel and Julian Booker, who is also the series' audio engineer. Production assistance from Zach Brogan. Executive producers are RJ Bee and Christina Collins. Show Logo and art by Mark Dowd. 

The series theme music is "Ruminations Pt. 3 (Afternoon Haze)" by Steven Warwick. Thanks to Billy Glassner of the Newport Festivals Foundation for providing archival audio. Thanks to our Folk Family guests Abena Koomson-Davis, Nelini Stamp, Andrew Bird, MC Taylor, Margo Price, Jeremy Ivey, Yola, Allison Russell, Dan Knobler, Samantha Betley, Josh Wool, Julien Baker, Holland Saltzman, Nancy Sheed, Natalie Hemby, Katie Crutchfield, Jay Sweet, Chris Thile, Jonathan Russell, Rachael Price and Bridget Kearney.

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Have you heard Black Pumas self-titled debut album? Don’t miss a chance to see Black Pumas live if they come to your town and pick up a copy of their album wherever you purchase or stream music. Visit TheBlackPumas.com to learn more.

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We're hearing a lot about diversity and inclusion these days (which is great!) but as we'll learn in this episode, those two words and what they stand for are at the very core of what guided the earliest days of Newport Folk and Jazz over sixty years ago, continuing to this day. And as we know, there is still much work to be done to make our world a just and equal place. Listen in as the women of Our Native Daughters share the experience of their powerful performance at Newport in 2019, their mission of amplifying the perspectives of Black American women from the time of slavery through the present, and discuss the ongoing need for better representation across genres - in particular Americana and Country - that have their roots in the black community, and at events like Newport Folk.

Amplifying women's voices, and women of color, is an important part of this conversation, too, and Yola speaks on the importance of The Highwomen's debut at Newport Folk and Brandi Carlile's all female headlining set, as well as her own sense of purpose in occupying and owning space in what is currently an overwhelmingly white genre. We dive into the history of Newport and why the insistence racial equality and diversity of its lineups was an especially personal mission of George Wein's - one that he carried to New Orleans when creating Jazz Fest alongside the parents of Preservation Hall's Ben Jaffe. and how that festival in turn helped to integrate New Orleans. And Colin Meloy and Judy Collins join us to talk about folk music's history as a tool for organizing and empowering the disenfranchised, especially through the voice of Pete Seeger. The fight continues to surround hate and force it to surrender.

Festival Circuit: Newport Folk is presented by Osiris Media, and hosted by Carmel Holt. It is co-written, co-produced and edited by Carmel and Julian Booker, who is also the series' audio engineer. Production assistance from Zach Brogan. Executive producers are RJ Bee and Christina Collins. Show Logo and art by Mark Dowd. 

The series theme music is "Ruminations Pt. 3 (Afternoon Haze)" by Steven Warwick. Thanks to Billy Glassner of the Newport Festivals Foundation for providing archival audio. Additional archival audio provided by the Alan Lomax Collection at the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress, courtesy of the Association for Cultural Equity. And many thanks to our folk family guests Amythyst Kiah, George Wein, Ben Jaffe, Bob Boilen, Leyla McCalla, Rhiannon Giddens, Allison Russell, Yola, Colin Meloy, Judy Collins, Martin Anderson, Phil and Brad Cook, Jay Sweet, Holly Laessig, Jess Wolfe, Brittany Howard, Brian Lima and Allison Pangakis.

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Visit SunsetLakeCBD.com and use promo code FESTIVAL for 20% of premium CBD products

Visit Melophy.com and use promo code FESTIVAL for 20% off your first virtual lesson.

Visit GarciaHandPicked.com to find Garcia cannabis products near you and to learn more. 

Have you heard Black Pumas self-titled debut album? Don’t miss a chance to see Black Pumas live if they come to your town and pick up a copy of their album wherever you purchase or stream music. Visit TheBlackPumas.com to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.