While studying in London, I received an urgent Facebook message from a friend in Colorado.  She stated, “you must start listening to the Avett Brothers.” I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t exposed to this group early enough.

Up at the Newport Folk Festival, the guys turned back the clocks, delivering their ultimate bluegrass/folk set.  Many of their earlier songs were featured, and while their newer songs got plenty of play, it was their raw sound that prevailed.  Of the new songs, I and Love and You stole the show.  The song which was the final number of their set, Seth, Scott, Bob, and Joe inspired the diverse crowd to get to their feet, and sing along.  With their hands in the air while singing, “three words that became hard to say, I and love and you,” the crowd raised one finger at a time (pointer, middle, and ring). Photos below shot by our photographer, David Kepner.