-- hand-picked the Rhode Island festival for their first proper set before their lineup was even solidified. "[We're a] classic country band we put together to elevate the conversation about women in rural American music," Carlile says. "Newport was 50-50, playing men and women before that was even talked about. I always knew it was a place I could play new music and have a shot at equal status as a headliner.
Carlile connected with Wein for the first time last year -- "I knew I was meeting a rock star," she remembers -- and has come to love the environment that Sweet nurtures amongst Newport Folk artists. "Last year I didn't leave the festival until 3:30 am -- I got in so much trouble with my wife," she laughs. "I got on a boat and went to the end of town with Jay. We went to an aftershow and then to a bar where.
. Set for Aug. 8-11, the fest's 40th run features Carlile alongside kindred spirits like Jason Isbell and Hozier. Headliners: Haim, Isley Brothers, Robyn Held since: 2006 Built in the image of the critical pub that's shaped many a music taste this generation, the Chicago edition of Pitchfork Fest continuously books genre-hopping lineups that look outside the conventions of today's mainstream festivals. Virtually every left-of-center rapper, rock band, pop artist, or noisy experimentalist playing has been championed by the site's review section.