Live In Concert From Npr's All Songs Considered

David Wax Museum knows how to make the most of an opportunity. The talented Boston roots-folk band won its spot on a Newport Folk Festival stage after winning a contest, then spent the first day of the festival courting fans cheerfully but aggressively. By the time its set was half over -- after it had passed around its mailing list and hawked its line of hats -- the group had gathered a fairly enormous crowd, which it proceeded to win over in an increasingly big way. Before its set was over, the full band had congregated in the middle of the crowd to perform without amplification; judging by the deafening roar that followed, David Wax Museum won't need to enter contests much longer.

When Nickel Creek broke up in 2006, it was only a matter of time before the massively popular bluegrass band would spin off into new projects. Among the most prominent is singer-mandolinist Chris Thile's creatively ambitious Punch Brothers, whose recordings have already included a 40-minute suite called "The Blind Leaving the Blind." Less than two months after performing at Bonnaroo, Thile and Punch Brothers are hitting the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I., wielding new songs from an album titled 'Antifogmatic.'

One of the most self-assured stage performers in the business, Sharon Jones commands her audience's attention for every second of her hard-hitting concerts. For proof, look no further than her remarkable performance at NPR Music's SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas, this past March: Even if she didn't have the brilliant Dap-Kings horn section backing her blazing throwback soul songs, she'd have dominated. Jones performed music from this year's polished 'I Learned the Hard Way' when she takes the Newport Folk Festival stage in Newport, R.I.

April Smith sounds like an artist out of time: Her massive voice seems particularly well suited to the pop sounds of the '30s and '40s, when brassy belters reigned. Funded through $13,000 in donations from fans, Smith's recent album with her band The Great Picture Show, 'Songs for a Sinking Ship,' is a buoyant collection of quirky, charming songs. Here, Smith and her band perform live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

Cory Chisel grew up in Appleton, Wis., where he got into music while singing in church for his father, a Baptist minister. But while that period of his life helped him find his voice -- particularly in performances with his family -- Chisel remained isolated from popular culture at large. That changed when his uncle introduced him to classic rock and soul music, which in turn helped lead to Cory Chisel's recording career. Expect him to showcase material from last year's full- length major-label debut, 'Death Won't Send a Letter,' in this live performance from the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, the grandson of folk all-timer Pete Seeger, has carried on in the family tradition of musical activism, making frequent appearances at the venerable folk festival his grandfather helped found. But that's not his only claim to fame: The younger Seeger has also put out four albums with his band The Mammals, played with Sarah Lee Guthrie (Woody Guthrie's granddaughter) in the group RIG, and even sung with Bruce Springsteen and Pete Seeger at President Obama's inaugural celebration. Here, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger plays songs from his new solo album, 'Rise and Bloom,' at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

This is a golden age for fans of beardy guys who infuse their indie-rock sound with rich vocal harmonies that recall the heady days of Crosby, Stills & Nash. The L.A. band Dawes may be led by singer Taylor Goldsmith, but the group's layered backing vocals are just as much the star of its sweetly melancholy debut album, 'North Hills.' Here, Dawes performs live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

At first blush, Horse Feathers might seem like the prototypical purveyor of ineffectual beard-folk, complete with a stirring string section. But two factors elevate the band to greatness: 1) That is a 'hell' of a stirring string section, which helps Horse Feathers achieve rare exquisiteness; and 2) singer Justin Ringle knows how to use his warm, kind tenor to mask powerful lyrics about dark secrets and bruised souls. Hear Horse Feathers perform songs from this year's excellent 'Thistled Spring' live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

The only way O'Death could be a better name for a Gothic folk-punk band would be if the band only performed on St. Patrick's Day. As it is, the New York group plays grippingly intense Americana, in the process bringing to mind the white-knuckle hellrides of '16 Horsepower.' Here, O'Death plays songs from its latest album, 'Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin,' at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

An Arizona band led by singer-guitarist Joey Burns and drummer/multi- instrumentalist John Convertino, Calexico has spent a decade and a half as a go-to purveyor of atmospheric, even cinematic desert pop. With the aid of trumpets, pedal-steel guitars and piano, Calexico has become a festival favorite (playing a set at Bonnaroo earlier this summer), recorded high-profile collaborations (including 'In the Reins,' a tremendous album with Iron & Wine), and evolved into a consistent studio force (most recently releasing the well-received 'Carried to Dust'). Here, Calexico performs live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

Eight albums into his Grammy-decorated solo career, Sam Bush has become a consistent heavy hitter in the world of bluegrass. On his new album, 'Circles Around Me,' Bush collaborates with giants such as Del McCoury and Edgar Meyer. And, of course, Bush rarely travels without some of the best bluegrass players in the business: bassist Byron House, drummer Chris Brown, banjoist Scott Vestal and guitarist Stephen Mougin. Here, Bush will perform live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

With a stage name that's helped him rise to the top of iTunes libraries everywhere, A.A. Bondy -- once known as Scott Bondy from the band Verbena -- writes dark songs about staying a half-step ahead of damnation and doom. Fortunately, Bondy's gentle voice and low-key arrangements help him cut through the bleakness with considerable warmth and pop appeal. Expect him to showcase songs from last year's 'When the Devil's Loose at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

It isn't easy to pin down the music of the folk-rock band Blitzen Trapper, whose collective wandering spirit has taken it down detours over some strange and even psychedelic roads. Drenched in Crosby, Stills & Nash-style harmonies, Blitzen Trapper's recent 'Destroyer of the Void' meanders through country, '70s-style soft rock and the occasional acid-rock freak-out, all held in one place with the help of singer-songwriter Eric Earley. Here, Blitzen Trapper performs live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.

In 2008, The Low Anthem's members were volunteering at the Newport Folk Festival, helping to maintain the grounds. The next year, they were on stage, winning the home-state crowd's affections with their frequently gorgeous mix of folk, rock and wrenchingly atmospheric ballads. With a grab bag of unexpected instrumentation in tow, The Low Anthem again joins the Newport lineup in 2010, returning to the haunting sounds of its big-label debut, 'Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.'

A hardworking young folksinger with an impressive pedigree -- educated at Berklee College of Music and co-winner of the 2009 Mountain Stage New Song Contest, among many other honors -- Liz Longley is particularly highly regarded for her personal, emotionally engaging songwriting. Longley has already opened for the likes of Nanci Griffith and Shawn Colvin, but she takes one of her highest-profile stages yet when she performs live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I. Expect to hear songs from her brand-new album, 'Hot Loose Wire.'

The New Pornographers' latest album, Together, is a thrilling parade of infectious hooks, power-pop guitars, whistled melodies and sweet harmonies. The New Pornographers share highlights from the album, along with old favorites, in this full concert recorded live from Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club on June 23, 2010.

Music from The Rock Bottom Remainders Tiny Desk Concert performance at NPR. Authors Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson, Scott Turow, Amy Tan, Roy Blount Jr., Kathy Kamen Goldmark and Sam Barry didn't bring any instruments to their performance at Bob Boilen's desk. But they were smart enough to bring a ringer: The Byrds' Roger McGuinn. You can download the video by subscribing to the All Songs Considered Tiny Desk Concert Podcast at npr.org/tinydeskconcerts

We are no longer publishing Tiny Desk videos in this podcast. To download and watch those videos, subscribe to our new Tiny Desk concerts podcast. We will, however, publish audio-only versions of the TDCs in this live concerts podcast.

After a nearly 20-year hiatus, the highly revered and often imitated post-punk group Public Image Ltd. has re-formed and launched a new U.S. tour. The band made a stop in Washington, D.C., for a full concert, recorded live at the 9:30 Club.

Hear Toro Y Moi in a full concert, recorded live from the Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, D.C. May 10, 2010.