While my feet have been back on American soil for a few weeks, part of my heart is still in a gorgeous field in Tunbridge Wells, Kent where I spent three idyllic days hearing some of my favorite artists as well as a bunch of new-to-me ones.

Did it POUR on one of the days? Of course it did, it’s England after all. But that didn’t stop any of the music from happening.

Permit me to unpack some of what I heard and saw but before I forget, I simply must share that I tried my first ever Scotch Egg and my god it was delish!

Thankfully Aer Lingus had a flight that only partially broke my bank and I was also able to find a nifty hotel to lay my head at night without having to take out a second mortgage on my house.

I arrived on Thursday, June 15 by way of a layover in Dublin from Boston and after settling into my temporary digs, took a stroll around town and promptly found an incredible shop where I bought a Chewbacca seatbelt cover. BECAUSE OF COURSE I DID.

I also found some of the best pizza I have ever had and in a hilarious twist, ate it back in room paired with a cold bottle of Budweiser because I’m weird.

Tunbridge Wells is such a lovely place that I hope I get a chance to explore again

ONTO DAY ONE!

Friday, June 16

Black Deer offered a handy and affordable shuttle bus which was an ace option so I used it all three days. Whizzing along on the “wrong” side of the street on a narrow country road was a thrill for me and I hadn’t even reached the festival grounds.

Black Deer was held at Eridge Park which is a massive field at the bottom of a rolling hill. Many attendees camped right there on the grounds in either tents, trailers or the posh yurts that were available. Smart move as one could roll out of one’s sleeping bag and right into the grounds.

After getting the lay of the land and hearing bits of music from about seven total performance areas I headed for the photo pit to shoot my first pics of the day.

As a professional journalist, I pride myself on hardcore prep but this trip was just as much a mini-vacation as it was a quest to document the festival so I had to laugh when, 15 minutes before he took the stage I connected the dots and realized why the name Damian Lewis was familiar to me. OMG IT’S THE DUDE FROM HOMELAND!!!

He’s got an EMMY and a GOLDEN GLOBE on his mantel for his portrayal of Nicholas Brody. As a hardcore fan of the show I had to wipe the stars from my eyes for a few seconds and get a grip on myself. (And yes, he’s also in “Billions” though I haven’t seen that series).

Damian Lewis at Black Deer Festival on June 16, 2023. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

Turns out, Lewis is also a musician and his debut solo album “Mission Creep” was released ON THAT VERY DAY. It includes a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” and is 13 tracks long. Who knew? Clearly several people as the The Ridge Stage tent was a madhouse during his set. Well done, Sergeant Brody!

Damian Lewis at Black Deer Festival on June 16, 2023. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

After a bit more wandering I caught part of This Is The Kit and if you don’t know their music, RUN DON’T WALK to wherever/however you listen to music. All bow to Kate Stables…

I found myself wondering why IN THE HELL I wasn’t familiar with Irish singer-songwriter CMAT. Her afternoon main stage set absolutely SLAYED and I especially adored “I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby.” CMAT’s got a terrific voice, sassy stage presence and I loved she and her band immensely.

Later in the evening when the sun was contemplating setting Nathanial Rateliff & The Night Sweats closed out the evening on the main stage. They always put on a solid show. Always.

And honestly, hearing “S.O.B” live always makes me happy.

Lest there be any doubt of how stacked this festival is, other acts on this day included Bonny Light Horseman, Kurt Vile and The Violators and Willi Carlisle among a bunch of others. As in a TON.

Saturday, June 17

I woke up, TBH, not particularly well rested but none the less excited to hop aboard the bus and whisked back to Black Deer.

I get to write a sentence that I’ll likely never get to write again and one I write still completely freaking out over.

THE PRETENDERS FOLLOWED BONNIE RAITT ON THE MAIN STAGE.

I hope you heard the huge exhalation of breath that just happened for me even more than a month later.

But first, huge shout out to Calexico! It was my first time seeing them and man alive, entirely righteous set on the main stage.

Calexico on June 17, 2023. Black Deer Americana Festival. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

Under the tent at the Ridge Stage I had the extreme pleasure of catching most of Kyshona’s set and don’t think for a second I didn’t go up to her and fan girl later that day when I saw her near me watching Raitt’s set.

Me and Kyshona.

Because of the tricky decisions that had to be made, I missed most (but not all) of Amythyst Kiah’s set but do yourself a gigantic favor and get wise to what she’s all about.

Now about Bonnie Raitt…

I need to tell a quick back story. I’ve been a fan for decades of Raitt and have been fortunate enough to have seen her a few times through the years. But more to the point, on Record Store Day of 2023, which was on April 23, I got to interview her IN PERSON at Bull Moose Music in Scarborough, Maine. You can watch it here.

I had not been feeling well (not Covid) for most of that week and sadly, couldn’t make the show she had that night in Portland. I had to rally hard to do that interview because I wasn’t going to miss it for anything. Raitt was lovely to talk to.

The very next day, April 24, was the day I went to my hometown in Massachusetts and, long story short, it was that very day we found out my mother Louise had a massive brain tumor.

We lost her five weeks later.

As you imagine, the memories of last April are tangled up in bittersweet memories because as a music journalist, interviewing Raitt is a career highlight though the afterglow was so quickly extinguished 24 hours later.

So yeah, I needed to see her and my god what a set she performed at Black Deer. A dozen bangers including the Grammy winning ballad “Just Like That” as well as hits like “Nick of Time” and “Something to Talk About.” Raitt also conquered with her takes on INXS’ “Need You Tonight” and Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House.”

But I have to say, there’s truly nothing quite like hearing Bonnie Raitt sing John Prine’s masterpiece “Angel From Montgomery.” I can’t begin to fathom how many times Raitt has sung it live since releasing in on 1974’s “Streetlights” album. This is one of those times that the saying “it never gets old” is accurate because “Angel From Montgomery” is that special. It’s Raitt’s “Over the Rainbow.”

Still on cloud 9,000 from Raitt’s set, those of us with photo passes were allowed into the pit for songs three and four from The Pretenders. Chrissie Hynde and company kicked the set off with “Losing My Sense of Taste” and “Message of Love” as I freaked out side stage waiting for the green light to go into the pit.

It happened and it was truly surreal being THAT CLOSE to a band I’ve loved since the early 80s. “Turf Accountant Daddy” and “Hate For Sale” were the songs (both from 2020’s “Hate For Sale” album).

After doing my best with photos I had to make quick work of getting myself to The Ridge tent because one of my reasons for living had her set at just about the same time as The Pretenders.

It was singer-songwriter and all around SUPREME HUMAN BEING Allison Russell. Her 2021 album “Outside Child” is extraordinary as is “The Returner,” the first single from the album of the same set for an early September release.

Initially I was a bit crestfallen that I would have to try and be two places at one but then I remembered how lucky I was to even be there in the first place.

I made my way into the photo pit, took my fill of shots and heard a few more songs before trotting back to within hearing distance of The Pretenders.

Check out the entire setlist here and imagine little old me standing in that field taking it all in listening to “Hymn to Her, “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” “Talk of the Town” “Mystery Achievement” and “Middle of the Road.” It was goddamn transcendent and I fell asleep feeling nourished and with a huge smile on my face.

Sunday, June 18

At this point I was a Black Deer veteran and knew my way around, knew where my favorite food stalls were and where the shady spots were. I was comfortable, relaxed and rolled into Sunday with a sense of adventure and without an urgent agenda with one key exception: PATTY GRIFFIN! I’ve been a fan of the Maine native singer-songwriter since the 90s and have seen her countless times and have interviewed her more than once for the Portland Press Herald. She’s a songwriting GENIUS and it was a massive thrill to her perform in England.

As for the rest of the day, HELLO AMANDA SHIRES, BRANDY CLARK, LUKAS NELSON and PROMISE OF THE REAL AND STEVE EARLE. And to be entirely clear, that’s just some of the dozens of acts spread all over the Black Deer stages.

I mostly wandered around on Sunday hearing a song here and a song there and it was a perfect way to navigate the day. Two non-musical things that happened that day was watching what ended up being a downright riveting chili pepper eating contest and my first attempt at ax throwing. I landed one in the target but sure had fun throwing. I also sat (and had my nerdy photo taken) on one of the ACTUAL scooters used in “Quadrophenia.” There was even one of the helmets and an army jacket like you see in the film. The donation to sit on it benefited a local charity but the thrill for me was priceless.

While I’m at it, another absolute highlight of day one was riding the Ferris Wheel which afforded a terrific view of the grounds. I did however take a hard pass on the helter skelter as I’m certain I’d still be in a Kent hospital with a broken limb or two.

The helter skelter slide and ferris wheel at the Black Deer Americana Festival 2023. Photo by Aimsel Ponti

ALL OF THIS IS TO SAY: Black Deer is a marvelous, well thought-out, expertly curated festival. Also, everyone I met was really kind. I love that! I mean look at these lovely people and this wonderful scene:

I sure hope to make it back to to Kent for another one, that’s for damn sure.