The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now

Stream the Tallest Man on Earth's Newport Folk Festival performance

by Rachel Horn

July 27, 2015

The Tallest Man on Earth
The Tallest Man on Earth
Adam Kissick for NPR

Even when playing to a crowd of thousands at the Newport Folk Festival, Kristian Matsson formed an intense, intimate connection with his audience. During his overcast Friday set, the Swedish songwriter who performs as The Tallest Man On Earth drew listeners in with a combination of highly personal lyrics and irresistibly rollicking guitar. ("I guess I write a lot of songs about breaking up, but sometimes you have to dance through your break-up," he remarked before stomping through "Darkness of the Dream" from his latest album, Dark Bird Is Home.) When a few bright rays peeked through the clouds midway through his set, it was hard not to imagine that Matsson had summoned the sunshine back.

Set List

  • "Fields of our Home"

  • "Slow Dance"

  • "1904"

  • "Revelation Blues"

  • "Darkness of the Dream"

  • "Love is All"

  • "The Gardner"

  • "A Lions Heart"

  • "Sagres"

  • "The Wild Hunt"

  • "The Dreamer"

  • "Dark Bird Is Home"

  • "Like The Wheel"

Credits

Audio: Joshua Rogosin, Suraya Mohamed and Monique Mizrahi; Photography: Adam Kissick.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.