Folk City 25th Anniversary Concert

Recorded live at the Folk City club in Greenwich Village, this 1987 all-star concert will bring back memories of the 60s for many, while introducing some younger viewers to the songs of an era. Following a tribute to "Folk City" sung by The Roches, former Byrds member Roger McGuinn leads off with "Turn, Turn, Turn." Tom Paxton does a humorous take on "Ghost Riders in the Sky" with his "Yuppies in the Sky." Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul, and Mary, sings "Puff, the Magic Dragon," and Arlo Guthrie performs "Inch by Inch," and gives the crowd a funny lecture about the horrors of the metric system. Richie Havens, Odetta, and Joan Baez round out the offerings from the old guard. Newer artists performing include Suzanne Vega (who would catapult into the spotlight shortly after this film), the Violent Femmes (their "Country Death Song" is guaranteed to send chills down your spine), and David Massengill (a songwriter for the B-52s). It's a good mix of the old and the new, demonstrating that as long as some people have a conscience, folk music will continue to be played and sung. Heading into the 90s, the legacy is being picked up and carried on by Vega, Tracy Chapman, the Indigo Girls, and a host of others. Folk City is highly recommended. (Available from most distributors.)