Note-worthy The Folk Fest, garage rock, and more BY BOB GULLA

A big ol’ high five to the good folks at Newport’s Festival Productions, who put together another solid weekend of music and fun, beginning on Friday night at the Hotel Viking with the lovable Josh Ritter and the stunning Ron Sexsmith. On Saturday, Crosby, Stills, and Nash proved, with the help of some stellar weather, that they are still a massive draw.

On cool and comfortable Sunday, Wilco headlined. Though the daring slate of acts didn’t end up drawing as many people, the day proved to be on the cutting edge of folk and rock, with bands like the Old Crow Medicine Show and Ollabelle surging in exciting and exploratory ways. Doc Watson held down the legend slot capably. And Wilco played a transcendent set, culled from their curious new record, A Ghost Is Born, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Led by singer Jeff Tweedy and guitarist Nels Cline, the band sounded better than I’ve ever heard them. They were careful not to create too much dissonant cacophony — a good thing considering their gentle audience — but filtered in just enough wiggy decibels to keep the performance edgy.

THREE-CAR GARAGE. Next Saturday (the 14th), there’s another free show at Jake’s with the Ooga Boogas (Brian Dardeen’s primitive R&B Itchies offshoot), the Cobra-Matics (Johnny "The Colonel" Maguire’s brand-new rockin’ jazzabilly combo), and the Tim Heroux Band. Without question another solid night of booze and beat.

Well, the show got me thinkin’ about another garage rock bonanza on Randall’s Island in New York, sponsored by Little Steven’s Underground Garage Festival. I mentioned it a few weeks back, but if you missed it, the day includes an incredible array of old and new garage-type bands. Starting with the old, there’s Iggy Pop and the Stooges, the New York Dolls (RIP, Killer Kane), the Pretty Things, the Dictators, the Chocolate Watchband, the Electric Prunes, Nancy Sinatra, the Pete Best Band, the Creation, Big Star, the Fleshtones, and the list goes on. Are you kiddin’ me? On the new tip there’s the Strokes, the Raveonettes, the D4, the Mooney Suzuki, the Shazam, and a bunch of others.

Boston’s Muck and the Mires will also be joining in the weekend’s festivities, amid some controversy. They participated and reigned victorious in the Providence battle of the bands, designed to send the winner on to NYC. This even though they hailed from out of state, and even though several witnesses say a couple locals kicked ass. No further clues to the conspiracy have emerged. Still it doesn’t interfere with the fact that Saturday could be the most anticipated show of the year. And the promoters have kept ticket prices on the cheap — just $25 day of show. Tix are available at Ticketmaster.com.

WANDERING EYE. Midnight Creeps kick off their summer US tour this Thursday in New York City. The tour goes coast to coast at a grueling pace — 50 shows in 47 days, stopping in Providence this Friday the 13th (!) at the Green Room. Texas Terri Bomb, Weekend Warriors, and the Hidden will share the bill. These shows likely will be among the last for guitarist Jami Sleaze (the Sleazies), who filled in admirably while the band found a permanent six-stringer. Also on Friday, Barn Burning and Reverend Glasseye play AS220 with two other acts. BB is gearing up for a new release in the fall. Jon Tierney and the Truth will be celebrating their long-awaited new live disc at the Century Lounge on Saturday at 10 p.m. Live and Treading Water, was recorded more than a year ago with Bobby Sloane. We’re glad it’s about to see the light of day. The Songwriters In the Round series at AS220 goes down on Sunday (the 15th). The theme for August is "Scary Things," featuring host Ryan Fitzsimmons, Jan Luby, Mary Day, and Jon Nolan. Curtain’s up at 7 p.m. Mary Ann Rossoni will be back at the Narrows Center for the Arts (www.ncfta.org/) in Fall River, Massachusetts on Saturday with her band. The night will also include a showing of her artwork. On Monday (the 16th) at AS220, a pretty eclectic bill should turn a blasé weeknight into something more colorful. Fat Day, Mae-Shi (from LA), Rapider than Horsepower (Indiana), Mud Boy, and Crystal Cock Over Canada (ex-Life Partners) will contribute to the festivities, with lots of melody mixed with washes of noise and lo-fi experiments. Admission is $6. And Infinity Minus One and Hobbs End play Cats onWednesday (the 18th). Doors open at 9:30 and the cover is $5.

E-mail me with your music news at big.daddy1@cox.net.