Photos: Sturgill Simpson, Caroline Rose, Angaleena Presley and World Cafe kick off Folk Fest

Last night, the 53rd annual Philadelphia Folk Festival kicked off with it’s annual campers-only concert and World Cafe showcase on the Old Pool Farm camp stage – and the set was full of twang. Opening the show was Angaleena Presley, a Kentucky singer-songwriter and one-third of the Pistol Annies, with a contemplative solo acoustic set. Following introductions from MC and World Cafe host David Dye, Caroline Rose and her band took the stage. The 24-year-old Nashville via Long Island singer-songwriter played music from her debut America Religious and the new I Will Not Be Afraid, to a warm reception from the audience. Sturgill Simpson got an even more enthusiastic reception from the crowd, who rushed the stage and danced as he and his knockout band rocked out 45 minutes worth of amped-up Waylon Jennings-esque jams from his new Metamodern Sounds in Country Music (plus a knockout cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “Waiting Around to Die”). Connecticut band Parsonfield wrapped up the show as the audience continued dancing under the starry sky. Check out photos from the set in the gallery below.