Although not released until two years after the event, Festival is a dazzling documentary of the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Director Murray Lerner captured the spirit of the proceedings, including backstage conversations and riveting in-concert footage. Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Judy Collins and Peter, Paul And Mary lace acoustic folk music with contemporary "protest" material, mindful of the music's role within the Civil Rights movement. Donovan introduces "The Universal Soldier" by declaring it "the song the BBC wouldn't let me sing', inspiring cheers from an audience weaned on conspiratorial notions. Blues singer Howlin" Wolf generates considerable excitement with the aid of electric instruments and indeed the use of amplification would prove the catalyst for raging controversy. White Chicago group, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, played a set to considerable behind-the-scenes argument. (A reputed fist-fight between manager Albert Grossman and folklorist Alan Lomax over electrification was sadly not caught on camera.) Yet such discourse paled in comparison with the reaction to Bob Dylan's set. Aided by Mike Bloomfield (guitar), Jerome Arnold (bass) and Sammy Lay (drums) (all from the Butterfield Band) plus Al Kooper (organ) and Barry Goldberg (piano), he performed three tough, rock-styled songs, one of which, "Maggie's Farm", is enshrined in this film. Purists were outraged, and the notion of cat-calling Dylan's performances was born with this appearance. However, criticism levelled at the singer's show was not necessarily over amplification per se, but was equally due to a distorted sound obscuring his vocals. It is also evident from the film that many in the audience were in raptures. Dylan returned to sing two acoustic songs; both they and a workshop rendition of "All I Really Want To Do", filmed the previous day, are preserved in Festival. His rendition of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" is prophetic. It answers those expecting Dylan to remain encamped and simultaneously bids farewell to the acoustic muse of his past. The singer's use of an electric sound changed folk music forever - indeed the Newport Folk Festival then transformed itself into a rock event. This enduring film captures this pivotal moment forever.

Listen to Festival at Finetune.

• (1979)  Disco Evita

• Don't Cry for Me Argentina
• Rainbow High
• High Flying, Adored
• She is a Diamond
• Buenos Aires

• Donna Summer
• Abba
• Barbra Streisand
• Gloria Gaynor
• France Joli
• Arpeggio
• Chic
• Alicia Bridges
• A Taste Of Honey
• Anita Ward
• Bee Gees
• Alec Costandinos
• Commodores
• Cerrone
• Elton John
• Original Soundtrack
• Kool & the Gang
• Diana Ross
• DJ Tiesto
• Madonna

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