Deer Tick hosted their annual Newport Folk Fest after shows at Rhode Island’s Newport Blues this past weekend. As in years past, each night featured a series of big-name openers and surprise guests.

At the start of the run, Deer Tick promised no repeats and used the opportunity to preview a handful of songs off their forthcoming album. The members of Deer Tick wore pirate costumes throughout the run and switched costumes each night. The runs first big collaboration took place on Friday night when Newport Folk royalty Johnny Irion, the husband and performing partner of Sarah Lee Guthrie, emerged for “Dangerous Love” and “Downtown.” On Friday night, North Carolina psych-folk act Hiss Golden Messenger, whose live band included Megafaun’s Phil and Brad Cool, and Texas soul crooner Leon Bridges, who ensemble features half of White Denim, both warmed up the crowd and Bridges returned during Deer Tick’s set for a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It Home to Me” that also featured Lucius singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig.

Later in the night, the Lucius singers returned to the stage along with My Morning Jacket’s Jim James—who made a surprise appearance at the festival earlier in the day—and festival producer Jay Sweet for a sing-along version of Neil Young’s “Helpless.” Saturday’s performance featured the run’s most collaborations.

After a mini soul revue featuring The Suffers and, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Replacements guitarist Tommy Stinson—one of Deer Tick’s biggest influences—played a short set. Though he has recently worked with members of Deer Tick on a solo project, he performed with his own band, including North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson (who recorded his first solo at the tender age of 13 on a Replacements album his dad Jim Dickinson produced). Stinson returned to the stage during Deer Tick’s set for his own “Not a Moment Too Son,” The Who’s “The Kids Are Alright” and The Beatles’ “I Wanna Be Your Man.” (Deer Tick played Meet the Beatles in its entirety at Brooklyn Bowl this past fall.)

Soon after Heartless Bastards’ Erika Wennerstrom and Robert Ellis emerged in tandem to help Deer Tick through the Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton hit “Islands in the Stream,” band pal Chris Paddock sang on his own “These Old Shoes” (which Deer Tick recorded on their first album) and Deer Tick frontman John McCauley brought his wife Vanessa Carlton out for “Walkin’ in Our Time.” Then, the Lucius singers returned for “Strangers” and versions of Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Night” and Elvis Costello’s “Welcome to the Working Week.”

To the surprise of many, Deer Tick and Ellis closed the night with their debut cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Touch of Grey,” which McCauley described as his baby daughters favorite song. The run’s final evening featured a few bonus suprises too, including another old Deer Tick friend Liz Isenberg on “Friday XIII” and folk legend Robyn Hitchcock, who participated in the festival’s 1965 tribute, on his own “‘Ye Sleeping Knights Of Jesus‘” and The Velvet Underground’s “Pale Blue Eyes,” Rafay Rashid on Happiness’ “17” and Lux Deluxe on NRBQ’s “Me N The Boys.”