Local crowd dances night away at Nile Rodgers’ Fold Festival at Martha Clara

Nile Rodgers brought the magic back to Riverhead last night and kept a crowd of thousands dancing at Martha Clara Vineyards with a FOLD festival that included a star lineup of headliners including Chic, Pharrell Williams, Keith Urban, and Paloma Faith.

Rodgers, taking the stage in a T-shirt and jeans, joked that he hadn’t had time to change into his planned attire due to “the longest sound check in the history of man.”

Mother Nature did her best to set the show behind, with a fierce storm in the early morning hours that set back the schedule, Rodgers said. But despite obstacles, the show went on and, as Rodgers said, “We’re going to play three times as funky” to make up for the delays.

From beginning to end, the show was an homage to Rodgers and his impact on artists throughout his Grammy-studded career.

Rodgers, a songwriter, producer and founder of Chic, the legendary dance band behind megahits including “Le Freak” and “Good Times,” has collaborated with stars including Madonna, David Bowie, Duran Duran, and more recently Daft Punk, with whom he picked up three Grammy Awards in 2014, Pharrell Williams, Aviici and Disclosure.

Currently, he and Urban are collaborating on an album, and their red-hot guitar jam had the crowd roaring. “He was on fire,” Rodgers said of Urban’s performance.

Throughout the evening, artist after artist thanked Rodgers, bowing to him onstage. Williams, in a tearful moment, said Rodgers never has to ask, merely to, “Tell me what to do,” and he’d be there to support his colleague and friend. “Sharing this stage with you is an honor,” he said.

During a heartfelt moment, Rodgers reflected on being diagnosed a few years back with an “aggressive cancer” that had doctors sending him home to put his affairs in order. Instead, Rodgers collaborated with Daft Punk and met Williams, who said Rodgers’ “creativity” helped battle the disease right from his body.

Laughing and singing with the crowd, who tossed beach balls, screamed, and danced, Rodgers said he hopes to be back next year with a similar festival; Rodgers also hosted an event at Martha Clara in 2013 featuring Avicii and Adam Lambert, as well as Chic.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said the event couldn’t have run more seamlessly. “Riverhead let its hair down tonight,” Walter said.

The supervisor, a fan of country music, said he was happy Rodgers brought Urban and a bit of country to the stage but next year, he’d like to see two country acts.

While he said the music might have disturbed a few neighbors, by and large, the event was a resounding success, and he was looking forward to the second part of the festival, which continues tonight with artists including Chaka Khan and Duran Duran.

A large number of the guests, the supervisor added, were locals from Riverhead.

Rodgers has told RiverheadLOCAL he’d like the festival to become a yearly event at Martha Clara and Walter could not agree more.

“I’d like to see Nile Rodgers buy this property,” he said.

See m0re FOLD day one photos here

RiverheadLOCAL photos by Lisa Finn.