Somebody pass the Advil. The Roots broke me.

How the tens of thousands of tarpies made it to the top of the Gallagher Park hill at the end of Saturday night’s Folk Fest slate, capped off by a standing-only, high-energy set is beyond me.

But the Legendary Roots Crew capped off what is arguably one of the strongest post-COVID mainstage evening lineups, after solid sets by Taj Mahal, Goldie Boutilier and Danielle Ponder (who would have made a stunning headliner in her own right). More on them shortly.

It’s a testament to the showmanship of the Philadelphia rap collective and back catalogue that 11 years without a new album (front man Black Thought’s solo work notwithstanding) hasn’t dampened fan enthusiasm or an extensive musical well from which to draw.

But from the jump-off, it was more

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