Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
Category: Local Flavor [Edit]
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond25th Ave & Fulton St.
Speedway Meadow
San Francisco, CA 94129
- Good for Kids: Yes
18 reviews
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
"I love coming here for a quick tan fix. No tan lines (if u choose not to wear undies) and no UV rays! After only a 15 minute spray session,…" read more »
44 Reviews for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
YES!!! Keller Williams and Bela Fleck for FREE!?!??! in my BACKYARD?!?!?!? well, almost.. ABSOLUTELY AWESOME i recommend all of the hippie fests in the park they are ALWAYS a good time.. i apologize for yelling. i just enjoy music, the park and the sun. i used to drive up to 10 hours to go to music festivals.. now i get to bike for 5-10 minutes for them. astounding.
All hail Warren Hellman and his deep, generous, bluegrass loving pockets. It's a mob scene, but worth it. I especially enjoy the smaller stages. All told, it's an impeccably organized and run event.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Ok so I know that I am writing this review a little after the fact, like a couple months too late. Here I am listening to some bluegrass music, writing yelp reviews and wishing that I could go back to the the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. So fun. Awesome location. Tons of hippies. Where do they all come from?!? Man I miss the indian summer.
If you plan to attend this festival next year, which you should, go early, steak out good territory to sit, bring lots of food and beer. I could not find a beer stand there to save my life and the food was so so. Whatever, the music makes up for all.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Only in SF. I finally went last year. YES the crowds are insane but is an AMAZING lineup AND FREE. It never ceases to amaze me. I will get there extra early next year to actually get a seat where I can see the artists...though as long as i can hear them it's nit that big of a deal
I was drugged. Accidentally. Well, sort of accidentally.
There we were in the middle of Golden Gate Park on the most gorgeous day, when I was handed a cheese and phyllo dough triangle. I took a bite. It was delicious. I took one more small bite and passed it on.
Now, my friend has been known in the past for making some pretty amazing treats utilizing the sticky green. Chocolate Lavender Truffles, Brownies, Peanut Butter Cups and things of that nature. So when someone told me to try her newest concoction wrapped in Phyllo Dough, it didn't occur to me that these little bites of flaky, golden yummy were laced. Heavily.
How was I to know she was not only versed in Ganja Goodies, but she was the fucking Betty Crocker of Marijuana?
So there I am, enjoying the Bluegrass stylings playing on the Banjo stage when all of a sudden my mouth goes dry, my eyes tighten up and I can't remember what I was saying two seconds before. Holy High, Batman. I looked around and realized I was quite possibly the highest person there. And everyone knew. And I needed to put some sunglasses on quick. And I also needed some gum. And some water. And stop looking at me.....wait, is that Falafel?
Two bites, my friends. I was stoned out of my head for a good 8 hours at the Bluegrass Festival. The music was awesome and the crowd was the most ecclectic mix of old white people and dirty hippes you've ever seen. But, after my bites of Technicolor Phyllo Triangle I was much more interested in the festival food, of which I inhaled a lot. Kettle Corn, the best Falafel ever, seafood etoufee, jambalaya and my personal fave, corn on a stick.
Which brings me to another point. Why aren't there more foods on a stick...
I think I might still be stoned. Someone just walked past me with a breakfast burrito and I drooled a little on myself.
How long does this shit last? I need to get some work done.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (13)
Funny (24)
Cool (17)
Holy Crap!! I haven't seen that many middle-aged white people listening to Mellencamp since I left Indiana. As Chris Rock so eloquently put it (and I'm paraphrasng here), "All people in Indiana do all day long is sit around eating mayonnaise sandwiches and listen to John Cougar Mellencamp." Which is essentially true, but I was more of a fried bologna sandwich and NWA guy myself.
I have a buddy who lives in SF who has been trying to get me to check this festival out for years as he is a huge Bluegrass/picker (Guitar Finger-Picking technique not to be confused with the left hand Suzuki method) fan. The Bluegrass alone wasn't a big enough of a draw as I have been running from the lifestyle for years, however with Jeff Tweedy on the bill I figured is was about time. Disappointed was how I felt when I left. Disappointed in myself for not going before. The. Festival. Was. Fantastic.
This is the seventh year in which Multi-Trigiliionaire Warren Hellman (he's loaded with greenbacks) has put on the festival for free. That's right, free!! When was the last time you heard of a multi-day festival with big names (Jeff Tweedy, Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett, Neko Case, Los Lobos, Willie Nelson, Gillian Welch, etc. etc. etc) where admission was free and not even a suggested donation?? Never son. Never!
It's incredibly well organized and the venue is gorgeous. Golden Gate Park has a mystic feel to it and putting stages in Speedway Meadow is nothing short of genius. While listening to music you can always see different fowl flying overhead. Just beautiful. Adds to the experience.
The big drawback is that it gets really crowded. Like hundreds of thousands of people crowded. As far as festivals go tho, this has got to be the most mild mannered crowd I've ever encountered. Everyone was affable and shared space well. To me that negates the complain of too many people. I can understand too many skin heads to too many nihilists, but not too many pleasant bluegrass fans.
So do me a favor and listen to your Uncle Buck, fill up a flask with moonshine and put away your close-mindedness like I did and go check out a great San Francisco event. Yee Haw!!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (14)
Funny (13)
Cool (14)
Indulge me with some level-setting I must do before going on about this special event.
So are there people who really complain about stuff that's free? ...I'm talking good live stuff. I just wonder what they must be like when they have to part with a few shekels out of their coin purses. Incorrigible, I imagine ...the type of people who complain about the high cost of charity. Personally I have no time for people with such a lopsided sense of values.
I'm just thankful for the generosity of 72-year-old hillbilly-spirited billionaire Warren Hellman - a Cal Bear, a Harvard B-School alum and the founder of one of San Francisco's most profitable private equity investment firms. Y'see, he loves bluegrass music so much, he has forked over a lot of his own shekels in the past seven years to hold this expansive music festival in Golden Gate Park.
This year was the first time I've been, and it amazes me not only how well organized it is but the roster of top-name acts he is able to elicit. Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby. Los Lobos. Emmylou Harris. Steve Earle. John Prine. And a bunch of acts delivering just great down-home music. Spectacular weather this year. A surprisingly easy ride on the N-Judah for me and an easy walk into the park.
Three days of music. Five stages well separated from one another. Lots of food and beverage kiosks everywhere. Buttery corn on the cob for $4. Grilled chicken sandwich for $7. And of course, lots and lots of people spread out for the eye to see. But the crowds don't bother me much when I think about how much I could have spent to see some of these acts individually. To Warren...for sharing his wealth for my foot-tapping pleasure.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (9)
Funny (6)
Cool (9)
I heard Bruce Hornsby sing The Way It Is accompanied by a fiddle and a banjo... lol. Very cool!
*UPDATE* I had to go out and DL the 8 minute long version of The Way It Is by Bruce Hornsby- you know with the 3 minute classical piano concerto build up? And I am currently lip synching to it... and I think my dog thinks I can really sing like that from the way she's looking at me :D
It was a nice day in the sun hanging out with friends to see free music on probably one of the last awesome summer days of the year. I bought some beer off some hippies and laid out in the sun listening to some funky bluegrass and watching the blue angels fly over.. ahh.. five stars right there. Then I saw Los Lobos before heading to the park chalet.
SF really rules sometimes :D.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (4)
Cool (9)
This was my first year going and it was a nice vibe. Reminded me a little of the small bluegrass festivals I use to go to in north Georgia during college.
My review is 5 stars because I know Bruce Hornsby and once the hassle of getting my backstage pass was over it was a great show. As far as being out in the regular crowd, I can understand some of the comments posted here, but it free ...... the only real hassle was
getting in and out.
So fun! And free! And it's all weekend long! And people who are really into the Blue Angels are all on the opposite side of town! Had such a good time today that I'm going back tomorrow. And five stages! So if you're not so impressed with one act, you can wander on over to the next. But it is crowded...if you want to do the whole picnic and lounge around on a blanket thing, get there early in the day to stake out your spot.
After the show we went over to catch Sunset Boulevard at Dolores Park's movie night. Again, free! This town is the best.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
Great music- Ned Sublette, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Bill Callahan, and Emmylou Harris- sunshine, my own PBR, my boyfriend, a million adorable dogs, and all the local chaos one could hope for. And it was all free. One star is missing because there were way too few port-a-potties- but, what can you do?
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
Picnic? Check!
Wine? Check!
Lil Spoon? Check!
Went Friday and Sunday - Jeff Tweedy, Bill Callahan (Smog), Earl Scruggs, Emmylou Harris were the highlights...
OMFG that joint got us sooooooooooooooooooooooo stoned...
Best part though?
$0
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (2)
Okay, so I gave it another try. But only because I got my mitts on a "friends and family" pass, which allowed me to get near the stage and not have to block out anyone gossiping at the top of their lungs two inches from my head. The music is still amazing, the lineups are still inspired, and the smoothness of an operation of such staggering proportions is incredible. And I admit I'll brave just about anything to see what great new backup band Michelle Shocked has up her musical sleeve (this time it was a smoking gospel r&b group).
But I won't go if I can't get a pass, because my initial impressions still hold. And please, folks: PLEASE leave your poochies at home. Subjecting them to this kind of noise and chaos is NOT being nice to your pet.
Initial Review:
The artists are amazing. Absolutely sublime. The lineups are inspired.
But the crowd? Excuse me, but why do people schlep coolers, blankets, oversized camp chairs, infants and dogs half a mile to then talk amongst themselves like they were in their own backyard listening to their entertainment system blasting top 40 tunes?
I've been to plenty of outdoor concerts in my life, both free and pay-to-enter, and I cannot recall another event that has such a loud, rude, clueless audience. I've been to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass three times, and I've given up.
First of all, leave your dog at home. Dogs do NOT like crowds. You know why your poochie always seems overly friendly when you take it to events like this? Because it's searching for someone -- anyone -- who will get it the hell OUT of there!
And the same goes for infants and small children. You want to bring them? Then don't set up camp right next to the stage, so you can step over and on your neighbors when you're carting the kid back and forth to the bathroom or whever it is you're taking it. And please don't feed the kid a ton of crap, let it spin around in circles, and then act surprised when the poor little thing horks up the contents of its stomach.
Oh, and learn blanket ettiquette. Don't put your blanket down cheek-by-jowl with your neighbors'. Leave some grass in between so folks can get around without stepping on your stuff. And would you please leave your full-height folding chairs at home? People can't see around them.
And last but not least -- shut up already!!!! Stop yakking on your cell phone about what you had for dinner the night before! Quit yelling at the top of your lungs about how you've been to five concerts by the guy on stage and you have all of his albums and he's totally cool. And if you want to gossip, do it while you're waiting in line at the food stalls, not when you're sitting half a foot behind my back already.
In other words, if you're going attend a world-class music festival, learn some freakin' manners!!!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
THANK YOU WARREN
THANK YOU WARREN
THANK YOU WARREN.
You need to realize... crazy crowds that are rude and push.... that is an acceptable hazard to go see some of the greatest musicians *EVER* across a wide variety of genres for FREE.
Free... because one human man is writing the check for the entire event.
ONE PERSON... his name is Warren Hellman, and you need to love understand that he is building community and bringing people together with music..... LOTS of people.
It is a beautiful thing. Warren, you rock.
Thanks.... this year I got to see Victor Wooten playing with Bela Fleck and Keller Williams.
Curly Seckler with Grisman?
I am a DJ and electronic music fan. If you don't appreciate what is going on in this city, and at that festival... you are a loon.
HUZZAH!
the most amazing time in san fran all year!!! i had no idea this was going on until thursday night my friend had mentioned it to me and i was like HOLY POOP. THis is the Top Artists that i have paid good money to see all across the country and the are all here FOR FREE!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I am completely in love love love with HSBG and once a year, for a few days, in love with Warren Hellman, the man who throws the party, even tho he and I don't stand in the same camp exactly.
The rest of you should all stay home though, because like Burning Man, it gets more and more crowded and the original spirit drifts away. It's so hard to park, there aren't enough buses, it's always foggy, and it's free, and nothing good comes for free. I'll post some photos and you can enjoy those from the comfort of your favorite Starbucks.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (3)
Hell yes. One time we got there early and set up a blanket picnic situation like the old people do and watched Iris Dement and Alejandro Escovedo back to back. I like how the organizers aren't scared of getting people like Dolly Parton and Elvis C to play. I like how it's all run by some rich guy who works downtown. I like how young and old people go to it, and even if the old people get bitchy, give 'em a break! They're just bitchy old people. Anywayzzzz there should be way more reviews for this cuz it's so fantastic and makes San Francisco A BETTER PLACE!!!!!!!!!1
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (2)
Cool (1)
How can anyone find anything bad to say about a free music festival in GG Park?!!!
I've been going for the past 3 years and every time it's been amazing. Great line up andit's wondeful to be outside in the city!!
I never buy very much food/drink there..but that's the ohter great part, you can bring you own picnic complete with bloody marys or some wine and handmade gourmet sandwiches.
The main stage is usually pretty crowded and it wouldn't be that way if people could take thier sh*t with them rather than set down a blanket and leave for 5 hours while they check out other stages only to come back later. THAT is the only annoying part. I do'nt see why you have to have your stuff laid out for hours if you aren't sitting there..someone else could be enjoying that space...and then when they move on there is space for you.
ah well, that's just a result of pepole being selfish..which won't change. the other stages ususally have tons of room.
The sound is pretty good over all..but again on teh main stage if you are too far back, you can't hear that wel.
get there early, and get a spot..but either stay in it or take your junk with you or you'll come back to find me sittin gon your stuff in the meantime.
4.5 stars because of rude people and sound not being quite loud enough. but still an amazing FREE event that i'm glad we have in this town!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Well done; great concept and nicely carried out -- just be sure to come prepared with booze (since they don't sell any there), and whatever you need to be comfortable in crowds, sitting on the ground.
Awesome. I've been going for the past 5-6 years, and undoubtedly the crowd gets larger every year, but folks, come on, even with the crowd its the best concert you've seen in the city, in the great outdoors, where you didn't have to pay anything. You would see half the number of bands and pay hundreds of bucks for the same experience at the Strawberry Music Festival. If the crowds get to you, do what I do and go to some of the smaller, and less visited stages. You can get up close and hear acts you might not normally pay to go see. Even the small stage bands are really good.
I always try to see Ralph Stanley, one of the original bluegrassers, because I'm never sure if he'll be with us next year (he's 80 this year). A chance for all to see a real American musical legend in a great environment.
I agree with Shawn that the Waybacks/Bobby stole the show, but my memory was that the Led Zeppelin song they played was "Kashmir". I've seen the Waybacks play for a number of years here and they are always great. They play a Bluegrass jam-band version of "Cumberland Blues" that is how the Dead would've played it if they knew how :)
I'm sorry but bluegrass music creeps me out. It's particularly spooky when it's right there in my neighborhood, emantating through the bushes of Golden Gate Park. Of all the events that cause countless thousands to converge upon the park, this is the worst. My fingers are crossed that they will hold it somewhere else next year.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
UPDATE: Ok, ok, my ploy didn't work. Y'all still came in droves anyway, darn it. Oh well, I can hardly strictly blame you. I was there myself all day both Saturday and Sunday, and it was the best weekend I've had in years.
I stayed at the Rooster stage pretty much the whole time both days because it was so hard to fight the crowds at the other stages. I was worried that I'd feel I was missing out by not trying to see some of the many, many other amazing performers. But really? Staying put was the best thing I could've done! I was exposed to so much amazing music that I would have missed if I'd going exploring more.
Still, it was really crowded, and I'm afraid it's only going to get worse in the future -- perhaps even putting the event in jeopardy. So please, I beg you, follow my original advice below. Thanks!
============================================
Stay away!
(Too many people know about this thing. It's getting too crowded. Please go do something else that weekend so I can have a little elbow room this year.)
I was just totally blown away by this event. My friend had asked about hanging out at the park for this bluegrass festival -- same weekend as Castro Street Fair and my Dad's annual birthday visit (which we opted out of this year, planning to meet at Xmastime) -- so I have never attended previous years. (I must admit, Bluegrass would not appear high on my list of faves if surveyed.) Boy was I in for a surprise. The little bluegrass festival turned out to be about 500,000 people over 3 days. I'm sure there were problems, but I believe they were few and far between, which is some sort of fucking testament to this City (to have that many people in one spot all getting along). I was also very surprised by much of the music; there was the expected banjo picking but there was also lots of borderline jazzy, bluesy, urban beat. Disclaimer: I got a backstage pass as I was helping out with some of the program stuff, but everyone there seemed to be having as much fun as I was. I am totally won over and will make this an annual event! Warren Hellmann just got elevated to saint status for footing the bill for the entire shindig.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
First, this year's statistics. 72 acts on 5 stages for 2 1/2 days in Golden Gate Park. All for free. SFPD estimated the crowd at nearly 500,000 for the weekend, so not for the faint-of-heart if you abhor crowds.
In fact, the whole weekend in San Francisco was like something out of the Todd Snider song. For the conservative Christian, right-wing Republican, straight white American males there was Fleet Week, the city's nearly annual tribute to all things naval and deadly. Everything from the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier to the Blue Angels (Steve Earle led a group of probably 20,000 flipping off the pilots when they flew over). For the tree huggin', peace lovin', pot smokin', porn watchin' hippies, there was the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival.
Every festival has its spirit leaders who not only perform their own gigs, but show up and play along with a number of other groups. This year Emmylou Harris and T-Bone Burnett filled that role. Emmylou is really the queen of this show. It's because of her the show is now "Hardly" since after the first year she told Warren Hellman, who pays for the whole thing, she didn't want to do a bluegrass show every year. Although she was the last act on the last stage of the last day, she was around for the whole event, including the opening afternoon with Elvis Costello and the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods band. She did a great rendition of "Don't Leave Nobody But The Baby" from O' Brother with Gillian Welch. Played a couple of tunes with Steve Earle, and sang with Hazel Dickens in Hazel's set.
T-Bone did yeoman's work with two of his own sets, two with Elvis Costello (including the resurrection of the Coward Brothers, with honorary brother Emmylou Coward), and at least two other drop-ins I saw.
Saturday for me was mostly a bluegrass day; Nashville Bluegrass Band, Alison Brown, Tony Trishka & Bill Evans, Laurie Lewis, Earl Scruggs, Doyle Lawson, Jerry Douglas, and Gillian Welch. I saw Earl Scruggs and Doyle Lawson back-to-back. What a difference! Doyle's not quite as old as Earl (who turns 83 next month), but the gap in their, and their bands, energy and enthusiasm levels was 3 times the age difference. Earl sounded like he was mostly just phoning it in, while Quicksilver had an audience of probably 20,000 people up and dancing.
One of the highlights of the weekend was Alison Brown. I have a couple of her CD's and I enjoy them. But they don't hold a candle to one of her live performances. I think she does banjograss better than Bela Fleck. With the Flecktones it seems to me it's about Bela playing jazz, but with the Alison Brown Quartet it's really about a jazz quartet. Them's fightin' words, I know, but you don't get to argue until you've seen her live. Awesome.
The best of Saturday, though, was Gillian Welch. I hadn't seen her since she and David were a mid-afternoon-tier act at Rockygrass probably 10 years ago. I remember her as being shy on stage, but she now has an incredible presence. She was on a stage that was underamplified, but when she sang some of her quieter songs she had a crowd of probably 75,000 whisper quiet. Her achingly lonely rendition of "No One Knows My Name" sucked the warmth out of a sunny CA afternoon. Incredible. Then at a couple of minutes past 5:00, she launched into "China Doll" (5 o'clock, pistol shot...) and I'll never hear that song the same again.
Sunday I mostly hung around the old guys venue, with occasional forays elsewhere; Ramblin' Jack Elliott, T-Bone, Flying Other Brothers, Iris Dement, Ricky Skaggs, Hot Tuna, Richie Furay, and the Waybacks. Ramblin' Jack was a disappointment. He did 5-6 songs in 45 minutes and mostly seemed confused on how the stage equipment worked. G.E. Smith was introduced as "our lead guitarist" for the Flying Other Brothers. I suspect that was just for the day, but he lent some serious technical chops to the group.
I have to give special mention to Hot Tuna. Musically they were incredibly tight. And there was some great back-amd-forth about who remembered what last time they played in the park almost 40 years ago.
The set I'll remember the most was the Waybacks. They had some guy as guest guitarist/vocalist named Bob Weir. ;-) There were twirlers wearing tie-dye, a cherubic young lass selling ganja cookies and brownies (none for me, thanks), and 50,000 people on a sunny day in Golden Gate Park. It was surreal. The band did the expected mix of Waybacks tunes and Dead tunes, as well as a couple of bluegrass arrangements of Rolling Stone covers ("19th Nervous Breakdown" and "Last Time"). David Rawlings and Gillian Welch came up for a jamming "Dire Wolf", and "Casey Jones". The most unexpected and yet so perfect moment was the version of Led Zeppelin's "Battle of Evermore", complete with fiddle and mandolin and Bob Weir channeling Robert Plant. Amazing.
For another overly long review, you can see my thoughts on '07 at http://www.last.fm/use...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (3)
Sometimes you just want to kick up your heels and slap your knees to some good ol' banjo-pickin'-shit-kickin' music. Well, at least I do...
And even though there are no beer vendors, the festival is F-R-E-E so I don't mind bringing my own for a little added enjoyment...
Bluegrass just does it for me, guys. Gets me all riled up and dancing! I can't imagine a place I'd rather be. This festival is a little piece of heaven!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (3)
Cool (6)
Free. Bluegrass. Outside. Beer. In SF, of all places.
Five stars.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (3)
Cool (5)
this was just awesome! 5 stages, 2 full days (3 if you want to be technical).
can't wait till next year!
They got Dolly Parton to play last year.
Dolly freakin Parton.
yeah.....RULZ!!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
I've been looking forward to Hardly Strictly Bluegrass since I saw Doc Watson and Robert Earl Keen play here last year. I love bluegrass and have trouble finding people who feel the same, so this festival feels like coming home.
My picks for this year's festival: Earl Scruggs, Robert Earl Keen, Billy Bragg, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle & the Bluegrass Dukes, Drive-By Truckers, The Devil Makes Three, Gillian Welch, North Mississippi Allstars, Poor Man's Whiskey, and Elvis Costello. And that's my short list. How many free festivals can claim all of that musical talent in one weekend?
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (5)
Some of the best fun you'll have for free in the city. Really, what's better than drinking some contraband Maker's Mark on a sunny day in Golden Gate Park, enjoying the bluegrass, while watching folks flip off the Blue Angels for interrupting the music? Classic San Francisco. Don't miss it.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
Best free thing in SF all year. There are so many stages and places to run about with your drunk friends that it's an all day adventure. The bands are always amazing, first year I went I was like uh - Bluegrass? Ok, well, let's go to the park and drink beer. But to my surprise I like Bluegrass! Warren and Chris Hellman are saints to foot the bill for this year after year. Last year we didn't realize how popular Dolly boobs was, there were lesbians up in all the trees trying to get a good view, it was the highlight of the day.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Too much good stuff. You'll definitely want to check out at least one of the days of this FREE three day festival. The atmosphere is definitely casual, so even though there are plenty of officially established food and drink tents, BYO Eats and BYOB seems to be the name of the game. Probably a good way to keep the day nice and cheap as intended. Also, unless you're arriving early enough to have your pick of non-muddy grass patches, bring a blanket with you unless you want to get mud all over yourself.
BYO420 is totally cool with everyone in attendance, apparently, so go for it, mannnnnnnn. However, if you're not trying to get a contact high, do your best to steer clear of the 37 year old female, desperately trying to retain a speck of her quickly expiring youth by alternately performing impromptu interpretive dance and hitting a ceramic marijuana pipe, laughing all the while.
Don't get me wrong, I hate to sound like a "Fun Grinch", but is that really the only way people can prove to themselves that they're not the mousy, non-descript, plain-jane girl everyone at the office takes them for? It seems like it.
This concert is a blast. I've been to the '06 & '07 ones, so far. This year was way more crowded (5x,) and thus harder to see all the bands you want as navigating from stage to stage through the crowds was pretty difficult at times, and last year much easier, but hey, what's to complain about there? Simply pick one or two stages and do that, as there is so much talent all going on at the same time, it's hard to choose.
I was there with six other friends, six of us came up from LA, and we did set up blankets at the Banjo and for a short time, Rooster & Star stages. We all had some different tastes, so there was at least someone at a blanket through out, but we shared with strangers who wanted to squeeze in, and shared our food as well. We figured if you have the energy to get up at 7:30 hike into the park to stake out a place like we did, that's fine. If you have the courage to navigate through hundreds of people stepping around blankets and coolers to get a closer experience to the stage, fine, share our blankets with us. Just don't call on your cell and invite seven other friends to come squeeze into a place we offered to you that won't all of fit them. The spirit of community is so strong, and most people so mellow, it wasn't a problem. I did see a cat fight break out, but the "neighbors" quieted it down quickly. The babies and dogs were all wonderful, and I didn't see any doggie-doo anywhere except once beside a trail - so impressive!
The main drawback for us was the talking and cigarettes. While the MCs kept mentioning & reminding people that it was a tobacco-free event, people kept lighting up in tight quarters where there is no escape for the rest of us from the toxic fumes.
And the talking, both person to person, and cell phone usage was pretty bad. Lots of people had a bit too much beer, whiskey, etc. and talked, partied, screamed, squealed & screeched throughout some amazing performances, making it hard to hear the music. Perhaps they should make it a cannibis only, no alcohol allowed event?
At the Banjo on Saturday, when Steve Earl was on, there was a group of about five people standing up, blocking everyone's view, closer to the stage where everyone else was sitting down, and they were smoking cigs, talking on the their cells and to each other, and passing around a tabloid mag, oblivious that there was a performance going on - it was background to their party! and everyone else was trying to see and hear the performance.
One guy, who had a backstage pass on his neck, we called "the man in black," kept standing up with his friends who also had passes, blocking views despite people asking him to sit down, he just flipped them off in a discreet way.
Strangely, we were at a local restaurant Saturday night, EOS, and he was sitting two tables away cussing loudly about some group at the show "playing that fucking Grateful Dead music" as he continued to be a jerk throughout dinner, disturbing nearby eaters. Guess that is his style?
Anyway, it is one amazing contribution from Warren Hellman to make to his community at large, the production & security is perfect, so best to take it as it is, or as it evolves, as the music brings inspiration and fun for all, from talent old and new, and community young and old and in between. Mystical vibes in the park, various water birds flying overhead, happy people, glorious sunshine, great music!
I had no idea what to expect but it was one of the best concerts I ever went to with the best weather.
Went on saturday to see Jon Langford, Sally Timms and Rico Bell of the Mekons do a set on the small stage, then to see T Bone Burnette finish his set - we were lucky to see Elvis Costello jump on stage and do two songs with him to close out the set. Then we ran over to see Gillian Welch and John Rawlings do a fantastic set on the big stage, and ended the day with Steve Earle and friends doing a super great set.
There were lots of on stage jokes about pot smoking and the fact that the Blue Angels were performing overhead occasionally, drowning out the music with supersonic blare.
I wished we brought some beer, cos they didn't sell any there. All in all, it's become a quintessential San Francisco event since it started 6 years ago.
I love Bluegrass, thanks to my dad. He plays banjo and guitar and introduced my sister and I to it years ago. We have been frequenting this free festival for the last few years but last year it seemed to hit an all-time swell. The crowds were incredible. Not surprising because the line-up was also incredible. Even though the number of people was amazing, somehow I bumped into my dad unexpectedly not knowing which of the 2 days he was going to be there and not knowing which of the many stages he was going to hang out in front of. Strange indeed.
This year I was a bit disappointed by the line-up and scared at the thought of the crowd being even bigger.
I think I will stick to the Father's Day Bluegrass festival in Grass Valley to get my fix instead.
Earl Scruggs,Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch, to name a few, and for free. How can anyone give this anything less than 5 stars. Granted, it is in Golden Gate Park, so the weather can turn on you, and granted, the mix of moonshine and microbrews was disturbing. Any chance you can get to see such big names in bluegrass as this for free is not to be passed up.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (2)
The Hardly Strictly in the title is a bit more apt than the Bluegrass. Yes, there are quite a few bluegrass acts, but I'm not particularly keen on newfangled bluegrass, and had my choice of lots of other stuff that I'm more than keen on. This year I saw Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, Freakwater, Elvis Costello and T-Bone Burnett, Gillian Welch and Steve Earle.
Anyway, I prefer to call it heaven. Watching Billy Bragg sing California Stars among the trees, or Emmylou Harris joining Gillian Welch for a song... It's all free, gifted by a wealthy old-time music fan. There are no corporate sponsors. The whole thing is run beautifully, from the graphics to the abundant port o potties to the tasty food stalls. Crowded? Yes, but crowded with friendly people falling all over themselves to be polite to each other.
The only thing I'd change is MUNI. They need to get more buses going out to the festival.