Time flies. It was hard to believe that it was the weekend of the 2018 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. The weather usually cooperates. There have been some years that it was a bit overcast, but usually there’s some kind of HSB magic or karma going on with the weather. This weekend was exceptional. Warm. Clear. Little wind. Almost perfect. The seasons don’t change like back east here, but Golden Gate Park does have its own autumn color.
Friday. October 5.
Got a ride with Jack Stuber, Tree and Cornbread Willie. The dog, not the band. The band plays venues around the Bay Area. You can check them both out at: https://www.cornbreadwillie.com/
Friday is the best day. Much more laid back. Not as crowded. We arrived in plenty of time for the first act. The David Bromberg Quintet is at The Banjo Stage.
First song of the weekend: “The Hold Up.” Stand and deliver! Then a Blues song, “The First Time She Quit Me.” “Here’s a dance song I wrote when Jimmy Carter was president.” “Peanut Man.” An ominous “Dark Hollow.” “I’m going, but I’m not coming back.”
Bromberg and the band do an acappella Gospel song. “Now that you’re totally confused...” They return to their instruments and play a long song about Riding.
Bromberg makes an impassioned speech about how the country has changed. “It’s hard to recognize my country.” He’s preaching to the choir here. Bromberg says, “This is a dangerous time.” Get out and vote.
The Friday Banjo Stage lineup was strong. It could have been the place to hang at all day if you have the patience. Next up were the HSB stalwarts, Dry Branch Fire Squad. “This is the strictly Bluegrass part of the weekend.” I love the band and Ron Thomason’s humor, but maybe I’ve seen them at HSB too many times. Maybe I’ve heard the stories too many times. Thomason is still amusing, and it’s only once a year. “I’m not talking too fast for you, am I?” They’re certainly the real Bluegrass deal. “My Mountain Girl.” “Barbara Ann.”
We wander. Friday is a good day to get the lay of the land at HSB, before the huge crowds of the weekend. Catch a little of The Mastersons at The Bandwagon Stage. This stage has an opened up camper trailer design. There is a large tent nearby that serves as a Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival museum. It shows signed posters from all eighteen festivals and many photos. Some archival footage is shown on TV screens.
We return to The Banjo Stage for Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore with the Guilty Ones. They open up with the song about hanging out at The Ashgrove: “Downey to Lubbock.” A song by Steve Young (Not the quarterback.) “Silverlake.”
“Fourth of July.”
“Here’s a song I wrote for my brother to sing,” “Billy the Kid and Geronimo.” A rocking “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” gets the last laggards in the crowd up on their feet. It’s time for the first Hippie nostalgia of the weekend: “Let’s Get Together.” It’s Dino Valenti’s Summer of Love anthem. “Everybody get together, learn to love one another, right now.” Golden Gate Park is where much of it happened. Seemed fitting to hear this song here. “Marie Marie.” “Dave Alvin always kicks ass. ”Friday is a shorter schedule. Things wrap up earlier.
The only event at The Towers of Gold Stage today will be a taping of the NPR radio show “Live From Here.” This will be a different kind of an event for HSB. The radio show is the shattered remains of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion. The new host of the rebranded show is Chris Thile. Thile is an excellent mandolin player. I don’t know if that’s why they chose him to host the show.
The band plays a song and then there are radio announcements and commercials. Some of the commercials are even real. Members of Hurray for the Riff Raff did a song with Susan Watkins from I’m With Her. (The band had this name before Hilary’s campaign.) We get to see several different bands and the show’s regulars present a skit. It was funny to see them reading from hand held scripts.
It’s a Bluegrass variety show. There is comedy! Erin Foley is “a Lesbian standup comic.” Gaby Moreno sings La Malaguena. There’s a great cover of the James Brown classic: “It’s a Man’s World.”
They did an amusing schtick about “Songs of the Eighties.” A K-Tel style announcer tried to sell us on a great offering of “Songs of the Eighties!” done in Bluegrass style. I didn’t expect to hear a version of Devo’s “Whip It” today. There are fractured covers of “Tainted Love” and Blondie’s “One Way or Another.”
Lindsey Buckingham is the big guest. “We’re so lucky to have him!” The guy who ruined Fleetwood Mac. He did a song about the sunset that matched the quiet mood as the sun started setting.
A couple of Fleetwood Mac songs. “Never Going Back Again.” They sold a lot of records, but we lost a great British Blues band. His set did have its moments. A big end to the day for Fleetwood Mac fans.
Saturday. 10/6.
In recent years the mantra has been go early and leave early. I’ll be with a couple of musicians today. Jack Stuber and David Rice from Cornbread Willie. The band, not the dog. That link again: https://www.cornbreadwillie.com/
We’re back where we left off last night at The Towers of Gold stage for Glorietta. They’re “a collaboration” that got together after “a lengthy tequila powered jam.” “Loser’s Lament.” “Golden Lonesome” “Hard Way.” “Easy Come Easy Go.”
I wander to the front and it’s still early so I get pretty close to the stage. “Heat Wave.” “Sinking Ship.” “Singing for Free. Hope it’s not me.”
Hurray for the Riff Raff was at the neighboring Swan Stage. We had seen them play a bit during the radio broadcast yesterday, so we stayed put for I’m With Her. We’re told again that they had the name before the Hilary campaign. Sarah Watkins, Sarah Jarosz. “See You Around.”
We strolled to The Front Porch Stage. Still early, so the crowds are not that bad. Yet. On the way I got a news text: Kavanaugh was approved for the Supreme Court. God help us! Caught a little of Steve Forbert. Listened to a couple of hard Blues songs.
It’s a short walk back to the Banjo Stage for Rodney Crowell. We arrive during “Earthbound.” Then there’s a great version of the old Blues song: “Come Back Baby.”
I’m leaning more on setlist.fm for song titles I don’t know: East Houston Blues. Reckless. It Ain’t Over Yet. Forgive Me Annabelle. Dancin’ Circles Round the Sun. (Epictetus Speaks) I Wish It Would Rain. (Not the Temptations song.) Wandering Boy. Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight.
Sounds like a lot of stage hopping, but it was done at leisurely pace. I’d still rather walk around. It’s early enough that we’re still able to move around, and there are ways to avoid the crowds. I’m not one of the tarp people. Would rather be one of the boat people, even if it means standing in the back.
Took a look at Don Was and Friends at The Swan Stage. Don Was could attract big guest stars. The stage was way in the distance. The amazing thing about the huge crowd here is that it’s still early. In past years spots like Lindley Meadows would get filled eventually, but it looks full already. The Saturday night crowd keeps pouring in. We took a break near the concession stands. Stuber and David Rice will continue going west to the car. I’ll go back to The Banjo Stage for the Flatlanders.
If anyone is the voice of HSB, it’s Jimmy Dale Gilmore. He plays at HSB with The Wronglers, Dave Alvin and The Flatlanders. He pops in for cameo appearances at other stages. His familiar twang is heard all over HSB every year.
They start with “Had My Hopes Up High.”
Don’t need as much help from setlist.fm on this one, but here it is: Wind’s Dominion (Butch Hancock song) Borderless Love. Julia. Rose From the Mountains. They start a soft version of Dallas. “Have you ever seen Dallas by a DC 109 at Night.” “That’s the way we did it yesterday.” A more rocking version follows. Cold Black Hammer (Joe Ely song) Right Where I Belong. Midnight Train. Sitting on Top of the World. Encore: If You Were a Bluebird. Sowing on the Mountain.
I couldn’t help but notice a guy sitting in a lawn chair, casually taking hits from a small vial. He had a nice little setup. Just doing a little coke at HSB. A rare sight nowadays.
There’s no more Star Stage. The bands that were scheduled at The Star usually attracted the Deadhead crowd. Moonalice, Malo, Steve Kimock, Hot Tuna. It drew the Hippie crowd, both old and young. The dream could be relived for a short time, but the crowd at The Star Stage did have an edge. It may have been the rowdiest stage, especially on Saturday night. (With apologies to Robert Earl Keen.) It was in a spot that created pedestrian logjams. Maybe it’s better that there’s no big stage in this corner of HSB. Traffic certainly flows better in this area now. It’s a rare example of HSB getting a little smaller.
The Blue Angels passed overhead once in a while. It’s still a thrill to see them even from a distance. Our militaristic tax dollar at work. It seemed like they stayed away from the Golden Gate Park area. There weren’t as many strafing runs that drowned out the music.
The shadows are getting long. People are still coming in. It really is an annual biblical Woodstock. The crush of the crowds was really getting to me. This was Saturday night. Prime time. I hated to miss a chance to see Los Lobos, but I didn’t want to go all the way back to The Towers of Gold. It was time to head home. I exited via The Rooster Stage. There was an equipment changeover going on and I hit it.
Sunday. 10/7.
I saw the Bluegrass version of Tommy a couple of years ago. Doing a Bluegrass version of the Who’s Rock Opera was a stroke of genius. It was my personal project to get here by 11 am to see it again. “Prairie Prince Presents Tommy” was more rocking this year. It was Baby Boomer nostalgia with a twist.
The early birds are still a bit groggy when we’re greeted with, “Good morning campers!” They can’t play the whole two record opera. “There are cuts.” Everybody knows the words. The opening medley. “Amazing Journey.” The sinister “Cousin Kevin.” “The Acid Queen.” Great versions of “Pinball Wizard” “Tommy Can You Hear Me?” and a standout “I’m Free.”
I hadn’t heard some of these songs in a while. I have been neglecting The Who. This certainly brought back memories of seeing them live. It really seems like a long time ago now.
Prairie Prince was his usual driving, pounding self behind the drums. It was a chance for him to channel his inner Keith Moon. What drummer doesn’t want to be Keith Moon, at least for a song? Prairie Prince is the guy that still fuels The Tubes.
Chuck Prophet on guitar. The bass player, Chris von Sneidern, did an amazing job at doing most of the singing.
The crowd is dancing and singing. It’s a real Sixties love fest. The finale, “See Me, Feel Me” is a nostalgic ritual. Some kind of catharsis was going on. Face it, the Sixties will never end! There were calls for more, but HSB runs on a tight schedule.
It’s really a matter of chance who I see now, but I do consult the schedule. I’m in a Porch Stage mood. The Porch Stage is the smallest stage and usually has the “up and coming” acts. There may be “bigger” acts on other stages, but the lineup here could support its own festival.
Traffic is herded along JFK Drive. Cyclone fences direct people and golf carts to the west. This is the eastern entrance to HSB. I sit on the small hill and watch a constant stream of people arriving.
The next act is Aki Kumar. An Indian Blues Harmonica player? I’d see if he was for real. I waited in the back. A group of five Sikhs sat near me. They wore white robes and turbans. One guy had a Cleveland Indians baseball hat on over his turban. It had the controversial Chief Wahoo logo. Would anyone in politically correct San Francisco have the nerve to tell him that indigenous could be offended? And, it was Columbus Day weekend!
Kumar says America is the greatest, but he still misses India. A band mate suggested he just buy an airline ticket and go there. Kumar goes to a travel agent who immediately says, “You look like a Blues harmonica player.” This means that he knows Kumar can’t afford an air ticket to India. “Back to Bombay.” Kumar dedicates “Orange Buffoon” to our current president.
I had a hunch and yes, Aki Kumar and his band was for real. Solid Blues sound. The last couple of songs feature a great wailing Blues sitar!
12:30.
Back to the The Banjo Stage for Peter Rowan. Rowan brought Bluegrass into the Deadhead mainstream with Jerry Garcia in Old and In the Way. He played with Bill Munroe!
“Riding That Midnight Train” was in progress. “Alabama Bound.”
Rowan says that there is a “Bluegrass hierarchy.” You had to know someone to get a proper introduction to an icon like Carter Stanley. Monroe introduced Rowan and the result was: “Carter Stanley’s Eyes.”
“Drumbeats on the Watchtower.” “Panama Red” Whatever happened to this strain? Many in the crowd celebrate their memories. Many sang “Midnight Moonlight.” There’s a long Sixties jam. “Let Me Love You One More Time.” A great version of “Dharma Blues.” Another song that just fits in Golden Gate Park.
The stage hopping sounds a bit crazy, but I do go at my own pace. Sometimes HSB just takes over. I’m drawn to The Rooster Stage by Heavy Metal sounds. Whoever it is, I’m going to at least check them out. It sounds like Deep Purple is playing over there. Aaron Lee Tasian might be the biggest surprise discovery this weekend. Bluegrass is great, but after a while I find myself craving some grinding metal. It is Hardly Strictly. There’s no Buckethead or Cheap Trick scheduled this year. From the HSB bios: Aaron Lee Tasian played in “a late period incarnation of the New York Dolls.”
“Episode of Tears.” “The Dangerous Kind.”
After a couple of songs the pace slows a bit. It’s not as Heavy Metal. I want to see some of Moonalice. It’s been a while since I’ve seen these keepers of the flame.
Lindley Meadows is packed. They’re doing a long psychedelic jam as I approach. Then a long version of “The Times They Are A Changing.” A song that always seems to be relevant. I haven’t heard as many Dylan songs at HSB in recent years. Some years it seemed almost everyone covered a Dylan song during their set.
It made me wonder again. Why hasn’t Dylan appeared at HSB? HSB has handled huge crowds in the past. Willie Nelson. Dolly Parton. Was he ever asked? It just surprises me that he’s never played here, especially in the early years.
The beat of “Not Fade Away” starts. Long jam. The crowd loves it and gives them a big ovation. The MC announces that, “The spirit of psychedelic music is alive in Golden Gate Park.”
Tim O’Brien at The Banjo Stage. “Cold Windy Mountain.” “I’ve Got to Move.” “Where the River Meets the Road.” Real old time Bluegrass. A Dylan song: the mournful Senor (Tales of Yankee Power.) “Three Thin Dimes.”
“High Flying Bird.” Another gem that goes back to the folk music days.
A song about an auctioneer! “Down That Lonesome Road.”
2:45. Over to The Rooster Stage. Can’t resist a curious look: “Nick Lowe’s Quality Rock and Roll Revue with Los Straitjackets.” It’s hard to see them at the back of Marx Meadow. Los Straitjackets are two guys in Mexican style wrestling masks! Sinister and comic. Fifties Greaser Rock and Roll. Great stuff, but my big priority today was Booker T. Jones Stax Revue.
Booker T and the MGs were the headliners at the first “big show” I ever went to. It was a free show in Chicago’s Grant Park. Albert King opened. It was before the infamous Sly and the Family Stone riot. I was coming full circle again.
“Hang ‘Em High” is the classic by Dominic Frontiere from the classic Western. “Gee Whiz.” “Born Under A Bad Sign.” “Knock On Wood.” There’s a big band with him. Stax horns. The whole R&B deal.
Soul medley: “Hold On, I’m Coming” “Hip Monkey” “Midnight Hour” “Mr. Big Stuff” “Soul Man” “Time Is Tight.” The Stax Revue has everything for the Rhythm and Blues fanatic. Finishes with Mavis Staples singing “Respect Yourself.”
I couldn’t stick it out to see Roky Erickson. It had been quite a weekend. Roky is one of the more obscure shattered cases of the Sixties. He was in the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, one of the bands present at the creation of psychedelia. It’s not the same, but I did watch it online. The Heavy Metal sound was a bit of a surprise. He sat and growled lyrics about Satan, demons, vampires, alligators and Sputnik. A young guy played most of the guitar. Recognized an old 13th Floor Elevator’s song: “Levitation.”
Another Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. It is an amazing event.
