Elizabeth Cook
Everything was back to “normal” Sunday at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco. By normal I mean the winds were not as strong and the crowds were a mere 80 thousand or so… I really have no idea what the real attendance figures were for each day but Saturday was a thousand or five too many to get around comfortably, and although it was a pretty breezy on Sunday, you could at least walk westward without an effort and it was still bearable after 6pm. Even HSB mastermind and financier WARREN HELLMAN came out to join EARL SCRUGGS for “Soldier’s Joy.” That’s gotta be the ultimate pay for play.
I got there a little later than I had planned, life is pushing us faster and faster this century and getting anywhere on a Sunday in the Bay Area is always challenging. So I missed BOOKER T. with the DBT’s and “COWBOY” JACK CLEMENT with MARLEY’S GHOST. Maybe like DAVE ALVIN and his GUILTY WOMEN collaboration, which started here last year and sounded so good they kept band together, these other one-shot bands will tour together. I heard from guitarist STEVIE COYLE that THE CHIEFTAINS were fantastic, bringing out dancers and pulling out all the stops for their brief 50-minute set on the Star Stage. HAZEL DICKENS has been at HSB since the first year but her limited voice has sadly gotten only worse but DOC WATSON hasn’t lost a thing with his lightning guitar pickin’ fingers and distinctive voice.
Mavis Staples
The musical highlight of the day for me had to be MAVIS STAPLES… that woman has unbelievable vocal power and her passion for what she does is truly astounding. ROBBIE ROBERTSON”s “The Weight” was particularly inspired. Word’s can barely express how good her music “felt” to the heart. Over on the Porch Stage ELIZABETH COOK was twangin’ it up, looking good even in a big coat and big shades. She’s got a new CD due next year produced by DON WAS, till then her latest, ”Balls” will do and her hilarious song by the same name blew away the crowd. I got the feeling that most of the NorCal crowd were just hearing her for the first time.
Neko Case
Not so for NEKO CASE… the one-time Bloodshot Records Alt.Country unknown drew a massive crowd to the Star Stage. Her heavily reverbed voice was remarkable as was her band. Life is short, so we shifted over to the see THE KNITTERS at the RoosterStage, which now has a cool over-the-hill backstage entrance that is great for us spoiled “Friends & Family” folks. John, Exene and Dave were in rare form, reelin’ and rockin’ in their own imitable ragged way. Alvin was particularity inspired, spreading his legs like in the BLASTERS’ days taunting the huge crowd bouncing up in front. So many young bands try to do ragged roots music, (I’m lookin’ at you AVETT BROTHERS), and they’re all pretty close but still can’t touch The Knitters, at least not today. Unfortunately, it was after taking a bunch of great pictures that I realized that I didn’t have my SD card in my camera, so they may be lost… perhaps a decent night’s sleep would’ve helped.
The Knitters
Back to the Porch Stage for a small taste of ALLISON MOORER, yet another powerful female voice, which seemed to be the theme for the day. All the while walking between stages we were able to hear some of the great RALPH STANLEY and later DEL McCOURY BAND from the Banjo Stage, but it was too crowded to really get a look at them. Really fine people-watching at HSB, especially the young scruffy 20-somethings huddling around playing “Salty Dog” or “Wagon Wheel,” always one song or the other. After a Jambalaya treat from one of the food courts, we warmed up for the inevitable and alway wonderful EMMYLOU HARRIS. She has somehow gotten better in the last few years, lovingly bringing back classics from her early albums like “If I Could Only Win Your Love” and Carlene Carter’s “Easy From Now On.” It felt like the whole crowd was singing along to the final chorus of “Return Of The Grievous Angel.” Sublime, but my addict mind still wanted one more great band to finish HSB out.
LITTLE FEAT, was just down the way at the Arrow, it was completely dark by now. They, (or we), took a little time to find our groove, crucial drummer RICHIE HEYWOOD was missing from the mix. But by the time they hit “Willin’”, I knew all was right in the world… well at least the musical world… well, at least with amazing gifts like Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in 2009. The power of music is such a magnificent thing, and the man who chooses to give it away is indeed a very grateful individual.
Ronnie & Del McCoury, Ralph Stanley, Paddy Maloney, Earl Scruggs & Doc Watson... it doesn't get much more real than this! photo by Tim Lynch
Bill Frater
Freight Train Boogie
I should’ve known something was up when I saw numerous people locking their bicycles to random trees and signs because the bike rack area was full. In nine years of going to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco this was probably the most unusual day. Two reasons… first is was extremely windy in the afternoon, especially at the largest meadow where the Banjo Stage is. The gusts were just crazy, coming in from the coast and just whipping down the long meadow, blowing over big potted bamboo plants backstage and even forcing HSB promoters to remove the large transparent fabric from behind the stage. The other thing was the crowd was over-the-top gigantic! Areas that used to be walkways and open areas at the back of the Banjo Stage were full of people sitting down on blankets. Of course, neither of these issues were controllable or predictable, but combined they caused a lot of people to leave the Park earlier than they usual.
I came over the hill that overlooks Speedway Meadow, where the Banjo Stage is, and it caught my breath for a moment. The huge stage and the really huge crowd… It was that magical time again, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass has arisen in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The weather was quite warm, a light breeze from the coast felt good. Last year’s Friday afternoon show featured ROBERT PLANT and ALISON KRAUSS was a big draw, but this crowd looked at least a third larger. If it wasn’t before, the word is definitely out about Warren Hellman’s little free festival. The weekend crowds should be immense with more warm weather expected.
After a half-hour break LYLE LOVETT AND HIS LARGE BAND took the stage. His band is a little less large these days without a horn section and back-up singer FRANCINE REED, but they still sounded great and the sound mix was excellent. Playing many of his popular numbers like ” Here I Am” and “If I Had A Boat.” He played some new songs from his upcoming CD, including the title song “Natural Forces” which he said he wrote while watching a football game. Another new tune, seemingly entitled “Keep It In The Pantry” was full of comical sexual innuendo as only Lyle often can. It was getting pretty dark and cold by 7:15 when he returned for an encore of “Church.”
After getting back to the car I headed to the Velo Rouge Cafe, just northeast of the park, to catch a showcase of local country and folk musicians. The tiny place was packed, (probably half full of musicians), and it was a great party. The Bay Area twang music community is hip and friendly. I ran into many more people that I knew than I expected. Planting myself in the back near the kitchen, I ordered some food and was feeling quite comfortable. Over 20 acts each did just two songs each and then they squeezed through the crowd to let the next group on. With this kind of show cover songs are always a good choice. One band did Lambert, Hendrick & Ross’ “Twisted” complete with tap dancing. The COWLICKS with JAMES NASH from THE WAYBACKS took on David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” (Major Tom) with much encouragement from the crowd. I realized that to try to get across town to Market Street to try to find parking anywhere near Market Street’s Cafe du Nord was a silly idea. A good lesson for a whole weekend full of great music choices: stay where you’re happy and having a good time. Saturday’s going to be a full day.
