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This year’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass certainly lives up to its name.
There’s so much more than just bluegrass to be heard during the three-day festival, which runs Oct. 4-6 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
The offerings stretch all the way from classic country (Tanya Tucker) and classic rock (Robert Plant) to contemporary classical (Kronos Quartet) and classic pop (Judy Collins). Along the way, you’ll find jazz (Bill Frisell), Celtic folk-rock (Waterboys), blues (Fantastic Negrito) and so much more.
Oh, and did we mention that it’s free to attend?
But there’s a lot of music out there. So here are our some of our picks for the top acts to see at the 2019 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.
Friday, Oct. 4
Tanya Tucker
Let’s not mince words here: The chance to see this first-tier country legend perform live is the No. 1 reason for attending this year’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.
She is touring in support of her recently released 25th studio album — “While I’m Livin’” — which was produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings. But hopefully Tucker will also load up the set list with such classics as “Delta Dawn,” “What’s Your Mama’s Name,” “Blood Red and Goin’ Down,” “Would You Lay with Me (In a Field of Stone)” and “San Antonio Stroll.”
Details: 4:15-5:05 p.m., Banjo Stage
The Waterboys
Closely behind Tucker on our list of the festival’s must-see acts is this Scottish folk-rock band, led by one of rock’s truly underappreciated geniuses — singer-songwriter-guitarist Mike Scott. The Waterboys’ amazing output in the ‘80s had folks predicting that the band would be “the next U2.” Of course, the band never hit those commercial heights, but the Waterboys are absolutely worth seeing. (The band also performs Oct. 11 at the Fillmore in San Francisco, www.livenation.com.)
Details: 2:55-3:55 p.m., Swan Stage
Kronos Quartet
San Francisco’s iconic string quartet, featuring David Harrington (violin), John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola), and Sunny Yang (cello), pays tribute to the legendary Pete Seeger, who would have turned 100 earlier this year. Kronos is accompanied in this endeavor by an impressive cast: Brian Carpenter, Lee Knight, Meklit, Aoife O’Donovan and San Francisco Girls Chorus (directed by Valérie Sainte-Agathe).
Details: 2:45-3:35 p.m., Banjo Stage
Bill Frisell
The great jazz guitarist explores the Great American Songbook with his Harmony project, also featuring vocalist Petra Haden, cellist Hank Roberts and guitarist Luke Bergman.
Details: 1:35-2:25 p.m., Rooster Stage
Chastity Brown
The Minnesota-based artist, who melds soul, folk and roots rock in her music, has been featured on NPR’s “Favorite Sessions,” CMT, “Later…with Jools Holland” and has toured with Ani DiFranco and Andrea Gibson.
Details: 12:20-1:05 p.m., Rooster Stage
“Live From Here with Chris Thile”
The unbelievably great mandolinist, who many know for his work in the acoustic trio Nickel Creek, is once again hosting his popular radio show from Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Guests for the show are acclaimed rock artist Grace Potter and increasingly popular singer-songwriter J.S. Ondara.
Details: 4-7 p.m., Towers of Gold Stage
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Ron Thomason founded the Dry Branch Fire Squad in 1976 and the band has been thrilling fans of traditional bluegrass ever since.
Details: 12-12:45 p.m., Banjo Stage
Saturday, Oct. 5
Margo Price
She’s one of the best singer-songwriters in the business, combining moving vocals, hardscrabble lyrical storylines and a retro-country spirit that brings to mind such legends of the genre as Loretta Lynn and Dottie West.
Details: 3:55-4:55 p.m., Banjo Stage
Mercury Rev, Beth Orton
The psychedelic-pop act and the folktronica singer-songer combine forces in a performance of Bobbie Gentry’s “The Delta Sweete” (1968). It was Gentry’s sophomore release, and was seen as a commercial failure in comparison to her blockbuster debut, but many fans now hold the concept album in high regard.
Details: 12:30-1:20 p.m., Towers of Gold Stage
Joan Shelley
We know it’s hard to get to this festival — or, really, any festival — early in the day. But it will be worth it to hear this amazing singer-songwriter, who so impressed us with her NPR Tiny Desk showcase.
Details: 11:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Bandwagon Stage
Hot Tuna Electric
Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen were both inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as members of the Bay Area’s own Jefferson Airplane in 1996. And perhaps the great guitarist and master bassist will someday become two-time inductees for their work in the blues-rock-roots outfit Hot Tuna.
Details: 5:45 p.m.-7 p.m., Rooster Stage
The Flatlanders
Catch this set and you’ll witness not just one, but three of the Lone Star State’s best singer-songwriters — Butch Hancock, Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. The Texas trio started making music together back in the early ‘70s, prior to their individual solo careers taking off.
Details: 2:15-3:05 p.m., Banjo Stage
Calexico, Iron & Wine
We like each one on its one, so we’re betting that they’ll be even better sharing the stage. Calexico and Iron & Wine are on the road supporting the collaborative recording “Years to Burn” and also perform Oct. 6 at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, www.mountainwinery.com.
Details: 3:50-5 p.m. Towers of Gold Stage
Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters
All you really need to know is that, yes, Plant still regularly includes some Led Zeppelin in his set lists.
Details: 5:50-7 p.m., Towers of Gold Stage
Sunday, Oct. 6
Judy Collins
No your eyes aren’t tricking you. Yes, we are talking about THAT Judy Collins, the legendary performer known for such hits as “Both Sides, Now,” “Someday Soon,” “Amazing Grace” and, of course, “Send in the Clowns.”
Details: 2:05-3:05 p.m. Banjo Stage
Fantastic Negrito
Since winning NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2015, this Oakland artist (whose real name is Xavier Dphrepaulezz) has seen his career skyrocket. Notably, he’s twice won the Grammy Award for best contemporary blues album, in 2017 for “The Last Days of Oakland” and in 2019 for “Please Don’t Be Dead.”
Details: 1:20-2:10 p.m., Swan Stage
Punch Brothers
We mentioned Chris Thile and his “Live From Here” radio show performing on Day One. But don’t miss the great mandolinist when he performs with this classical/bluegrass ensemble.
Details: 6-7 p.m., Rooster Stage
Emmylou Harris
If it’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass then, well, Emmylou Harris is on the bill — year after year. And we’re totally fine with that.
Details: 5:45-7 p.m., Banjo Stage
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS
When: Noon-7 p.m. Oct. 4, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 5.
Where: Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
More information: www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
