Although daily schedules have yet to be divulged for the free festival scheduled for Oct. 1-3 at Speedway Meadow located in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, an incredibly long list of artists and bands has been posted on the event’s website.
Keeping with the title, not every act appearing at this year’s festival falls into the bluegrass universe. Sure, you have folks like Earl Scruggs, Peter Rowan, Ralph Stanley and Doc Watson, but you also have Elvis Costello, Randy Newman, Patti Smith, Fountains Of Wayne, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Umphrey’s McGee and The Dukes Of September Rhythm Revue feat. Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass was founded by in 2001 by San Francisco venture capitalist Warren Hellman. Always free, always unpredictable, HSB quickly grew into one of the major West Coast events as well as making a name for itself by booking artists that are hardly strictly… well, you get the picture.
Other artists appearing at this year’s festival include James McMurtry, Dave Alvin, Jerry Jeff Walker, Martin Sexton, Hot Tuna Electric, Nick Lowe and Kinky Friedman. For more information, click here for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass website.