Saddle up on bikes with friends, wrap up in some red wool blankets, put your clogs on those dancing feet: it's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! Falling on the first weekend of October, this festival is the reason to flock to Golden Gate Park and drape yourself on its meadows. As usual, it's a weekend of thigh-slappin' and kettle corn-a-munchin' to some great tunes, with people-watching, and at one great fare--aka, it's free! This year, my not-to-be-missed acts were Gillian Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show and Emmylou Harris (all played at the Banjo Stage); Richie Havens, Tom Morello, Dar Williams, and Boz Scaggs (all played at the Rooster Stage); and Neko Case and the Chieftans (the Star Stage).
Gillian Welch delighted with "I'll Fly Away." She brought on special guests Old Crow Medicine Show and Emmylou Harris and they stopped the show with the Band's "The Weight." The audience sings along, of course.
Photo courtesy of...
...these nice people!
Richie Havens took us back to another time with his bejeweled hands, each finger adorned with a massive, Turquoise ring. He told the story of when he first met Bob Dylan. And then he played "All Along the Watchtower." And then he played "Freedom." We weren't at Woodstock, but he was.
The sun sets for the Banjo stage.
It gets chilly at night and look how smart these 2 strangers-turned-neighbors were: hot chocolate in little camping cups!
Even on the ride home eastward, the show goes on. This was a moon!
Back home, the wind began to howl, and so it goes: hot cocoa.
this is all just too cute, sissy. i want that hot chocolate too!
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