Monday, October 21, 2013

Live Blogging Harldy Strictly Bluegrass Festival

The Golden Gate transit, so useful, easy, so inexpensive. Every time I take this bus to this city I question why I don’t do it more often. This way I don’t have to deal with driving my huge car around the city. Parking is always a nightmare, and the last thing I want is to be stuck being designated driver. The bus was a very good choice. Here I am sitting next to an old man who seems to be sleeping. I am well rested and jittering with excitement for today marks day one of my favorite weekend of the year, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. The closer we get, the more anxious I get. I’m worried about how exactly I’m going to get to Golden Gate park, but with Iphone in hand and bountiful public transportation at my disposal, I’m certain I’ll make it there.

The Muni bus pulls up to the curb at my destination, Golden Gate Park. There at the bus stop stands my adorable best friend Autumn. She gives me a big hug and hands me a flask full of Jack Daniels as we head into the flow of people following the current that leads us to the center of the park. There are people everywhere. Homeless people, clean hippies, dirty hippies, people in suits (who presumable just got off work), eco friendly stuck up pseudo-hippies, weird teenagers wearing tails and animal ears, weird teenagers wearing tutu’s, old bearded men in overalls, clean cut couples indulging in wine and cheese, families with children running around, and of course the 20 something college student looking for a good time with good music. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a free music festival in the heart of my favorite city. Everyone around me is either in a really good mood, really drunk, or both. Autumn and I rush to the stage that Father John Misty is playing at. We take a seat in the grass and quickly start meeting the outgoing and enthusiastic man sitting next to us. We indulge in conversation about the band we are about to see, and soak up this uncharacteristically warm San Francisco weather.

This is the beginning of day one and I’m already having a blast. Father John Misty plays a mellow acoustic set. While watching we run into some friends and end up hanging with them for the rest of the set. Immediately after, Autumn and I head to a different stage to see Connor Oberst. Man, it is HOT! I was not expecting this, this is not the San Francisco I know. The sun is bright and there is not a cloud in sight. It’s almost 5 and it’s this hot?! Inconceivable! Autumn and I make it to the front of the stage with no problem at all. Connor comes on and I am filled with excitement. Him and his band are phenomenal and I sing along with the poetic lyrics I love so much. Everyone is having such a good time. Something about the generosity of a free music festival, it rubs off on everyone in attendance. The guys behind us offers us some beer and of course we happily comply. Everyone is being so friendly and having so much fun.







Halfway through Connor Oberst’s set we climb up the hill to find my other best friend Sam, who goes to Chico State. We are now watching the show from up on a hill in the woods a bit. It is so beautiful here. I feel like I’m in a festival in the middle of a forest. Connor Oberst brings the ladies from First Aid Kit (the band that played before him) to accompany him for a few songs. Their voices are beautiful and their harmonies perfect. I am in a blissful daze being with my two best friends (which doesn’t happen often since we all three go to different schools) listening to music I love, all while not spending a penny! According to this cheap-ass, this is perfection. The sun is setting and beaming through the woods. We start making our way out of the park during Connor Obert’s last song. We do this kind of dance-walk type movement until the music is out of earshot. This might be the end of day one, and the best part of it all is knowing I get to do it again for the next two days. Hardly Strictly, I love you.

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