Musical Highlights from Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending my favorite FREE music festival Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, in the heart of Golden Gate Park. I got to see some artists that I love and see old friends all while soaking up the ridiculously warm San Francisco weather. Although bluegrass is not my favorite type of music, I did find myself grooving to some bluegrass jams. The name of the festival is right in that its hardly strictly JUST bluegrass, it’s all types of music! Here are some of the musical highlights of the weekend:

• Father John Misty: Their set consisted of lead singer J. Tillman alone on the stage, sitting on a chair playing an acoustic guitar, inside a huge cardboard cut-out of an iphone. The last time I saw them perform was with the whole band so this came as a surprise to me. J. Tillman is a very funny guy and was being very ironic by sitting in a giant iphone. His witty banter never fails to entertain the crowd in between songs. The music was way mellower than it usually is. It was different and good at the same time. His voice was very well heard and the songs seemed to have more meaning when you can really hear the lyrics. I really enjoyed seeing Father John Misty this way, stripped down to the basics which really showed J’s talent and songwriting abilities. Of course it was not nearly as fun but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.
• Connor Oberst: Amazing. I have loved Bright Eyes (Connor Oberst’s band) since I was 12 years old. He has a unique voice and his lyrics are hauntingly poetic. Him and his band were great, very energetic and a lot of fun. The performance was flawless and beautiful. His band was vast and included a violinist, two guitarists, a keyboardist, and a drummer. The sound was very full and diverse; it was hard not to dance the entire time. I can’t wait until next year where I’m sure he will be back.
• The Devil Makes Three: This band always calls for a good time. Fun songs, lots of instruments, and great vibes. Their sound is a lot of fun and their performance was perfect. Their stage was bombarded with people and it seemed everyone wanted to see them. It was a blast.
• Gogol Bordello: What exactly is gypsy-punk rock music? It’s one hell of a good time that’s what it is. Gogol Bordello has got to some of the weirdest music ever (in the absolute best way possible). They are known for their most popular song entitled “Start Wearing Purple.” Need I say more? They are so fun, so rowdy, and so talented. Everyone as far as I could see was dancing and rocking out. The music and their energy was so contagious, everyone was enjoying themselves. I need to see them in concert again at a smaller venue and I need to be in that mosh pit. We watched them as the sun set behind them with the most beautiful San Francisco sunset. It was the perfect way to conclude a perfect weekend.