Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 17

(Sunday, October 8th, 2017)


(Sorry, there are no corresponding photos of either any of the performances or of any of the actual food consumed. Someone decided it would be too much excess weight to pack an 8 oz small camera in his backpack. Of course, that same someone had no problem making sure to pack three frozen packs in with the bottles of Beer and water to keep them cold. Well, at least that someone had his priorities in order.)

http://www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com/2017/


Place: Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 17

Location: Golden Gate Park
(Helman Hollow, Marx Meadow, and Lindley Meadow)

Hours: 12:00pm-7:00pm (Friday, October 6th, 2017); 11:00am-7:00pm (Saturday, October 7th, 2017); and 11:00am-7:00pm (Sunday, October 8th, 2017)

Meal[1]: (these are pretty much in the order of my eating all this stuff) Broccoli Rabe - Mac & Cheese; Fried Cauliflower & Waffle (with warm maple syrup poured all on top of the waffle; Cajun seasoning sprinkled all over the cauliflower florets and also on the waffle ~ trust me; some barbecue sauce on one of the cauliflower florets; and they even threw in some freebie turnip greens on the side); (popsicle) pop nation ~ Bourbon Peach; (another popsicle, but from some u/i vendor) Corn Flakes Frozen Custard Pop (yes, this was made with corn flakes and I loved it); a slice of cheese Pizza; and two Tootsie Pops® Miniatures ~ Orange and Cherry (I think these were what put me over the limit; unfortunately, there was not an Indian [Native American, whatever] Chief on either lollipop label)
(to drink) a 12 oz bottle of Ballast® Point Pumpkin Down Scottish Ale with Pumpkin; and a 16.9 oz bottle of Arrowhead® Brand Mountain Spring Water ~ Sparkling Watermelon Lime

https://www.thepopnation.com/flavors

https://www.ballastpoint.com/beers/limited/

https://www.arrowheadwater.com/7-days-of-sparkling/

Of course, all the food is secondary in this-here silly 'blog-entry.

With six stages spaced out over a half-mile area in Golden Gate Park and thirty-seven acts throughout the day, it was impossible to be able to see (or hear) all the great music that was offered. I made a plan to specifically try to catch some of my favourites: Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones[2], the Flatlanders[3], and Lucinda Williams[4]. 

There were also a few other groups that I caught peripherally while walking around and waiting for those three acts to play, to include: Hot Tuna Electric (they were already playing when I scoped out a good spot at the Banjo Stage to await two-plus hours of back-to-back music with Dave and the Flatlanders) and Cheap Trick ("Cheap Trick?! at a Bluegrass festival, Brian?!" ~ Yes, that would be where the "Hardly Strictly" part of the name comes in; they were playing at the next stage over while I waited for Lucinda Williams to come on and it was loud enough to hear every song of theirs, too.).

I have seen Dave Alvin perform many times now over the years: from the first time I caught him at the Guinness® Fleadh (which is pronounced "Flah" in Irish) back in 1999, to solo shows at Slim's and Freight & Salvage, to performing with the Blasters, and several other Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 
festivals (I think I have been to about twelve or more of the seventeen they have run now) ~ where I always make an effort to see him play. Dave's voice is sounding a little rougher year-by-year, but his shows are always entertaining. I was a little disappointed that Dave didn't play either "Marie, Marie" (which is almost always his closer), "King of California", or "Blackjack David" (all three are some of my favourites of his). I was also disappointed that his brothers Simon and Theodore couldn't join him for this show...

I have seen the Flatlanders perform a few times at other Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festivals, too. I have also seen them perform together at Slim's and also a few solo Jimmie Dale Gilmore performances. If you ever get the chance to catch a Jimmie Dale Gilmore show (or with the Flatlanders), I highly recommend doing so. This so-called "Texas Tenor Whippoorwill" is always a fun show.

Lucinda Williams has been one of my favourite female singer/songwriters for over fifteen years now. I had seen her perform only twice before (once at the Warfield [Thanks, Skip!] and another freebie show at Stern Grove). I think this was only her second appearance at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. I hope she attends many more, though.


Glen Bacon Scale Rating:
Andytown Coffee Roasters - Ethiopia Natural Banko Fuafuate ~ 8.2;
Ballast® Point Pumpkin Down ~ 7.0;
Dave Alvin & the Guilty Ones ~ 7.4;
the Flatlanders ~ 6.9;
Jimmie Dale Gilmore (solo) ~ 7.3;
Lucinda Williams ~ 7.6

(I didn't bother rating any of the food today. It was all good, but the music and festival were much better... 
and free.)

___________________

1. I skipped any breakfast because I knew I was going to be eating a ton of junk... er... festival foods. I did start the morning earlier with a most excellent cuppa Andytown Coffee Roasters ~ Ethiopia Natural Banko Fuafuate (see previous 'blog-entry from Saturday, September 30th, 2017) made in my kitchen* via the single-cuppa pour-over/drip method. This particular roast/blend is now my current local favourite. It is even probably in my Top Ten All-Time Best Coffees of All-Time now (and quite possibly in the Top Five).

http://www.andytownsf.com/purchase/ethiopia-natural-banko-fuafuate

*(To all you nay-sayers† that think I do not know how to "cook", even I can boil water without burning it. Well, most times.)

†(And, d*mmit, stop saying "nay" so much unless your diet consists of oats and hay.)

2. http://www.davealvin.net/

3. http://www.theflatlanders.com/

4. http://www.lucindawilliams.com/