Now that the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass schedule has been published, it is possible to pick out the interesting newer bookings that will make this eighth edition of the San Francisco festival different from earlier years. You can now also begin the challenging task of mapping your personal schedule — challenging, since there are so many great acts playing head to head on the festival's five stages.
Many of the festival's biggest names are old standbys who have played HSB three or more times in the past. Among these are Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Guy Clark and Hazel Dickens. You wouldn't go wrong putting any of them on your schedule, but the focus here is on performers who are either making their debut or are less well exposed at the festival, or who are playing in a different configuration from usual.
The first observation is about the act that strays farthest from the HSB formula, stretching even the limits of the "Hardly" part of the festival name. That would be hip hop icon MC Hammer. Now that the schedule is out, we see that he is part of the Friday morning two-act mini set programmed as an educational outreach for San Francisco public schools (but also open to the public). Last year, the kids fidgeted and played but didn't pay a lot of attention to bluegrass acts, and it seems as if the MC Hammer appearance is an attempt to give the audience something it might like better.
The educational program on the Star Stage will open with a countryish act, but an age-appropriate one, with 13-year-old fiddling sweetheart Ruby Jane, who will also be seen later in the festival playing with Asleep At the Wheel, the Texas swing band that has essentially adopted her. The morning program also ties in with the Daniel Pearl Foundation Music Days, which promotes music education in honor of the reporter who was slain in Pakistan in the aftermath of the 911 attacks.
Friday afternoon, the big draw is the duo of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, who have won a host of awards for the recording and tour featuring the unllikely pairing. Producer T-Bone Burnett, who was the chemist who mixed the two, will join them onstage, and quite possibly bring along a guest artist or two. Opening the afternoon set are Sharon Little, who opened for Plant and Krauss on tour, and dobro master Jerry Douglas, who is a fixture in Krauss's Union Station band. Even if you've previously caught Plant and Krauss on tour, this set is likely to be unique.
Friday is manageable, but things get out of hand when the five-ring circus opens on Saturday morning. Here are some of the acts I will be looking forward to. Saturday on the Banjo Stage, Three Girls & Their Buddy is an interesting concept with Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Shawn Colvin swapping songs (and maybe collaborating), each with the great Buddy Miller and his band as backup. Following that comes a fairly rare reunion set by the influential progressive bluegrass band Hot Rize (but without an alter-ego Red Knuckles performance), and a first HSB showing by the legendary folk songstress Odetta.
On the Star Stage, I'll be excited to catch folk-rocker Richard Thompson followed by another band reunion, as Chris Hillman, John Jorgenson, Herb Pederson and others reprise their string of country hits from the 80s as The Desert Rose Band. On the Rooster Stage, look for another British rocker with country leaning when Nick Lowe hits the stage, followed by festival regular Dave Alvin in an interesting twist, accompanied by an all-star acoustic crew of Guilty Women instead of his customary electric Guilty Men. (This would be a good point to note the sad passing since last HSB of one of those Guilty Men, Chris Gaffney.)
On Arrow Stage, I've been warming to the song-writing and singing of Tift Merritt, and her 11 am set time provides an opportunity to catch her act without too much competition. Later in the day, The Gourds are always fun, and I'll be thrilled to catch Jerry Jeff Walker in his first HSB show. The Porch Stage is the place to discover up-and-coming or slightly less well-known acts. One I'll be hoping to catch is Mike Farris & The Roseland Rhythm Revue, which just nabbed the newcomer award from the Americana Music Association. Also, the aforementioned John Jorgenson will close out the stage with his jazzy quintet.
Sunday on Banjo, besides the obvious stars, you won't be disappointed by Darrell Scott, who kicks you in the gut with his moving lyrics, gravelled voice and fine fretwork. While Earl Scruggs is a regular here, he'll be preceded on stage by another first-generation bluegrasser, Ralph Stanley, who doesn't make it out West very often, so this is a rare opportunity to catch The Clinch Mountain Boys.
Star Stage on Sunday will be anchored by Elvis Costello's High Whines & Spirits, which seems to be a brand-new concept of the eclectic British rocker who played a Friday set at HSB a few years back. After Elvis, the gypsy punk Gogol Bordello will do for a roots festival what it has done at rock festivals all summer—challenge expectations and leave listeners happy.
On Rooster, husband and wife Greg Brown and Iris Dement are bookends around the late afternoon, but I'm most interested to see what Loudon Wainwright III is up to these days. His lyrics are always provocative, and when he dips into current events for inspiration, as he might in an election year, the results are beyond hilarious. On Arrow, I'm a huge fan of The Infamous Stringdusters. If you're into hot-picking progressive bluegrass, there is no better outfit on the scene. They are followed by local heroes The Waybacks, who I'll have a chance to evaluate for the first time in their new configuration without Stevie Coyle. Tea Leaf Green is a Bay Area rock act who close out the day on Arrow.
Sunday on Porch, Steve Earle's son Justin Townes Earle will show why he has been making a reputation of his own as a bad-boy singer-songwriter, and Maura O'Connell will finish the weekend with her brand of soulful Irish folk music. Of course, that list leaves out any number of other acts that may be your picks for don't-miss up-and-comers, as well as the cast of big-name festival regulars. Every attendee will have his or her own choices. The one thing that is certain is that it will be a weekend you won't soon forget.
Check back here before the festival for tips and strategies for making the most of your time at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.
