Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 7

Another year, another Bluegrass Fest in San Francisco, this weekend (Oct-5-7) in Golden Gate Park. Old favorites are returning, including Nick Lowe (when did he get so damn popular all the sudden? It's not like he's moving a ton of records), T-Bone Burnett (one of the fest highlights last year), Del McCoury, Gillian Welch, Mekons, Knitters, on and on. PLUS some new blood, including Jeff Tweedy (solo on Friday afternoon), Charlie Louvin, Neko Case, and, believe it or not, John Mellencamp. There's a reason they renamed the fest Hardly Strictly Bluegrass--which I have no beef with, as it opens the field to a wider range of roots/country/soul/grass type artists.

Here's a few highlights from last year's extravaganza:


Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2006