You Lucky Folks in the San Francisco Area

Poststructural Pub
1

I still get these notices after moving to Texas.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (free!)
Saturday & Sunday Oct 1 & 2 (all day)
Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park
San Francisco
http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/2005/artists.shtml

Possibly the greatest bluegrass & Americana talent ever assembled for a single show in California! And it’s free!

How about a lineup that includes: Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury Band, Steve Earle, Hot Rize (reunion), Tony Rice & Peter Rowan, Gillian Welch, Rodney Crowell, JD Crowe & The New South, Patty Griffin, Austin Lounge Lizards, Hazel Dickens, Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, Dolly Parton, Eliza Gilkyson, Guy Clark, Joe Ely, Dave Alvin, Rosanne Cash, Jim Hurst & Missy Raines (with Bill Evans’ String Summit), Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Waybacks, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Kelly Joe Phelps, The Be Good Tanyas, Robert Earl Keen, Allison Brown, Buddy Miller, Dry Branch Fire Squad. Joan Baez, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, The Peasall Sisters, Kevin Welch, Kieran Kane & Fats Kaplan, Dale Ann Bradley, Darol Anger, Jo Craven… and many, many more!

2

Holy Magoly!

You’d think something that bluegrass would be more likely held in the SE.

3

Hey, its great to see Doc Watson is still up n at em. Sounds like a tremendous show!

djm

4

The bluegrass and old-time scene is huge here in the SF Bay Area. There’s a lot of support and organizations devoted to promoting it. The popularity of ITM in this area got its start when local bluegrass musicians like Eric Thompson met Joe Cooley and Kevin Keegan in town at an Irish pub. The Irish pub I play at has been taken over by the bluegrass scene over the last few years actually. Many months the bluegrass gigs outnumber the ITM ones. The ethnocentric infrastructure that supported ITM here in SF for about a decade has vanished, so now we have to commute to out of town festivals. The local bluegrass scene should definitely count their blessings I’d say. Having said that, you’ll likely find me among the throngs enjoying the free music this weekend – I hope it doesn’t rain. Too bad today’s gorgeous weather couldn’t last till then.

5

There was a recent special called something like “The Three Pickers” that had Doc, Earl Scruggs, and Ricky Skaggs.

Just a few days ago, Earl was on the David Letterman Show with Pete Wernick, Steve Martin, Tony Ellis, and Charles Wood. He looked really strong.

This is probably a good time to repeat my favorite Doc Watson story.

When I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC in the mid '70s, a couple of 82nd Airborne buddies and I went up to a Bluegrass festival at Camp Springs. One of them, Chic (pronounced “Chick”) Manus, was a crusty Pathfinder NCO, nearing retirement, and was getting to be a fairly decent rhythm guitarist.

So, Chic is out roaming through the campground when he comes upon Doc’s trailer. Doc is sitting all alone in a chair out front, playing his guitar.

Chic comes up and watches for a moment, and the Doc raises his head and says, “Do you pick?” Chic says, “Yes, sir.” Doc says something along the lines of, “There’s a guitar leaning up against the trailer. Grab it and back me up.” Chic knows how to take orders, so he does. They play several songs before Doc decides to quit.

Chic came back to our camp site absolutely quivering with excitement. He swore he’d never wash his hands again. I guess only his wife knows for sure whether he stuck with that.

6

WOW - what a line-up!!!

Jack, old buddy, old friend, old pal - want some house guests this weekend??? :smiley:

I’m kidding - but that would sure be a fantastic festival to go to!

7

I’m sure my son will be there. After going through 20+ years of rock, he’s back to playing mandolin and bluegrass. I wish I could be there.

8

I used to visit a friend in Albany and we’d go to the Freight and Salvage (can’t quite remember if that’s right) to hear Laurie Lewis—can’t remember the name of the group, but they were great–she is one great fiddle player with a voice to match. This was about 20 years ago and there was a lot of good bluegrass out there and people coming in for shows. In Santa Cruz there was even a radio station, KFAT, that had all bluegrass and old-timey.

Hi little fireman! :slight_smile:

9

Freight and Slavage is right; and they may be moving to a new downtown Berkeley location from what I’ve been told.