And you thought Outside Lands Festival was a shitshow for people that live in San Francisco. Wait until all the crazies and hippies descend on Golden Gate Park this weekend (October 2nd – 4th) for what may quite possibly be one of the best free concert festivals in the country. Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is exactly how the title suggests, the bluegrass but in the mix you’ll find Nick Lowe, MC Hammer, Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Tom Morello, Steve Martin (Yes, THAT Steve Martin), Okkervil River, Old 97′s, Emmylou Harris, Robyn Hitchcock, Billy Bragg, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Neko Case, Dr. Dog, Aimee Mann, Booker T. & the Drive-By Truckers, and many maaaaaany more. I’m going to try my damndest to catch most of the above artists and discover a few at the same time without losing my freakin’ mind with the crowds. See ya there!
I missed yesterday’s post for this week’s best shows, but I don’t recall anything substantial happening (I’m probably wrong, but whatever).
Tonight (Monday) Alice in Chains rocks the The Fillmore with their new lead singer, Dead Meadow and Spindrift play The Great American Music Hall, TV on the Radio singer/guitarist Kyp Malone’s Rain Machine does The Independent, and glam rock group theSTART play UC Davis.
Wednesday we have Ida Maria and Ladyhawke at The Fillmore, Datarock at Slim’s, and stoner rockers Kylesa and Kowloon Walled City at the DNA lounge.
Thursday hosts Abe Vigoda at The Knockout and David Bazan and Say Hi rock The Independent.
Friday, after the chaos of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2009, you can see Asobi Seksu, Anna Ternheim and Loney, Dear at Slim’s, Paramore and Paper Route at The Warfield, Experimental Dental School and Clipd Beaks at The Hemlock, hardcore legends T.S.O.L. and Disciples play 924 Gilman in Berkeley, Gil Scott Heron rocks The Grand Ballroom At the Regency Center and our friends at Bay Bridged hosts a killer line-up with Tartufi, Judgement Day and Geographer at Rickshaw Stop.
Saturday, the SF LovEvolution with Deadmau5, Groove Armada, and many more DJ artists play at the Civic Center for those of you not into folk/blues/good music(?), The Horrors rock The Independent, and Miike Snow and Jack Peñate play a sold out Bottom of the Hill.
Rain Machine – 
Give Blood from Rain Machine (2009)
Geographer – Can’t You Wait from Innocent Ghosts (2008)
Kowloon Walled City – Turk, Taylor and Jones from Turk Street (2009)
Clipd Beaks – Nohorizons from Winterfucking (2008)
Disciples – Rising from Colors of Being (2008)