On Saturday, October 2, 2015, I made my first trip up to the city in three years to attend Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in Golden Gate Park. The logistics of going to the show have gotten worse. The parking is a nightmare, the crowds are suffocating, and going from one stage to another is a waste of time if you want to actually see the performance. Upwards of 700,000 people flock to San Francisco every year for the three day, completely free lineup of both big and lesser known acts. My strategy now is to pick one of the seven stages, get there about 10;45, plop my chair down, have a bite to eat, and wait an hour for the show to start. This year I picked the Tower of Gold stage which was featuring The Waco Brothers, Lera Lynn, Boz Scaggs as the headliner, and Joe Jackson. Between sets I was able to walk over to the adjacent stage and get a taste of Paul Weller and The Milk Carton Kids. Neither was worth the effort. Pictured above is Boz Scaggs, a San Francisco institution who got his start in the Steve Miller Band before branching out on his own in the early 70's. He had a powerhouse band and still has that silky smooth voice with a lot of Texas in it. It's just not as powerful as it once was. His bluesy guitar playing is still as sweet as ever. I haven't seen him live in many years, and it was great to get the chance once again.
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