Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival–Photos from Day 3

Oct 4th, 2011 in Music

Day 3 of the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (with Fillmore extension) ranks at the very top of our all-time great days of live music. The music began with the mesmerizing Jessica Lea Mayfield at 11am and extended to the last encore (at 12:30am) of Gillian Welch’s perfect birthday concert at the Fillmore.

Jessica Mayfield had a field-day earlier this year when she released her Dan Auerbach-produced album, “Tell Me.” The album is filled with great songs and her vocally laconic (in a good way) delivery, and more of the same was in evidence during her opening set on Sunday. Her cohorts bring fire and flair to Mayfield’s seductive vocals and mien. Following Ms. Mayfield’s well-received set, we took in Buddy Miller’s popular set. Buddy’s obviously a very talented singer and guitarist, though he’s not our particular cup of tea (too much dead-center talent and technique, without flaws or flare-ups, which makes us cranky and causes us (perhaps unfairly) to lump Miller in with the likes of Alison Krauss and Jerry Douglas, both of whom y’all can have). Make no mistake, though, his adoring fans were enthusiastic and entertained, and he brought out Patty Griffin, Robert Plant and Emmylou Harris to add coloratura to the proceedings. After Buddy, we caught portions of the sets of soulful Dr. John, Bucked-up Brokedown in Bakersfield, and solo, but raging, Bob Mould. All were good, but then the day really took off like a rocket.

Devotchka’s enormously entertaining gypsy-klezmer-rock pastiche had the massive crowd at the Star Stage enthralled and dancing. What’s great about this band is that they grip your head and heart with their songs at the same time you’re feet are involuntarily jamming.

And then came our long-awaited first-glimpse of great Brit band, Elbow. Guy Garvey and crew took the stage and within moments it was game-over for the best-set-of-HSB competition (due respect to the brilliant Bright Eyes). Elbow is simply one of the best live bands on the planet, along with having composed some of the best songs and records of this era (if you don’t know and love their epic album, “The Seldom Seen Kid,” we encourage you to add it to your collection, along with their new album, “build a rocket boys!“). Guy Garvey is a lovely human being who imparts well the uplift and emotion embedded in the band’s songs, and it is a sweet sight to see in person. The band is also filled with perfect players, and included two female violinist-singers that added great sonorities. We’ve written plenty about Elbow, but what will now stick with us forever are the sights and sounds of the huge crowd singing along with Garvey: “Throw those curtains wide! One day like this a year will see me right, for life.” Indeed. As usual with Elbow live, the crowd left ecstatic, and plenty of tear-streaked faces were seen during and after their set. Driven to tears–by joy.

We sat there for a bit, blown away by Elbow’s too-short, but perfect set, until we realized that there were great sounds emanating from the Towers of Gold Stage next door and recalled that Gomez had kick-started their set. So we scrambled over to check the band out despite being completely sated and wrung-out from Elbow’s set, and skeptical of the need for any more British band performances. Wrong!! We were quickly drawn in to the beguiling sounds of Gomez. The band killed with its live rocking delivery on all fronts, and had the crowd rocking and reverent. They are consummate singers and players (Ben Ottewell wailed on guitar throughout, and occasionally one-upped sound-alike Eddie Vedder vocally; but all the Gomez lads were phenomenal–and so very nice to boot!). And ultimately Gomez exhorted the crowd into a dancing ecstasy. At the end, we all were happily Gomezed. Don’t ever rule out the British bands–they know best how to festival.

After a short dinner break, we reconvened with our consort for the special Gillian Welch concert at the Fillmore. Sunday was Gillian’s birthday, and word was passed around in the audience before Gillian and David came out that a special Happy Birthday singalong was in the works. As the duo came out, the Fillmore-crowd surprised Gillian and Rawlings with a boisterous belting of Happy Birthday. Gillian and David were clearly unsuspecting and beamed back the adoration of the crowd. It was one of those many only-in-San-Francisco-at-the-Fillmore moments that litter the history books. And that set the tone for the love-fest that ensued. We’ve never heard the duo in better form, and Rawlings proved yet again why he is the most soulful and best guitar player on the planet. Welch and Rawlings played nearly their entire new (phenomenal) record, The Harrow & the Harvest, and nearly all of their fans’ older favorites during the nearly three-hour set. In addition, they brought out Bright Eyes’ Nathaniel Walcott (to add great muted-trumpet), Robyn Hitchock, and Buddy Miller, amongst others. It was a cornucopia of riches which capped off one of the great musical days of our lives.

Check out some photos from the day below. We’ll add some more and great video later.

Jessica Lea Mayfield