Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2024: Sleater Kinney, Mavis Staples, Patti Smith
The annual free music festival Hardly Strictly Bluegrass disclosed this year’s lineup, which will feature a headlining performance from Patti Smith — the living legend of arts and culture scene — as well as Sleater-Kinney and Mavis Staples. The three-day event will return to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco from October 4 through 6.
In addition to Smith, the newly-announced artists include Grammy Award-winning musician Cedric Burnside, multi-instrumentalist Abby Posner, singer-songwriter Peter Case, folk singer-songwriter Willi Carlisle and the country punk band Raining Chainsaws.
Other acts set to take the stage include Alison Brown, Buddy Miller, Cunningham Bird, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Jackie Greene & Anders Osborne, Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands, Marco and The Polos, Moonalice, Nigel Wearne & The Spectres, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Sam Reider and The Human Hands.
Among the aforementioned artists are Cat Power who will perform Bob Dylan songs, blues and gospel singer Mavis Staples, rock-folk-bluegrass singer-songwriter Steve Earle, avant-garde folk artist Devendra Banhart, along with Jessica Pratt, Matt the Electrician, Chuck Prophet, Sleater-Kinney, Emmylou Harris, Glen Hansard, and more.
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass celebrates its 24th anniversary this fall and boasts of 70 artists who will perform across six different stages.
Festival attendees will be able to find cuisines from all over the world as well as plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options across five food vending areas in the field. They are also welcome to have their own picnics.
This year, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass General Store will be located next to the Merch tent in Arrow Meadow. Festivalgoers will be able to purchase a variety of personal care items, picnic supplies, clothing, and other handy items at the store.
First organized in 2001 with an intention to only invite bluegrass musicians, the festival welcomed artists from other genres three years later and took the word “Hardly” before its original title of “Strictly Bluegrass” to reflect its enriched scope.
Visit Hardly Strictly Bluegrass’ official website for more information, and see the full lineup of the festival below:
The full 2024 Hardly Strictly Bluegrass lineup can be found below in alphabetic order:
October 4
Cat Power Sings Dylan ’66
Charlie Overbey
Devendra Banhart
Glen Hansard
Ibibio Sound Machine
Jessica Pratt
Lindsay Lou
Matt the Electrician
Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Sean McConnell
Sgt. Splendor
Sleater-Kinney
Songs from a Gravel Road: Kelly Willis, Chuck Prophet, Ismay & Steve Earle
The Milk Carton Kids
Viv & Riley
Wonder Women of Country
October 5
Alison Brown
Buddy Miller’s Cavalcade of Stars: the Red Dirt Boys, Jobi Riccio, Teddy Thompson, Dom Flemons, Carlene Carter, Buddy Miller
Cunningham Bird
Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore & the Guilty Ones
Dry Branch Fire Squad
Fruition
Greensky Bluegrass
Haley Heynderickx
Jackie Greene & Anders Osborne
John Cooper Clarke
Jon Langford & the Far Forlorn
Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands
Levitation Room
Marco and the Polos
Mavis Staples
Moonalice
Nigel Wearne & the Spectres
Oakland Rising featuring Melodious & Friends
Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Robyn Hitchcock
Sam Reider and the Human Hands
Steve Earle featuring Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
Willi Carlisle
October 6
Abby Posner
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Alice Gerrard
Alisa Amador
Aoife O’Donovan w/Hawktail & the San Francisco Girls Chorus
Bobby Rush
Brandy Clark
Big Star Quintet’s “Radio City” 50th Anniversary
Cedric Burnside
Chaparalle
DakhaBrakha
Combo Tezeta
Emmylou Harris
James Hunter
Jon Muq
Patti Smith
Tony Trischka’s Earl Jam
Miko Marks
Raining Chainsaws
Rambler Jack Elliott
Songwriter Circle featuring Peter Case, Carsie Blanton, Teddy Thompson & Melissa Carper
The Bones of J.R. Jones
The Infamous Stringdusters
The Wood Brothers
Ustad Noor Bakhsh
Wreckless Strangers
Yo La Tengo
