New guy stays true to Hardly Strictly
Chris Porter had some mighty big boots to fill.
When the talent buyer was brought in to assemble the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass lineup in March, after the festival’s longtime musical curator Dawn Holliday stepped down from the position to focus on other ventures, he knew he would have to please a lot of people.
The free threeday outdoor festival in Golden Gate Park, running from Oct. 5 to 7, has become one of the highlights of the Bay Area fall entertainment calendar, typically drawing an estimated audience of 500,000 over the weekend.
“I always say booking a festival is like juggling and putting a jigsaw puzzle together at the same time,” Porter said, calling from his home in Seattle. “The creativity involved in it is an art.”
Well, it seems Porter has all the puzzle pieces he needs as the 18th annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival will feature performances by Grammy-winning musicians Alison Krauss and Jeff Tweedy, a retrospective set by the eccentric English musician Robyn Hitchcock, and a rare live appear-
ance by Roky Erickson, the reclusive Texan leader of the ’60s psychedelic band the 13th Floor Elevators.
Organizers revealed the full lineup for the concert on Tuesday, Aug. 28, after weeks of dropping clues through a series of music medleys posted to the festival’s app and website.
With more than 80 acts performing on six stages, the event once again boasts an expansive roster spanning genres and generations.
Among the other artists on the bill this year are Graham Nash, Ani DiFranco, Vetiver, Steve Forbert, Ween, Prairie Prince, Mavis Staples, Hip Spanic Allstars, Gomez, JD McPherson, Howlin’ Rain, I’m With Her, Greyboy Allstars, Nick Lowe, Rodney Crowell and more.
“I wanted to stay true to what Hardly Strictly is about and what’s appropriate for those stages,” said Porter, who for 18 years served as the programming director for the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle. “I wanted to be careful to keep it authentic.”
Holliday, who co-founded the festival with the late investment banker Warren Hellman in 2001 as a gift to the people of San Francisco, oversaw the expansion of the one-day concert with eight acts in a quiet corner of the park into a huge annual fete that last year featured more than 100 musicians performing across seven stages over three days.
During her tenure as the festival’s musical curator, Holliday (who stayed on as a consultant this year) brought in headliners such as Elvis Costello, Robert Plant and Rosanne Cash.
She also established a stable of festival regulars including Hardly Strictly Bluegrass’ perennial Sunday night headliner, Emmylou Harris, who will return this year, alongside other veteran acts like Steve Earle, the Del McCoury Band, Buddy Miller, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Justin Townes Earle, Moonalice, Rodney Crowell, Patty Griffin, the Flatlanders and the Go to Hell Man Band.
“Those acts are part of the fabric of the festival,” Porter said.
The Hellman family continues to fund Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with an endowment.
While Porter would not comment on whether his talent buyer position is permanent, he said he looks forward to putting his thumbprint on future lineups if given the opportunity.
“I’m very honored that the reins were passed to me,” he said.