Stern Grove Free Concert Series 2023

It has been a long time since I seen them, Lyle Lovett and the Large Band are well worth seeing 

Between Stern Grove and HSBG, San Francisco really does get all the free shows.

Lots of meat in that line-up.

If you haven't seen Patti Smith before, you should block out August 13th on your calendar. She will rock you.

^^^

Although I consider it odd if one is a serious music fan, being on this board kind of points in that direction, that one HASN'T seen Patti Smith live before, I fully agree that you should just go to the show. Hell, with Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar) opening, I should probably go to this show. 

>>>if one is a serious music fan, being on this board kind of points in that direction<<<

Um, do you actually read much of what's said on this board?

Well I haven't seen Patti Smith, but I have seen Husker Du.

That said something about seeing Patti Smith outdoors in a park surrounded by people on blankets sipping wine and thermoses of coffee while their kids run around doesn't do it for me. 

I'm seeing Patti at Woodland Park Zoo.  If she plays Dancing Barefoot, it should be just about exactly perfect.

In her memoir Just Kids, she talks about living in Central Park when she first arrived in New York.  From living in parks to playing in them, what a journey!

I tend to agree with kxela, despite the fact that maybe the best time I've seen Patti was outdoors in a park surrounded by people on blankets sipping wine while their kids ran around, at Hardly Strictly. But it was great, in Lindley Meadow with the fog rolling over the tops of the trees. 

And I love Stern Groove. When I was a kid I lived about two miles from there and my brother and I would tear all around that place most Sundays. The setting is amazing for concerts and this is the strongest lineup I can ever remember them having. The problem with the shows there has always been all the hassle involved and how early in the morning you have to get there to get a decent spot. And now that they sell much of the best space it's even harder to get in and find a spot to enjoy the show.

Arriving at 7:00am for a 2:00pm show just isn't my hang, so while I think it's great that they have a such a good lineup and I'm sure Patti Smith will be great there, I'm disappointed she's scheduled because I won't be there and that will likely be her stop in the area.

Still, for you morning people........

GO TO THE SHOW!

SF Symphony  with Lettuce is an odd/interesting pairing...

It looks like Patti's touring as a trio through August 11th, and then with a full band from August 15th forward. Stern Grove's not on her schedule yet, so it could go either way.

https://www.pattismith.net/jobs.html

> that will likely be her stop in the area.

Unless you consider Monterey to be in the area, Lance.

Thanks Judit that changes the calculation a lot. As Lance said getting there at 7 am and sitting in what is almost always whipping fog was not my thing, but if you can reserve GA free that changes things. 

Also if El Nino builds the way they think it will the marine layer will be much diminished this summer. Bad for the red woods good for shows at Stern Grove. 

While people were allegedly paying $1000 a ticket for Outside Lands yesterday, Patti Smith and her band ripped it up for free in Stern Grove.

Bob Mould opened with a nice set and took time to praise San Francisco and throw shade at loud idiots around the country running her down. A sentiment with which  I heartily concur.

Patti started her set be reciting Allen Ginsberg's "Sunflower Sutra" which made my day. She and the band then did a whole bunch of her best songs. In the middle of the set Lenny Kaye talked about first visiting San Francisco during the Summer of Love and discovering the Grateful Dead. He then led the band in a rocking version of "The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)"

"I thought of a time when we could all just be together."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bx_rTkR8JU

"GLORIA! G-L-O-R-I-A!"

And we all spilled out of the grove as the fog rolled in off the ocean.

Nice review Roarshock.  Looking forward to seeing Patti at the zoo on Wednesday.

So with another excellent and hugely successful Outside Lands festival happening in the park and Patti rocking it just down the street, it sounds like overall it was a raging good weekend on the west side, and the Giants won an exciting game yesterday on the east side, so good times were had all over the city for kids of all ages.

That's far out.

Except for those damned new robot cars. I wonder how many times those things fucked something up in San Francisco over the weekend?

I bet Patti Smith would never ride in a driverless car.

(You know the corrupt local politicians who are voting those things in don't)

> "I thought of a time when we could all just be together."

What a beautiful rant. Patti is still punk as fuck.

Loved their version of I had Too Much to Dream Last Night in the Grove

a much better bet they would cover the Electric Prunes than the GD...

Funny   I was chatting with the group next to us before her set and said that in the late 70's in NYC we were Dead Heads during the day and punkers at night (because Punk Rockers never saw the light of day)  Golden Road was a surprise

Patti Smith

After the Gold Rush
People Have the Power

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGDosyZvDHk

"Except for those damned new robot cars."

They were announced as a corporate sponsor of the concert to a resounding chorus of boos.

Thanks for the review Roarshock. Glad you enjoyed it.

  A friend saw Patti at the Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara on Aug. 9. She did a nice acknowledgement of Jerry...

He enjoyed the show very much.