Pitchfork

The name says it all, really: the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass fest, though in possession of an undeniable penchant for that which twangs, is hardly strictly a bluegrass festival.

From October 3-5, the eighth annual free-of-charge fest will run the gamut all over San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, bringing with it performances from the likes of Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Elvis Costello's High Whines and Spirits, Iron & Wine, Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys, Nick Lowe, Richard Thompson, Emmylou Harris, Jon Langford's Skull Orchard featuring Sally Timms and the Burlington Welsh Male Chorus, Heavy Trash, Ben Kweller, Steve Earle and the Bluegrass Dukes, Steve's son Justin Townes Earle, Gary Louris and Mark Olson of the Jayhawks, Gogol Bordello, the Del McCoury Band, Iris DeMent, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Loudon Wainwright III, Odetta, Tift Merritt, Greg Brown, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Waco Brothers, and, I kid you not, MC Hammer. Oaktown represent!

The free show will be preceded by a pair of not-so-free show October 2 and 3 at San Fran's Great American Music Hall. Appearing that night will be Guitar - Bass - Drums, a bit of a dad-rock supergroup featuring Ry Cooder, Nick Lowe, and Jim Keltner. Proceeds from those shows will go to the Richard deLone Special Housing Project, which seeks to assist those afflicted by Prader-Willi Syndrome.