Fingers flying across the fretboard of his signature six-stringed bass, jazz fusion musician Stephen Lee Bruner, more commonly known by his stage name, Thundercat, concluded the Summer of Music ‘24 grand finale concert with his hit song “Them Changes” to a roaring audience of thousands.
This free event, presented by Noise Pop and nonprofit organization Civic Joy Fund, brought attendees to Golden Gate Park’s Robin Williams Meadow on Oct. 20 for a celebration of local artists, food and music.
“San Francisco people are so fun. Whenever we play, people are very welcoming, very warm,” said Daniela Perez of musical act Three Flower Jam. Her bandmate Jared Carbajal echoed this statement, “There’s a lot of vibrancy in people […] they always give good energy.”
The relaxed, communal spirit of the Summer of Love was still present at the grand finale show. Attendees were encouraged to arrive early as the show was “first come, first served” in the park’s mellow atmosphere; there were no gates or lines, tickets were not required and anyone could join the celebration provided they found a place to stand. Embroidered bell bottoms, crocheted vests, flower crowns and a few floor length fur-trimmed “Penny Lane” suede jackets dotted the crowd.
Though shady spots were soon a patchwork of beach towels and tie dyed picnic blankets, those who didn’t nab a spot under the trees put on their bucket hats and danced under the sun. Freedom of expression was encouraged, as illustrated by a passerby who waltzed around the park with homemade maracas made out of orange prescription pill bottles.
“Everyone was so unique and showed all the flavor the city has to offer,” said attendee Sean Godfrey, junior at San Francisco State University. “My favorite part of the day was sitting on Hippie Hill and watching thousands of people walk past.
Free music in San Francisco is a city staple, dating back to the hippie days of the 1960s when Janis Joplin would sit with her guitar under an elm tree, now named after her, and serenade park goers. The “Hippie Hill” drum circle, an enduring San Francisco tradition, still plays for hours every weekend, welcoming anyone who wants to jam.
In recent years, several local organizations have hosted free music showings around the city to support local artists and businesses and bring the San Francisco community together, from the Civic Center Soundtrack Concert Series to the Market to Bandshell shows.
“I hadn’t been able to come to any of the previous free music events in the city until this one, and I was really excited to finally be able to see what that type of environment would be like,” said Godfrey. “There’s been a lot of negativity around SF lately but seeing tens of thousands of people all coming together to hang out in the park and listen to music was really encouraging.”
Throughout the afternoon, performances switched back and forth between the Main Stage, where Combo Tezeta, Lee Fields and Thundercat performed, and the Busker Stage, where up-and-coming acts including Three Flower Jam, Prophet Martian and Magic School Busk played, ensuring that attendees had a chance to hear all acts.
“I think it’s really cool that there’s a Busker Stage […] I’ve been busking for about ten years, so giving a little platform to bands who are very independent, doing everything [on their own] is so great,” said Sofie Mae, lead vocalist of Prophet Martian. The band played a medley of self described “old soul and disco” originals, written by Mae and arranged by the band, ending their set with “On My Own Time,” the premier song written together by the group. In magenta velvet-fringed shorts and glittery tights peeking out from cowgirl boots, Mae’s warm, powerful voice, backed by funk and groove inspired bass, guitar and synth tracks brought a substantial crowd to the smaller stage.
Three Flower Jam, also performing at the Busker Stage, played a medley of covers like Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” “A lot of what we do, we try to do it with a twist to it, Latin or something that makes people be like, ‘Oh I know that song, but it’s a little different,’” Perez said, on how the band makes their set memorable.
“People watching is my favorite, seeing everybody’s outfits […] the vibes have been so good all day. It’s been a fairly inclusive day too, I’ve seen a diverse amount of people here which doesn’t always happen at music festivals […] [it feels] like I saw my people here,” said Mika Gilkey who attended with Crossroads, one of the many vendors who had a table at the entrance of the event. Other local businesses, including Effin Relax and Love on Haight, had racks of clothes, jewelry and other goods out for attendees to buy, and San Francisco-based food trucks Mozzeria and The Chairman provided lunch.
Excitement from the day was palpable when at last, two time Grammy winner Thundercat walked onto the stage. Backed by Oakland-based drummer Justin Brown and Dennis Ham on keys, a producer and composer who is credited on two of Thundercat’s albums, the trio immediately launched into a series of bass-heavy funk jams, displaying his genre defying blend of psychedelia, jazz, electronica and R&B. “I was inspired to go to the event […] because of the creativity and technical skills Thundercat has,” said attendee Emmett Guthmore, 16, seated with his friend in matching Kendrick Lamar “DAMN.” shirts, sharing that the two plan to try and get as close to the stage as possible.
As the music played, artist Natalie Gabriel worked on her mural, an abstract and surreal interpretation of a woman listening to music against a city skyline. “I ended the day on a total high when I heard Thundercat say ‘That’s a beautiful painting over there’ as he ended the set. I had no idea he could even see the mural from the stage but I was so happy to hear it was bringing beauty to an already amazing event,” she shared. “[Free art] is essential. It’s what makes San Francisco, San Francisco.”
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia McCrackin, Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo, Opinion Editor: Dakota Duran, Scene Editor: Elina Graham
