by Jon Bauer
Under the canopy of eucalyptus trees at Sigmund Stern Grove, yesterday brought a rare gift: a perfect, beautiful day in San Francisco. Bathed in warm sunlight instead of the usual thick summer fog, the meadow provided the ideal backdrop for an afternoon of raw acoustic energy, polyrhythms, and multi-decadal nostalgia.
Opening the afternoon were Oakland’s own tUnE-yArDs, appearing as a dynamic duo. Merrill Garbus held court at the center of the stage, layering her powerful voice with ukulele, guitar, percussion, and her signature real-time looping, while Nate Brenner provided rich harmonic grounding on keyboards and guitar. During a captivating performance of “How Big Is the Rainbow,” Garbus turned to the crowd, teaching and leading the audience in a massive, collective sing-along for the main chorus that echoed through the trees and set a warm, unified tone for the rest of the day.
When Violent Femmes took over, Gordon Gano’s unmistakable nasal drawl immediately locked the audience in, starting with the brooding basslines of “Confessions.” The early stretch felt like a masterclass in tension and release, weaving through the frantic acoustic strums of “Prove My Love” and the propulsive rhythm of “Breakin’ Up.” By the time they reached “Waiting for the Bus” and the country-twanged sacrilege of “Jesus Walking on the Water,” the Grove had completely surrendered to the band’s eccentric charm.
Between songs, Gano paused to share a wild piece of musical trivia with the crowd—pointing out the towering, massive horn on stage and revealing that it was a “contrabass saxophone,” claiming it was one of only 12 in existence worldwide. Its deep, room-shaking rumble added a unique, ominous low-end texture to the band’s signature acoustic-punk setup.
The midpoint unleashed a run of undeniable, sing-along anthems. Back-to-back performances of “Blister in the Sun,””Kiss Off,” and “Please Do Not Go” turned the sun-dappled venue into a full-scale choir. Seeing thousands of attendees chant the count-up in “Kiss Off” at the top of their lungs remains one of the purest collective catharses in live music.
During a particularly tender moment in the set, romance took center stage when a couple in the front row caught the attention of everyone nearby as a proposed to his partner. To the cheers of surrounding fans, she enthusiastically said yes, adding a heartwarming, unscripted moment of celebration to an already unforgettable afternoon.
The grand finale reached a peak when Merrill Garbus returned to the stage to join the Femmes for their final two songs. Taking her place on percussion, her kinetic rhythm and vocal power injected a fresh, chaotic spark into “Add It Up” and the marimba-laced bounce of “Gone Daddy Gone,” bringing Oakland art-pop and classic Milwaukee folk-punk together in seamless, high-energy fashion.
Under ideal skies, both acts proved that all you need for an unforgettable afternoon in the park is minimalist instrumentation, ultra-rare saxophones, looped vocals, and a meadow full of people ready to scream along to every word.
Violent Femmes set-list
- Confessions
- Prove My Love
- Breakin’ Up
- Waiting For the Bus
- Jesus Walking on the Water
- Good Feeling
- Special
- Blister in the Sun
- Kiss Off
- Please Do Not Go
- Faith
- Dance Motherfucker Dance (Voot Warnings cover)
- Color Me Once
- It’s Gonna Rain
- American Music
- Add It Up (featuring Merrill Garbus on percussion)
- Gone Daddy Gone (featuring Merrill Garbus on percussion)
Violent Femmes:
tUnE-yArDs:
