Biscuits, Blues and Hippies

I got home yesterday, and it seems I picked a good time to be away from the UK. Between the politics and the football, about the only people who are happy are Welsh 'Leave' voters.

Even in better times, I would recommend San Francisco as a place to visit. It was my first time there, and I definitely want to return, if only to spend a couple of days in Amoeba Music making my way through the huge selection of used CDs in a more methodical fashion than was possible on this occasion.

I also saw a couple of good shows while I was there. The first was at the excellent Biscuit and Blues club just off Union Square, where Chris Cain and his band played a fine set with the help of their guest, guitarist Volker Strifler (all the way from Heidelberg).

The next day I was strolling through Union Square itself at about 6pm when I came across a group of old hippies setting up on stage, with a larger group of old hippies gathering in eager anticipation. There was also a group of women dressed as Donald Duck gathering to protest against Mr Trump, but that is another story. Anyway the old hippies on stage turned out to be called Moonalice and they entertained us royally for the next couple of hours. As you might suspect, what with it being San Francisco, they are very much in the Grateful Dead style, so not something I would be likely to listen to much at home. But they put on a very good show.

Here's a little something from both of them.

"On This Fine Morning" - Chris Cain

"Greenport" - Moonalice

And we will finish off with one of the many bands to emerge from the San Francisco music scene of the 1960s.