The lineup for the Stern Grove Festival has been announced for 2021. After a year off, the summertime series will feature free outdoor concerts by Thundercat, Perfume Genius, Tower of Power with Too Short, Thievery Corporation, Ledisi, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Joan Jett, X, Fitz and the Tantrums, and the San Francisco Symphony as headliners.
One big change this year: while concerts at Stern Grove will still be free, attendees must register in advance to reserve their spot. Reservations for the June 20 concert with Ledisi open today, June 8, at 2pm; other reservation openings will follow, twelve days before their respective concerts.
As should become apparent when audiences in the idyllic meadow shout Too Short’s favorite word, this lineup is perhaps the festival’s most stylistically diverse yet. “We’re even going to push a few more boundaries than we usually do,” said Executive Director Bob Fiedler in a statement. “Whether it’s punk rock, hip-hop, crossover jazz, or the good old Symphony on the Fourth of July, we hope that everyone can find something they love in this year’s lineup.”
As for local artists, they’re well-represented in the opening slots by the likes of La Doña, DJ Shortkut, Honey Mahogany, the Avengers and others.
Other changes for 2021? Concerts at Stern Grove will be available to stream live on Stern Grove’s website, and additional protocols for COVID safety will be enacted.
