From the emergence of queer cowboys to the rapid rise of chart-topping, genre-defying rap singles, it seems like everyone is embracing the American West in 2019.
However, for the 18th year in a row, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is doing what it has always done best: challenge the boundaries that define “American” music. Featuring artists from Syria, Niger, and Ukraine, the eclectic — and iconoclastic — event drew retro-soul singers and country-punk crooners alike to Golden Gate Park for this year’s edition.
Here are some of our favorite images from the festival on Friday:
