Tower of Power, Too $hort among headliners at 2021 Stern Grove Festival
Too $hort performs at BottleRock Napa Valley at the Napa Valley Expo on May 26, 2019. Shawn Robbins/STAFF.
Thundercat, Fitz and the Tantrums, Joan Jett, Perfume Genius, Thievery Corporation, X, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and Tower of Power and Too $hort are among the artists that will perform at the 2021 Stern Grove Festival, producers announced on June 8.
The first concert will be on June 20 and will include local Grammy-winning soul act Ledisi, Oakland’s the Seshen and others. Tickets are free but require a reservation due to COVID-19 safety restrictions, and will become available on June 8 at 2 p.m. at he Stern Grove Festival website.
The July 4 concert will feature a special Independence Day holiday performance from the San Francisco Symphony, led by conductor Edwin Outwater. The symphony is typically joined by the San Francisco Ballet, which is not participating this year.
Tower of Power and Too $hort all headline the festival’s annual Big Picnic show, which doubles as a fundraiser. The Big Picnic helps to raise funds in support of the festival’s mission to provide admission-free concerts and arts education programs in the Bay Area. A limited number of tables for the benefit party are on sale now.
See the complete lineup for the festival below:
All concerts will begin at 2 p.m. PT at Sigmund Stern Grove, at 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard in the city’s Sunset District. Admission to each concert will continue to remain free but will need to be reserved through a ticket reservation system for the first time. Attendance will be adjusted over time to adhere to San Francisco, state and federal regulations, with limited seating expected for at least the first few events.
Tickets for each show will become available to reserve 12 days prior to each event on a first come, first served basis. Additional changes in 2021 also include fencing around the site to maintain attendance restrictions. Those unable to obtain tickets can live-stream all of the performances at the festival’s website.
Stern Grove Festival lineup:
June 20: Ledisi, The Seshen, La Doña, LadyRyan
June 27: Perfume Genius, Madame Gandhi, Honey Mahogany, LadyRyan
July 4: San Francisco Symphony
July 11: Thievery Corporation, Dessa, DJ Shortkut
July 18: St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Dip, DJ Omar
July 25: X, The Avengers, DJ Omar
Aug. 1: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Aug. 8: Thundercat, Cassowary, DJ Shortkut
Aug. 15: Fitz & The Tantrums, Devon Gilfillian, DJ Omar
Aug. 29: The Big Picnic featuring Tower of Power, Too $hort, DJ Shortkut