Mill Valley Music Festival has been a go-to for its intimate charm and consistent selection of soul. 2025 marked its fifth year running and my fourth time going. My top three shows have been Thee Sacred Souls in 2024, La Doña in 2022, and Durand Jones in 2023, but they had some hefty competition this year.
Sunday was packed with soul— Thee Sinseers & Monoponics with their retro style, Sister Nancy with her dancehall reggae, and Nile Rodgers hit melody after hit melody with Chic and beyond. Still, the weekend’s best performance came the day before.
It took 13 years to hear Gary Clark Jr from when I first posted about him. It was well worth the wait. His voice topped the weekend, and his guitar playing rivaled Nile’s. Watch my favorite song from his set below, particularly starting @ 3:44!
