Not Loud Concerts brings its "not too loud, not too long, not too expensive" summer series to Berkeley on Saturday, Aug. 23 — Dirty Cello and the Alex Lucero Band trading country songs in the courtyard behind Gilman Brewing, 7–9 p.m., $20.

Country Boogie Night lands in the courtyard behind Gilman Brewing on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. — 912 Gilman St., Berkeley. Tickets are $20, sold only through the promoter's site, notloudconcerts.com, which routes the sale through Eventbrite. No processing fees tacked on at checkout, per the promoter; be wary of resale listings, since the organizers say Eventbrite is the only valid seller.

The pitch is right there in the name. Not Loud Concerts is a small Bay Area operation built around a simple joke that kept circulating online — the wish for a show that's "not too loud, not too late, not too long and not too expensive." Its festivals run two hours, no intermission, with amplification kept low enough to actually hear the words. This one puts two bands on stage at the same time, trading songs and dueling it out: Dirty Cello, a high-energy group known for gonzo takes on classic country, paired with the Alex Lucero Band, a boot-stomping Americana outfit. Beer and pizza are for sale from Gilman Brewing. Chairs are provided and you can bring your own, and there's room to sit or get up and dance — plus, the organizers are proud to note, clean indoor bathrooms and no porta-potties.

Here's the honest read: this is a low-stakes, early-evening night out, not a blowout. If you want a festival you can bring your folding chair to and still be home by 10, this is engineered for exactly that. Families should know kids need their own ticket and the FAQ warns song content can skew adult.

The logistics tip: Gilman Brewing sits in Berkeley's flat industrial strip just off the I-80 Gilman Street exit, where street parking is far easier than anywhere near downtown — drive if you can. North Berkeley BART is roughly a mile away, a 15-to-20-minute walk. If you like the format but Aug. 23 doesn't work, Not Loud runs the same Country Boogie bill in Napa on Aug. 16 and returns to Gilman for Vintage Rock Night on Sept. 20.

If you've only got two hours: that's the whole show. Get there near 7, grab a slice and a beer, claim a chair toward the front where the two-band trade-off actually reads, and stay for the dueling sets.