On August 7th - 9th, Outside Lands took over foggy Golden Gate Park. With over 75,000 attendees, countless food and brand activations, and a lineup one could only dream of, the music industry’s best-kept secret took the stage. Hailing some of the biggest acts like Charli XCX, The Strokes, Turnstile, and The xx, it truly was a weekend to remember. With perfect festival weather, avoiding the usual heat and humidity of a festival, it truly was any music lover's dream. I caught as many sets as I could during my three-day stint in San Francisco and was blown away every time.
I started my weekend out with Geese at the Sutro Stage. Geese brought a piece of NYC to the bay with an electrifying performance that immediately enamored the crowd. They brought a stage presence that perfectly exemplified why they are one of the best live acts around.
Next up, Turnstile took the Sutro stage, getting fans moving immediately. Mosh pits opened for as far as the eye could see, and the band was having just as much fun as the crowd. Lead singer Brendan Yates was never in the same place at once, keeping the crowd equally excited the whole time.
On day two, the lineup was far more daunting with countless heartbreaking set conflicts, but equally as many memorable performances. I started my day on the main stage (Lands End) to catch Haute & Freddy. This was an act that was new to me but some of the most fun I had in the park all weekend. Their theatrical performance, complete with costume and fabulous theming, left nothing to be desired; they got Saturday off and were ready to go for the rest of the day!
Next to take the Lands End stage was Audrey Hobert. She was one of the acts on the lineup that was very heavily anticipated for me, and for all the right reasons. She brought the fun, the props, and everything someone would hope for in a music festival set. There was a punchiness to her set that was so uniquely hers and commanded the crowd.
After Audrey’s set, it truly was a family affair as I hiked over to Twin Peaks to see her brother Malcolm Todd’s set after catching the tail end of Laszewo, whose EDM set could enamor even the most amateur EDM listeners like myself. Once Malcolm went on, it became clear that star power runs in the family, with a fanbase equally as strong. For as far as the eye could see, it was clear that fans were a part of something much larger than themselves as fans sang the lyrics to every single word in a beautiful synchronicity that only live music can provide. After Todd’s electrifying set, Dijon was next to conquer the stage. Providing a truly unique live performance with completely new live versions of each of his songs from his latest album Baby and his 2021 masterpiece Absolutely.
Finally, on day three, a tired crowd soldiered on for what could be the most exciting day yet. I began my day catching the tail end of Sports’ set at Lands End, which was nothing short of vibrant and fun, which is the perfect way to begin a 1:00 set. Balu Brigada took the stage next with their biggest festival crowd yet. They opened their set with “Golden Gate Girl” in the perfect location to do so. They had one of the largest early afternoon sets I’d seen all weekend.
Later on, I made my way towards the Sutro stage for some The Temper Trap madness. Breaking their live music hiatus, the band had a dedicated crowd more than excited to see the band live again.
Finally, Not For Radio closed out my weekend on the Sutro stage with one of the most beautiful sets of my life. They had the most ethereal set dressing in my life with an equally beautiful set. One thing María Zardoya knows how to do is immerse fans in the music, which she perfectly did with her Outside Lands set. She told a beautiful story about the death of a swan throughout her set, while playing fan favorites without. Truly a magical way to end the weekend, set to the beautiful landscape of Golden Gate Park.
Outside Lands is the festival to see, with a perfect curation of food, a wide variety of music, with everything from EDM, rock, and indie staples for everyone to enjoy. It truly is the festival of the summer!
Words and photos by JoAnn Snavely