I always look forward to Outside Lands. The experience of seeing my favorite artists with my favorite people, making new friends between sets, exploring the beauty of Golden Gate Park – I can go on. As usual, I walked around 20k steps each day (it’s important to wear good walking shoes) as I explored the new stages and vendors around the festival grounds.
This year’s lineup was definitely for the Indie, Folk, and Pop lovers. With artists such as Arcy Drive, Orla Gartland, Alemeda, Cassandra Coleman, and Bay Ledges, there was something for everyone. I definitely found new favorite artists as I wandered around, their music echoing through the trees, traveling with the fog that rolled in from Ocean Beach.
A few stand-out acts of the weekend were Marina, Doechii, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, Big Freedia, Midnight Generation, Jamie XX, and the Reparations set at the Dolores Stage. Each artist was memorable in their own way: Marina’s strong vocals, the playfulness of Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, the energy of Midnight Generation’s set, new mixes by Jamie XX, and the jaw-dropping talent of Reparations.
I wish I had spent more time at the Dolores Stage. Curated by Oasis SF and Oasis Arts, this stage features acts that perform regularly at their venue. From Baloney to Princess and the various DJ sets sprinkled in, this stage continuously drew in a large crowd. I heard Rebecca Black’s DJ set was just as electrifying as her Sutro set, which was iconic in itself. Reparations, hosted by award-winning drag performer Nicki Jizz, had Big Freedia close out the set. With her gospel album Pressing Onward, which was released the day before, Big Freedia gave us a taste of what to expect at her main stage set on Sunday.
It’s not in my nature to camp out for a set, but I wanted to get as close as possible to see Doechii. I caught her performance at the Independent a little less than a year ago. The 500-capacity venue could not contain the electricity coursing through the air at this show. I was happy she was on a larger stage at this venue with a production she deserved. That 45-minute set flew by quickly as the artist performed hit after hit. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium this November.
I loved the Latin artists who performed at this year’s Outside Lands. Besides Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso, whose set I was looking forward to for months, I was able to catch Los Menor3s and Midnight Generation at Twin Peaks and the Panhandle stage, respectively. Each of these artists possessed a magnetic quality. Even if they weren’t on your radar, their music lured you in and had you dancing along the entire set. It was a nice touch during Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso’s set to have the English translation of their songs appear on the side screens.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s line-up. Stay up to date on when tickets go on sale by going to the festival’s official website or by following them on Instagram. Check out the full photo gallery below.
