Outside Lands: Festival Review

In the hills of San Francisco, nestled in the middle of Golden Gate Park, lies a 3-day music festival called Outside Lands. The festival features many music genres and activations that give people a keepsake or a physical memory. In addition, beyond the psychedelic mushrooms, Ranger Dave, and Grasslands (21+ weed activation), there is Taste of the Bay Area, where the Bay Area’s finest restaurants and pop-ups make their way into the festival grounds. This was Outside Lands’ 18th festival; what an amazing feat. I have been to Outside Lands for 3 years, and honestly, it keeps getting better. 

Day 1

My first day started off at the Lands' End stage with the British indie rock band Wet Leg. My god, did they put on a show. Wet Leg has been soaring in popularity, with artists like Harry Styles covering their songs. They opened with “Catch These Fists” from their album, moisturizer, and the crowd was immediately drawn in. There was something about frontwoman Rhian Teasdale and her stage presence; she had a captivating energy when she performed, and I was definitely drawn in. The band sounded amazing live, and they had such a great blend on stage. Standout songs from this set were “Wet Dream," “Chaise Lounge," and "CPR." 

American rock band Geese on the Sutro stage

Geese has been soaring and playing multiple festivals, and when I say it was packed to the back, even the hills were packed. The band sounded exceptional live; they were one of my favorite sets of the festival. They might sound better live than they do on their records, which was very impressive. One of my favorite moments of the festival was when frontman Cameron Winters played the Glee cover of “Don’t Stop Believin” by Journey and transitioned into “2122.” It was so unexpected but so well done. And the crowd was so thrown off guard, but in the best way possible. Hearing “Taxes” and “Trinidad” live was amazing, but my favorites were “Au Pays du Cocaine” and “I See Myself." 

Charli XCX playing her Wurthering Heights album.

The final highlight of Friday was seeing British pop star and Gen Z icon Charli XCX close the show at Lands End. Wow, she was amazing. Fresh off releasing her album, Music, Fashion, and Film, she opened the show with the album's opening track, “Rock Music." Her set and light design were amazing, and her background dancers added to the scale and spectacle of the show. I was surprised by how many songs she played from BRAT, including my favorite from the album, “Sympathy is a Knife." I also loved that she played some of her old songs, like “pink diamond," “Track 10," and “party 4 u." Hearing “Track 10” and seeing her dance with the backup dancers in unison was such a beautiful image. I wasn’t surprised she played songs from the Wuthering Heights album, like “House”, but “Dying for You” into “Club classics” into “365 ft Shygirl” was one of the best transitions I heard all festival. She does end with songs from her new album, and I think she was the perfect end to my Friday. 

Day 2

My feet were starting to hurt a little, but this was the day I walked around the most. First, I was back at the Sutro stage to see English rock band Wunderhorse. They were solid live, and the crowd was really dancy and had a great time. My friend and I were sitting on the hill, but it was still such a fun set. They played a rather small set, but having released 2 albums and being on the come-up, they were really good. I am excited to hear more of their music and dive deeper, but I really liked "Teal." 

Next, I was back at Lands’ End to see 1 of 2 Hobert siblings. First, we had Audrey Hobert. She was so fun and spunky. She came on with “I Like to Touch People," and her energy was so high. The crowd sang every word of her songs, and she was funny and charismatic on stage. After her TikTok rise and shows like Off Campus, she is an artist I will be watching. Her set was so fun to dance to, and I had a great time. She played her smash hits “Sue me" and “Silver Jubilee," with her doing “Sue me" to end her set as an encore. My favorite song was probably "Chateau." 

Malcolm Todd, playing the song “4Me 4Me”

Next up was the second Hobert sibling, Malcolm Todd. TikTok’s rising star and fresh off his new album, Do That Again, he packed the Twin Peaks stage, where everyone, from teenagers to families, was vibing and grooving to his music. Starting off with a song from his new album, “Jean Skirt," he set the tone with the red lighting and cameras on his stage that were reminiscent of his album cover. I was surprised to hear a lot of songs from the Sweet Boy and Malcolm Todd albums, including “Earrings” and “Chest Pain (I Love)," but I enjoyed the setlist. In this set, we were able to see both the Hobert siblings together, as they did a cover of Audrey Hobert’s song "Phoebe." Malcolm Todd continues to deliver hits, and he and his band put on a show. I understand why his tour is sold out; he’s a rising star. 

Lights, Camera, PinkPantheress

Finally, I lived out my 2020 fantasies at the Sutro stage while seeing English pop star PinkPantheress. She was brilliant live, and it was one of my favorite sets from the weekend. From the set design and clothing to the lighting and backup dancers, everything felt intentional, like she was telling a story through her performance. She opened with her song "Stateside," and it set the tone for a set full of dancing and jumping. I loved that she played songs from her older mixtape to hell with it, and it felt like such a full-circle moment. I have been a fan since her first mixtape, and seeing her live was a dream come true. She also debuted her remix of "Rush," and I was so excited. My friends and I jumped and danced the night away as she played this song. I loved that she ended her set with "Illegal." I feel like in all the videos I’ve seen of her, “Illegal” wasn’t the song she ended with. But, genuinely, I could’ve kept dancing the night away; it was so fun. 

Day 3

My feet were toast, but we had one more day of amazing music and dancing. My first set was at the Sutro stage for an American indie rock band, Momma. They were really good; I thoroughly enjoyed their set. I loved their opening song, “Last Kiss." The song's heavy guitar and riffy nature made the mood perfect for their set. I'll definitely keep them on my radar. I wasn’t too familiar with them, but I thoroughly enjoyed their set. 

Frost Children with the most packed Duboce Triangle set this weekend

The next set I saw was the American sibling hyperpop/EDM duo, Frost Children. Their DJ set was insane. The mixing was super good, and it flowed so well. I loved the variety of songs and IDs while still keeping it very techno and EDM. Their DJ set was in the Duboce Triangle, and the smaller stage was perfect for it. This was one of my favorite sets of the night; they kept transitioning, and the mood stayed high. 

After this, I went back to the Sutro stage for Australian indie rock band The Temper Trap. They were really good live, and their music felt like it transported me back to the late 2000s and early 2010s. They played some great music, and I was having fun with my friends. I had an emotional moment with my childhood best friend while listening to “Sweet Disposition." We don’t often get to be in the same place together since he moved out of the Bay Area for college. But when we meet, it’s always so special, and my soul feels revitalized. I just felt so much gratitude for my friendship and for being there with them during the song. It was a beautiful time. 

Then, we went to Lands' End to see Empire of the Sun. I felt like I was millennial maxxing today, but wow, did they put on a show. It was the perfect set to dance and have fun with friends. They were so fun. I knew more songs of theirs than I thought, beyond “Walking on a Dream." “Half Mast” was sampled in Mac Miller’s “The Spins," and “Half Mast” was sampled in Wiz Khalifa’s “The Thrill." My favorite song of theirs was “We Are the People”; I just adore that track. It was such a beautiful set, just being present with people I love and vibing to some great music. 

Frost Children’s DJ set was so good; I had to see their live set on the Panhandle stage. This set was amazing; Lulu and Angel Prost knew how to put on a show. They opened with “Satellites” from their newest EP, Tweaker Poem. It set the mood perfectly, as the crowd had been camping for them an hour in advance. Their song selection was impeccable, blending tracks from their newest EP and their album Sister. Their energy was amazing, and I loved the effort they put into both sets. Sister has some incredible songs, including “RADIO” ft. Kim Petras, which was one of my favorites that they played. My favorite song they played was “Light Leak," although when I first listened to the EP, “Afterlife” was my favorite. This was one of my favorite sets, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Overall, I had such an amazing time. Karl the Fog made an appearance the whole weekend, but I wouldn’t trade the gloomy weather for anything. While I couldn’t see everyone I wanted to see, the music I heard and discovered was truly amazing. I can’t wait to see how Outside Lands’ 19th festival shapes up, and I would love to be back in Golden Gate Park amongst the fog and the hills.