Here’s our report from Friday, and from Saturday. See you next year!
April Siese
New Lessons Learned:
1. Don’t judge a band by their only single: fun. Truly delivered on the main stage.
2. N Judah seems to win the least crowded award compared to the 5 Fulton.
3. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from, everyone loves Stevie Wonder.
4. As far as new innovations go (The Barbary, Beer Lands, Outside Lambs) Outside Lambs was the clear favorite.
5. The Sutro Stage was the least accessible.
Quotes From OL:
“With these festivals there’s just something about the festival vibe that puts people in the right frame of mind… Outside Lands is literally the one of only a handful of exceptions that I can think of where you can get away with doing comedy when it’s light outside.” – Chris Hardwick, Nerdist
“We always thought San Francisco should get its own music festival. There’s such a musical heritage, really a legacy here.” – Rick Farman, Co-founder of Superfly
“The whole festival is just chock-full of people. We’re pretty big fans of a lot of the bands playing.” – Noelle Scaggs and Joseph Karnes, Fitz and the Tantrums
Final Thoughts: Now that Outside Lands has officially cemented itself as a premiere music and food festival, those small tweaks that really make or break a festival are really starting to appear.
The media area was moved slightly for more guest tents, eliminating the chill grassy patch I sat on last year, port-o-potty workers were in full force constantly removing our waste throughout the festival, and the Panhandle stage’s ecofriendly set-up made for a more intimate viewing space for up-and-coming artists, to name a few changes.
Unlike the behemoth of Coachella, Outside Lands has seemingly retained its magic so if you’re thinking of pulling a day or weekend at the festival, don’t put it off for another year, especially with attendance on such an upswing.
Hunter Mulich
Outside Lands has outdone themselves once again. But, they’ve still got competition to look out for.
As in every year since it began in 2008, Outside Lands upped its game. There were more drinks and dishes, and the musicians included a sturdy list of recognizable names, but it never got to the point of festival extravaganza energy.
And that’s aimed at both the acts and crowd. There were no big surprise collaborations on stage, no conscious expanding, anthem-living moments as there have been at other festivals in the last few years. OSL is still young though, and they’re on a damn good route.
Golden Gate Park is still a prime venue, and the fog actually works out in their favor with the assistance of well-placed lights. The wooded grotto of food trucks is a comfy place to indulge in way too much lamb and coffee, and Chocolands is right next-door for when that sweet tooth (or special brownie) kicks in.
Free parking was easy to find in the Outer Sunset, just a few blocks from the park entrance on 41st Avenue. And no traffic before or after! There’s no oppressive heat (Coachella) or wind (EDC) or lightning (Lollapalooza), just a good reason to wear a scarf and cuddle up.
OSL definitely has the potential to become a smashing, face melting festival, but it’s still just a big ol’ cozy one that warms your heart, and it’s completely rewarding in that way.
After another successful year, it’s up to OSL where they’re going to take it. Let’s just hope it’s not on a cruise ship.
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