90% believe flexible working boosts employee morale
Outside Lands 2023, Day 1: Kendrick Lamar, Zedd, Janelle Monáe
Openers Janelle Monáe, Willow, Alex G and Ethel Cain filled Golden Gate Park with splendent soul before headliners Kendrick Lamar and Zedd took their stages on the exhilarating first night of the music festival.
Most show stopping: Kendrick LamarHighlights: "m.A.A.D. City," "HUMBLE," "Alright"
Kendrick Lamar's catalog has always found a balance between exalting the value of language and celebrating the expressive grammar of music. He's long been lauded for his auditory universe — a singular collection of sounds that define the texture of his music. At the same time, his commitment to language crafts "affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life," as the Pulitzer committee put it.
At Outside Lands, Lamar's set emphasized the rapper's presence: Often illuminated by harsh white lights, the artist had nothing to hide behind onstage. Aside from a few murals that unfurled behind Lamar throughout his set (and some fireworks, to put an exclamation point on his set) there were no obtrusive pieces to take the audience's attention off of the rapper. The message was clear: Lamar, and only Lamar, was there to put on a show.
That's exactly what he did. Lamar's career is filled with songs that have backed a majority of the crowd's coming of age, and his audience stuck with him right through the set. He started off with material from Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers and some of his less popular tracks, building the pressure until the crowd let loose with "Backseat Freestyle," his first "classic" of the night. The rest of the set was a slam dunk, and a reminder of why Lamar's fans belt his lyrics like prayers to a prophet.
— Dominic Marziali
Most adrenaline-inducing: ZeddHighlights: "I Want You To Know," "Clarity," "Daisy"
On day one, Twin Peaks pulsed with palpable energy as fans waited eagerly for Anton Zaslavski, known professionally as Zedd, to take the stage. The German DJ entered on an elevated platform to perform a set that resounded from the corners of Golden Gate Park into the city.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Smoke and psychedelic lights stirred in the evening fog — a misty but promising start to a vibrant show. At his podium, Zaslavski jumped with exuberance, maintaining his energy throughout the entire performance. His spirited movements were infectious, motivating the audience to bounce in sync to the reverberating beats.
"If you guys are ready to party, let me see your hands," Zaslavski yelled right before the beat drop of "I Want You To Know." Awash in an erratic array of red and blue lights, festival-goers responded with enthusiasm, hands held aloft.
Dynamism defined Zaslavski's concert. During fan favorites like "Clarity" and "Daisy," the stage emitted entire columns of vapor. At another point in the set, Zaslavski performed a Squid Game-inspired rendition of "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It" by DEM Franchize Boyz.
Jagged lightning bolts sparked from the center of the screen, as if Zaslavski himself was being electrified by the forcefulness of the crowd. And that's what his show was — shocking to the max.
— Anne Vertin
Most 'Haute': Janelle MonáeHighlights: "Champagne Shit," "Yoga," "I Like That"
In 2011, Prince welcomed Janelle Monáe and her debut album, saying, "She is so smart." 12 years and three albums later, that sentiment rings true, but it seems to have been lost on Outside Lands' day one crowd.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Earlier this year, Monáe released The Age of Pleasure, a summery album of provincially queer themes, but this feat proved to be of little interest to an audience biding its time before Kendrick Lamar. Yet, as Monáe described in her opening song, all she does is "Float," and she gave Outside Lands a show.
Monáe's set worked from her most recent album's hits back through the music that established her. She decked the Lands End stage with an '80s beach bum look — zebra stripes, beach balls and a wood-paneled speaker system looming from behind — while she herself emerged in a tasteful two piece swimsuit.
Partway through her set, Monáe swapped her cut off biker shorts for Georgia O'Keeffe-inspired pants (white tulle with a whole lot of red happening between the legs), and told the crowd to forget about Karl's "cold ugliness" — this is her age of pleasure. And as she warmed up the crowd, it was hard not to join her on her holiday. That's just the way she makes you feel.
— Dominic Marziali
Most dynamic: WILLOWHighlights: "transparent soul," "hover like a GODDESS," "Marceline"
It would be difficult to pick a standout moment from WILLOW's set, which was just as explosive and jubilant as her musical catalog. With an impressively diverse range of talent, each song felt like a new apotheosis — not just a song, but a multifaceted performance.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Coasting on a boundless wave of energy, WILLOW never tired, ebbing and flowing on a sparkling, spunky high. Endlessly entertaining and filled with god-like empowerment, it was clear her artistry was more than an act — she was genuinely enjoying herself.
WILLOW's flair is rooted in her ability to fully immerse herself in the emotional core of her music. Switching abruptly from beautiful, ethereal vocals, to high-energy dancing, to shredding on her spiky white guitar, to screaming intensely into the microphone, she never paused in her fast-paced performance, even to take a breath. "Hover like a GODDESS" was full of these quick transitions: as she jumped around, she seemed to completely embody the music, which flowed out from her like air.
After so much intensity, her a capella rendition of slow, soulful "Marceline" felt close to holy. The crowd held their breath as Willow's deep, angelic voice echoed audibly throughout the park, which seemed to fall silent to hear her.
"Wait A Minute!" acted as the perfect closing song — as Willow let go, dancing and singing, the crowd followed suit.
— Vivian Stacy
Most pretentious: Alex GHighlights: "Runner," "Mission," "Forgive"
Alex G's performance style matches his music: low-key, indistinct and serious — but nonetheless, with a pull.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Not one for working the crowd, the indie-rock performer let his music speak for itself, standing in largely the same spot behind the microphone for his entire performance, unsmilingly cycling through the setlist. Morose attitude and lo-fi fuzziness aside, his talent kept the crowd afloat, who hung on his every word as he grimaced into the microphone and moshed loyally along to his long, drawn out guitar riffs.
The highlight of his performance was undeniably "Runner," his most mainstream hit due to its catchy refrain and singability. Songs like "Mission" and "Mary," though less well known, also got the crowd singing along.
A bare tree with parrots dotting its branches acted as his backdrop, a visual reference to his most recent album God Save The Animals. A fan's toy parrot bobbed along in the audience — as the crowd jostled against each other and it rose up and down, it almost seemed to gain wings.
Finishing his set with the cathartic, catchy "Forgive," Alex G proved that even mumblecore can be moshable.
— Vivian Stacy
Most spiritual: Ethel CainHighlights: "A House in Nebraska," "Gibson Girl," "Crush"
At 2:30 p.M on Friday, Hayden Anhedonia — performing as Ethel Cain — transformed the Sutro stage into a bonafide house of worship.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Dressed simply in a sweatshirt and jeans, Cain looked unassuming, but her soulful voice captured the attention of every concert-goer. Opening with fan favorite "A House in Nebraska," Cain took the crowd on an Southern Gothic journey nothing short of cinematic. As she blessed Sutro with sonorous vocals, an unsettling montage of sprawling fields, abandoned barns and winding creeks played on the screen behind her, an expert execution of her haunting artistic vision.
"I know we're in California, but before this next one, can you give me as loud of a 'yeehaw' as you can manage?" asked the alternative rock and gospel musician, lightening the mood of the audience midway through the set.
Evident with songs from "Family Tree" to "Sun Bleached Flies," Cain doesn't shy away from painful themes like generational trauma and domestic violence. In spite of — or perhaps, because of — these vulnerabilities, she also possesses the ability to connect with fans on an individual level. Moving offstage and pressed against the barrier for closer, "Crush," she leaned in to sing along with her devotees. As Cain departed the stage to cries and protests, it was clear she gained many disciples on Friday.
— Anne Vertin
Most tacky: Dolores'Music festivals are less venues of curation than commercialism, so it's always precarious when one tries to tap into a genuine artistic sensibility. In its fifteenth year, Outside Lands introduced Dolores', a dance space that was an homage to queer artists. But calling it a specifically queer dance space is a stretch.
Alive CoverageCourtesy Dolores' was sold as an "open-air dance club celebrating the queer and trans communities and the DIY spaces that are vital to San Francisco nightlife and culture," claiming to be a stage and scene that "pays homage to the rich history of queer parties, performances, and activism." But this is a picture that's incongruous with the reality of the festival, which saw audiences filled with tech bros and high schoolers too young to pull off linen button ups. Outside Lands' organizers must have realized that a catch-all, vaguely described space would be just ambiguous enough to be ghettoizing for the community it aims to uplift and a voyeuristic distraction for straight girls in Van Gogh-inspired sheer waiting for JID's set to start across the lawn.
It's confusing why the space wasn't introduced last year, when Honey Dijon was bringing an actual scene to seemingly every North American music festival, and could've given the dance floor an ABBA-free ballroom edge as its marquee name. As Dolores' stood, it was all pastel plastic — cheap and commercial.
— Dominic Marziali
Students Flock To Outside Lands Festival For Once-in-a-lifetime Experience
Odesza was the last band to perform on Sunday, Aug. 13, the final day of Outside Lands.
Outside Lands, a diverse music festival held for three days each August in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, is objectively one of the major Bay Area events of the year. This summer, it attracted over 75,000 people a day.
Starting in 2008, Outside Lands was originally targeted at an older crowd. For instance, consider that 2008's setlist featured both Radiohead and Bon Iver — not your typical high school heartthrobs. But as its popularity grew, it began catering to a younger demographic; this year's festival features artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Megan Thee Stallion and Beabadoobee. The stacked line-up caught my attention — and the attention of thousands of high school students from around the Bay Area.
This was my first time at Outside Lands, so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, junior Ella McHenry and freshman John McHenry have attended Outside Lands for the past ten years and this year, I joined them, leading to one of the best experiences of my life.
"[When it first started] it used to be a bunch of old people bands. But now it's a lot more appealing to younger people which is better because I'll enjoy the music a lot more and it's way more fun," Ella McHenry said.
At Outside Lands, it's not vital to know all the songs or artists playing and part of the festival's appeal is that people are able to immerse themselves in new songs and music they were never aware of prior to Outside Lands.
"I think my favorite part was just all the diverse music there because it gives you the opportunity to discover new music that you haven't listened to before," junior Victoria Delucchi said.
But bigger artists will always attract a bigger crowd, and the lineup definitely affects the crowds that arrive. Because of that, Outside Lands has two main stages known as Lands' End and Twin Peaks, where the more popular artists are set to perform.
"I spent a lot of time at Lands' End since there were more artists who were actually popular on the lineup. This was the first year I was actually interested in seeing who was playing," John McHenry said.
Similarly, sophomore Bella Brosnan has been attending Outside Lands for the past two years, but this year, with the surge in high school attendance, Brosnan found herself among many peers.
"This year, I felt a lot more independent, because my dad and I went to different stages. Like for example on Friday, I went with my friends to see Shaq and Kendrick," Brosnan said. "[At Outside Lands] you can see everyone at once, which I think is really cool for people who like the concert experience."
Outside Lands serves as the ideal event for teenagers who are also trying to save some money. A day pass comes out to around $195 to see multiple fan-favorite artists, making it relatively affordable.
"You're seeing so many artists for like $400 [for all three days] but to see all those artists individually it'd be like the price of one ticket," senior Sasha Rossen said.
But Outside Lands is more than just music – there are food stalls, clothes and a certain culture to it. Festival goers often embrace a diverse range of fashion styles ranging from vintage to more artistic and colorful outfits. Embracing one's style is a vital part of the atmosphere.
"There's so much to do because there's a bunch of people who dress up for it, seeing their outfits is super interesting and [there are] all kinds of tents with people selling unique stuff," Ella McHenry said.
As it is an event that is meant for adults, it's not organized in a manner for high schoolers. Delucci, for instance, acknowledged that it can be a struggle to keep track of friends in a large venue like Golden Gate Park.
"I did get that feeling, like I didn't really fit in with the huge crowd because there were a lot of older people, but it's an event everyone wants to go to, so I still had a great time," Delucchi said.
Despite that, Outside Lands is a genuine reflection of what is valued most around the Bay Area, as it blends music, art and good food all into a lively and inclusive festival experience.
Donate to The Burlingame B
Your donation will support the student journalists of Burlingame High School - CA. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.
Donate10 Things We Loved About Outside Lands Festival 2023
Now 15 years old, San Francisco's Outside Lands has grown into one of the premier, behemoth music festivals in the country. This past weekend, Golden Gate Park once again played host to the function and 225,000 people flocked to the sublime venue's collection of meadows, groves and fields across three days.
With a sellout reported ahead of time, crowds were in full force all weekend long. Promoter Another Planet Entertainment (APE) made some concerted improvements this year, which saw more efficient experiential zones arise, multiple new bathroom areas sprouting up and layout rearrangements to make the entire space as comfortable as possible for the endless droves of people (props for the roomier Panhandle Stage layout.) The festival even had to adapt on the fly when people danced so hard on the lone indoor stage, the SOMA Tent, that the floor's structure was compromised and the area had to be shut down on both Friday and Saturday. No injuries were reported and by Sunday, it had been transitioned into an outdoor stage. Nice work.
It was a daunting weekend at times, feeling increasingly monetized at every turn. But that's the challenge for music festivals in 2023: Build memories bold enough that the sticker shock of what you actually spent throughout the weekend stays in the back of your mind. And there was certainly a whole lot to love about the San Francisco festival jewel. Through that classic SF fog, misty evenings and a good deal of sunshine mixed in as well, here are 10 things that marked our weekend at Outside Lands.
Interpol at The Independent
On the eve of the festival's weekend, Outside Lands' marquee night show featured Interpol playing their now 20-year-old album, Turn On The Bright Lights, at the 500-person capacity venue, The Independent. Interpol can pack a venue more than 10 times this size and the magnitude of the underplay was not lost on the nostalgic crowd.
This was the hottest ticket in town, with a total old-school scene outside with lines down the block and people chomping at the bit to get in before the set began. The Independent was the perfect place for what successfully recreated the hype surrounding bands from New York City's Lower East Side in the early aughts—the Meet Me In The Bathroom era, if you will. Interpol were tight, forceful and deadpanned as always. And as special as it was to hear the classic album in full, "Evil" (off of Antics) brought the house down like no other.
The New Dolores Stage
If there was a lesson learned from the SOMA Stage debacle, it's that perhaps an indoor stage isn't the move at "Outside" Lands anymore. With that, the brand new, queer-centric Dolores Stage showed how the best vibes here are definitely outdoor ones. On the back part of the Polo Field by the main stage, the open-air Dolores stage was curated by SF queer institutions Fake & Gay, Hard French and Oasis. You couldn't help but be pulled into a hella gay dance party every time you walked by and it was refreshing programming among the glitz and household names on the primary stages. The Britney Spears remixes were as plentiful as scantily-clad dancers and drag queens. And at the very least, Dolores showed that APE understands queer programming as they prepare to renovate and fully operate SFs legendary Castro Theatre.
Janelle Monáe Returns
Ahead of the The Age of Pleasure tour kicking off at the end of this month, Monáe returned to the same Outside Lands main stage that she stole the show on in 2018. The production value here was high-end, with a swimsuit-clad Monáe flanked by a band of lifeguards and synchronized swimmer dancers, before eventually donning her signature vagina pants. There were subtle similarities to sets by previous headliners in SZA and Lizzo, with Monáe flashing arguably more pure moxie and a decade-plus of earned cred in her performance. At times, she channeled Prince and James Brown with class, closed with early hits in "Tightrope" and "War of The Roses," and could have easily headlined the festival if tasked with it (she played just before Kendrick Lamar.) "To be black, to be queer, to be non-binary, to evolve and to have family like you? It's impressive," she told the crowd, feeling right at home and absolutely beloved in San Francisco.
The Stellar Indie Slate
This year's collection of indie-rock acts was especially well put together. Alex G is such a sharp songwriter and producer who showed that he understands the power of the guitar with his blissful Friday afternoon set; "Miracles" was a gorgeous standout track on the Sutro Stage.
I had my reservations about how Wednesday would fare on the main stage at 1pm on Saturday, but no sooner than they began did those go out the door. There aren't many bands doing it as well as the Asheville rock outfit right now and singer Karly Hartzman is a fucking powerhouse.
It felt like just another day in the park for Alvvays, who breezed through their afternoon main stage set. But it lacked a feeling of intimacy that would've taken it to another level on the Sutro Stage instead. Boston's Crumb got the benefit of that placement and have grown so much as a band since 2017's Locket EP. It's fun to see a band taking stylistic risks that push conventional boundaries of the indie pop formula (Alvvays wrote the book on that with Blue Rev fwiw) and Crumb singer Lila Ramani flashed a distinct coolness on stage.
On Sunday evening, Soccer Mommy closed out the Panhandle Stage with a thick layer of SF's heavy fog resting above the canopies of the Speedway Meadow cypress trees; a beautiful setting for a memorable performance. Sophie Allison & co. Put down a set of polished rock and roll that felt more contemporary to 90s alternative greats like Liz Phair, Sheryl Crow and Natalie Merchant than ever. Meanwhile, the Bay Area born slate of early sets from Sour Widows, Fake Fruit and No Vacation, rounded out the comprehensive indie slate that was a major strength of the weekend.
The Food Offerings
Outside Lands always does a fine job of incorporating San Francisco's upper echelon food scene and the Pali Cali Wrap from Mission District Mediterranean cafe, Reem's, was a clear winner for me. Fresh-baked flatbread was pulled right out of an oven before being stuffed with sumac chicken, caramelized onion puree, arugula and pickled onion. It was simple, substantial, well-executed and I'm still dreaming about it.
New in town, SF's Sandy's Muffulettas makes their NOLA-inspired sandos on a round, sesame seed-studded loaf that gets sliced like a pizza and pressed like a panini. Both the classic Muff with mortadella, prosciutto, soppressata, provolone, spicy olive spread and Duke's mayo and the similarly-style roasted mushroom Muff were bangers.
Finally, two modern-day SF classics did their thing again in Señor Sisig and Bini's. The former, a proper Filipino food truck and Mission brick-and-mortar who often collaborates with E-40 and P-Lo, styled out their classic sisig burrito in top form. As for Bini's, there's hardly been a more consistent Outside Lands food staple over the years than their Nepalese momo dumplings stuffed with lamb, turkey or tofu and veggies, along with warm chicken curry and rice.
Kendrick Lamar
It's hard to not get totally hyped for a Kendrick Lamar headlining set. He's the apex predator of hip-hop festival headliners, and he delivered a more-than-20-song assault on Friday night. He was followed by a shadowy synchronization of interpretive dancers who all donned eerie form-fitting Kendrick masks and his delivery was stoic, emotional and supreme. It's surprising that it took him eight years to come back to the main stage after his much-hyped and bursting-at-the-seams-crowded 2015 tour de force on the smaller Twin Peaks stage. But his career has soared to the top since then, and a revue of all of the music that got him there was in order.
The mist drifting overhead during "Count Me Out" made for one of the best sensory moments of the weekend and closing with "Savior" left the crowd with a clear message to marinate on. But this could have been an all-time performance if Kendrick would've been backed by a full live band on stage a la the rare 2015 To Pimp A Butterfly sessions. The beats hit hard behind a screen, but there's really no reason why this live show shouldn't lean deeper into live instrumentals.
A Sea of Humanity for L'Imperatrice at Sutro Stage
Pound-for-pound the busiest set of the weekend was French disco pop L'Imperatrice's early Saturday evening romp on the Sutro Stage. This was that proverbial "sea of humanity" that we hear about when festival crowds stretch out for days and stretch the limits of a venue's footprint. But there was harmony in this on-the-surface chaos, with singer Flore Benguigui leading a massive dance-party collective without the vapidity of Outside Lands' EDM acts. People never stopped flowing into the crowd and it was a beautiful sight to behold.
Invisibl Skratch Piklz + Guests
Smack in the middle of a styled out row of pop-up bars known as Cocktail Magic, DJ's Q-Bert and D-Styles of famed Bay Area native turntablist crew Invisibl Skratch Piklz, set up camp on a small stage early on Saturday and Sunday evening. On Saturday, Dan the Automator and Cut Chemist were announced as special guests for a marvelous display of elite old guy hip hop shit. On Sunday, Del the Funky Homosapien freestyled for ten minutes straight over beats and scratches from the Skratch Piklz and then peaced out like a boss. While out of place to some, it was a breath of fresh air necessary to maintain one's sense of sanity in this insane playground at the park — not to mention a well-deserved tip of the cap for a crop of oft-underappreciated hip-hop legends in the wake of many other 50 years of hip-hop celebrations.
Gabriels Make Their Mark
In March of last year, emerging LA R&B trio Gabriels were set to perform at San Francisco's Rickshaw Stop. For one reason or another, the gig got canceled and a year and a half later, they finally made their SF debut at this weekend's Outside Lands. That's a bit of context for how highly-anticipated this performance was for the city and led by enchanting singer Jacob Lusk, this was nothing short of one of the weekend's best sets. Lusk is the scepter here and embraced the limelight with grace and panache as the group played songs off of both the revelatory Bloodline EP and the recently-released album Angels & Queens. With a gold mic in hand, Lusk turned the Sutro Stage into the "Outside Lands Missionary Baptist Church" at one point, with fans worshipping his glorious voice and legit stage presence. Look, Outside Lands isn't necessarily about discovery as much as it's about showcasing today's prevalent stars. But considering the lighter-than-expected attendance for Gabriels' 3pm set, it's time to place them firmly on your radar as the group's inevitable rise takes shape.
Megan Thee Stallion In Complete Control
Shortly after Lil Yachty bombed on the main stage, Megan Thee Stallion put on a straight-up clinic. The Houston rapper showed a complete understanding of the current mainstream rap landscape with the balance in how she worked the crowd and delivered her bars. Rapping over a backing track has become the norm at festival hip-hop performances, but Meg seemed to know exactly when to attack the mic, or to just simply strut (and twerk) for the crowd while the backing track did the talking for a moment. "Fuck all my haters. None of that shit y'all were doing broke me," she said, lowkey referencing the recent verdict that saw rapper Tory Lanez sentenced to 10 years in jail for firing a gun at her feet. After countless male rappers have dominated the scene for far too long and have gotten so lazy that they can barely punctuate a backing beat properly, Meg has taken their place by the horns. She does it all with pristine confidence and presence, and is as commanding in the exercise as anyone else doing it in pop music.
Comments
Post a Comment