Photo by Marc Fong // Written by Kevin Quandt //
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //
Well, another year of Outside Lands descends upon our foggy metropolis once again, packing a varied, even genre-shifting bill of up-and-coming acts across three days and a multitude of stages. And as the music festival celebrates its 11th year in Golden Gate Park, Another Planet Entertainment and Superfly continue to stack on new and exciting elements. Some changes that attendees should be in store for include a slightly updated location for the Gastromagic stage and the addition of a cannabis-centric installation, appropriately named Grass Lands. In the meanwhile, let’s dig into what this event is all about … the music.
Also, don’t forget to create your own schedule here.
This is ladies’ night … oh, what a night
Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
Set date/time: Friday, 5:15-6:05 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks
The “Call Me Maybe” star has shifted her sound over the past few years, and while she has traded in some of her pop sentiment for something more akin to indie dance, she has held steadfast to her popularity. Her Outside Lands Night Show at The Independent sold out in record time, but those shut out will still be able to see her on Day 1. While we haven’t seen much new music from CRJ, clamoring fans can hope to hear a new track or two.
Artist: Florence + the Machine
Set date/time: Saturday, 8:25-9:55 p.m.
Location: Lands End
It has been a long three years for Florence Welch fans as they patiently awaited the follow-up to 2015’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Alas, the indie-rock queen has returned, making the jump to festival headliner with her beauty-meets-power stage presence. While Florence + the Machine might not seem like top-billing material, her live show will definitely command your attention. Plus, this set will also be a tad more special now with the cancellation of FYF, making this her first U.S. performance since the release of her fourth LP High as Hope as well as the debut of her brand-new stage setup.
Artist: Tash Sultana
Set date/time: Sunday, 6:15-7:05 p.m.
Location: Sutro
While the two aforementioned female artists have become household names over the last half decade, it’s 23-year-old Tash Sultana who is poised to make the larger splash at Outside Lands in 2018. This Australian export has been turning heads in big ways for the past year or so and is on the cusp of stardom. While Sultana’s true calling is the guitar, this multi-instrumentalist weaves psych-leaning rock with reggae flare through a multitude of loops. Her artistry is hard to deny and will easily pull you in on Day 3.
For the indie heads
Artist: Father John Misty
Set date/time: Friday, 6:50-7:50 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks
The return of Josh Tillman to Golden Gate Park took a solid six years to come to fruition, and boy how things have changed since those early Fear Fun days. Long gone are the days of LSD-slogan shirts and kitschy, from-the-pulpit rants, which he has traded in for a slick new, no-BS style that’s truly refreshing. The release of his fourth studio album God’s Favorite Customer in June, with its string flourishes and lush organ arrangements, has given fans a multifaceted LP to dig into as Tillman still strives to provide lyrics that are part reflection, part meta. Expect at Outside Lands a largely expanded live band, coupled with less witty banter.
Artist: Jamie xx
Set date/time: Saturday, 7:35-8:50 p.m.
Location: Sutro
Even though some might claim that this year’s Outside Lands lineup looks a tad homogenized on paper, there are luckily a few rare treats that make a fest vet perk up, and in 2018, Jamie xx (born James Smith) holds that title. Other banner dance names such as DJ Snake and ODESZA may pull larger crowds, but the purists will surely congregate for one-third of The xx as Smith lays down far-out selections as well as tracks from his 2015 banner release In Colour. Jamie xx live sets have become increasingly rare nowadays, so this performance will likely serve as the best jumping off point for your Day 2 closer, whether you go with Future or Florence.
Artist: James Blake
Set date/time: Sunday, 7:35-8:45 p.m.
Location: Sutro
SF was treated to a handful of James Blake shows in December at the Herbst Theatre, but we’ll certainly take another appearance from this UK dubstepper-gone-crooner. Some new material has trickled out over the last year with his next record on the horizon … somewhere. However, the main reason we included him in this list has more to do with location, time and vibe. With the Sutro stage hosting a more electronic lineup in 2018 (i.e. Jamie xx, Big Gigantic and Tycho) than in years past, the thought and likelihood of a thick fog rolling through GGP’s eucalyptus grove as the final light dwindles gives us those sought-after music chills. If he plays “Modern Soul” though, we’ll have to upgrade that status to full-blown goose pimples.
Rising to the top
Artist: Cuco
Set date/time: Saturday, 2:20-3:05 p.m.
Location: Sutro
This LA native has recently captured the attention of music lovers both young and old with his blend of jizz jazz, downtempo beats and multilingual singles. Fans of Mac DeMarco and The Internet should plan to be in attendance for this one as Omar Banos’ lo-fi song crafting will unequivocally get you swaying on a Saturday afternoon at Outside Lands. Moreover, his super-fresh collaborative track titled “Drown” that he dropped with fellow heatseeker Clairo should soon send his stock flying through the roof.
Artist: Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers
Set date/time: Sunday, 1:10-1:55 p.m.
Location: Sutro
Frank Lopes, aka Hobo Johnson, arrived in 2018 out of nowhere due to the popularity of his breakout single “Peach Scone” along with its viral music video for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. This quirky collective whips up a musical style that’s unlike any other and what some might label as spoken word and/or alternative hip-hop. Sure, there’s a layer of novelty to Johnson’s select tracks, but he’s simply lovable and so easy to root for, much like his contemporary Rex Orange County.
Leave a Reply