COVID-19 Pandemic

Primavera Sound LA 2022: The best & worst of the Barcelona music festival’s inaugural edition on U.S. soil

September 21, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

Photos by Josh Herwitt & courtesy of Primavera Sound LA // Written by Josh Herwitt //

Primavera Sound LA //
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
September 16th-18th, 2022 //

It’s no secret that Primavera Sound has had its sights set on Los Angeles for quite some time now. The Barcelona music festival that has been going strong for two decades expanded to Porto in 2012 and will finally stamp its brand on four more cities in 2022 after a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LA is the first of those four cities, but with the festival’s other three new locations — São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago — all launching in South America later this year, LA State Historic Park also served as Primavera Sound’s inaugural event in the states.

Spreading four stages across the 32-acre park that remains one of the best spots in the city to host a music festival before and after three years of renovations, PSLA welcomed a wealth of talent from the top line to the bottom. Lorde, Nine Inch Nails and Arctic Monkeys each delivered headline-worthy sets while an indie-leaning undercard highlighted by BICEP (Live), Cigarettes After Sex, Clairo, DARKSIDE, Drain Gang, Fontaines D.C., Girl in Red, GIVĒON, James Blake, King Krule, Khruangbin and Mitski all drew big crowds over the course of three days. In a lot of ways, PSLA fills a much-needed void after the sudden and disheartening end to FYF Fest, which would tout itself as the “best weekend of summer” for many live music fans and was one of our favorite multi-day festivals to cover (read more here).

Any time a new music festival launches though, there are always highs and lows. So without further ado, here are our best and worst moments from Primavera Sound’s first installment on U.S. soil:

Best: The weather

After LA experienced its worst heat wave of the year earlier this month with temperatures reaching triple digits, the weather luckily cooled down just in time for PSLA. For many of us, a second layer of clothing wasn’t ever necessary from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. After all, how often does that happen? With great music lined up throughout the day and a forecast hovering in the mid to high 70’s, it truly felt like a quintessential summer weekend in LA.

Worst: Will Call line

When we arrived at the festival on Friday afternoon, the line at the box office quickly stood out. In fact, it was so long that we knew the wait would be at least an hour for those trying to pick up their passes, only to discover later via Twitter it was even longer for many even at 6 p.m. These are the kind of issues any first-year music festival hopes to avoid and can ultimately prepare for, but when you change your ticket delivery method to in-person on short notice after previously telling fans it would be done electronically, it’s no surprise that you end up pissing off some of your customers.

Best: Lorde

The 25-year-old singer-songwriter has been making the rounds this year on an extensive world tour in support of 2021’s Solar Power, and there’s no question that her entire stage design and production was impressive to witness. Ahead of festival stops at Life Is Beautiful and Rifflandia over the same weekend, Lorde arrived onstage via a rotating staircase with some of her backing band and ran through 15 songs — from her 2013 debut single “Royals” to Melodrama hits like “Perfect Places” and “Green Light” — as PSLA’s first headliner. We wouldn’t necessarily call ourselves big fans, but we definitely understand why she was deserving of top billing.

Worst: Food & drink

We will eventually get to the limited viewing space that under-21 guests were offered, but even if you wanted to drink at PSLA, the options were simply not good. This was certainly not the place for craft beer enthusiasts, as your choices were Heineken or the low-calorie Tecate Alta that tasted mostly like beer-flavored water for $12 each. Not only would it be nice to have seen local breweries — there are two excellent ones located across the street from the festival’s entrance — featured, but in a city such as LA with a food-and-drink scene that’s one of the best in the country, partnering with major beer and liquor brands along with a handful of Smorgasburg LA restaurants doesn’t exactly cut it anymore. The only food stall in one of the VIP areas selling “California style” Philly cheeseteaks made us think about how much Goldenvoice has elevated its game in this respect, with top-notch local options at Just Like Heaven (read our festival review here) from Goldburger to Homage Brewing standing out as examples most recently in May.

Best: Khruangbin

The Houston three-piece that has made 70’s Thai funk sound cool again has been one of the hottest acts to tour over the past five years, as evidenced by their three sold-out shows at LA’s Greek Theatre last November. While most might have come Saturday to see Nine Inch Nails, it was K-bin who would steal the show before Trent Reznor and company ever played a note. Those who made it to the main stage for sunset were treated to an hour of grooves, as Mark Speer (guitar, vocals), Laura Lee (bass, vocals) and Donald Johnson (drums, vocals) hypnotized us with fan favorites “María También” and “So We Won’t Forget” before diving into a melody of covers that embraced a wide array of artists, from MF DOOM, The Isley Brothers, Tina Turner and Chris Isaak to 90’s hip-hop legends A Tribe Called Quest, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Warren G and Dr. Dre.

Worst: Art installations

Sometimes it can be easy to forget how spoiled we are in California when it comes to all of the music festivals we have. Not only do many of our best and brightest such as Coachella, Outside Lands and Lightning in a Bottle showcase a wide range of musical genres, but they also feature their own unique art installations that continue to push the envelope. In the case of Primavera Sound, let’s just say that’s not its M.O. While we can’t fault the festival for keeping the focus strictly on the music, LA State Historic Park did seem to lack some color aesthetically. That said, there were a couple of highlights off the stage, including the vinyl market that was curated by KCRW and Beat Swap Meets as well as the FLATSTOCK poster show series making its only West Coast stop of the year and featuring locals like Kii Arens of La-La Land Prints.

Best: Signs, sightlines & sound

With the Primavera Sound brand being all about the music, our eyes were mostly focused on the artists performing. Nevertheless, the signs, sightlines and sound at PSLA were all on point. The downtown LA skyline served as a fitting backdrop like it usually does at LASHP, and despite poor audio issues playing a role at outdoor music festivals, we didn’t experience any while we were on the ground so kudos to the organizers for locking that down. If anything, the decibels across the fest’s four stages were so high that we found ourselves needing ear protection most of the weekend.

Worst: Short headliner sets

After Primavera Sound LA unveiled the lineup for its debut this year, we presumed all three headliners would receive at least 90 minutes each day. So when the set times dropped more than a couple weeks in advance, it was a bit of a shock seeing only 75 minutes designated for each of them. A Hall of Fame band like Nine Inch Nails has more than 10 studio albums and several EPs in its catalog but were only granted enough time to crank out 16 songs, many of which have been setlist staples for years up to this point. Though NIN classics like “Wish”, “March of the Pigs”, “Closer”, “Gave Up” and “Head Like a Hole” are never tracks to lack energy live, we’re happy we caught their sold-out gig at the Santa Barbara Bowl (read our show review here) four days earlier for the chance to hear a cover of David Bowie’s “I’m Afraid of Americans” and multiple other deep cuts.

Best: Arctic Monkeys

It was clear when we showed up for PSLA’s final day that the attendance felt bigger than the day prior. Although that seemed a little odd considering it was Sunday and not Saturday, it was a testament to the fan base Arctic Monkeys have built at the 20-year mark. The English rockers haven’t toured since 2018’s Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, and with their forthcoming seventh LP The Car slated to come out next month, frontman Alex Turner and his bandmates gave us a taste with the disco funk that they’ve cooked up on “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” midway through their headlining performance. And even though we didn’t hear lead single “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball” despite it being the only track that they have officially released so far, there were plenty of other thrilling moments for us to remember in between the opening notes of “Do I Wanna Know?” and the closing “R U Mine?” to end the night. Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait too long before there’s a return date to California after the new album drops.

Worst: Under-21 viewing areas

Most of PSLA’s guests are of legal drinking age, and with the festival boasting a number of alcohol-related sponsors that included Cuervo and Smirnoff, it certainly caters to the over-21 crowd. But for those who weren’t, the viewing areas at the Primavera and Tecate Alta stages were less than ideal. Besides the allotted space being too small and positioned off to the side, underage guests were only informed 10 days in advance. If you’re not 21 yet, make sure to temper your expectations — or we’d recommend waiting until you are before attending.

Primavera Sound LA photographers featured: Nicolita Bradley, Lindsey Byrnes, Pooneh Ghana, Miranda McDonald, Ismael Quintanilla III & Quinn Tucker.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Lights Down Low

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - PinkPantheress

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Eris Drew B2B Octo Octa

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Derby Motoreta's Burrito Kachimba

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Chulita Vinyl Club

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Special Interest

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Fontaines D.C.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Shanti Celeste B2B Isabella

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Nine Inch Nails

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Maddy Maia + Tottie (SOS Music)

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Amyl & The Sniffers

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Special Request

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Cigarettes After Sex

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Arctic Monkeys

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: A Tribe Called Quest, Acemoma, Amaarae, Amyl and the Sniffers, Arca, Arctic Monkeys, Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, Bad Gyal, Beak>, Beat Swap Meet, Bicep, Bladee, Boy Harsher, Buscabulla, Chai, Chris Isaak, Chulita Vinyl Club, Cigarettes After Sex, Clairo, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Current Joys, Danny L Harle, Darkside, David Bowie, Derby Motoreta's Burrito Kachimba, Divino Niño, DJ Florentino, DJ Playero, DJ Python, Dr. Dre, Drain Gang, Dry Cleaning, ECCO2K, Eris Drew, Eris Drew B2B Octo Octa, Faye Webster, FLATSTOCK, Fontaines D.C., Georgia, Giveon, Goldburger, Gustaf, Helena Hauff, Homage Brewing, Isabella, James Blake, Jasss, Jeff Mills, Jehnny Beth, John Talabot, KCRW, Kelman Duran, Khruangbin, Kii Arens, Kim Gordon, King Krule, LA-LA Land Gallery, La-La Land Prints, Little Jesus, Lorde, Low, Machine Girl, María José Llergo, Marina Herlop, Mayhem, MF DOOM, Mitski, Mustafa, Núria Graham, Nine Inch Nails, NOS Primavera Sound, Octo Octa, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Omar-S, Paloma Mami, PinkPantheress, Primavera Sound, Primavera Sound 2021, Primavera Sound 2022, Primavera Sound LA, Primavera Sound LA 2022, Primavera Sound Los Angeles, Primavera Sound Los Angeles 2022, Red, Sangre Nueva, Savages, Shanti Celeste, Shanti Celeste B2B Isabella, Shellac, Sherelle, Shygirl, Smorgasburg LA, Smorgasburg Los Angeles, Special Interest, Special Request, Squid, Stereolab, Surf Curse, Thaiboy Digital, The Isley Brothers, Tierra Whack, Tim Hecker, Tina Turner, Warpaint, Warren G, Wunderhorse

New music or not, Nine Inch Nails are still commanding sold-out crowds at the Santa Barbara Bowl & beyond in 2022

September 14, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Nine Inch Nails with Yves Tumor //
Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
September 13th, 2022 //

If there was ever a time in his long and illustrious career when Trent Reznor had seemingly little left to prove, it would be now.

After all, the 57-year-old Nine Inch Nails mastermind who formed the project more than three decades ago while working as an assistant engineer and janitor at Right Track Studios in Cleveland has racked up nearly every accolade for his music, from Grammys and Oscars to Emmys and even a CMA Award, with only a Tony standing in his way of EGOT status.

But aside from the latest two installments of the soundtrack-oriented Ghosts at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has already been a few years since NIN released new material after the six-track Bad Witch arrived in 2018 and the now-Hall of Fame band embarked upon its “Cold and Black and Infinite” tour across North America that concluded with Reznor and company playing a whopping six nights at the Hollywood Palladium with anything in the NIN catalog on the table thanks to a more stripped-down stage production of mostly smoke and lights the industrial-rock act is still currently showcasing.

So when NIN announced in February a limited number of dates for 2022, there was a sense among fans — or at least this one right here — that new music would be imminent at some point this year. Reznor, in fact, had actually hinted at the 2021 Academy Awards that there was more to come from NIN, though we have yet to hear any since then.

That certainly hasn’t mattered when it comes to NIN’s ticket sales, however. Outside of a few festival appearances that includes a headlining performance at Primavera Sound LA this Saturday, just about every show this year has been sold out and things were no different on Tuesday when Reznor’s outfit returned to the Santa Barbara Bowl for the first time since 2009.

The 4,562-seat amphitheater continues to be one of our favorite places in California — if not the entire country — to catch a concert, and despite the coastal city’s music scene being a bit more laidback than LA’s, you wouldn’t have known it by the time NIN stormed onstage shortly after Yves Tumor wrapped up his opening set.

With the outdoor venue’s strict 10 p.m. curfew always at play, there was no time to spare for Reznor, Atticus Ross, Robin Finck, Alessandro Cortini and Ilan Rubin, and the five-piece made the most of its one-hour, 45-minute gig with deep cuts like “Last” and “Heresy” preceding setlist staples that featured “March of the Pigs”, “Piggy” and “Closer” from The Downward Spiral as well as “The Perfect Drug”, the 1997 cut on the “Lost Highway” soundtrack that only made its live debut in 2018 but has already been played 30 more times thanks to Rubin’s thunderous ambidexterity on the drum kit.

Of course, we would be remiss to not also mention the high energy of “Reptile” and a groovy cover of David Bowie’s haunting single “I’m Afraid of Americans” as other highlights before being punched in the mouth by the trifecta of “Gave Up”, “The Hand That Feeds” and “Head Like a Hole” leading into a brief encore break. Yet, it was the penultimate “Even Deeper” off The Fragile that truly put us on cloud nine for the rest of the evening and reminded us that with or without new songs, we’re all lucky to still have NIN filling our earholes after wondering eight years ago if we would ever see them perform live again.

NINE INCH NAILS

Setlist:
Mr. Self Destruct
Wish
Last
March of the Pigs
Piggy
The Lovers
The Frail
The Wretched
Reptile
God Break Down the Door
Copy of A
Closer (with “The Only Time” breakdown)
This Isn’t the Place
Heresy
The Perfect Drug
I’m Afraid of Americans (David Bowie cover)
Gave Up
The Hand That Feeds
Head Like a Hole

Encore:
Even Deeper (preceded by band introductions)
Hurt

YVES TUMOR

Setlist:
Jackie
Gospel for a New Century
Medicine Burn
Operator (with “Be Aggressive” chant)
Cntra
Kerosene!
Romanticist
Dream Palette
Mtora
…And Loyalty Is a Nuisance Child
Secrecy Is Incredibly Important to the Both of Them

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Live Music Reviews Tagged With: COVID-19 Pandemic, Hollywood Palladium, Lost Highway, Nine Inch Nails, Primavera Sound LA, Primavera Sound LA 2022, Santa Barbara Bowl, Trent Reznor, Yves Tumor

I celebrated my birthday at LA’s Greek Theatre with a proper probing by Puscifer as ‘The Existential Reckoning Tour’ rolls on this summer

June 17, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

By Josh Herwitt //

Puscifer with Billy Howerdel, Moodie Black //
Greek Theatre – Los Angeles
June 12th, 2022 //

California has already felt its first heat wave this year, and we’ve only reached the middle of June.

For those of us living in the Golden State who are more familiar with the notion of June Gloom than triple digits, that should only serve as a warning sign that the next three months could be unfavorably H-O-T.

While the high temperatures might play well for the live music industry with this summer marking the first since it returned to full form due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the coronavirus still remains a major part of daily life in the U.S. For that reason alone, it’s these long days when the weather is warmer (than usual) that can feel particularly reserved for us to safely catch live music outside before the days become short and a chill fills the air again. Call it “outdoor concert season” if you’d like. Either way, it’s certainly one of our favorite times of the year.

In my own case, being invited to cover Puscifer’s show at the Greek Theatre seemed like a cool way — even if there was some “work” involved — to celebrate my birthday. After all, what could be better than watching your favorite vocalist perform on your special day at one of LA’s most historic music venues?

Maynard James Keenan has long been known as the frontman for the critically acclaimed rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle dating back more than a couple of decades ago, but the third project that the 58-year-old multi-hyphenate — which includes his acting and winemaking ventures over the years — considers to be his “creative subconscious” has been making music for almost 15 years with its latest LP Existential Reckoning dropping toward the end of 2020.

Puscifer, in many ways, feels inspired at least in part by Keenan’s brief stretch in Green Jellÿ during the early 90’s that saw him sing those high-pitched backup vocals as one of the pigs on the 1992 hit “Three Little Pigs” (you might recall the song’s classic claymation music video, too). Half comedy rock and half joke metal, the trio that also consists of Mat Mitchell (guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizers, production) and Carina Round (vocals, guitar, percussions, keyboards) as permanent members has found a niche among MJK fans who don’t always take their rock ‘n’ roll so seriously. As you can see from our photos below in fact, there were actually a couple of spectators sitting near us who dressed up in costume as Keenan’s “Billy D” character and special agent Round complete with a metal briefcase.

That’s, of course, all part of the fun at a Puscifer show. Never short on theatrics, the group often plays pre-recorded videos during its live performances that only provide the audience with more laughs and further entertainment over the course of two hours. Even those who aren’t familiar with Puscifer’s four studio albums like “V” Is for Vagina and Money Shot should get a kick out of agent-in-training Keenan trying to play a strange game of celebrity lookalike on screen at one point in the evening.

Yet I would be remiss to not mention that when Puscifer announced “The Existential Reckoning Tour” in February, the slogan for the 21-date run was “Prepare To Be Probed.” And despite the message’s erotic undertones unsurprisingly, it does feel rather fitting as our world becomes more uncertain by the day. No one can know for sure if Planet Earth will be overtaken by extraterrestrials in the future, but with Keenan opening our eyes to the possibility while still managing to make us giggle, spending a night with Puscifer isn’t just an escape from reality whether you’re blowing out candles or not.

Setlist:
Act I
Bread and Circus
Postulous
Fake Affront
The Underwhelming
Grey Area
Theorem
Vagina Mine (Remixed)
UPGrade

Act II
Apocalyptical
The Remedy
Personal Prometheus
A Singularity
The Humbling River (Nagual del Judith Mix)

Act III (Billy D on vocals)
Bullet Train to Iowa
Flippant
Conditions of My Parole
Bedlamite

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Photos Tagged With: A Perfect Circle, Billy Howerdel, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Greek Theatre, Green Jellÿ, Maynard James Keenan, Moodie Black, Puscifer, Tool

Surprise! Coachella offers a big twist while revealing 2022 set times as Arcade Fire joins the party unexpectedly

April 14, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 15th-17th & April 22nd-24th, 2022 //

Well, Coachellans … if you thought last week’s news that saw Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd replace Ye (fka Kanye West) as Sunday’s headlining acts was the only change before you head out to the desert, think again.

The three-day, two-weekend music and arts festival has surprised us all in revealing set times for its 21st edition just a little more than 24 hours before it begins — the latest they have ever been released — and casually including Arcade Fire, which was not listed on the official lineup poster, at the Mojave Tent on Friday. If you’re hoping to catch what should be an epic performance from Win Butler, Régine Chassagne and company during “magic hour” and likely hear some new tunes off their upcoming sixth studio album WE that arrives in May, we would recommend getting there early before 6:45 p.m.

Decided to spend my birthday somewhere warm and dry 🌴 @coachella pic.twitter.com/D1cnHWnW0I

— Arcade Fire (@arcadefire) April 14, 2022

And while there are always hard decisions to make at Coachella, it only gets tougher with the Grammy-winning band added into the mix.

Don’t be shy, though … what’s your biggest conflict this year and who are you most excited for?

WEEKEND 1 SET TIMES

Full moon tonight 🌕 pic.twitter.com/wkyicUWeCt

— Coachella (@coachella) April 16, 2022

UPDATE (April 16th): We’re only one day into Weekend 1, and there are already some shake-ups to the schedule starting with Madlib being unable to join Freddie Gibbs at the Gobi Stage due to personal reasons. Gibbs, nevertheless, will still perform solo at his scheduled start time of 9:35 p.m. Meanwhile over at the Sahara Tent a couple hours earlier, Tchami will now begin at 7:03 p.m. instead of 7:15 p.m. You can peep the latest set times for Saturday in the tweet above.

WEEKEND 2 SET TIMES

Arcade Fire are most notably missing from the Weekend 2 set times, but that’s not the only change that stands out if you’re comparing them to Weekend 1. Besides some changes to the early-afternoon slots as well as slowthai moving up and The Marías moving back to compete with Grupo Firme for some odd reason, another notable adjustment is Run the Jewels moving to Friday at 8:10 p.m. in the Mojave Tent after taking the Coachella Stage on Sunday at 4:35 p.m. during Weekend 1.

And as we saw last weekend with Shaina Twain, Justin Bieber, Damon Albarn, Snoop Dogg, Post Malone, Diplo, Khalid, Tyga, Saweetie, Metro Boomin and more all making cameos, Coachella has become a breeding ground for live collaborations and special guests so we’ll see if Weekend 2 has more surprises in store for fans after a star-studded return to the polo fields.

MAP

Less than four hours before the gates officially open at the Empire Polo Club, Coachella has finally shared this year’s map and it looks a lot like what we saw in 2019. But one change to the map that sticks out is the relocation of the Yuma Tent, which has moved farther away from the main entrance (though only slightly) and closer to the 12 Peaks VIP section adjacent to the Coachella Stage. Also, there’s only one way to access the Sonora, Gobi and Mojave Tents now as compared to prior years when guests could walk directly from the Sahara Tent to any of them, and while that might create for less foot traffic in the area near The Do LaB Stage, it will be a longer walk than before.

Coachella has long been considered to be one of the world’s best-run music festivals (and rightfully so), yet with Goldenvoice running behind schedule this week on the release of set times and other pertinent information, we’ll see how smoothly things go after a three-year hiatus for the concert promoter.

So whether you’ll be in Indio or watching the YouTube livestream on your couch, let’s hope there aren’t any other artists or bands canceling at the last minute.

Happy Coachella!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: (Sandy) Alex G, 100 gecs, 21 Savage, 88rising's Double Happiness, 88rising's HEAD IN THE CLOUDS FOREVER, Adam Port, Alaina Castillo, Alec Benjamin, Ali Gatie, Altın Gün, AMÉMÉ, Amber Mark, Amyl and the Sniffers, Anitta, ANNA, Anna Calvi, Arcade Fire, Ari Lennox, Ariana Grande, Arlo Parks, Arooj Aftab, ARTBAT, Astroworld, Astroworld 2021, Astroworld Festival, Astroworld Festival 2021, Aya Nakamura, Baby Keem, Bad Bunny, BADBADNOTGOOD, Banda MS, beabadoobee, Beach Bunny, Beach Goons, Bedouin, Belly, Big Sean, Big Wild, BIGBANG, Billie Eilish, Bishop Briggs, Black Coffee, BLACK MIDI, Black Pumas, BLACKPINK, Brockhampton, Calvin Harris, Cariño, Caribou, Carly Rae Jepsen, Caroline Polachek, Cashmere Cat, Channel Tres, Charli XCX, Chelsea Cutler, Chicano Batman, Childish Gambino, Chris Liebing, City Girls, Coachella, Coachella 2020, Coachella 2021, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2020, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2021, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2022, Code Orange, Cole Knight, Conan Gray, Cordae, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Crumb, Cuco, Current Joys, DaBaby, Damian Lazarus, Damon Albarn, Daniel Caesar, Danny Elfman, Daphni, Dave, Dear Humans, Denzel Curry, Detlef, Diplo, Disastroworld, Disclosure, Dixon, DJ Holographic, DJ Koze, DJ Lord, Doja Cat, Dom Dolla, Duck Sauce, Duke Dumont, Ленинград (Leningrad), Ed Maverick, ela minus, Ellen Allien, Emo Nite, Emotional Oranges, Epik High, Erick Morillo, EYEDRESS, Ezra Collective, Fatboy Slim, Finneas, FKA twigs, Floating Points, Flume, Fontaines D.C., Frank Ocean, Fred again.., Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Friendly Fires, GG Magree, girl in red, Giselle Woo & The Night Owls, Giveon, Griselda, GRIZ, Grupo Firme, Guy Laliberté, Harry Styles, Hatsune Miku, Hayden James, Holly Humberstone, Hot Chip, IDLES, Inner Wave, Isaiah Rashad, J.I.D., Jai Wolf, Jamie xx, Japanese Breakfast, Jayda G, Jean Dawson, Jessie Reyez, John Summit, Joji, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Karol G, Khalid, Kim Petras, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Koffee, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Kyle Watson, Kynda Black, L'Impératrice, Lana Del Rey, Lane 8, Lauren Daigle, Lawrence, Layla Benitez, Lewis Capaldi, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Lil Uzi Vert, Logic1000, Lost Kings, Louis the Child, Luttrell, Madeon, Maggie Rogers, Malaa, Mannequin Pussy, Mariah the Scientist, Marina, Masego, Matoma, Maxo Kream, Måneskin, Megan Thee Stallion, Melé, Metro Boomin, MEUTE, Miane, Michael Bibi, MIKA, Molchat Doma, Monolink, Mura Masa, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, NIKI, Nilüfer Yanya, Noname, Olivia O’Brien, Omar Apollo, Orville Peck, Pabllo Vittar, Paco Osuna, Peggy Gou, Phoebe Bridgers, Pink Sweat$, Post Malone, Princess Nokia, Pup, Purple Disco Machine, Rage Against the Machine, Raveena, Rich Brian, Richie Hawtin, Rina Sawayama, Role Model, Run The Jewels, Sama' Abdulhadi, Sampa the Great, Satori, Saweetie, Shaina Twain, Skegss, SLANDER, slowthai, Snoh Aalegra, Snoop Dogg, SOHMI, Solomun, Spiritualized, Steve Lacy, Still Woozy, Stromae, Sunday Service, Surf Curse, Swedish House Mafia, Tame Impala, Tchami, The Avalanches, The Blessed Madonna + Honey Dijon, The Chats, The HU, The Marías, The Martinez Brothers, The Regrettes, Tokimonsta, Travis Scott, Turnstile, Tyga, Viagra Boys, Vince Staples, VNSSA, Wallows, Whipped Cream, Win Butler, Yard Act, Ye, Yola

Coachella unleashes a new group of headliners after three-year hiatus as Harry Styles, Billie Eilish & Ye spearhead 2022 lineup

January 12, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 8 Comments

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival //
Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
April 15th-17th & April 22nd-24th, 2022 //

The wait is officially over.

Just a year after celebrating its 20th anniversary with Childish Gambino, Tame Impala and Ariana Grande at the top of the poster, Coachella was primed to make another splash in 2020 with Rage Against the Machine headlining for the third time in the legendary band’s career and Travis Scott scheduled to make his headlining debut on the polo fields as well as Frank Ocean.

But the three-day, two-weekend event became one of the first large-scale music festivals in the U.S. — along with South by Southwest and Ultra Music Festival — that was forced to postpone its plans when the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm almost two years ago. Goldenvoice worked to quickly reschedule Coachella for October, though with coronavirus cases and deaths spiking out of control all over the country, another delay came in June, signaling the unfortunate reality that there would be no festival in the calendar year for the first time since 2000.

With the state of the pandemic in flux and the U.S. still operating without a vaccination program in place by early January last year, Coachella in 2021 quickly became a fantasy. Fast forward another year, and the famed California fest is finally ready to give it another go in April.

However, none of the previously announced 2020 headliners are still booked for its 21st edition in less than three months. Rage Against the Machine, for starters, dropped out despite the Los Angeles Times reporting last summer in an exclusive interview with Goldenvoice CEO Paul Tollett that the band would still headline and Scott was also pulled following his disastrous Astroworld Festival — or as some might like to call it, Disastroworld — performance back in November while Ocean is now expected to perform in 2023, according to the aforementioned LA Times report.

YAY!

Presale for Weekend 2 starts Friday 1/14 at 10am PT. Weekend 1 is sold out. Register now at https://t.co/qujCsdCWkp pic.twitter.com/cEp5iNJY9M

— Coachella (@coachella) January 13, 2022

Instead, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Ye (fka Kanye West) will spearhead the 2022 lineup after reports circled last week about Eilish and Ye being in talks to headline and another surfaced only hours before the roster was unveiled regarding a commitment from Styles.

Swedish House Mafia, in the meantime, will return to Coachella for the first time in a decade since the electronic supergroup’s closing set on the main stage in 2012, although their appearance is not all that surprising thanks to this tweet back in October. Which day they’ll perform, however, is anyone’s guess right now.

Coachella has had a penchant for booking more international acts — from BLACKPINK to Bad Bunny — in recent years, and 2022 will be no different with Grupo Firme, Anitta, Joji and Karol G on the bill. But this year’s undercard showcases plenty of other talent too, including Lil Baby, Flume, Doja Cat, Daniel Caesar, Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Bridgers, Disclosure, Jamie xx, Big Sean, 21 Savage, Run the Jewels, Danny Elfman, Maggie Rogers, Louis the Child, Stromae, Ari Lennox, Baby Keem, GIVĒON, Banda MS, Still Woozy, BROCKHAMPTON, Fatboy Slim, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Rich Brian, Måneskin and more.

Tickets for Weekend 1 are already sold out, but there is a wait list that you can jump on here while three-day GA and VIP passes for Weekend 2 will go on sale here during a presale this Friday, January 14th at 10 a.m. PT.

The Party & The After Party pic.twitter.com/8gT2bF3x5j

— Coachella (@coachella) April 6, 2022

UPDATE (April 6th): With less than two weeks to go, Coachella has revealed some changes to its 2022 lineup after reports surfaced earlier this week indicating that Ye (aka Kanye West) would not perform this year. Ye won a pair of Grammys a few days ago at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards and was scheduled to headline the festival on Sunday over both weekends but will be replaced by the previously announced Swedish House Mafia, who had yet to be assigned a specific day on the initial poster that came out back in January, and newly added The Weeknd — after his last appearance in 2018 — as co-headliners who will perform together as a new collaboration and something that neither Coachella nor many other music festivals have done before at the very top of the poster. That, of course, is the beauty of Coachella after all as Goldenvoice always finds a way to keep the programming fresh with new and exciting surprises.

Headed out to the desert this spring? Look back at our coverage of Coachella over the years here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: (Sandy) Alex G, 100 gecs, 21 Savage, 88rising's Double Happiness, 88rising's HEAD IN THE CLOUDS FOREVER, Adam Port, Alaina Castillo, Alec Benjamin, Ali Gatie, Altın Gün, AMÉMÉ, Amber Mark, Amyl and the Sniffers, Anitta, ANNA, Anna Calvi, Ari Lennox, Ariana Grande, Arlo Parks, Arooj Aftab, ARTBAT, Astroworld, Astroworld 2021, Astroworld Festival, Astroworld Festival 2021, Aya Nakamura, Baby Keem, Bad Bunny, BADBADNOTGOOD, Banda MS, beabadoobee, Beach Bunny, Beach Goons, Bedouin, Belly, Big Sean, Big Wild, BIGBANG, Billie Eilish, Bishop Briggs, Black Coffee, BLACK MIDI, Black Pumas, BLACKPINK, Brockhampton, Calvin Harris, Cariño, Caribou, Carly Rae Jepsen, Caroline Polachek, Cashmere Cat, Channel Tres, Charli XCX, Chelsea Cutler, Chicano Batman, Childish Gambino, Chris Liebing, City Girls, Coachella, Coachella 2020, Coachella 2021, Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2020, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2021, Coachella Music and Arts Festival 2022, Code Orange, Cole Knight, Conan Gray, Cordae, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Crumb, Cuco, Current Joys, DaBaby, Damian Lazarus, Daniel Caesar, Danny Elfman, Daphni, Dave, Dear Humans, Denzel Curry, Detlef, Disastroworld, Disclosure, Dixon, DJ Holographic, DJ Koze, DJ Lord, Doja Cat, Dom Dolla, Duck Sauce, Duke Dumont, Ленинград (Leningrad), Ed Maverick, ela minus, Ellen Allien, Emo Nite, Emotional Oranges, Epik High, Erick Morillo, EYEDRESS, Ezra Collective, Fatboy Slim, Finneas, FKA twigs, Floating Points, Flume, Fontaines D.C., Frank Ocean, Fred again.., Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Friendly Fires, GG Magree, girl in red, Giselle Woo & The Night Owls, Giveon, Griselda, GRIZ, Grupo Firme, Guy Laliberté, Harry Styles, Hatsune Miku, Hayden James, Holly Humberstone, Hot Chip, IDLES, Inner Wave, Isaiah Rashad, J.I.D., Jai Wolf, Jamie xx, Japanese Breakfast, Jayda G, Jean Dawson, Jessie Reyez, John Summit, Joji, Kanye West, Karol G, Kim Petras, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Koffee, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Kyle Watson, Kynda Black, L'Impératrice, Lana Del Rey, Lane 8, Lauren Daigle, Lawrence, Layla Benitez, Lewis Capaldi, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Lil Uzi Vert, Logic1000, Lost Kings, Louis the Child, Luttrell, Madeon, Maggie Rogers, Malaa, Mannequin Pussy, Mariah the Scientist, Marina, Masego, Matoma, Maxo Kream, Måneskin, Megan Thee Stallion, Melé, MEUTE, Miane, Michael Bibi, MIKA, Molchat Doma, Monolink, Mura Masa, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, NIKI, Nilüfer Yanya, Noname, Olivia O’Brien, Omar Apollo, Orville Peck, Pabllo Vittar, Paco Osuna, Peggy Gou, Phoebe Bridgers, Pink Sweat$, Princess Nokia, Pup, Purple Disco Machine, Rage Against the Machine, Raveena, Rich Brian, Richie Hawtin, Rina Sawayama, Role Model, Run The Jewels, Sama' Abdulhadi, Sampa the Great, Satori, Skegss, SLANDER, slowthai, Snoh Aalegra, SOHMI, Solomun, Spiritualized, Steve Lacy, Still Woozy, Stromae, Sunday Service, Surf Curse, Swedish House Mafia, Tame Impala, Tchami, The Avalanches, The Blessed Madonna + Honey Dijon, The Chats, The HU, The Marías, The Martinez Brothers, The Regrettes, Tokimonsta, Travis Scott, Turnstile, Viagra Boys, Vince Staples, VNSSA, Wallows, Whipped Cream, Yard Act, Ye, Yola

BottleRock targets Memorial Day weekend again after uncorking 2022 bill led by Metallica, P!NK, Twenty One Pilots & Luke Combs

January 10, 2022 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

BottleRock Napa Valley //
Napa Valley Expo – Napa, CA
May 27th-29th, 2022 //

Buckle up, BottleRockers! Your favorite Napa Valley music festival is getting back on schedule this year.

Despite COVID-19 cases skyrocketing across the U.S. with the coronavirus’ omicron variant spreading like a wildfire, the three-day event is marching ahead toward its usual timing of Memorial Day weekend after canceling in 2020 and moving to Labor Day weekend in 2021.

And much like BottleRock’s previous rosters, 2022’s follows very much in the same vein (i.e. lots of rock ‘n’ roll) with Metallica, P!NK, Twenty One Pilots and Luke Combs topping the bill. The fest’s ninth edition should serve as a special performance for Metallica no less, considering that the legendary heavy-metal band has called the Bay Area home for almost three decades.

The BottleRock 2022 lineup is HERE! 🙌 🎶

3-day tickets go on sale tomorrow, January 11th, at 10 a.m. PT.

PLUS: You could win 2 VIP passes to BottleRock 2022 by replying to this tweet telling us who you would give your second ticket to. pic.twitter.com/gcAqeB3Nq0

— BottleRock Napa (@BottleRockNapa) January 10, 2022

But plenty of other household names have also been procured to fill out the undercard, including The Black Crowes, Kygo, Pitbull, Greta Van Fleet, Mount Westmore (the new hip-hop supergroup formed by Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too $hort in 2020), Rainbow Kitten Surprise, CHVRCHES, Bleachers, Spoon, BANKS, Alessia Cara, SAINt JHN, Vance Joy, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Silversun Pickups, The Wailers feat. Julian Marley, Iration, Greensky Bluegrass, Grandson, Amos Lee and more. See the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

In addition to all of the artists and bands slated to perform, BottleRock will once again host its annual live cooking demonstrations that see celebrity chefs team up with a variety of musicians — from Alice Cooper to Warren G — and athletes at the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage.

With tickets going on sale here this Tuesday, January 11th at 10 a.m. PT, there’s no time to wait so don’t forget to set those alarms now! Three-day GA passes will start at $369 plus fees with VIP, Skydeck, The Suites and Platinum experiences also available for purchase. Who’s ready to rock at BottleRock?!?!

UPDATE (January 12th): BottleRock has unloaded its daily lineups for 2022, with Metallica rocking Friday, Twenty One Pilots performing Saturday, and P!NK and Luke Combs closing things down on Sunday. You can find the list of artists for each day above before single-day tickets go on sale here starting this Thursday, January 13th at 10 a.m. PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Alessia Cara, Allison Ponthier, Aly & AJ, Amos Lee, Ana Tijoux, Atlas Genius, Bahamas, Banks, Bastardane, Bleachers, Blu DeTiger, BottleRock, BOTTLEROCK 2022, Bottlerock Festival, BottleRock Napa, BOTTLEROCK NAPA 2022, BottleRock Napa Valley, BOTTLEROCK NAPA VALLEY 2022, Chelsea Effect, Chvrches, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, DE'WAYNE, Diamante Eléctrico, Djo, Dorothy, Drew Holcomb, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, E-40, Eliza & The Delusionals, Eliza and The Delusionals, Fantastic Negrito, Fletcher, Foy Vance, Full Moonalice, Grandmaster Flash, Grandson, Greensky Bluegrass, Greta Van Fleet, Hot Milk, Ice Cube, Iration, Jake Wesley Rogers, Jaleh, James Tormé, Jharrel Jerome, JORDY, Justus Bennetts, Kikagaku Moyo, Kinky, Kosha Dillz, Kygo, LILLY, Madame Gandhi, Marc E. Bassy, Marcus King, Metallica, Michael Franti, Michael Franti & Spearhead, MisterWives, Moonalice, Motherfolk, Mount Westmore, Napa Valley Youth Symphony, Niko Rubio, Noah Kahan, OTTTO, P!nk, Peter Collins, Pink, Pitbull, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Ron Artis II, Royal & the Serpent, Royal and the Serpent, SAINt JHN, Silverado Pickups, Silversun Pickups, Skip Marley, Snoop Dogg, Spoon, Tai Verdes, Taipei Houston, Tessa Violet, The Alive, The Black Crowes, The Brothers Comatose, The Happy Fits, The Silverado Pickups, The Suffers, The Wailers feat. Julian Marley, Too $hort, Twenty One Pilots, Vance Joy, Wild Rivers, William Prince, Yola

CRSSD Festival goes big with Glass Animals, SOFI TUKKER, Four Tet, Get Real, Gorgon City & more set to anchor Spring 2022 lineup

December 29, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

CRSSD Festival //
Waterfront Park – San Diego
March 5th-6th, 2022 //

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic canceling many New Year’s Eve celebrations and continuing to wreak havoc across the U.S., there’s still a sense of optimism among those in the live music industry for 2022.

But one North American concert promoter who hasn’t been deterred by the latest news surrounding the coronavirus’ omicron variant happens to be FNGRS CRSSD, the San Diego-based brand that debuted CRSSD Festival back in 2015 and has been going strong ever since with a spring and fall edition of the event each year.

And as the calendar turns to the New Year in a few more days, FNGRS CRSSD is still holding tight with those plans after unleashing another electronic-leaning roster for its first installment of CRSSD 2022.

First look at our weekend on the Waterfront has arrived for Spring ‘22🌅@GlassAnimals @sofitukker @FourTet @GorgonCity @BenUFO Joy Orbison @realAdamBeyer Jeff Mills @NinaKraviz Helena Hauff + more 🌊

Alumni presale 1/4 @ 11AM PT
Gen Sale 1/5 @ 11AM PThttps://t.co/A4GRrBITnd pic.twitter.com/5EcjZ6pR9u

— CRSSD Festival (@crssdfest) December 29, 2021

Leading the way will be headliners Glass Animals and SOFI TUKKER on top of a stacked undercard that features Four Tet, Get Real (Claude VonStroke and Green Velvet), Gorgon City, 070 Shake, Blu DeTiger, Cautious Clay, Chet Faker, Parcels, Franc Moody, Lastlings, SG Lewis, Absolute., Ben UFO B2B Joy Orbison, Dan Shake, Danilo Plessow of Motor City Drum Ensemble, Felix Da Housecat and more. Check out the poster above for the rest of the lineup coming to Waterfront Park this March.

Those who attended the fest in Spring 2020 and Fall 2021 will have access to a special alumni presale starting Tuesday, January 4th at 11 a.m. PT while the general public on-sale will begin the following day on Wednesday, January 5th at 11 a.m. PT.

And with only a little more than two months to go before CRSSD’s return, make sure to look back at our coverage over the years here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 070 Shake, Absolute., Adam Beyer, Ben UFO, Ben UFO B2B Joy Orbison, Blu DeTiger, Cautious Clay, Chet Faker, Claude VonStroke, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, CRSSD, CRSSD 2022, CRSSD Festival, CRSSD Festival 2022, Dan Shake, Danilo Plessow, Eli Brown, Felix Da Housecat, FNGRS CRSSD, Four Tet, Franc Moody, Get Real, Glass Animals, Gorgon City, Green Velvet, Helena Hauff, Ilario Alicante, Jeff Mills, Joris Voorn, Joy Orbison, Kyle Watson, Lastlings, Maxinne, MCDE, Miane, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Nina Kraviz, Nina Kraviz B2B Helena Hauff, Parcels, PAX, Sam Paganini, SG Lewis, Sofi Tukker, Solardo

Primavera Sound LA drops inaugural 2022 lineup headlined by Arctic Monkeys, Lorde & Nine Inch Nails

December 6, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

Primavera Sound LA //
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
September 16th-18th, 2022 //

The weather outside currently might be a little chilly, but the 2022 festival season in Southern California is already heating up. Just in the last week Smokin Grooves announced its return in March and concert promoter Goldenvoice unleashed its plans to revive the iconic This Ain’t No Picnic next summer to mark what’s sure to be a banner year for live music in the City of Angels.

But we’ve eagerly been anticipating the release of Primavera Sound LA’s inaugural lineup, which was originally set to make its U.S. debut in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on things, and that news has finally become a reality.

Headlining the three-day music festival at the 32-acre LA State Historic Park will be Arctic Monkeys, Lorde and Nine Inch Nails, the latter of which had previously confirmed on social media more than a year ago that they had been booked for the event.

Hola Los Angeles!
✨Primavera Sound LA ✨
Sign up now for the pre-sale that starts Friday 12/10 at 10AM PT.
All tickets starting at $50 down.
➡️ https://t.co/00Aq4fOQt0 pic.twitter.com/69AsbfoHl2

— a KID called BEAST (@akidcalledbeasd) December 6, 2021

Other highlights on the 2022 roster include Arca, Bicep (Live), Buscabulla, Cigarettes After Sex, Clairo, DARKSIDE, Faye Webster, Fontaines D.C., James Blake, Jehnny Beth, Khruangbin, Kim Gordon, King Krule, Low, Mitski, Paloma Mami, Shygirl, Stereolab, Tierra Whack and more. See the poster above for the rest of the scheduled acts.

Launching back in 2001 with its roots firmly planted in Barcelona, Primavera Sound has been a staple across the music festival circuit for two decades now after expanding in 2012 to Porto under the name NOS Primavera Sound and adding Primavera Weekender since 2019.

You can buy tickets for Primavera Sound LA starting this Friday, December 10th at 10 a.m. PT for just $50 down, but make sure to register here for your presale code. GA passes will start at $399 with VIP available for $925 here. Don’t miss out on what’s sure to be an epic weekend of live music!

UPDATE (February 23rd): Primavera Sound LA has just revealed its daily lineups for 2022, with Lorde headlining Friday, Nine Inch Nails rocking Saturday and Arctic Monkeys closing out the fest on Sunday. Single-day tickets are on sale here right now for $149 (Tier 1) plus fees before increasing to $159 (Tier 2) and $169 (Tier 3).

UPDATE (May 17th): New artists have been added for Primavera Sound LA’s debut this September, including GIVĒON, Girl in Red, Current Joys, Surf Curse, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Jeff Mills. Plus, those who haven’t done so already can still purchase your ticket for just $19.99 down here!

UPDATE (August 30th): Primavera Sound LA is less than three weeks away, and guess what showed up online today? Set times! While the festival has announced that Amaarae and María José Llergo will unfortunately no longer perform due to unforeseen circumstances, it will now welcome Wunderhorse to Saturday’s lineup. And if you still don’t have your tickets yet, they can still be purchased right here!

UPDATE (September 6th): This year’s map has been revealed while we count down the days to the debut of Primavera Sound LA! As you can see above, all four stages — including two of them named after alcoholic beverages — are spread across the park so we’ll see how each stage sounds when we arrive on the ground next weekend for three days of genre-bending music. Keep it dialed here for more updates and check back after the festival for more coverage.

UPDATE (September 12th): The festival has announced that Low unfortunately will not be performing this year after all, but the Minnesota indie-rock band has been replaced by one of LA’s own in Warpaint. Take a peek at the updated 2022 lineup and Saturday set times above before we see many of you over at LA State Historic Park this weekend!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Acemoma, Amaarae, Amyl and the Sniffers, Arca, Arctic Monkeys, Él Mató a un Policía Motorizado, Bad Gyal, Beak>, Bicep, Bladee, Boy Harsher, Buscabulla, Chai, Chulita Vinyl Club, Cigarettes After Sex, Clairo, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Current Joys, Danny L Harle, Darkside, Derby Motoreta's Burrito Kachimba, Divino Niño, DJ Florentino, DJ Playero, DJ Python, Drain Gang, Dry Cleaning, ECCO2K, Eris Drew, Eris Drew B2B Octo Octa, Faye Webster, Fontaines D.C., Georgia, Giveon, Gustaf, Helena Hauff, Isabella, James Blake, Jasss, Jeff Mills, Jehnny Beth, John Talabot, Kelman Duran, Khruangbin, Kim Gordon, King Krule, Little Jesus, Lorde, Low, Machine Girl, María José Llergo, Marina Herlop, Mayhem, Mitski, Mustafa, Núria Graham, Nine Inch Nails, NOS Primavera Sound, Octo Octa, Omar-S, Paloma Mami, PinkPantheress, Primavera Sound, Primavera Sound 2021, Primavera Sound 2022, Primavera Sound LA, Primavera Sound LA 2022, Primavera Sound Los Angeles, Primavera Sound Los Angeles 2022, Red, Sangre Nueva, Savages, Shanti Celeste, Shanti Celeste B2B Isabella, Shellac, Sherelle, Shygirl, Special Interest, Special Request, Squid, Stereolab, Surf Curse, Thaiboy Digital, Tierra Whack, Tim Hecker, Warpaint, Wunderhorse

The Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, Le Tigre, Phoebe Bridgers, Beach House & more give This Ain’t No Picnic new life in 2022

December 3, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 5 Comments

This Ain’t No Picnic //
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
August 27th-28th, 2022 //

As we have said in this space before, it has not been an easy time for the live music industry by any stretch of the imagination. Whether you’re an artist, employee or fan, enduring 18 months without in-person events was painful to experience. So, maybe it’s fitting Goldenvoice is reviving a festival that hasn’t been around in almost 20 years at this point.

The renowned California concert promoter is bringing back This Ain’t No Picnic for the first time since 2002 and taking over the Brookside Golf Course at the Rose Bowl for two days in late August (warning: it will be hot) with a killer roster that screams “Pitchfork Fest!”

A couple of NYC indie-rock giants in The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem, who are currently in the middle of a 20-date residency at Brooklyn Steel, will serve as headliners while the fest’s undercard offers its own set of highlights starting with the reunion of Le Tigre, another NYC product who last reunited in 2016 to release “I’m with Her” as their latest single.

Oh baby 💫
⁰Presale starts Thursday 12/9 at 10am PT – sign up for first access to tickets at https://t.co/UvtFFpLE5b 🌐 All orders starting as low as $49 down. pic.twitter.com/XN56LylbKe

— This Ain't No Picnic (@aintnopicnic) December 3, 2021

Other notable names bolstering the iconic indie music festival’s lineup in 2022 include Phoebe Bridgers, Beach House, Jorja Smith, Kaytranada, Jungle, IDLES, Isaiah Rashad, Sparks, Turnstile, Circle Jerks, Descendents, Caroline Polachek, Mac Demarco, Slowthai, Courtney Barnett, Four Tet + Floating Points, Tinashe, Earl Sweatshirt, Yves Tumor, Queen Naija, Honey Dijon, Sleep, Deafheaven and more. Peep the poster above for the rest of the artists scheduled to perform.

Making its debut at Oak Canyon Ranch in Silverado where past incarnations of Lightning in a Bottle and other music festivals in the Southern California area have also taken place, This Ain’t No Picnic exposed the raw energy of punk-leaning, indie darlings like Sonic Youth, Sleater-Kinney and Guided by Voices in 1999 before taking another step toward the mainstream by booking Beck, Yo La Tengo, Built to Spill, At the Drive-In and Modest Mouse for its 2000 edition.

With there being more optimism surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic heading into next year, you can bet that tickets for this one will go quick so make sure to sign up for the presale occurring on Thursday, December 9th at 10 a.m. PT here before they go on sale at 2 p.m. PT here. GA passes will be available for $299-$349, with VIP going for $799 and Clubhouse at an eye-opening $1,199. But if you’re looking to dance and sweat your ass off in the Pasadena heat, this is the only summer picnic you’ll want to be at!

UPDATE (May 3rd): This Ain’t No Picnic has delivered daily lineups for its return this August, with LCD Soundsystem headlining Saturday and The Strokes closing out the two-day festival on Sunday. Single-day tickets go on sale this Friday, May 6th at 10 a.m. PT here.

UPDATE (August 8th): Set times are here! This Ain’t No Picnic has released its schedule with slightly more than two weeks to go while also announcing a few lineup changes, including the addition of Leon Vynehall on Saturday. Unfortunately due to visa issues, Logic1000 and Tems will not be able to perform as previously scheduled, but in the meantime, make sure to download the mobile app here and you can still grab tickets here!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Andrew McMahon, Arooj Aftab, Avalon Emerson, Beach House, Brandon, Brookside at the Rose Bowl, Brookside Golf Club, Caroline Polachek, Circle Jerks, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Courtney Barnett, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Danilo Plessow, Dave P., Dawn Richard, Deafheaven, Descendents, Despacio, Earl Sweatshirt, Ethel Cain, Floating Points, Four Tet, Four Tet + Floating Points, Fundido, Genesis Owusu, Gerd Janson, Girl Ultra, Godford, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Hana Vu, Honey Dijon, IDLES, Indigo De Souza, Isabella Lovestory, Isaiah Rashad, Jorja Smith, Julia Jacklin, Jungle, Junior Varsity, Kaytranada, Kelly Lee Owens, King Woman, Lala Lala, LCD Soundsystem, Le Tigre, Leon Vynehall, Logic1000, Mac Demarco, Magdalena Bay, Mall Grab, Maral, Margaritas Podridas, MCDE, Mdou Moctar, Michelle, Mike Watt, Motor City Drum Ensemble, N.A.A.F.I, NAAFI, Nicki Nicole, Nothing, Pachyman, Paris Texas, Peach, Phoebe Bridgers, Queen Naija, Romy, Shame, Sleep, slowthai, Sofia Kourtesis, Sparks, Spellling, SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, Tems, The Descendents, The Strokes, They Hate Change, This Ain't No Picnic, This Ain't No Picnic 2022, This Ain't No Picnic Festival, This Ain't No Picnic Festival 2022, Tinashe, Tre' Amani, TSHA, Turnstile, Wet Leg, Ying Yang Twins, Yves Tumor, Zulu

Smokin Grooves Fest returns in 2022 as Erykah Badu, Nas, The Roots, Miguel, Jhené Aiko & more stack the bill in downtown LA

November 30, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

Smokin Grooves Fest //
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
March 19th, 2022 //

Smookin Grooves is back!

The one-day, neo-soul festival, which found a home at the Queen Mary in Long Beach following a 16-year absence, has unleashed its 2022 lineup and it’s absolutely stacked from top to bottom thanks to promoters Bobby Dee Presents and the legendary Snoop Dogg.

In fact, Smookin Grooves has easily matched what it offered fans in 2018 (read our review here) and 2019 (read our review here) after putting on excellent showings both years sheerly by landing Erykah Badu, Nas, The Roots, Miguel and Jhené Aiko to lead the charge.

But adding The Internet, Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Smino, Toro y Moi, SiR, Little Dragon, Hiatus Kaiyote, Musiq Soulchild, India.Arie, Macy Gray, Angie Stone, Leela James, Talib Kweli, Roy Ayers, Dead Prez, Slum Village, Dwele, Joe Kay and more to the roster makes this another must-see production. Check out the poster above for the rest of the scheduled acts.

🌸Smoking Grooves🌸
The Classic Neo-Soul vibes are back. Register for the presale, begins this Friday,December 3rd at 10AM PST. All tickets starting @ 19.99 down.

ME AND @SnoopDogg ARE AT IT AGAIN 🎫🎫🎫 🔥 🔥🔥🔥#smokingrooves #bobbydeepresents #snoopdoggpresents #livenation pic.twitter.com/BTOJgYZgGJ

— BobbyDeePresents (@BobbyDeePresent) November 30, 2021

Known for being the first large-scale music fest in the 90’s to counter rock-centric ones like Lollapalooza by pushing hip-hop, R&B and soul to the forefront of popular music with the help of The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill and more, Smookin Grooves has already established quite a legacy for itself and Badu has certainly played an important role having performed at many of its editions, including the past two. Meanwhile, The Roots, Miguel and Aiko are all familiar names as well after their appearances at the festival in 2018.

It’s also worth mentioning that Smokin Grooves is getting a change of scenery this March as it relocates north to LA State Historic Park, where we caught Duke Dumont, Miike Snow, Lido and more in 2017 for KCRW’s inaugural Skyline festival (read our review here). Tucked against the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown LA, the 32-acre park underwent major renovations several years ago and has long been considered to be an excellent location for live music since its days hosting FYF Fest and HARD’s LA-based events.

So, are you ready to get in on the action? Smokin Grooves will have a presale this Friday, December 3rd at 10 a.m. PT that you can sign up for here, with any remaining tickets available for purchase at 2 p.m. PT during the general sale. GA passes start at $184.99 and go up to $214.99, while GA+ begin at $249.99 before increasing to $269.99. And of course, if you’re 21 years or older and willing to splurge, there’s always VIP for $399.99 before jumping to $424.99 per person.

UPDATE (March 15th): Ahead of this weekend’s festivities, Smokin Grooves has dropped its set times for 2022 with some tough conflicts to work through, including Badu and Washington battling for eyeballs at the end of the day as well as Nas vs. Toro y Moi, Miguel vs. Flying Lotus, The Roots vs. Little Dragon and Jhené Aiko vs. Talib Kweli earlier in the night. Peep the full list above to see who’s playing on which stage and when.

Look back at our past coverage of Smookin Grooves Fest here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Angie Stone, Bilal, Blu & Exile, Charlotte Day Wilson, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Daydream Masi, Dead Prez, DOMi, DOMi & JD Beck, Dwele, Erykah Badu, Flying Lotus, Fousheé, Free Nationals, FYF, FYF Fest, FYF Festival, Goapele, HARD SF, HARD Summer, HARD Summer Music Festival, Hiatus Kaiyote, India Arie, JD Beck, Jelani Aryeh, Jhené Aiko, Joe Kay, Kamasi Washington, Leela James, Lido, Little Dragon, Macy Gray, Miguel, Musiq Soulchild, Nas, Phony Ppl, Ravyn Lenae, SiR, Slum Village, Smino, Smokin Grooves, Smokin Grooves 2022, Smokin Grooves Fest, Smokin Grooves Fest 2022, Soulection, Talib Kweli, The Internet, The Roots, Thundercat, Toro Y Moi, Unusual Demont, Yussef Dayes

Outside Lands 2021: A return to hallowed ground

November 8, 2021 by Molly Kish 2 Comments

Photos by Sarah Felker & Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
October 29th-31st, 2021 //

After postponing its 13th edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic and experiencing disappointing lineup cancellations in the months leading up to it, Outside Lands had quite a lot to make up for going into its 2021 relaunch for Halloween. Asserting themselves as hosts of the first “mega event” in Golden Gate Park during the pandemic, Bay Area concert promoter Another Planet Entertainment braved an entirely new entertainment landscape, time of year and crowd dynamic.

Following statewide safety protocols, attendees had to wear a mask and show proof of vaccination or a negative test result at all entrances before scanning their way inside the gates. Clear backpacks were enforced and costume guidelines were added to the laundry list of rules and regulations for all ticket holders. But even with the adjusted security measures and slight changes to the event’s production, concertgoers came out in record numbers. Averaging crowds of approximately 70,000 people per day, OSL 2021 wasn’t short of attendees willing to happily follow the new guidelines in order to return to the beloved three-day festival.

While at times the interactive experiences in 2021 seemed lacking with the obvious downplay of live art activations, comedy and representation of the Bay Area’s creative culture, OSL still provided a larger platform for community-based initiatives. This year the fest added a brand-new stage in the SOMA Tent, which focused on burgeoning talent across the local electronic scene, and also dedicated attention and space for both local and national non-profits with an extended Eco Lands footprint.

Relaunching OSL over Halloween weekend was one of the smartest pivots Another Planet could have made. The energy surrounding the holiday was palpable, providing a dialed-in event and location with an additional reason for both local and visiting attendees to celebrate. Costumed crowds filled the fields all three days and created an increasingly whimsical buildup to what felt like a triumphant return to the city’s historical Halloween legacy. With many hoping the holiday tradition would continue for years to come, OSL successfully stoked the sold-out crowd’s excitement for its return in August 2022.

Moses Sumney

OUTSIDE LANDS 2021 AWARDS:

Headliner of the Weekend: Tyler, the Creator

Breakthrough Performance: The HU

Favorite First-Timer: Brijean

Best OSL Addition: SOMA Tent

Favorite Festival Food: Pork Lumpia from Abacá

Most Magical Cocktail: Silver Girl’s “St. Olaf’s Fizz”

Most Entertaining Activation: The Aperol Spritz Piazza

Best Wine Lands Pour: Brut Rose by Angels & Cowboys

Favorite OSL Night Show: Drama at Bimbo’s 360 Club

Most Popular Costume: Skeleton

Largest Crowd: RÜFÜS DU SOL

Biggest Dance Party: Khruangbin

Best Stage Production: Tame Impala

Funniest Band Interaction: The Neil Frances vs. Neal Francis beef

Local Standout: Kehlani

Most Impressive Pipes: Brittany Howard

Biggest Lasting Impression: Moses Sumney

Best Improvement: Open-air layout at The House by Heineken

Outside Lands 2021 - Yves Tumor and Its Band

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: 070 Shake, 24kGoldn, A R I Z O N A, Abacá, Amy Allen, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Angel Olsen, Angels & Cowboys, Angels and Cowboys, Badshah, Bakar, Bartees Strange, Beach House, Big Thief, Bonobo, boy pablo, Boy Scouts, Brijean, Brittany Howard, Burna Boy, Buscabulla, Cam, Cannons, Caroline Polachek, Claud, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Crooked Colours, Dijon, Dr. Dog, DRAMA, EarthGang, Ed O'Brien, EOB, Evann McIntosh, Flo Milli, Glass Animals, Goth Babe, Hinds, J Balvin, J. Phlip, JESSIA, JPEGMAFIA, Julia Jacklin, Kaytranada, Kehlani, Khruangbin, Lizzo, Lord Huron, Madeline Kenney, Mahalia, Marc E. Bassy, Marc Rebillet, Melanie Martinez, Moses Sumney, mxmtoon, Nap Eyes, Neal Francis, NEIL FRANCES, Nelly, Nicola Cruz, Noga Erez, ODIE, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2020, Outside Lands 2021, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2020, Outside Lands Music Festival 2021, Parcels, Polo & Pan, Post Animal, Q, Radiohead, Remi Wolf, Resistance Revival Chorus, Rexx Life Raj, Rico Nasty, Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Salami Rose Joe Louis, Scarypoolparty, SG Lewis, Sharon Van Etten, Shiba San, Shilan, Silver Girl, Sofía Valdés, Sofi Tukker, SOMA Tent, Tame Impala, The 1975, The Beths, The HU, The Midnight, The Soul Rebels, The Strokes, Tones and I, Trevor Daniel, TroyBoi, Tyler the Creator, Vampire Weekend, Young Thug, Yung Bae, Yves Tumor, zhu

Lightning in a Bottle lines up Glass Animals, Kaytranada, GRiZ & more to lead festival’s comeback in 2022

November 2, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 4 Comments

Lightning in a Bottle //
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
May 25th-30th, 2022 //

Lightning in a Bottle is alive and well!

After being forced to cancel its 2020 edition more than 18 months ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the “transformational festival” is returning to Kern County over Memorial Day weekend.

And for those who previously purchased tickets and have been waiting for an update on LIB’s future, you might be happy to know that The Do LaB has retained a handful of acts on the 2020 roster from headliners like Kaytranada and GRiZ to such undercard standouts as Purity Ring, Big Wild, Four Tet, Empress Of and Jon Hopkins across the fest’s three stages.

But LIB 2022 will also feature some new blood, starting right at the top of the poster with Glass Animals fresh off their performance at Outside Lands last weekend for Halloween. Joining the English psych-pop band as other LIB newcomers on the bill will be a pair of 27-year-old Brits in SG Lewis and Little Simz.

This is what lightning sounds like ⚡

Sign up for pre-sale access now to get your tickets a day early! https://t.co/bpcGOMTmZ9

🌩 Pre-sale starts Thursday, 11/4 at 10am PST
🌩 Tickets on sale Friday, 11/5 at 10am PST pic.twitter.com/lq4h9TNW8U

— Lightning in a Bottle (@LIBfestival) November 2, 2021

Other notable names on the initial lineup for LIB’s 19th installment include Chet Faker, Black Coffee, CloZee, Seth Troxler, Monolink, G Jones B2B Eprom, Maya Jane Coles, Goldlink, OPIUO, Chika, Mr. Carmack, Big Freedia, Dirtwire and more, including a Desert Hearts launch party with Lee Reynolds.

LIB, which has long been considered to be one of the country’s premier boutique festivals, has served as an excellent follow-up to Coachella over the last decade, often pulling some of the same electronic-leaning talent — whether it’s Bob Moses, Bonobo, Emancipator, RÜFÜS DU SOL or Tycho — who can be seen performing years prior at the famed two-weekend, three-day music festival in the desert.

GA and VIP passes to LIB can be purchased during the presale this Thursday, November 4th at 10 a.m. PT if you sign up here or for $395 and $775, respectively, plus fees here this Friday, November 5th at 10 a.m. PT with payment plans available. As always, promoting the ideals of sustainability, social cohesion, personal health and creative expression through art, yoga, workshops and speakers will remain a critical and prominent element of The Do LaB’s signature event.

UPDATE (March 8th): LIB has shared its daily lineups for 2022, with Glass Animals leading the way on Friday, Kaytranada performing on Saturday and GRiZ closing out the fest on Sunday. Take a closer look at the list of artists scheduled for each day above.

UPDATE (March 15th): The lineup for the festival’s music, learning, and culture programming at the Compass that will feature speakers, workshops and more across seven immersive spaces has arrived. Among some of the discussions are Regenerating Soil with Microbes, Cryptocurrency: The Ownership Economy, Queering the Liminal, Technology of Prayer, Fire Adapted Communities: Building A Wildfire Resilient Future, Transforming Fulfilling Prophecies into Love and Resilience of Chamorro Food. See more details above.

UPDATE (May 16th): Less than two weeks before LIB’s long-awaited return, the festival has released its set times — so you can sort out your conflicts for all three days in advance — with the music going until 4 a.m. for those who can hang that long. See more details above.

⚡️ LIB Lineup Updates 🧵

— Lightning in a Bottle (@LIBfestival) May 22, 2022

UPDATE (May 22nd): LIB has announced several changes to this year’s lineup as the days count down to the fest. Jhené Aiko will replace Little Simz, who had to cancel her performance. Chromonicci will also step in for Jon Casey while Moodlite and Dirtwire will fill in for Moontricks. Plus, don’t forget to check out the festival and camping maps below before you arrive at Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area.

Can’t wait until May? Tap back into our past coverage of LIB here.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: A Hundred Drums, Austin Millz, ‎J.Gill, Big Freedia, Big Wild, Black Coffee, Blu DeTiger, Caleesi, Caleesi & Sarah Kreis, Carlita, Chet Faker, Chika, Chromonicci, CloZee, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Desert Hearts, Dirtwire, DJ Minx, Edit, Elder Island, Elephant Heart, Eli & Fur, Empress Of, Eprom, Four Tet, G Jones, Glass Animals, Goldlink, Gone Gone Beyond, GRIZ, Hermanos Gutierrez, Hernan Cattaneo, HoneyLuv, Innellea, Ivy Lab, Jeremy Sole, Jeremy Sole & Nickodemus, Jhené Aiko, Joe Kay, Jon Casey, Jon Hopkins, Kaytranada, Khiva, Kilamanzego, Koffee, Kyle Watson, Lastlings, Lee Reynolds, Liam Fitzgerald, LIB, LIB 2022, Lightning in a Bottle, Lightning in a Bottle 2022, Little Simz, LSDREAM, Lubelski, Marbs, Marquess Wyatt, Max Cooper, Maya Jane Coles, Megan Hamilton, Memba, Mikey Lion, Mira, Monolink, Moodlite, Moontricks, Mr. Carmack, Muzi, Nickodemus, Of The Trees, Opiuo, Paraleven, Player Dave, Porky, Purity Ring, Rexx Life Raj, Rome in Silver, Sama' Abdulhadi, Sarah Kreis, Seth Troxler, SG Lewis, SOHMI, Soulection, The Librarian, VNSSA, WhoMadeWho, Yotto, Zebbler Encanti Experience

Doors Open: A Bay Area Reopening Series – Juanita MORE!

June 21, 2021 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

Photos by Molly Kish & courtesy of Juanita MORE! // Written by Molly Kish //

Juanita MORE! – Activist, Philanthropist, Entrepreneur & LGBTQ+ Representative

Walking into the home of Juanita MORE! feels more like you’re entering a museum than a TenderNob residence. After being greeted by her French bulldog Jackson scampering down the hallway, you enter the gorgeous garden apartment and are immersed in a time capsule of art, photos and memorabilia spanning her entire career. In her 30-plus years as an activist, philanthropist, LGBTQ+ representative and Bay Area icon, MORE! has been a muse for countless creatives and has inspired upwards of eight public art murals currently gracing the streets of San Francisco.

Her legacy, however, is one deeply rooted in her passion to represent and serve the various communities that she and her chosen family are ingrained in. Utilizing her many talents and immense reach, MORE! has been able to raise an astonishing amount of awareness and over $900,000 in donations to help keep queer culture and art thriving within the Bay Area.

Catching up with MORE! shortly after she was elected Empress of the Imperial Council of San Francisco, we spoke with her about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the LGBTQ+ nightlife scene and what she has done to further evolve her fundraising efforts. We also discussed how California’s reopening last week will play a huge part in this year’s Pride celebrations, her annual charity party and the future of events in the Bay Area.

Showbams: We’re finally at a point where California is coming out of the social, political and economic chaos of this past year. As someone who is directly involved with almost every community that has been affected by COVID-19, how are you feeling?

MORE!: I’m feeling super hopeful and super excited, but of course I’m a bit hesitant because I have been isolating and encouraging people to do that. We’ve gone through a year of being emotionally suppressed in a way that we normally don’t as humans. So, that’s going to take me a minute to snap out of. It’s gonna take little steps, not me just diving in. I’m not ready to do that. I’m still walking outside my house with my mask on, being super cautious and still abiding by all the rules.

Showbams: As a Bay Area artist, activist, philanthropist and entrepreneur, were you able to draw strength from any previous experiences that helped you to remain focused and diligent during this past year?

MORE!: Yes, definitely my chosen family. Right away we created a pod with my drag mother, best friend and also the Emperor to my Empress Mr. David Glamamore and one of my drag children and business partners, (who is also like one of my sons) Cole Church. We just knew we had to create this little pod because we’ve always taken care of each other. We decided that every Sunday the three of us are going to have dinner, and every now and then we would bring one other person in. They’re the ones in my life, in general that keep me grounded and focused in what I do.

You know what I do is very public and it has been until this went the other direction, but for me, as public as Juanita is, I really love when it’s not. That helps me re-energize, and it helps me become more creative. So at first I was like, “Oh, this feels OK, sort of,” because I don’t really go out. I mean when I do, it’s Juanita and it’s either work or it’s to have a really great time. When I was doing drag normally, it sometimes was like 2-3 times a week and that’s a lot of drag! I just wanna be in my apartment. I mean … you’re in my apartment now, it’s a great nesting space! I made it super comfortable. So yeah, I would definitely say my little pod helped get me through. My chosen family and I have a big chosen family, so there you go.

“As public as Juanita is, I really love when it’s not. That helps me re-energize and it helps me become more creative.”

Showbams: As someone who has been a mother and mouthpiece for queer culture in the Bay Area, what was your initial thought when the industry flatlined over night?

MORE!: Well, one big concern was that most of my friends work in nightlife, from every part of it in lighting and sound people to DJs to venue owners … like just absolutely everyone! You know, the bar managers, the bartender, the barback, then the performers and the designers who are making the dresses for some of the artists. It just kept going even further and further. I ended up hooking up with the San Francisco Bay Area Nightlife Committee because we all felt like it was a much-needed time to start digging up resources and find fundraising to help people stay afloat. That struggle is still happening. Even though we’re seeing something on the horizon and it looks better, there’s still people who have not worked one day in a whole year. My friends who run events were just like, done.

The SF Party Store that was on Post Street, right around the corner from me you know, it was part of my walk! Jackson would go in there, and I would walk through to see if there was something I needed and it’s just gone. Fantastico, gone. Places where we would go to get things, now I’m like, “Oh my God, I gotta order this online?” It was part of my everyday.

Showbams: It seemed like almost immediately after news broke, you began to activate organizers, producers, entertainers, venue owners and more to develop the San Francisco Queer Nightlife Fund. Can you take me through the process of how you were able to get it up and running so quickly?

MORE!: Well, the team that was working on it … they’re a little more tactful at doing that kind of stuff than I am. I mean, I became the face of it and the voice of it for a lot of reasons. I have a huge reach, so it was good to put it to use for that situation. Everybody on the team was super invested. I think they’ve given out over $300,000 over the past year, which is amazing. Sometimes it just paid someone’s rent.

“I literally had people come up to my booth and cry when they saw me, because I had not seen them in a year.”

Showbams: Throughout your 30-plus years of service in the Bay Area, your fundraising in the LGBTQ+ community has been nothing short of legendary. Was it hard to adjust your methods and tactics during the pandemic?

MORE!: Yes. Last year it was tough to fundraise and was challenging for sure. To get everyone focused and be a part of a fundraiser that was online and in a different way and with so many, it became oversaturated. It’s almost hard to watch now. I mean, sometimes you know, there’s three things happening at the same time! I’m here with my iPad on one, another on my phone and I’m trying to watch and support everybody. But some great stuff has come out of it. There’ve been some baby drag queens that we may never have heard of until they got on the internet.

Showbams: Your philanthropic efforts have really included everything from virtual charity events to telethons, dance parties, art mart appearances and even bake sales! The LGBTQ+ community came up with so many creative ways to get through this past year. Were there any particular concepts you saw that were your favorites or you hope carry over into the future of fundraising?

MORE!: Oh wow, you know the Noe Art Mart was super special. I’m great friends with the organizers, Chris Hastings and the Lookout bar. When I did the first one, it was at that moment where people were just stepping out of their comfort zones to be outside. I literally had people come up to my booth and cry when they saw me because I had not seen them in a year. So that was super, super special, and also it gave young artists the opportunity to showcase their stuff, which they may have not had an audience for even pre-pandemic.

So, now I’ve got people hooked on my CBD bath salts and granola. People even start texting me in advance, like “Hold that for me, save that.” I’ve got some people who are so addicted to the bath salts … one of my friends in the East Bay, I get a photo of him every time he uses them. He’ll text me, “I had to stop and take a bath today, I was having a day.” I’m like, “That’s what they’re for!”

“If you have to bring your vaccination card and show it at the door, you gotta do that! If it’s a problem for you, then you’re not supposed to be at my party.”

Showbams: Aside from your background as a philanthropist, you’ve always had very strong political convictions which have manifested into amazing feats of activism throughout the Bay Area. Including over the past year, your call to action for the “March To Remember And Reignite Hope” as well as during 2020 Pride for “The Peoples March & Rally – Unite to Fight.” When organizing these events, did you ever feel conflicted about rallying people to activate and support when it also was during the time you were telling people to “stay the fuck home” and be cautious, especially around the immunocompromised and elderly members of the community?

MORE!: The first one was the “March to Reignite” in the Castro and that was literally, maybe just two weeks before we went into lockdown. The feeling like that was going to happen was already in the air. It was a beautiful turnout, one of my friends Ken Jones, who passed away last year, got to speak. Ken has been an activist for the longest, longest time and spoke in front of Badlands about racism and that kind of stuff. Then “The Peoples March” I felt like it was going to be safe because it was outdoors and that was already June so we had started to get a rhythm of how we were operating around each other with masks and such. That was a beautiful day. A lot of people did come up to me after and say, “That really felt like Pride to me.” When you look back at why Pride started in the 70’s, they just desperately needed to be seen and accepted, so they did it and we did something really important that day as well.

Showbams: Having taken place during Pride weekend, the march really brought the focus back to the original protests and the reasons for them during what has now become more of a commercial celebration. Looking at this year’s theme of “All In This Together,” do you think that tone will remain?

MORE!: I believe so. I think a few things are in play for me this June. With our restrictions lifted and San Francisco doing so well, the Governor is saying that June 15th is opening. Well, to the LGBTQ+ community that means, “Oh, you’re opening in the middle of Pride.” That’s a whole new thing! Of course, there still is so much more activism that attention needs to be brought to, but there’s also room there for a celebration. So, I feel like all of those things are definitely going to happen.

“But I also can’t think about it because it makes my wig too big.”

Showbams: You’re famously quoted in saying that “once this is all over, we’re going to have a hell of a huge party.” Is the iconic Junaita MORE! Party making its return this year?

MORE!: I’m working on some form of it, and I’m also working on The Peoples March. I mean to date, I’ve helped raise over $900,000, which is absolutely insane, and it helps support non-profits, which I think are very important. I’m working on planning it, have looked at some spaces and I think I’m going to be able to do it under all the guidelines. I’m that person, and I have to be.

I was talking to a friend and they were asking, “Well, what are you going to do?” I just said, “If you have to bring your vaccination card and show it at the door, you gotta do that! If it’s a problem for you, then you’re not supposed to be at my party. That’s OK. I still love you, and I’ll see you another time.” You know I have such a big family here, and it’s going to feel good to get as many of them together as I can. Also, I really feel like the community is pushing for and the circle of everyone that’s fully vaccinated is so large now, so that’s good.

Showbams: One more reason to celebrate is your coronation as the Empress of The Imperial Council of San Francisco. With its legacy as a non-profit fundraising organization benefitting diverse communities and charitable initiative projects, you truly are the perfect fit. However, you’ve mentioned that you and The Court work in different ways and that you wanted to bring some fresh energy into the system, to push them into new and exciting directions. Can you elaborate on what you mean by that?

MORE!: The founder of The Imperial Council, José Sarria, was a civil rights activist and a community leader, and I sort of am that as well. In some ways, I feel parallel — we’re doing the same things in different decades. I’ve been asked to be Empress before and I’ve always looked at their schedules and been like, “Oh my God! You guys are so busy, I can’t fit that into my schedule!” But then last summer, I watched the documentary “50 Years of Fabulous” and it really inspired me. It spoke to me and said, “You need to help them now, and you need to shine a brighter light on the organization.”

So, of course I’m going to raise money for them, that’s definitely going to be a thing. They’re a vehicle to spread that money back out into the community in a different kind of way than I do. It’s totally fine, as Empress I still will have influence on where the money goes, which is great. As far as social media, I want to make them more relevant. We’re living in a time of social media, it’s happening! The organization is a huge part of the city and has been forever. “50 Years of Fabulous” shows when it’s heyday really was, but I still feel like there are so many important things that we can focus on.

“At this point, it’s almost like Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy. They have a thing, right?”

Showbams: The Council is currently involved in an initiative that you’ve expressed excitement about. Can you further explain or offer any more details on what the LGBT Asylum Project is?

MORE!: I’ve worked with the LGBT Asylum Project since their conception, and I was one of the first persons to jump on board to champion and support them because I knew it was the right thing. Something that the director said to me was, “You really just came out and supported us when we were just a baby organization and that made such a bigger group of San Francisco look at us and see what we were doing, that we take it seriously and you really helped us get off the ground.” I love when that happens, and I don’t know that I sometimes intentionally do it, but I’m so happy when it does. I can’t remember how many years now that they have been running, but the director just recently said that to me and I never thought about it. I’m sure that’s happened in other places as well, and I’m super proud of it. But I also can’t think about it because it makes my wig too big.

Showbams: Emperors didn’t start getting elected to the court until 1972 and existed separate from the Empresses until 1983. But currently elected alongside you as the reigning Emperor is your longtime collaborator David Glamamore, officially making the current empire “The Court of More is MORE!” Was this an intentional joint campaign?

MORE!: No, and we couldn’t run it as one. I mean, the story of me meeting David is just so special and we have been truly best friends, mother, father, brother, sister and he’s my drag mother and I’m his drag daughter. When I met him in New York, he was doing drag before me so he considered me the very first MORE! boy. It’s so crazy! Now after 35-plus years of knowing each other, we finish each other’s sentences.

We’re best friends, but also on artistic projects, we feed off each other and make things just so beautiful together. I also own the most amount of clothes that David has ever made. The biggest collection, I have over 3,000 pieces! It’s gotten to the point where other designers have said they want to make me something, but at this point, it’s almost like Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy. They have a thing, right?

We’ve collaborated on so many things together that our minds just are the same and we end up seeing the same beauty in things. I mean, I can call David on the phone and say, “Oh, I bought four yards of this fabric and how should I move my pattern on it?” He lights his cigarette and says, “Hmm, just move your pattern down 15 inches and swing the arm over to the left 30 inches.” Or sometimes, he’ll just take a snapshot of a drawing he did that’s just a scribble and numbers, and I get it. That’s the part that other people are like, “Are you freaking kidding me? You just got off the phone and you’re going to cut that,” and I totally get it. I’ve done this with him for 30 years. I’m glad we’re doing this together. We’re also just great support for each other, like emotionally.

“When we come out of this, it’ll happen and it’s going to be good.”

Showbams: Going forward, can you think of one positive thing about this last year that you hope will carry over into the reopening of the Bay Area music and entertainment scene?

MORE!: For me, I think that I got a moment to kind of look at my life from another kind of way. Like I was saying earlier, I don’t really go out and I only really am ever doing so as Juanita. Well, all of the sudden I had to deal with that. That person who doesn’t go out. So, I think I learned a little bit more about myself as I’m adulting even more and knowing that when we come out of this, it’ll happen and it’s going to be good.

Editor’s Note: Since this interview, Juanita MORE! has scheduled her 18th annual Pride party at 620 Jones for this Sunday, June 27th. The 2021 celebration’s main focus will be on reigniting the LGBTQ+ nightlife scene in SF and will feature DJ sets from Bay Area talent as well as a live performance by singer Kaleena Zanders. All advanced tickets have been sold, but both cash and evening tickets (from 6-10:30 p.m. PT) will be available at the door. For more information on the beneficiaries of this year’s ticket sales, please visit imperialcouncilsf.org and sfqueernightlifefund.org.

DOORS OPEN: MORE COVERAGE HERE

Filed Under: Doors Open, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 50 Years of Fabulous, 620 Jones, Chris Hastings, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Doors Open, José Sarria, Juanita MORE!, Kaleena Zanders, LGBT Asylum Project, LGBTQ+, Lookout, Lookout Bar, mperial Council of San Francisco, Noe Art Mart

Doors Open: A Bay Area Reopening Series – Public Works

May 20, 2021 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

By Molly Kish //

Public Works – San Francisco

As the Bay Area continues to move into the least restrictive of COVID-19 tiers, many SF music venues remain optimistic for the months ahead. Public Works, much like The Midway, is another multifaceted space that has taken the outdoor approach for its event programming, converting an adjacent alleyway into a DIY lounge that also offers its own dining experience.

Continuing our “Doors Open” coverage of the Bay Area music and entertainment scene, we spoke with Public Works general manager Rob Casanovas to see how he and his team have been creatively adjusting the past year to survive the pandemic.

“Public Works is a very community-oriented venue. It does a very good job at trying to be as inclusive as possible and really putting that in the forefront in terms of how we book, present ourselves and the types of organizations we bring in and try to help out. It doesn’t really matter how big or small a promoter is, we’re really just trying to lay the fertile ground for them to grow.” – Rob Casanovas, General Manager

Walking into the SOMA venue during the morning hours feels more like you’re entering an art collective in the middle of a renovation. Naturally lit by giant skylights, Public Works’ main room is filled with houseplants, construction and stage equipment that otherwise would be tucked away or in use during normal operating hours.

Casanovas apologizes for the state of things, explaining that aside from being in the middle of internal restructuring and hiring back many original staff members, he has been working on several projects to retrofit the venue’s interior. But even after being employed at both 111 Minna Gallery and Mezzanine, Casanovas wasn’t sure if he was even ready to jump back into things when Public Works hired him to be its new GM in September.

“COVID wiped out the staff completely. When I came in, there was the bar manager and owner and that was it. When it happened we kind of kept people around for like two months, thinking that was going to be it and that we’d get back into it in June (2020). Then after going into a COVID depression for a bit, I got a phone call that Public Works was trying to do an outdoor thing and they needed somebody to run it. I was like ‘Alright, I could do that for a little bit.’ I wasn’t really ready to get back into the nightlife right away, after Mezzanine … I was like ‘I don’t know if I really want those hours anymore’ and I was really more interested in trying to help out with the art scene up here. But then I came in and I met Jeff the owner and he was just super rad. He cares about the community and really cares about the arts in the city, which was a big soft spot for me.”

Located at the foot of a dead-end alleyway, Public Works is in a unique location to capitalize on the “shared spaces” legislation that Mayor London Breed put into effect on March 16th. As part of SF’s crisis response strategy to sustain the locally owned small-business sector, the venue was able to transition into an outdoor dining experience by acquiring a “Just Add Music (JAM)” permit that allows for arts and culture activities to be the primary use of the space.

“When I came in September, we were like ‘Let’s try to do this outdoor thing,’ and the first week, it was absolutely terrifying. That weekend there were Friday and Saturday shows, and at points I literally had my hands on my head staring and thinking, ‘How am I going to control these people?'”

Facing the ever-changing entertainment regulations and hearing about other failed, early-pandemic events, Public Works made sure to tread very lightly in cooperation with COVID-19 guidelines and local municipalities. Though the venue doesn’t have an attached kitchen or commissary, it enlisted local pop-ups and food trucks while staffing servers and bartenders to ensure that all food service was run legally and seamlessly.

“The whole switching to outdoor dining wasn’t the hardest, but it was just adding another cog to the wheel. Making sure everyone remained distant, had a meal and taking the time to explain all the new rules to everyone. Like in order for this to happen it needs to be a dining experience. Explaining that to some people who aren’t used to it was kind of difficult. But I would take the time to really break it down for them and let them know that we’re not breaking the bank here. Whatever the food vendors sold, they took home — they made all their money. We’re literally trying to run this to cover operations, and if we can make an extra $500-1,000 to put towards rent, then we’re stoked.

Eventually people started getting it, knowing that ultimately we wanted to bring value to what we’re doing. We weren’t just trying to throw a DJ out there with some tables and call it a day. I mean, we load everything in and out, every single night. We put out all the plants, tables, decor, stanchions … we built and painted the palettes! We’re really trying to transform that alleyway, so that it has a good vibe.”

Aside from having to change their business model and battling undeterminable factors such as rising COVID-19 rates and Bay Area weather, Casanovas says the venue’s main concern throughout the past year was making sure that their guests’ comfort levels were respected and maintained.

“What really changed for us was how we approach putting on events and take into account everyone’s comfortability levels. The spectrum of who believes in COVID and who cares about masks, that all exists. But in order to throw an event you have to be able to make sure that it’s comfortable for everybody and be able to enforce the rules in a very manageable and happy way. The service-industry aspect really starts ringing true a lot more. When we’re in a nightclub, not saying you can just be an asshole to somebody, but you have to be way more gentle now.

If me putting on a mask makes someone else comfortable then I’m good with doing it. That’s kind of where we’re at. Until they say that we don’t have to wear them anymore, at Public Works if you’re standing then you have to wear a mask. Mask on, dance on! We have people that will book like three tables, so of course they’re going to want to hang out. All we say is to make sure that you have the correct amount of people at your table who can physically sit there. Just don’t be in a circle, masks off, chopping it up. Most everybody that comes by is super receptive and really nice and understanding. The return really is how grateful everybody is. Everyone sees the work that we put in, and it’s nice. It’s fun to even interact with people again, so it’s all worth it.”

With COVID-19 restrictions starting to ease up in California this spring, Casanovas says it’s pretty much full steam ahead from this point on. Although the transition has been nerve-wracking, tireless and even a bit overwhelming at times, he and his crew are beyond excited for the endless possibilities in the months to come.

As we walk through the building, Casanovas points out the various projects he’s working on and you can physically see his face light up when explaining what he envisions as the end result. He mentions how he looks forward to transforming the space, bringing in new types of talent and using this moment as a jumping-off point to expand upon Public Works’ identity as a communal space and venue.

“Honestly we feel like we have a pretty big responsibility right now. Our team is getting rebuilt and we’re kind of seeing who wants to be a part of it. I mean how many people get to come out of a pandemic and usher in a new scene? It’s gonna be crazy.

We really wanted to do something to keep it alive and really get ground level with the people who want to keep doing stuff. To see who’s out there and who wants to play! Right now we’re doing this for scraps, but we ARE doing it. Music has always been up in the forefront and everything else always trailed in the back, so now we’re really trying to close that gap. We really want to come out a lot more art forward and are going to try and bring in a lot more visual and theatrical elements. We’re talking about exactly what we can do to kind of give a little more. I don’t want to come back and just be a DJ in a room and like that’s it.

The only reason we are in this business is to throw a party and make sure that everybody can kind of let loose and bring the chill back into the world really. That’s what we’re really trying to think about now. Like how do we do this and in the right way.”

Check out Public Works’ event calendar for tickets here.

DOORS OPEN: MORE COVERAGE HERE

Filed Under: Doors Open, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 111 Minna Gallery, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Doors Open, Mezzanine, Public Works, Public Works SF, Rob Casanovas

BottleRock drops new 2021 lineup headlined by Guns N’ Roses, Stevie Nicks & Foo Fighters

May 17, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 3 Comments

BottleRock Napa Valley //
Napa Valley Expo – Napa, CA
September 3rd-5th, 2021 //

So much for 2020, right?

After releasing a lineup early last year that never got to play out over Memorial Day weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BottleRock will return to Napa Valley this September with a refreshed roster that includes some newly announced acts as well as some that were revealed a year ago like Steve Nicks.

Joining the Fleetwood Mac singer at the top of the 2021 poster are iconic rock bands Guns N’ Roses and Foo Fighters, creating quite a trilogy of star power for the music festival’s eighth installment over Labor Day weekend.

The #BottleRock 2021 lineup is here 🎶🤘🎉 + 3-day tickets go on sale this Thursday, May 20th at 10 a.m. PT.

Increase your chances of scoring tix to see @gunsnroses, @StevieNicks, @foofighters + more by pre-registering at: https://t.co/kmDRBMYQx9 pic.twitter.com/kzv9RaiLA3

— BottleRock Napa (@BottleRockNapa) May 17, 2021

While BottleRock has always catered to fans of rock ‘n’ roll (just look at many of the fest’s past headliners), it has also tried to offer an eclectic mix of genres and this year’s undercard that’s highlighted by Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, G-Eazy, Run the Jewels, Brandi Carlile, Cage the Elephant, Portugal. The Man, Young the Giant, Maren Morris, Black Pumas, Future Islands, LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy (DJ set), Jimmy Eat World, FINNEAS, Polo G, Jack Harlow, Milky Chance, Jessie Reyez, Dominic Fike, Chromeo, Mavis Staples and Jon Batiste proves that to be the case once again. And don’t forget about Village People! After all, how often do you get to see the legendary disco group perform live these days? Anyway, peep the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

But amidst all of the music, the three-day event will have its annual live cooking demonstrations between a variety of celebrity chefs, musicians and athletes at its beloved Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage that has seen appearances over the last several years by Alice Cooper, The Avett Brothers, Big Boi, Brett Dennen, Dan the Automator, E-40, Fitz and the Tantrums, Grouplove, Halsey, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Michael Franti, Questlove, Shakey Graves, Silversun Pickups, Snoop Dogg, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Tank and the Bangas, Warren G and more, too.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, May 20th at 10 a.m. PT here and start at $369 for a three-day GA pass while it’s $849 if you’re going for VIP. And if you’ve been saving up during quarantine, there’s always the three-day skydeck pass that will cost you a cool $1,599 or the platinum for a whopping $4,350.

UPDATE (May 24th): BottleRock has released its daily lineups for 2021, with Stevie Nicks performing Friday, Guns N’ Roses rocking Saturday and Foo Fighters closing things down on Sunday. Take a look at the daily schedules above before single-day tickets go on sale here for $187 (GA) or $211 (FLEX) plus fees each day starting this Thursday, May 27th at 10 a.m. PT.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 99 Neighbors, Absofacto, Adrian Belew, Alice Cooper, Atlas Genius, BabyJake, Big Boi, Big Freedia, Black Joe Lewis, Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Black Pumas, BottleRock, BottleRock 2021, Bottlerock Festival, BottleRock Napa, BottleRock Napa 2021, BottleRock Napa Valley, BottleRock Napa Valley 2021, Brandi Carlile, Brett Dennen, Buffalo Gospel, Cage the Elephant, Chris Pierce, Chromeo, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Crimson Apple, Dan the Automator, DeVotchKa, Digable Planets, DJ Z-Trip, Dominic Fike, Donna Missal, E-40, Finneas, Fitz & the Tantrums, Fitz and the Tantrums, Fleetwood Mack, Foo Fighters, Full Moonalice, Future Islands, G-Eazy, Gracie Adams, Grass Child, GROUPLOVE, Guns N' Roses, Halsey, Hamilton Leithauser, Hobo Johnson, Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers, HOKO, In The Valley Below, Jack Harlow, James Murphy, Jerry Harrison, Jessie Reyez, Jimmy Eat World, JJ Wilde, Jon Batiste, Joywave, Kota the Friend, Lawrence, LCD Soundsystem, Lily Medla, Macklemore, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Maren Morris, Matt Nathanson, Mavis Staples, Max, Meg Myers, Megan Thee Stallion, Michael Franti, Miley Cyrus, Milky Chance, Mod Sun, Molly Moore, Mondo Cozmo, MUNA, Napa Valley Youth Symphony, North Mississippi Allstars, Obsidian Son, Oliver Riot, Olivia O’Brien, Otto, Pacific Radio, Peter Harper, Polo G, Portugal. The Man, Questlove, Reignwolf, Remain in Light, Ripe, Run The Jewels, S8NT ELEKTRIC, Sam Johnson, Shakey Graves, Silverado Pickups, Silversun Pickups, Six60, Smith & Thell, Snoop Dogg, Spafford, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Stevie Nicks, Suki Waterhouse, Tank and the Bangas, The Alive, The Avett Brothers, The Last Bandoleros, Turkuaz, Valley, Village People, Walk Off The Earth, Warren G, Watchhouse, White Reaper, Young The Giant, ZZ Ward

Ohana Festival reveals updated 2021 lineup with Brandi Carlile, Spoon, Black Pumas & more

May 12, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 2 Comments

Ohana Festival //
Doheny State Beach – Dana Point, CA
September 24th-26th, 2021 //

Oh how we have missed you, live music! If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything over the past 15 months, it’s that the concert experience should never be taken for granted.

But with U.S. vaccinations increasing and summer right around the corner, music festivals are preparing to make their return all over the country, including up and down California, which has the lowest COVID-19 infection rate in the country now.

So why not escape to Doheny State Beach for a long weekend this September where you can rock out to Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder and Kings of Leon at Ohana Festival?

The countdown to #Ohana2021 starts NOW & we’re thrilled to announce some new artists on the lineup! Tickets on sale now at https://t.co/7NVjyrBFlL – secure your spot on the beach before it’s too late! pic.twitter.com/S27wJTZsP5

— The Ohana Fest (@TheOhanaFest) May 12, 2021

The three-day event founded by Vedder five years ago had already announced a 2020 lineup just days before the festival circuit was quickly shut down and now it has updated that roster, swapping in Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile, indie-rock veterans Spoon, psych-soul duo Black Pumas, LA punk rockers The Regrettes, Long Beach’s very own Cold War Kids, Salt Lake City four-piece The Backseat Lovers and TikTok sensation Sky McCreery for originally announced acts like The Pretenders, Dermot Kennedy, EOB, Broken Social Scene, Gangs of Youth, Inhaler and Ethan Gruska.

As you can see from the poster above, Ohana Fest has delivered another largely rock-leaning bill after an excellent showing in 2019 headlined by The Strokes, Vedder and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but this year also boasts one of its strongest undercards with My Morning Jacket, Maggie Rogers, Sharon Van Etten, Durand Jones & The Indications, Mac Demarco, Wild Belle and Real Estate all worthy of catching down in Dana Point.

On behalf of Ohana, we extend our deepest love and support to Caleb, Nathan, Jared, Matthew and the entire Followill & Kings of Leon family. Our hearts are with you. In their absence, My Morning Jacket will be playing an extended set followed by Eddie Vedder on Friday evening. pic.twitter.com/qb1GzhrpZq

— The Ohana Fest (@TheOhanaFest) September 23, 2021

UPDATE (September 23rd): Just a little more than 24 hours before they were supposed to take the stage, Kings of Leon have canceled their headlining performance on Friday due to a family emergency. In their absence, My Morning Jacket will play an extended set and Vedder will close out the fest’s first day with an additional appearance.

Three-day GA and Sunday single-day tickets are already sold out, but single-day tickets for Friday and Saturday can still be purchased here for $138.50 plus fees. Don’t wait before it’s too late, Ohana fam!

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: Amo Amo, Black Pumas, Brandi Carlile, Brandon Niederauer, Brian Fallon, Broken Social Scene, CAAMP, Cavetown, Cold War Kids, Combo Chimbita, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Dermot Kennedy, Durand Jones, Durand Jones & The Indications, Eddie Vedder, EOB, Ethan Gruska, Gangs of Youth, Greer, Inhaler, Jade Bird, Jonny Roundhouse, Kevin Garrett, Kings of Leon, La Luz, Liz Brasher, Mac Demarco, Maggie Rogers, Modern Eyes, Mon Laferte, My Morning Jacket, Night Moves, Ohana Fest, Ohana Fest 2021, Ohana Festival, Ohana Festival 2021, Pearl Jam, Plague Vendor, Pony Bradshaw, Pretenders, Radiohead, Real Estate, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rob Machado, Sharon Van Etten, Shovels & Rope, Sky McCreery, Son Little, Spoon, Taz, The Aquadolls, The Backseat Lovers, The Frames, The Ohana Festival, The Ohana Festival 2021, The Pretenders, The Regrettes, The Strokes, TikTok, Timmy Curran, Wild Belle, Will Dailey, Yola

Doors Open: A Bay Area Reopening Series – Matt Haney

May 10, 2021 by Molly Kish Leave a Comment

By Molly Kish //

Matt Haney – Supervisor, San Francisco Board of Supervisors (District 6)

Matt Haney has Bay Area advocacy in his blood. Raised predominantly by his mother in the East Bay, Haney was born into a family of civil rights activists and developed strong opinions about societal injustices. He noticed early on the ways in which his values were underrepresented in local politics, so he decided to get involved in efforts to reform them to support the communities that he was a part of while growing up.

Over the last decade, Haney has held roles as a faculty member at Stanford, an eviction defense attorney and a national policy director. He has served as vice president, president and commissioner of the SF School Board, and in 2019, Haney won in a landslide victory to become the supervisor of District 6, which stretches from the Tenderloin to Treasure Island. In the past year, he has not only assumed the position of budget chair on the Board of Supervisors, but has also worked tirelessly alongside the small business and entertainment commissions to introduce critical legislation that will help keep local, independent venues alive amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just days after the launch of his SF Music and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund, we caught up with Haney over a veggie omelette at a Market St. café to discuss his passion for preserving the culture and community of the Bay Area music and entertainment scene.

Showbams: Throughout your career you’ve worn many hats, so what ultimately made you want to run for the Board of Supervisors and led you to represent District 6?

Haney: I think a lot of it for me was recognizing the potential that the Bay Area has, when it comes to providing opportunity and a quality of life for everyone, wherever they are. We have a certain responsibility here, that is unlike many other places in the world and I had the opportunity to be a part of that.

I was working with a lot with families as a school board member and that led me to want to support my neighbors in other ways including: making sure they had housing, jobs and a future here in our city. This feeling is what led me to get more involved in citywide issues and ultimately to run for the Board of Supervisors.

He stops mid-thought to signal the waitress and asks for hot sauce and ketchup.

Haney: I think District 6 is one of the most special places in the world. It has just a tremendous amount of culture and history and the most “San Francisco” neighborhood in San Francisco, the Tenderloin. District 6 houses a lot of the growth and innovation in our city, and representing this area is an opportunity to try to make all of that work for everyone, better than it is now. Especially when it comes to some of the wealth and incredible opportunities that are here, I’m constantly thinking of how we make sure that they’re shared more broadly and that people have access to all the things they need to survive and thrive in our city.

“I think District 6 is one of the most special places in the world. It has just a tremendous amount of culture and history and the most ‘San Francisco’ neighborhood in San Francisco, the Tenderloin.”

Showbams: Over the last year, you’ve been a huge advocate for creating lifelines for independent music venues. Were you always interested in including music and entertainment into your political scope or was this something that was prompted by the pandemic’s effect on the local economy?

Haney: Ever since I’ve lived in San Francisco, I’ve been involved in the nightlife and music community here. In 2007, I moved in with a close friend who was one of the biggest event promoters at the time, his name is Nate Mezmer. So from that I got to know DJs, venue owners and all the challenges they had in operating here. I also saw from that time until now, many of those venues disappear. I witnessed the ways in which these venues, DJs, artists and bartenders were being pushed out of San Francisco and how it really impacted our culture and community here.

So much of the history of San Francisco is about different groups of people who were kicked out of other places and thought that they were alone. They came to San Francisco and were able to find each other here and in many cases that happened through nightlife and music and art. That’s a huge part of what I love and what’s so special about San Francisco and a lot of those venues are in my district now, so I really made it a big part of my goals to support them.

“So much of the history of San Francisco is about different groups of people who were kicked out of other places and thought that they were alone. They came to San Francisco and were able to find each other here and in many cases that happened through nightlife and music and art.”

Showbams: In December, you introduced your SF and Entertainment Venue Recovery Fund legislation in a special meeting with the SF Board of Supervisors. Can you elaborate on how the meeting went and the key initiatives of the proposal?

Haney: I was committed to putting forward this fund, even before we knew where the money was going to come from. It was a bit of a leap of faith in some ways. In December we were still facing a pretty bleak outlook concerning the city’s budget, but we decided to introduce it anyways and started to develop the provisions with the venues, entertainment and small business commissions. In January it was decided we needed to put at least 1.5 Million into it, and then as things moved forward I proposed for us to double that. Luckily, we all ended up on the same page.

SF VENUES: APPLY HERE

We tried to make the application as simple as possible and are offering awards of at least $10,000. So that’s either 300 grants at $10,000, 150 at $20,000 or … I feel that some may even get upwards of $50,000. A lot of them have really high rents and are actually in need of 100’s or 1,000’s of dollars so we’re not going to be able to meet the whole thing, but writing a venue a check for $50,000 is meaningful.

We get briefly interrupted by a fellow diner who wants to express his gratitude for Haney’s work involving tenants rights. He graciously acknowledges the man, asks him how his particular experience is and orders a refill on his coffee. In that moment, it was apparent how ingrained and conscientious Haney was of the everyday issues that residents in his district were facing. The fact that someone felt comfortable enough to approach him while he was dining and engaged in conversation was not only a testament to his character, but also to his involvement with the community that he both resides in and represents. He apologizes and continues …

Haney: There’s always some politics ya know, the mayor initially did not want to put money into the fund that we created so we had to say, “Well, things have changed a little bit because I’m the budget chair now, so it’s just gonna happen.” It was kind of wild to have that level of power and be able to use it for something really important. It was the first real opportunity I had to do so in the new position.

For the last couple of years I was more of a flamethrower. So when the introduction of this fund came about I was still in that role and everyone kind of said, “Whoa, OK … you want to just take some money and give it to venues? Where’s that money coming from?” I said, “I don’t know yet” and then was able to move into a position of more power in relation to the budget, which allowed me to actually get the funds.

“It was kind of wild to have that level of power and be able to use it for something really important.”

Showbams: So the applications went live on April 21st, providing upwards of 300 grants for the initial funding. Do you feel optimistic that there will be a phase two of funding?”

Haney: I’m optimistic that we will add more money to the fund. We may need to learn from who applies, what the need is and change it accordingly in terms of targeting. In fact, some of what we’re going to need to focus on I think not just for these venues, but for small businesses more broadly, is commercial debt relief. Some of these venues may be getting the $25-50,000 dollars and they can’t even begin to have a conversation about their back due rent.

Each venue I think is in a different position because the only thing that has been universal is commercial eviction protection. Some of these venues may have just put pause on all rent for this past year, and now they have to have a conversation with their property management if they don’t own their own building. Then, the result is that they’ll have to negotiate some sort of payment plan and we’re going to have to figure out how we can meet up with that. So, that’s what I think might be the next phase of this.

We’re going to have to help these venues with their debt, but I hope they start to make even more money than they did before the pandemic. I hope that we can be more supportive of them and recognize their value, as to not make everything so hard for them to operate here. We need to protect our independent venues so that they can thrive and grow here and are able to create more spaces and events, to give them opportunities to do just that.

“We need to protect our independent venues so that they can thrive and grow here and are able to create more spaces and events, to give them opportunities to do just that.”

Showbams: Once the Bay Area opens back up, what’s the first venue that you would like to attend an event at?

Haney: I do miss a number of venues in my district. In the Tenderloin, I go to Black Cat and PianoFight a lot and I look forward to being able to go back to those two for sure. In the other parts of my district, I will definitely be at 1015 Folsom and 111 Minna Gallery when they reopen.

I really hope that by mid-June, if things go as they are now, that most of these venues can open at 100%. There’s no reason that I can think of — the vaccines have been very widely available for months — that a venue can’t allow a 100% capacity if everyone has been vaccinated. You should just be able to show your card or whatever, unless the vaccine starts to break down in some way. Then we’ve got a lot of other problems besides our venues.

“There’s no reason that I can think of — the vaccines have been very widely available for months — that a venue can’t allow a 100% capacity if everyone has been vaccinated.”

As we commiserate over the shows we have missed with the hope for some rescheduled dates soon, Haney finishes what was left of his side salad and asks the waitress for the check. His phone has been blowing up the entire interview, and it’s only in this moment that he glances at the numerous missed calls and texts. The waitress exchanges some cheerful banter with him as she finally places where she recognizes Haney from, and in return, he compliments the service and quality of his omelette. As he waits to sign the check and starts to visibly drift back into work mode, I ask him one final question.

Showbams: Have there been any positive takeaways from the events of the past year?

He pauses for a second and takes a long, deep breath before replying.

Haney: The incredible resilience of the city, its businesses and our residents. The businesses and people that are still here really fought through a lot to stay in this city. I think coming out of the pandemic, it’s going to be really important to recognize, develop a greater appreciation for and not take for granted.

I think that’s what makes me hopeful and now we as a government acknowledge how much the Bay Area needs venues and places to see each other, celebrate and be inspired.

DOORS OPEN: MORE COVERAGE HERE

Filed Under: Doors Open, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: 1015 Folsom, 111 Minna Gallery, Black Cat, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, District 6, Doors Open, Matt Haney, PianoFight, Politics, San Francisco, SF Supervisor

Doors Open: A Bay Area Reopening Series – The Midway

April 29, 2021 by Molly Kish 1 Comment

Photos courtesy of The Midway // Written by Molly Kish //

The Midway – San Francisco

On March 15th, 2020, bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs all across the Bay Area were told to close effective immediately under California state order as industries long considered to be the backbone of the Bay Area’s cultural identity were shattered overnight by COVID-19.

While restaurants and retail began to slowly continue operations, the state’s color coded reopening plan left venues shuttered. Without any clear indication or timeline as to what the future held, SF’s nightlife was left to wonder when (or if), they’d ever be able to announce “Doors Open” again.

Amidst this last year of pandemic chaos, several local entities demonstrated resilience in preserving the city’s entertainment infrastructure. Setting the precedent for the rest of the country through unwavering passion and innovation, this series highlights key figures and institutions that continue to survive, fight for and usher in the re-opening of the Bay Area economy.

To start things off, we feature a SF venue that has progressively and successfully transformed in order to keep its doors open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic: The Midway.

Providing moderated crowds with uniquely intimate and COVID-19 friendly experiences, we spoke with The Midway’s assistant general manager Andrea Kirk about the struggles, endurance and ingenuity it takes to run an entertainment space during a global pandemic.

“The Midway is an intersection of art, culture, technology and food. We really aim to bring together all of those different elements that would be considered to be part of the creative realm and to be a canvas for different types of ideas that are coming through.” – Andrea Kirk, Assistant General Manager

It’s 3 p.m. on a Thursday, and The Midway patio is surprisingly active. Technicians are testing speakers, managers are laying out floor plans and several forklifts continue to load in tables, chairs and audio equipment. The energy is bustling. Kirk arrives and suggests that we relocate to the venue’s main room to avoid the noise.

Sitting at a table staged for an upcoming event, Kirk proceeds to laugh and lament about the absurdity of everything, humbly recognizing the fact that it’s a privilege to even have the opportunity to be interrupted by a load-in this afternoon. She’s still processing the emotions of the pandemic and subsequent toil it took on the Bay Area as she candidly discusses the moment it all became real and the past 18 months at The Midway.

“I mean, I think that there was definitely a certain level of disbelief. Not in a ‘is COVID real?’ sort of way but more of a ‘Is this really happening?’ It felt very surreal. Having to drop everything to a 250-person capacity effectively meant that we had to shut everything down. Afterwards we went into shelter in place for the two weeks which then was extended and extended again and it just was sort of like, ‘What is happening in the world?’ and not even having words to even identify thoughts or feelings about it. Just being really in shock.”

During the months leading up to reopening, Kirk’s main focus was to keep optimistic, explore all creative options and maintain open and honest communication with the staff. As businesses stood by watching the Bay Area dance between colors on the tier system, the staff of The Midway decided to be proactive with their options.

“I remember when we were approaching our initial ability to reopen, which I guess would’ve put us into the purple tier the first time and it was really such an experiment for us. We realized that outdoor dining was going to open and that we have our café on site, so one of the things we kept doing regularly was have a weekly staff check in. It really helped for all of us to stay on the same page.

This allowed for us to really have the conversation and realize that ‘Oh, wait we do fit this criteria?’ and raise the question of ‘Do we actually think anyone would come out, if we did it?’ You know those first several events I think we were losing money on them, but we really felt that it was so important to have something for people to do. When I say that I’m not just talking about the people who are coming to these events, I mean it was really important for us psychologically. Our team having the ability to do something and have ‘work’ … many tears of relief were shed.”

The Midway made its best efforts to comply with the city’s fluctuating live entertainment regulations, with initial events ranging from comedy shows to movie nights and even outdoor drag shows. Providing one of the only spaces in the Bay Area to engage in socially distant entertainment, the venue operated for about six weeks before it ran into its biggest obstacle yet.

“There was obviously that fact that we were shut down, which I think everyone knows about. The funny part was when an article was published about it months after the fact, people assumed that it had happened again, when it hadn’t. I think that was really hard because first of all, on that evening we were less than 10 minutes away from the end of the event and of course this is when the cops show up. When they wrote us up, they were saying ‘Oh, you guys don’t have food and you don’t have this or that,’ and literally my chef was walking out and the rest of the kitchen staff was still on site. It was just one of those moments where you’re thinking, ‘This looks so much worse than it is.’

Most disappointing was not the fact that we got a lot of feedback from the health department or anything like that, it was actually that they straight up gave us a cease and desist order instead of anybody reaching out to contact us. It was point blank ‘You have done all of the things wrong’ and ‘Let’s get the lawyers involved,’ which was really unfortunate.”

On July 22nd, 2020, The Midway was amongst a large sweep of businesses that were temporarily closed by the San Francisco Health Department. Along with the EndUp, The Knockout and Valencia Room amongst others, the venue’s live entertainment and dining experiences were once again placed on hold just weeks after it got up and running.

“We’ve since come around and been able to really have more of a real conversation with them. It’s been a balance to do this both safely and in a manner that people feel comfortable, which aren’t always the same thing.

There was a lot of back and forth during the shut down. Some very valuable information was exchanged but also with consecutive frustration when for example: you’ve got redlined documents in which we stated ‘tables and chairs are cleaned between guests,’ and we get told, ‘You need to say tables and chairs are sanitized between each guest’ I do feel like a lot of that could’ve happened in a really good conversation and that it didn’t need to go the way it went, but again, there were good things that came out of it too. We definitely revamped a few things, including how our security worked and service was conducted.”

After adjustments were made to comply with the new standards, The Midway was able to continue with their operations within a matter of weeks. The current outdoor layout spans two full city blocks accommodating more than 100 tables, all of which are limited to four people per designated space. The patio remains open with access to two outdoor bars and the venue’s café, Madame Zola’s Fortune, is providing both brunch and dinner menu options.

“Some of the changes just sort of happened naturally, like how we have the ability for people to do contactless ordering from their tables. This was something that we had just started to do via online ordering with our café, for our neighbors. I think we were some of the early adopters of that, and now you see it at just about every restaurant that I’ve been to in multiple states at this point. It was really nice to just be able to do that, and it definitely has been the thing that has allowed us to successfully scale. Getting 100 tables out here is a lot, especially if you have service. So, the online ordering has been really key in our ability to operate at the level that we are.”

Transitioning from streams and virtual events into full scale performances was no easy feat. Besides the logistical nightmare of attempting to book artists who were available and interested in performing, The Midway faced the challenge of creating an audio experience that would be comparable to the venue’s main room, but outdoors.

“We had to uninstall a bunch of equipment from one of the rooms here and really dig into our inventory to make sure that we were able to hit the sound outside, which in part was due to the new standards but also conversations with the neighbors, who have been absolutely amazing. I’m grateful that they are very supportive and they basically have an open invitation to come to any of the shows, (they just have to let us know so that we can reserve them a table).”

Though navigating the last few months has been no easy feat, Kirk remains positive in the fact that the venue has booked a consistently busy event calendar that people continue to remain excited about. As the vaccination rates rise in SF, the possibility of a “return to normalcy” in 2021 becomes more and more realistic by the day. Even with the current limitations, The Midway has already started to book their several indoor spaces for upcoming events and dining series.

“As for additional culinary things coming up, they’re still kind of in the works, but we’re developing a series of different types of tastings, food and liquor pairings. We’re very excited about those. In terms of the exhibits, we actually opened up our ‘Artist in Residence’ program, which was supposed to be a six-month cohort and it’s now going to be like nine or ten months just because we had opened and shut. We’ll be doing some shows with them later in the fall, and we actually are going to be launching some workshops with the artists as well.”

Instead of viewing this past year as an insurmountable challenge, Kirk and The Midway’s staff have taken risks to provide the Bay Area with an ingenious spin on outdoor entertainment. By utilizing its property and assets to their full potential, The Midway has not only been able to work around barriers other clubs have not been able to, but it also has produced events and concepts that have exceeded so many of their guests’ expectations.

“Well, our brunch has been really successful, and I think that there’s at least some elements of that we would love to keep. It’s funny because I moved to San Francisco just about four years ago and one of the things I said was that ‘I still love to go out and go dancing, but I just don’t know if I want to be up until 4 a.m. for much longer. Then I thought, day parties … day parties are great in the Bay Area!

They’ve been so good for our café, to really just come up with solid menus and develop them to shift seasonally. Whereas before, I think a lot of our café food was based on what corporate events would say they’d want on their menus. We will always have certain key dishes, but now there’s seasonal changes that will happen as well. So, I think from a creative aspect there is a lot more going on now.”

Looking toward the future, Kirk sees no slowing down and expects California — should things continue to trend positively — to be back in action in accordance with the statewide projection of June 15th. She remains grateful for The Midway’s ability to survive the challenges of this past year but could not be happier for the proverbial end in sight.

Remaining cognizant of everything that the venue has been able to endure, Kirk mentions how she has been humbled and changed personally by the pandemic. Her main takeaway, however, is much more indicative of the strength of her work force as well as her genuine leadership and core values as the venue’s assistant GM that truly make The Midway a relentless force in the re-opening of the Bay Area.

“No. 1 thing that I have gotten out of COVID is an emphasis on how we all work together. In my opinion, The Midway has always had a family vibe and I roll my eyes a little because I know that people say that and it’s annoying. But we really had each other’s backs through this across the board, and I am super duper proud of this team and how they’ve worked together.

I would say secondarily was the need for people to get out and have a way to do that in a safe manner. But 100% it has all been to make sure that our staff is taken care of.”

Check out The Midway’s event calendar for reservations here.

DOORS OPEN: MORE COVERAGE HERE

Filed Under: Doors Open, Editor's Picks, Featured Tagged With: Andrea Kirk, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Doors Open, Madam Zolas Fortune, Pandemic, Reopening SF, Save The Rave, The Midway, The Midway SF

HARD Summer Music Festival returns in 2021 with Future, DJ Snake B2B Malaa enlisted as headliners

March 30, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 1 Comment

HARD Summer Music Festival //
NOS Events Center – San Bernardino, CA
July 31st-August 1st, 2021 //

Four months.

With so many of us forced to spend the past year at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it might be hard to believe that live music is slowly returning in the U.S. Yet, that’s exactly how much longer it will be before California hosts its first large-scale music festival again when HARD Summer returns this July and August.

The annual two-day event, which has long leaned in the electronic direction but has incorporated more and more hip-hop acts since 2015, has moved around the greater Los Angeles area over the last several years, occupying Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte and the Fairplex in Pomona before eventually migrating to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana for the last four editions, but HARD founder and CEO Gary Richards has found a new home less than 20 miles away.

HARD SUMMER 2021 GET INTO IT. 🤘🔥 Secure your pass for $9.95 down this Friday at 10AM PT 🔗 https://t.co/s83XEylRsM

We'll see you at the NOS Events Center July 31 + August 1, 2021. Secure your pass early to lock in the lowest payment plan. 🤝🎉 pic.twitter.com/JyVvIXeNsz

— HARD Events (@HARDFEST) March 30, 2021

Employing the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino for its 13th installment, HARD Summer 2021 will not only see Atlanta rapper Future headline for the first time but also a rare B2B set by DJ Snake and Malaa. Plus, the fest’s undercard offers enough of its own star power with Rezz, Dillon Francis, Kaytranada, RL Grime B2B Baauer, 2 Chainz, Don Toliver, Skream, Jauz, Kayzo, Ekali, Iann Dior, Lil Durk, Hulk Gang (Valentino Khan + 4B), Maya Jane Coles, Slushii, G Jones B2B Eprom, JOYRYDE, A-Trak, SAYMYNAME, Wax Motif, Solardo and more all scheduled to perform. Check out the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

GA and VIP passes are on sale this Friday, April 2nd at 10 a.m. PT here for fans ages 18 and over, with payment plans also available for one-day or two-day tickets after a $9.95 or $19.99 deposit.

So, who’s ready to go HARD this summer?

UPDATE (May 5th): Well, it sure sounds like plenty of people are ready to get down this summer as two-day and Saturday single-day passes are now sold out! Tickets to Sunday’s festivities are still available here so make sure to grab them before it’s too late.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: $NOT, 1788-L, 2 Chainz, 2Deep, 4B, A-Trak, Anabel Englund, Ardalan, Arius, Austin Millz, Baauer, Bad Boys Club, Benda, Biicla, Bijou, Bleep Bloop, Blunts & Blondes, Born Dirty, Cam Girl, Capozzi, Cassian, CharlestheFirst, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Craze, Dack Janiels, Dials, Dillon Francis, DJ Scheme, DJ Snake, Dombresky, Don Toliver, Drezo, Ekali, Elohim, Eprom, Future, G Jones, Godlands, HARD Summer, HARD Summer 2021, HARD Summer Music Festival, HARD Summer Music Festival 2021, Hekler, Hex Cougar, Holly, Hulk Gang, Iann Dior, JAUZ, JOYRYDE, JSTJR, K?D, Kaytranada, Kayzo, Lee Foss, Lick, Lil Durk, Lisbona Sisters, Lucati, Malaa, Manila Killa, Mario Judah, Maya Jane Coles, Monoky, Mr. Carmack, NIna Las Vegas, Nitepunk, Nitti Gritti, Noizu, Nostalgix, Partiboi69, Phantoms, Prospa, Ranger Trucco, Ravell, REZZ, Riot Ten, RL Grime, Rubi Rose, Sage Armstrong, SayMyName, Schade, Sippy, Skream, Slushii, Softest Hard, Solardo, Soul Clap, Thee Mike B, Tynan, Valentino Khan, Virtual Riot, VNSSA, Walker & Royce, Wax Motif, Whipped Cream, Wuki, Yultron, Zia

Outside Lands 2021 moves to Halloween weekend as Glass Animals, Kaytranada & more join the party

March 18, 2021 by Josh Herwitt 4 Comments

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
October 29th-31st, 2021 //

The past 12 months have been a tense and agonizing time for musicians and live music fans everywhere. With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the concert and festival circuits for months on end, many of us around the world have had to resort to livestreams and drive-in performances to help get us through the chaos until normalcy resumes.

But those days could be coming to an end soon in the U.S. as vaccinations continue to rise and for those who are looking to celebrate Halloween this year in style with both friends and strangers (if you can believe it), look no further than Golden Gate Park when Outside Lands makes its long-awaited return to SF.

While the three-day music festival made the decision in June to cancel any plans for 2020 and instead target August 2021 for its 13th installment, organizers have given us a spooky surprise by shifting the event back more than two months.

ranger dave hopes you're ready for the ultimate halloween weekend – outside lands is moving to october 29 – 31, 2021! 3-day tickets are on sale now. https://t.co/wMSL1BSTYU pic.twitter.com/9BVA7QSH8M

— Outside Lands (@sfoutsidelands) March 18, 2021

Because whether you’re a kid or an adult, who doesn’t love the spirit of Halloween? The new dates scheduled for October will mark the first time that OSL won’t occur during its usual month of August, though those aren’t the only changes that were announced with this latest postponement news.

The fest, in fact, is also giving its 2021 lineup a slight makeover with the additions of Glass Animals, Kaytranada, Lord Huron, SG Lewis, Flo Milli, 24kGoldn, Cannons, Buscabulla, JESSIA, Claud and several others while previously confirmed acts such as Beach House, Bonobo, Polo & Pan, Big Thief, Tones and I, EOB, Parcels, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and The Beths have unfortunately been removed from the poster. And for those hoping to see Tame Impala, Lizzo and/or The Strokes on the Lands End stage, don’t you worry — all three are still set to make their headlining debuts once day turns to night. See the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

Itching to get back out there and ready to don your best festival costume? Three-day GA and VIP passes to OSL 2021 are on sale now with payment plans available for both so don’t forget to purchase your tickets here and check out our coverage over the years here.

UPDATE (March 23rd): Wow! And just like that, three-day GA and VIP passes are sold out. If you’re looking for single-day tickets, stay tuned for more details soon.

UPDATE (April 27th): Outside Lands has released its daily lineups for 2021, with The Strokes headlining Friday, Lizzo performing Saturday and Tame Impala on Sunday to wrap up the weekend. Take a look at the daily schedules above before single-day tickets go on sale here for $165 (GA) and $375 (VIP) plus fees starting this Thursday, April 29th at 10 a.m. PT.

ranger dave welcomes nicolá cruz, salami rose joe louis, and @bscoutsband to the #outsidelands 2021 lineup! pic.twitter.com/bdlFlhUczG

— Outside Lands (@sfoutsidelands) September 30, 2021

UPDATE (September 30th): With less than a month to go before the festivities begin, organizers have revealed that Nicola Cruz, Salami Rose Joe Louis and Boy Scouts have each been added to the lineup.

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals Tagged With: 070 Shake, 24kGoldn, A R I Z O N A, Amy Allen, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Angel Olsen, Badshah, Bakar, Bartees Strange, Beach House, Big Thief, Bonobo, boy pablo, Boy Scouts, Brijean, Brittany Howard, Burna Boy, Buscabulla, Cam, Cannons, Caroline Polachek, Claud, Coronavirus, Coronavirus Pandemic, Covid 19, COVID-19 Pandemic, Crooked Colours, Dijon, Dr. Dog, DRAMA, EarthGang, Ed O'Brien, EOB, Evann McIntosh, Flo Milli, Glass Animals, Goth Babe, Hinds, J Balvin, J. Phlip, JESSIA, JPEGMAFIA, Julia Jacklin, Kaytranada, Kehlani, Khruangbin, Lizzo, Lord Huron, Madeline Kenney, Mahalia, Marc E. Bassy, Marc Rebillet, Melanie Martinez, Moses Sumney, mxmtoon, Nap Eyes, Neal Francis, NEIL FRANCES, Nelly, Nicola Cruz, Noga Erez, ODIE, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2020, Outside Lands 2021, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2021, Parcels, Polo & Pan, Post Animal, Q, Radiohead, Remi Wolf, Resistance Revival Chorus, Rexx Life Raj, Rico Nasty, Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Salami Rose Joe Louis, Scarypoolparty, SG Lewis, Sharon Van Etten, Shiba San, Shilan, Sofía Valdés, Sofi Tukker, Tame Impala, The 1975, The Beths, The HU, The Midnight, The Soul Rebels, The Strokes, Tones and I, Trevor Daniel, TroyBoi, Tyler the Creator, Vampire Weekend, Young Thug, Yung Bae, Yves Tumor, zhu

NINE INCH NAILS

YVES TUMOR

“As public as Juanita is, I really love when it’s not. That helps me re-energize and it helps me become more creative.”

“I literally had people come up to my booth and cry when they saw me, because I had not seen them in a year.”

“If you have to bring your vaccination card and show it at the door, you gotta do that! If it’s a problem for you, then you’re not supposed to be at my party.”

“But I also can’t think about it because it makes my wig too big.”

“At this point, it’s almost like Audrey Hepburn and Givenchy. They have a thing, right?”

“When we come out of this, it’ll happen and it’s going to be good.”

“I think District 6 is one of the most special places in the world. It has just a tremendous amount of culture and history and the most ‘San Francisco’ neighborhood in San Francisco, the Tenderloin.”

“So much of the history of San Francisco is about different groups of people who were kicked out of other places and thought that they were alone. They came to San Francisco and were able to find each other here and in many cases that happened through nightlife and music and art.”

“It was kind of wild to have that level of power and be able to use it for something really important.”

“We need to protect our independent venues so that they can thrive and grow here and are able to create more spaces and events, to give them opportunities to do just that.”

“There’s no reason that I can think of — the vaccines have been very widely available for months — that a venue can’t allow a 100% capacity if everyone has been vaccinated.”

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