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

Primavera Sound LA 2022Photos 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:


Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Lorde

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Khruangbin

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Nine Inch Nails

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Arctic Monkeys

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.

Primavera Sound LA 2022

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.

Portola Music Festival makes debut at SF’s Pier 80 this September with Flume & The Chemical Brothers headlining inaugural edition

Portola Music Festival - 2022 lineup

Portola Music Festival //
Pier 80 – San Francisco
September 24th-25th, 2022 //

Holy Portola!

If you thought we were done announcing festival lineups in the state of California this year, well … you thought wrong. Because with the music industry looking to make up for lost time as we try to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic into more normal times, Goldenvoice isn’t slowing down in 2022.

After bringing This Ain’t No Picnic back to SoCal for the first time in almost 20 years this August, the renowned concert promoter has uncovered the new Portola Music Festival, which is named after the Portola Festival of 1909 — a celebration of SF’s reopening following the earthquake of 1906 that was created to attract tourists at the time — and will take over Pier 80 for two days in September.

Flume and The Chemical Brothers are booked to headline the inaugural edition of the two-day festival leaning primarily in the electronic direction, although there’s a sliver of hip-hop and pop mixed into its stellar undercard that boasts Kaytranada, James Blake, Jamie xx, M.I.A., Jungle, Lane 8, Charli XCX, Peggy Gou, Gorgon City, Toro y Moi, Four Tet + Floating Points, Fred again.., SG Lewis, Fatboy Slim, Duke Dumont (Live), Caroline Polachek, Yaeji, Caribou, The Blessed Madonna, Omar Apollo, Bicep (Live), L’Impératrice, The Avalanches, Yves Tumor, Arca, Channel Tres, PinkPantheress, Ben Böhmer, Hot Since 82, DJ Shadow, Justin Martin, Romy, slowthai, Ross From Friends and more. Quite simply, the lineup is pretty much a dream come true for any fan of the indie-electronic space right now with a couple of local favorites like Toro y Moi and DJ Shadow thrown in for good measure. Check out the poster above for the rest of this year’s roster.

You can buy tickets to Portola starting this Friday, May 20th at 10 a.m. PT with payment plans available, but make sure to register here for your presale code. Two-day GA passes start at $299.95 and increase to $349.95 (or $199.95 to $224.95 for single-day tickets) while two-day VIP can be purchased for more than double at $774.95 (or $399.95 for one day) here if you’re age 21 and up.

Don’t sleep on what’s sure to be an epic dance party down by the docks!

Portola Music Festival - updated 2022 lineup

UPDATE (July 19th): With the fest getting ready to make its debut in just more than two months, Bob Moses, Mochakk and Thee Mike B are joining the 2022 lineup and are set to perform on Saturday. See the updated poster above for the rest of the roster. Two-day GA and single-day GA passes for Saturday are running low but still available here so go get ’em before it’s too late!

Portola Music Festival 2022 - Saturday set times

Portola Music Festival 2022 - Sunday set times

Portola Music Festival 2022 - map

UPDATE (September 8th): Set times are here! Portola would also like to remind attendees that “there are NO bad decisions and regret is a four letter word.” But seriously, there are some really hard choices to make when taking a closer look, including Flume vs. Jamie xx vs. Fatboy Slim on Saturday and The Chemical Brothers vs. Four Tet + Floating Points vs. Toro y Moi on Sunday. Peep the schedule as well as the map above if you’re going this month and make sure to snag your tickets here while you still can!

Goldenvoice

10 California music festivals you won’t want to miss in 2022

2022 California music festivalsWritten by Josh Herwitt //

With live music returning to stages across the U.S. during the second half of last year and spring now right around the corner, 2022 is shaping up to be a monumental year for the industry and a big reason for that is the comeback of the music festival. California has certainly played a major part in its revival coming out of a global pandemic, with a number of single-day and multi-day events already scheduled to take place up and down the Golden State over the next six-plus months. So, who’s ready for festival season to begin?

If you’re itching to hit a music festival, here are 10 in California you should save your cash for this year.


CRSSD Festival - Spring 2022 lineup

CRSSD Festival
Location: Waterfront Park – San Diego
Dates: March 5th-6th
Tickets: Buy them here!

One North American concert promoter who wasn’t deterred by the news surrounding the coronavirus’ omicron variant a few months ago 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. Unleashing another electronic-leaning roster for its first installment in 2022 with Glass Animals and SOFI TUKKER as headliners, CRSSD has managed to hold tight with its plans. 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 and more stack the undercard.

READ MORE HERE


Smokin Groves Fest - 2022 lineup

Smokin Grooves Fest
Location: LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
Dates: March 19th
Tickets: Buy them here!

Smookin Grooves’ lineup 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 and more to the roster makes this another must-see production. The one-day fest is also getting a change of scenery as it relocates north to the 32-acre LA State Historic Park in the Chinatown neighborhood of downtown LA that once hosted FYF Fest and several HARD events.

READ MORE HERE


Coachella - 2022 lineup

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Location: Empire Polo Club – Indio, CA
Dates: April 15th-17th & April 22nd-24th
Tickets: Buy them here!

The three-day, two-weekend event is finally ready to give it another go in April after becoming one of the first large-scale music festivals in the U.S. to postpone its plans when the COVID-19 pandemic took the world by storm almost two years ago. Harry Styles and Billie Eilish will spearhead the 2022 lineup, with Swedish House Mafia back at Coachella for the first time in a decade since the electronic supergroup’s closing set on the main stage in 2012 and The Weeknd added late to help replace Ye (fka Kanye West). The famed California fest has had a penchant for booking more international acts — from BLACKPINK to Bad Bunny — in recent years, and 2022 will be no different.

READ MORE HERE


BeachLife Festival - 2022 lineup

BeachLife Festival
Location: Seaside Lagoon – Redondo Beach, CA
Dates: May 13th-15th
Tickets: Buy them here!

The three-day event moved to September in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s back to its normal month of May this year with plenty to get excited about. Leading the fest’s third installment will be Weezer and 311 as co-headliners on Friday while The Smashing Pumpkins and Steve Miller Band will have their own days — Saturday and Sunday, respectively — to shine even after the sun dips into the Pacific Ocean. Black Pumas, Vance Joy, Sheryl Crow, Stone Temple Pilots and Lord Huron, in the meantime, anchor an impressive undercard for what’s sure to be a party down by the shore.

READ MORE HERE


Just Like Heaven - 2022 lineup

Just Like Heaven
Location: Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
Dates: May 21st
Tickets: Buy them here!

The one-day music festival put on by Goldenvoice, which debuted in 2019 and was an instant success, has dropped a 2022 roster that should be a dream come true for any indie music fan. And after a two-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show is ready to go on again — although this time it’s migrating north from the Queen Mary Park in Long Beach to take over the Brookside Golf Course at the Rose Bowl — and we still can’t remember the last time heaven ever looked this good. NYC indie rockers Interpol will have the honor of headlining this time around, but sets by Modest Mouse, The Shins, M.I.A., Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Chromeo, Santigold, Cut Copy, The Hives, Wolf Parade, Peaches, !!!, The Raveonettes and more are likely to leave a lasting impression.

READ MORE HERE


Lightning in a Bottle - 2022 lineup

Lightning in a Bottle
Location: Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
Dates: May 25th-30th
Tickets: Buy them here!

After being forced to cancel its 15th 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 The Do LaB has retained a handful of acts on the 2020 roster from headliners like Kaytranada and GRiZ to several undercard standouts such as Purity Ring, Big Wild, Four Tet, Empress Of and Jon Hopkins. But LIB in 2022 will also feature some new blood, starting right at the top of the poster with Glass Animals as well as a pair of Brits in SG Lewis and Little Simz — who are newcomers to the event — on the bill. Other notable names 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.

READ MORE HERE


BottleRock - 2022 lineup

BottleRock Napa Valley
Location: Napa Valley Expo – Napa, CA
Dates: May 27th-29th
Tickets: Buy them here!

Despite announcing its lineup at the beginning of this year when COVID-19 cases were skyrocketing across the U.S. due to the omicron variant, the three-day event is marching ahead toward its normal timing of Memorial Day weekend after canceling in 2020 and sliding the festivities back 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 Napa 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.

READ MORE HERE


Outside Lands - 2022 lineup

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival
Location: Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
Dates: August 5-7th
Tickets: Buy them here!

After being forced in 2021 to push back its 13th year (read our review here) to Halloween weekend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three-day music festival is finally returning to its usual timing in August and spring is when we normally anticipate the lineup dropping every year. But the latest installment of SF’s signature event has a slightly different feel than in years past as Green Day, Post Malone and SZA assume headlining duties with Jack Harlow, Weezer, Phoebe Bridgers, Illenium, Lil Uzi Vert, Kali Uchis, Disclosure, Mitski, Polo & Pan and Anitta leading the undercard. And though all three headliners will be topping the poster at OSL for the first time, Green Day’s performance should carry a little extra weight given that the legacy act is originally from the East Bay.

READ MORE HERE


This Ain't No Picnic Festival 2022

This Ain’t No Picnic
Brookside at the Rose Bowl – Pasadena, CA
Dates: August 27th-28th
Tickets: Buy them here!

Concert promoter Goldenvoice is bringing back This Ain’t No Picnic to SoCal 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 two-day roster that screams “Pitchfork Fest!” The event has a history of exposing the raw energy of punk-leaning, indie darlings such as 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. A couple of NYC products in The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem will serve as headliners in 2022 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 give us “I’m with Her” as their latest single.

READ MORE HERE


Primavera Sound Los Angeles - 2022 lineup

Primavera Sound Los Angeles
LA State Historic Park – Los Angeles
Dates: September 16-18th
Tickets: Buy them here!

Primavera Sound has been a staple across the music festival circuit since launching back in 2001 with its Spanish roots firmly planted in Barcelona. But we would be lying if we didn’t admit here that we have 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 with Arctic Monkeys, Lorde and Nine Inch Nails set to headline. That said, Arca, Bicep (Live), Buscabulla, Cigarettes After Sex, Clairo, DARKSIDE, Faye Webster, James Blake, Jehnny Beth, Khruangbin, Kim Gordon, King Krule, Low, Mitski, Stereolab and Tierra Whack have all signed on as well to mark what’s looking like a banner year for live music in the City of Angels.

READ MORE HERE


Which of these music festivals are you going to? Which are you looking forward to the most?

Lightning in a Bottle 2016

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

Primavera Sound Los Angeles - 2022 lineup

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.

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!

Primavera Sound Los Angeles - 2022 daily lineups

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).

Primavera Sound Los Angeles - updated 2022 lineup

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!

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Friday set times

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Saturday set times (updated)

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - Sunday set times

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!

Primavera Sound LA 2022 - updated map

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.

Primavera Sound LA - updated 2022 lineup

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!

Lightning in a Bottle’s 2020 roster has Kaytranada, Sylvan Esso, GRiZ & Purity Ring leading the pack

Lightning in a Bottle - 2020 lineup

Lightning in a Bottle //
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
May 20th-25th, 2020 //

Lightning in a Bottle is back on schedule.

After a longer-than-expected wait last year to release its 2019 lineup due to new dates and a new location in Kern County, the “transformational festival” has already unleashed its 2020 roster with Kaytranada, Sylvan Esso, GRiZ and Purity Ring topping the bill.

Other noteworthy acts on the initial lineup for the fest’s 17th installment include James Blake (DJ set), Four Tet, Amon Tobin (presents Two Fingers), Nina Kraviz, Big Wild, DJ Shadow, Bob Moses (club set), Jon Hopkins, Emancipator, Noisia, Stephan Bodzin, Doja Cat, Justin Martin, Keys N Krates (DJ set), Empress of, DROELOE and more.

Lightning in a Bottle 2020 - The Stacks

Lightning in a Bottle 2020 - CTRL-Z

UPDATE (February 13th): The Do LaB has announced the lineups for The Stacks and CTRL-Z stages at LIB 2020 that includes sets from Joe Kay, Justin Martin, Kraddy and more. Check out the posters above for both stages.

Lightning in a Bottle 2020 - Grand Artique

Lightning in a Bottle 2020 - The Compass

UPDATE (February 20th): The lineups for the Grand Artique and Compass stages have now also been announced with performances by Fantastic Negrito, Whiskerman and more slated at Buena Vista Lake. See the posters above for both stages.

LIB, which has been praised over the years as one of the nation’s premier boutique festivals, will also return to its traditional Memorial Day weekend slot when it takes over Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area for a second straight year this May. But for many West Coast music fans, it has become an excellent hangover cure shortly after Coachella’s both weekends end.

Four- and five-day passes to LIB, as well as the brand-new Patron Experience ticket, can be purchased here for $349, $419 and $999, respectively, with payment plans available. And as always, promoting the ideals of sustainability, social cohesion, personal health and creative expression through art, yoga, workshops and speakers will remain a defining portion of The Do LaB’s signature event.

UPDATE (March 13th): Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Lightning in a Bottle will not take place May 20-25 at Buena Vista Lake, with no official word on rescheduled dates or refunds yet. LIB joins Coachella as another California music festival that has either postponed or canceled this week, shortly after South by Southwest and Ultra Music Festival pulled the plug on their own events. With the coronavirus rocking a lot of the world right now and in particular the live music industry, The Do LaB is uncertain if LIB will return in the near or distant future and that is certainly a sad thought to consider.

Take a peek at our past coverage of Lightning in a Bottle here.

Outside Lands 2018: A return to form in Year 11

Outside Lands 2018Photos by Norm de Veyra // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //

As another summer festival season winds down, we look back at the 2018 edition of Outside Lands with highlights, thoughts, musings and enough images to make you nostalgic for the Bay Area’s banner music festival. With the Superfly, Another Planet Entertainment and Starr Hill event celebrating its 11th edition, this incarnation of the annual Golden Gate Park soirée saw more of a return to form over the past year while also experiencing a notable shift in the sound that could be heard emanating through the eucalyptus and other flora.

While cancellations left a slightly sour taste in the mouths of last year’s attendees, this year only saw limited lineup hiccups. However, the bigger story at hand surrounds the changing tides of popular music. Sure, you’ve heard folks state “rock is dead,” but is a once-amusing quip starting to take greater shape as the youth clamor for a different sound and aesthetic? Though it was pretty evident on the 2018 lineup poster when it dropped in April, this query started to take greater shape once you were on the grounds and bouncing between sets. So, let’s jump straight into this now.

Outside Lands 2018 - Billie Eilish


Billie Eilish

Friday

Day 1 at Outside Lands tends to be a slow trickle of fans entering the park as some are able to play hooky, bounce from the office early or only show up for the headliners. Sure, some folks had to deal with longer-than-expected box office lines and others even had to bear the fest’s new bag policies, but luckily those in attendance were blessed with some clear skies instead of the usual August dread of the Outer Lands.

While Billie Eilish was relishing in her rising appeal on the Lands End stage, covering Drake and running through the majority of her singles, Rex Orange County was trying his hand at something a bit new and terrifying. The UK wunderkind was forced to play his first-ever solo festival set as his band and their gear ran into transit issues on the way to SF from the Pacific Northwest. The young crooner seemed a bit nervous about this predicament but competently knocked out a solid, eight-song performance that included “Sunflower” and closer “Loving Is Easy”.

N.E.R.D., meanwhile, played their first SF show in many years to a raucous crowd, opening with “Anti Matter” as a hyped Pharrell Williams feverishly worked every corner of the huge Lands End stage. The set featured a massive medley of tracks by The Neptunes, a cover of “Seven Nation Army” and a double dose of “Lemon” to send us on our way to the next set.

Simultaneously, Carly Rae Jepsen was apparently throwing down one of Outside Lands’ most enjoyable performances in front of a rather large crowd. While the pop sensation pleased the masses with a rendition of her breakout hit “Call Me Maybe”, she also performed more recent songs like “Emotion”.

ODESZA obviously drew a large crowd for their main stage afternoon showcase, putting the spotlight on the changing tides and tastes of the youth music market. That kind of youthful angst and energy seemed to be danced out to ODESZA, DJ Snake and Big Gigantic compared to the pits of rock bands from the 2000’s, be it Queens of the Stone Age, System of a Down or Deftones.

With the under-25 crowd predominantly stationed at Lands End, you could say there was a more intimate feeling at Twin Peaks for Father John Misty. Touting his expanded band that featured a string section and dialing back his quirky stage banter, Josh Tillman’s latest tour has been pretty much about presenting his music as faithfully as he can. “Nancy From Now On” opened his career-spanning performance as the shadows began to drape the park.

While FJM’s attendance was noticeably a bit small for a rock act, the king of “jizz jazz,” aka Mac DeMarco, was able to attract a rowdy crowd for his closing set on the Sutro stage. When the synth sections of “On the Level” opened DeMarco’s set, a certain air of relaxation swept the crowd as various smokeables were consumed in honor of indie-slacker royalty onstage.

Abel Tesfaye, popularly known as The Weeknd, enjoyed a sort of victory lap as he headlined the festival’s first day with an onslaught of hits such as “Starboy”, “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills”, along with a few select covers of Future, Belly, Drake and Ty Dolla $ign. Though Tesfaye’s current large-scale show is nothing new to the live music circuit, he still threw one helluva party before sending the masses into the wilds of the City.

Outside Lands 2018 - Florence + the Machine


Florence + the Machine

Saturday

It has been a couple of years since Outside Lands was fortunate enough to have a truly clear, sunny Saturday — and not just for a few hours, but the whole damn day. Plus, it was topped off with another insanely gorgeous sunset, but let’s not jump the gun here.

As the day got underway, New York indie artist Amen Dunes performed an extremely tight set, showcasing his wavy take on psychedelic rock/folk. Led by Damon McMahon, the trio played heavy off its most recent release Freedom while also not completely ignoring its back catalog. Moreover, McMahon’s stage presence was infectious and somewhat akin to R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe, as his slender build moved to the emotive nature of his craft.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lizzo was bringing down the early-afternoon house as she decimated the Lands End stage. “Fitness” opened her 10-song set as her pair of dancers, as well as Lizzo herself, left everything on the stage for the sizable crowd that was yearning for her energy, and some even yearned for a shot of tequila from her bottle of Patrón as she entered the photo pit for an up-close appearance during closing song “Good as Hell”.

When the Lizzo crowd dispersed, Broken Social Scene fans got prime real estate to catch the Canadian indie-rock demigods perform a blistering set of guitar-heavy tunes like opener “KC Accidental” and closer “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl”. Even in such a large setting, the massive band was able to cook up a sense of intimacy and really engage.

While OSL this year leaned more toward R&B, electronic pop and other hip genres, UK jazz purveyors GoGo Penguin delivered a stunning set of avant-garde-leaning jazz. This punchy trio showed their chops over tracks like “One Percent” and set closer “Window” and could easily be compared to The Bad Plus. GoGo were a perfect palate cleanser before heading to more current stylings from either SOB X RBE or CHVRCHES.

Local legend Tycho performed to an enthusiastic crowd while Scott Hansen stated this would be the last incarnation of this phase for the group (we look forward to the next chapter). Back over at Lands End, Bon Iver delivered a prototypically powerful set as the sunlight dwindled, simultaneously providing a seriously stunning sunset.

As the limited amount of darkness fell over the park, one-third of The xx was preparing to hold court as the Sutro crowd swelled, moving their dancing feet to the new-school dance pioneer known as Jamie xx (born James Smith). Even as Jamie xx eased into his intro (The Animals’ “San Francisco Nights”) and more fans pushed in, it was rather evident that the Sutro’s sound system wasn’t able to fully reach the volume many were looking for. But an Above & Beyond nod (“Sun in Your Eyes”) eventually led straight into Smith’s mix of “On Hold” and all was right in the world, if only for about eight minutes.

There was a bit of controversy surrounding Saturday’s main slot as Florence + the Machine officially made the move to full-blown festival headliner. Some festivalgoers had their own doubts after FYF Fest 2018 was canceled with a near-identical top billing, but Florence and her bandmates proved, many times over, that she is more than capable of commanding any stage as her energy is unlike many others. She debuted a brand-new show, which featured “June” in the opening slot and was book-ended by “Big God” and “Shake It Out” for a two-song encore.

Outside Lands 2018 - Janelle Monáe


Janelle Monáe

Sunday

On the final day, the weather was back on track; by that, I mean it was cold, blustery and generally moist. Most were thankful for the two previous days as opposed to three days of “Karl the Fog,” as has been tradition for a good 3-4 years now.

The early afternoon of Sunday bore witness to some very lively performances from up-and-comers like Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers, both of who are primed to make moves in the festival circuit over the next year if they play their cards right.

Continuing with the trend of electro-leaning acts playing to some big crowds, BØRNS fully commanded a youthful contingent with hits such as “10,000 Emerald Pools” and set closer “Electric Love”.

The incomparable Janelle Monáe was a tad late to take the stage, as she was fighting off a stomach bug, but when she did, she captivated the masses with a suite of tracks from her most recent release Dirty Computer and tossed in a fair amount of costume changes over a nearly hour-long set. Monáe proved that she’s easily one of the best in the business at the moment and will only continue to climb upwards.

Over at the Twin Peaks stage, The Internet was trying to hash out some sort of technical difficulties before beginning their abbreviated performance, which seemed to be a little lopsided and uneven as they did their best to deal with the 30 minutes that they had left. Fortunately, “Girl” got the majority who stuck around swaying to Syd’s sultry vocals and generally chilled demeanor.

Portugal. The Man held a fleeting rock slot on the main stage, putting their quirky brand of psych-leaning pop rock on display. Moreover, they tossed in some oddly placed Pink Floyd and Beatles covers before closing with their breakthrough hit “Feel It Still”.

Aussie newcomer Tash Sultana, meanwhile, was putting on a masterclass in instrumentation and looping. Sultana has really had one of the biggest breakout years in independent music, and it was clearly evident as she had a carefree stage presence backed by some truly unique, solo-delivered music ripe with psychedelic and world elements. The 23-year-old is certainly a name to watch over the next year and beyond.

As the last set of OSL artists got ready to play, James Blake brought us to church for this year’s final performance on the Sutro stage, failing to disappoint while the fog grew slightly thicker in Lindley Meadow. Highlights from Blake’s dreamy set were easily his take on Untold’s track “Stop What You’re Doing” and a semi-rare rendition of “Modern Soul”.

Some say Janet Jackson couldn’t pull in big crowds amid the current shifting landscape of large-scale music festivals, and although she didn’t pull in record-breaking numbers on a rugged SF night, it was clearly evident that those fans who stayed to watch her were all-in. Jackson’s career-spanning show touched on more than 35 songs and was accompanied by some fierce choreography and production elements. Sure, she wasn’t singing much of the time, but that didn’t stop a wide range of fans from showering Jackson with affection. Her closing performance was highlighted by “That’s the Way Love Goes” and later on, the MJ collaboration “Scream” that transitioned into “Rhythm Nation”.

As the music festival industry continues to deal with a shifting crowd and demand, Outside Lands regained its stride after a few hiccups in 2017. And while this year’s lineup might not have appealed to the core demographic from its incarnation, the event still offers something for everyone.

Outside Lands 2018: Don’t miss these performances

Outside LandsPhoto by Marc Fong // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //

Well, another year of Outside Lands descends upon our foggy metropolis once again, packing a varied, even genre-shifting bill of up-and-coming acts across three days and a multitude of stages. And as the music festival celebrates its 11th year in Golden Gate Park, Another Planet Entertainment and Superfly continue to stack on new and exciting elements. Some changes that attendees should be in store for include a slightly updated location for the Gastromagic stage and the addition of a cannabis-centric installation, appropriately named Grass Lands. In the meanwhile, let’s dig into what this event is all about … the music.

Also, don’t forget to create your own schedule here.


Outside Lands 2018 - Carly Rae Jepsen

This is ladies’ night … oh, what a night

Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
Set date/time: Friday, 5:15-6:05 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks

The “Call Me Maybe” star has shifted her sound over the past few years, and while she has traded in some of her pop sentiment for something more akin to indie dance, she has held steadfast to her popularity. Her Outside Lands Night Show at The Independent sold out in record time, but those shut out will still be able to see her on Day 1. While we haven’t seen much new music from CRJ, clamoring fans can hope to hear a new track or two.

Artist: Florence + the Machine
Set date/time: Saturday, 8:25-9:55 p.m.
Location: Lands End

It has been a long three years for Florence Welch fans as they patiently awaited the follow-up to 2015’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Alas, the indie-rock queen has returned, making the jump to festival headliner with her beauty-meets-power stage presence. While Florence + the Machine might not seem like top-billing material, her live show will definitely command your attention. Plus, this set will also be a tad more special now with the cancellation of FYF, making this her first U.S. performance since the release of her fourth LP High as Hope as well as the debut of her brand-new stage setup.

Artist: Tash Sultana
Set date/time: Sunday, 6:15-7:05 p.m.
Location: Sutro

While the two aforementioned female artists have become household names over the last half decade, it’s 23-year-old Tash Sultana who is poised to make the larger splash at Outside Lands in 2018. This Australian export has been turning heads in big ways for the past year or so and is on the cusp of stardom. While Sultana’s true calling is the guitar, this multi-instrumentalist weaves psych-leaning rock with reggae flare through a multitude of loops. Her artistry is hard to deny and will easily pull you in on Day 3.


Outside Lands 2018 - Florence + the Machine

For the indie heads

Artist: Father John Misty
Set date/time: Friday, 6:50-7:50 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks

The return of Josh Tillman to Golden Gate Park took a solid six years to come to fruition, and boy how things have changed since those early Fear Fun days. Long gone are the days of LSD-slogan shirts and kitschy, from-the-pulpit rants, which he has traded in for a slick new, no-BS style that’s truly refreshing. The release of his fourth studio album God’s Favorite Customer in June, with its string flourishes and lush organ arrangements, has given fans a multifaceted LP to dig into as Tillman still strives to provide lyrics that are part reflection, part meta. Expect at Outside Lands a largely expanded live band, coupled with less witty banter.

Artist: Jamie xx
Set date/time: Saturday, 7:35-8:50 p.m.
Location: Sutro

Even though some might claim that this year’s Outside Lands lineup looks a tad homogenized on paper, there are luckily a few rare treats that make a fest vet perk up, and in 2018, Jamie xx (born James Smith) holds that title. Other banner dance names such as DJ Snake and ODESZA may pull larger crowds, but the purists will surely congregate for one-third of The xx as Smith lays down far-out selections as well as tracks from his 2015 banner release In Colour. Jamie xx live sets have become increasingly rare nowadays, so this performance will likely serve as the best jumping off point for your Day 2 closer, whether you go with Future or Florence.

Artist: James Blake
Set date/time: Sunday, 7:35-8:45 p.m.
Location: Sutro

SF was treated to a handful of James Blake shows in December at the Herbst Theatre, but we’ll certainly take another appearance from this UK dubstepper-gone-crooner. Some new material has trickled out over the last year with his next record on the horizon … somewhere. However, the main reason we included him in this list has more to do with location, time and vibe. With the Sutro stage hosting a more electronic lineup in 2018 (i.e. Jamie xx, Big Gigantic and Tycho) than in years past, the thought and likelihood of a thick fog rolling through GGP’s eucalyptus grove as the final light dwindles gives us those sought-after music chills. If he plays “Modern Soul” though, we’ll have to upgrade that status to full-blown goose pimples.


Outside Lands 2018 - James Blake

Rising to the top

Artist: Cuco
Set date/time: Saturday, 2:20-3:05 p.m.
Location: Sutro

This LA native has recently captured the attention of music lovers both young and old with his blend of jizz jazz, downtempo beats and multilingual singles. Fans of Mac DeMarco and The Internet should plan to be in attendance for this one as Omar Banos’ lo-fi song crafting will unequivocally get you swaying on a Saturday afternoon at Outside Lands. Moreover, his super-fresh collaborative track titled “Drown” that he dropped with fellow heatseeker Clairo should soon send his stock flying through the roof.

Artist: Hobo Johnson & the Lovemakers
Set date/time: Sunday, 1:10-1:55 p.m.
Location: Sutro

Frank Lopes, aka Hobo Johnson, arrived in 2018 out of nowhere due to the popularity of his breakout single “Peach Scone” along with its viral music video for NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. This quirky collective whips up a musical style that’s unlike any other and what some might label as spoken word and/or alternative hip-hop. Sure, there’s a layer of novelty to Johnson’s select tracks, but he’s simply lovable and so easy to root for, much like his contemporary Rex Orange County.

Outside Lands - 2018 lineup

Outside Lands releases its 2018 schedule

Outside Lands - 2018 schedule

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //

With Outside Lands just a little more than two weeks away, the three-day music festival has revealed what many fans have been waiting for since this year’s lineup dropped: set times!

Check out the fest’s schedule for its 11th edition here and start making your plans for which artists you’ll be seeing at Golden Gate Park this August.

As usual, there are enough scheduling conflicts to sort through in 2018. Friday’s action will see festivalgoers choosing between Rex Orange County/Perfume Genius, N.E.R.D./Chicano Batman/Carly Rae Jepsen, ODESZA/The Growlers/Father John Misty and The Weeknd/Mac DeMarco/Beck, while Saturday offers its own assortment of difficult decisions with Broken Social Scene, Poolside and Daniel Caesar pitted up against one another. Of course, there’s also CHVRCHES vs. Big Gigantic, Bon Iver vs. Tycho and Florence + the Machine vs. Future that the masses will have to consider on Day 2.

Outside Lands 2018 - daily lineups

Sunday’s slate offers even more, with Janelle Monáe and LP scheduled only 15 minutes apart and The Internet on 10 minutes later. Portugal. The Man’s and Tash Sultana’s performances, meanwhile, are only separated by five minutes, and to close out the weekend, attendees will have to choose between Janet Jackson and DJ Snake, which presents quite a dichotomy.

Trying to decide who to see might feel a little overwhelming right now, but just remember you really can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. Much like every year, there are so many good options at Outside Lands that it’s not worth stressing over in the long run. Just be sure to wear a comfortable pair of shoes and download the mobile app here before you head to the park.

Overjoyed for Outside Lands’ return? Take a peek at our coverage from 2017 here.

Outside Lands - 2018 lineup

Outside Lands taps The Weeknd, Florence + the Machine, Janet Jackson to lead 2018 lineup

Outside Lands - 2018 lineup

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 10th-12th, 2018 //

Outside Lands is bringing some heavy hitters to Golden Gate Park this August.

The three-day music festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, has inked The Weeknd, Florence + the Machine and Janet Jackson to headline its 2018 edition, and we had good reason to believe that the latter, who was already confirmed for FYF Fest in July, would come true as early as a few days ago.

Last week, Ranger Dave started releasing lineup clues via Twitter, including one in particular that indicated Jackson would be on the bill as well as others hinting that Bon Iver, Huey Lewis and the News, Mac DeMarco, Jessie Ware, Big Gigantic, BØRNS, Rex Orange County, SOBxRBE and to get things started, Portugal. The Man, would perform.

Now, we have this year’s complete roster that also boasts Future, Beck, ODESZA, DJ Snake, N.E.R.D., CHVRCHES, James Blake, Jamie xx, Illenium, Tycho, Father John Misty, Carly Rae Jepsen, Chromeo, The Internet, Gryffin, The Growlers, Tash Sultana, Broken Social Scene, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Daniel Caesar, Perfume Genius, Goldlink, Chicano Batman, Jessie Reyez, LP, Sabrina Claudio, Margo Price, Kelela, Claptone, The Mountain Goats, Lauv, Lizzo, Whethan, Smokepurpp, Quinn XCII, Poolside, Bahamas, CUCO, Amen Dunes, Shannon and the Clams, Aquilo and many more.

The festival’s culinary program, meanwhile, will continue to expand in 2018, with access to more than 200 menu items from some of the Bay Area’s top restaurants that you’ll be able to pair with hundreds of Northern Californian wines and beers and a collection of the region’s best cocktail bars. Taste of the Bay Area, Wine Lands, Beer Lands, The Back Wine, Cocktail Magic and GastroMagic are all back as well, so there’s plenty to be excited about in regard to the unique food and drink experiences that Outside Lands has to offer (and stayed tuned for the full food and drink lineup coming soon).

Moreover, adding to the overall experience will be Outsider Art, Eco Lands and The Barbary, which is named in honor of SF’s Barbary Coast district and features some of the best comedy and cabaret around. The environment has long been an important cause for Outside Lands, and its organizers aren’t afraid to say that after contributing more than $20 million to the SF Recreation & Park Department and rather remarkably turning 91 percent of 2017’s waste into reusable, recyclable and compostable materials.

Outside Lands has delivered seven consecutive sellouts since 2011, so you won’t want to wait on getting your tickets when they go on sale here this Thursday, April 5th at 10 a.m. PT. Plus, for the first time ever, the fest is offering fans the option for a three-day GA and VIP layaway plan that will allow them to pay for their passes in four installments. After last year saw an increase in ticket prices, three-day GA passes will start once again at $375 while VIP passes will be available for $795.

UPDATE (June 5th): Outside Lands has revealed its daily lineups for 2018, with The Weeknd gracing the stage Friday, Florence + the Machine playing Saturday and Janet Jackson closing down the festival Sunday. See the daily schedules below before single-day tickets go on sale for $149.50 (GA) and $345 (VIP) this Thursday, June 7th at 10 a.m. PT here.

Outside Lands 2018 - daily lineups

If you’re excited for Outside Lands now, make sure to check out our coverage from 2017 here.

Outside Lands 2017

Outside Lands 2016: Top sets, awards & what we overheard at Golden Gate Park

Outside Lands 2016Photos by Norm de Veyra & James Pawlish // Written by Molly Kish //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 5th-7th, 2016 //

Celebrating its ninth annual year as Northern California’s premier music, comedy, food and arts festival, Outside Lands took over Golden Gate Park last weekend and entertained crowds of more than 60,000 attendees each day with a massive roster of world-renowned talent. This year’s highlights surmounted all previous editions and exceeded the expectations of the most veteran festivalgoers.

Beyond the daily artist lineups, mouth-watering fare and unparalleled comedy showcases, Outside Lands kicked it up a notch in 2016, playing to what seemed like a more refined crowd on a local and national level. The festival’s organizers created an environment that appealed to both novices and seasoned attendees, with convenience being the key factor and a running theme that helped establish a flow to the fairgrounds that was unattainable in past years.

The fest also worked with PayPal to set up an option for cashless transactions by uploading “Bison Bucks” to your wristband, creating a seamless navigation of all the food/beverage and merchandise options. Furthermore, the debut of additional boutique concessions at Oyster Lands and Cocktail Lands provided a reprieve from the long lines at food trucks, booths and beer stands for the mature palette.

Even the structure and pace of this year’s Outside Lands schedule felt more conducive to less park-length traversing, with each stage focusing more on specific genres and demographics. There are still certain aspects that could use improvement, such as an increased availability of trash receptacles, bathroom options and crowd control at the festival’s entrance, but the issues that Outside Lands faced this year were no different or more overbearing than any other large-scale production.

Now nine years on the circuit, the Bay Area’s premiere destination for festival revelers has definitely matured to an impressive standard in the live music business. As Outside Lands continues to set the bar high thanks to its innovative features, top-notch billing and overall experience, here are our favorite moments from 2016.