Mos Def – Showbams

Outside Lands 2022: Tough conflicts, must-see acts, what to drink & our very own scavenger hunt

August 3, 2022 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

Photo by Marc Fong // Written by Molly Kish & Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 5th-7th, 2022 //

Outside Lands takes over Golden Gate Park this weekend in celebration of its 14th year. Growing in fans and footprint since 2007, it has become a pilar of the Bay Area music scene and remains widely known as one of the country’s top-rated festivals. OSL kicks off August with three-jam packed days of music, food, art and magic, and this year’s edition aims to maintain its legacy while also continuing to diversify the fest’s roster of genre-expanding talent.

Changes for this year include several new lounges, an expanded SOMA Tent and augmented-reality installations throughout the festival grounds. Food vendors appear to have a larger presence, and the Outsider Art showcases have returned with live painting, balloon art and crowd-controlled AV pathways.

With the lineup being stacked, there are definitely plenty of tough conflicts, many of which are forcing attendees to make some tough decisions. To help you navigate OSL 2022, we put together a guide of recommendations and scavenger hunt (PRINT HERE) so you can get the most out of the experience.

Plus, don’t forget to create your own schedule here!

Tough Conflicts

Like death and taxes, one thing is for certain at any given music festival: the dreaded schedule conflicts that can dampen many attendees’ plans to see all their favorite artists. Unless you plan to work on your GGP sprinting skills, you’ll likely be forced to make some rather difficult decisions. Below, you’ll find a few of our toughest conflicts.

Dayglow (Friday, 5:20 p.m. Twin Peaks) vs. Washed Out (Friday, 5:20 p.m. Sutro)

This is kind of an interesting conflict as sonically, these two artists aren’t super far away from each other, yet a decade separates their rise to success. Dayglow, aka Sloane Struble, is a young Texan that continues to build his brand of throwback indie-pop in exciting ways that has been making waves with the younger demographic that is likely to be in strong attendance. His earworm tracks certainly bear influence from bands like Phoenix and Foster the People. I also have to believe Struble is keen on Washed Out in his formative years, hence why this conflict will be tough for the crowd and artist alike.

It’s been a couple years since the release of Washed Out’s last album, but that doesn’t mean the “godfather of chillwave” still can’t draw a crowd. It has been 13 years since this artist cemented his hipster status with “Feel It All Around” being featured as the opening track to the TV series “Portlandia”. Will we see a “generational divide” in the crowd between these two sets?

Green Day (Saturday, 8:25 p.m. Lands End) vs. Polo & Pan (Saturday, 8:30 p.m. Sutro)

It’s no big surprise that GD is up against one of the more popular dance acts on the bill for this year. The tricky part here is that both acts are simply crushing it with their current live show., Billie Joe and company put on one helluva headline performance at Lollapalooza over the past weekend, and you can surely bet they’ll only want to top it for their hometown crowd. That’s no easy feat as the power trio is widely known for their crowd interplay, covers and wall-to-wall energy.

Strike that 90’s punk angst against the French swagger of Polo & Pan, and we’ve got a real “Sophie’s choice” on our hands here. The Saturday party crowd is sure to be assembled in Lindley Meadow to hear the tropical-laced French house that is simply infectious.

Dixon (Sunday 3:30 p.m. SOMA Tent) vs. Wet Leg (Sunday 4 p.m. Sutro)

Sure, these two artists bring radically different music, so many fans of these acts won’t see this as a conflict. However, German powerhouse DJ Dixon is always worth catching, especially in the newly expanded SOMA Tent. Expect a pummeling mixture of techno and house, chock full of dramatic emotions that may transport you to the storied Berghain in Berlin. On the other hand, Wet Leg continue their dominant year as the tongue-in-cheek indie darlings hailing from Isle of Wight. Sure, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers are still earning confidence onstage, but if you’re looking for more light-hearted guitar rock, head to Sutro.

Must-See Acts

Artist: Robert Glasper
Set date/time: Saturday, 2:50-3:40 p.m.
Location: Sutro

We’re thrilled to see some jazz make its way onto the OSL bill in 2022, and Glasper was a keen choice as he steps out to make a bigger name for himself after being a sideman for far too long. Even if the name isn’t recognizable, there’s little doubt that you’ve heard his playing on many of your favorite hip-hop releases of the past 10 years. He recently made waves at the Blue Note Jazz Festival in Napa this past weekend, playing in multiple configurations with various jazz and hip-hop stars. It wouldn’t surprise us if Dave Chappelle or Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) made a brief appearance for this afternoon set.

Artist: Illenium
Set date/time: Sunday, 8:20-9:35 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks

It hasn’t been more than four years since we’ve seen Illenium grace the OSL bill, and we’ve included this selection as it’s billed as a “Special Hometown Performance.” What exactly does this mean? To be honest, we aren’t sure but are certainly curious to see what added production or even special guests Illenium may include. His bass-heavy selections that run the gamut of future bass to beat-driven pop-punk will certainly please the younger crowd, but his recent prevalence in the Las Vegas nightclub scene could pull the 30-something tech crowd to finish their weekend at Twin Peaks. Wonder who will have more lasers: Illenium or Posty? A laser battle in Golden Gate Park is the stuff we dream of, right?

Beer Lands

There’s little doubt that the masses that will stampede Golden Gate Park over the next three days will arrive thirsty. Literally. The beer-swilling variety know where to go for all things craft brews, and this year is no exception as the ever-changing list of breweries offers all our local favorites alongside some fresh choices. Also, don’t be fooled by the name, as Beer Lands offers options for cider (i.e. Ace and Golden State) and hard kombucha (i.e. Strainge Beast).

New to the “Beer Lineup” this year is a nice mix of up-and-coming local breweries. Santa Cruz’s buzzy Humble Sea will make their debut and are likely to offer some of their DDH hazy IPAs that have put them on the map in the past couple of years. SF’s Laughing Monk has no shortage of varieties to offer to attendees, but we think their Peach Kettle Sour or Prophetess Blonde Ale would go down easy in the polo fields. Old Caz Beer, out of Rohnert Park, are a young brew crew with a lot to offer, so keep your eyes peeled for potentially pouring their RPX Pale Ale and maybe they’ll even bring their Lavender Radler or Pineapple Seltzer. Golden State Cider of Sonoma will make their debut in 2022, yet the question remains if they will bring their Mighty Dry, Brut, Jamaica, Ginger Grass or maybe something exclusive to the festival. Come thirsty, my friends.

OUTSIDE LANDS 2022 SCAVENGER HUNT: PRINT HERE

Filed Under: Featured, Festivals, Live Music Previews Tagged With: Berghain, Dave Chappelle, Dayglow, Dixon, Foster the People, Golden State Cider, Green Day, Humble Sea Brewing Co., Illenium, Laughing Monk, Mos Def, Old Caz Beer, Outside Lands, Outside Lands 2022, Outside Lands Music Festival, Outside Lands Music Festival 2022, Phoenix, Polo & Pan, Post Malone, Robert Glasper, SOMA Tent, Washed Out, Wet Leg, Yasiin Bey

After 16 years, Smokin Grooves Fest makes its long-awaited return & blazes a new trail in Long Beach

June 22, 2018 by Joseph Gray 2 Comments

Anderson .Paak of NxWorries

Photos by Joseph Gray & Natalie Somekh // Written by Joseph Gray //

Smokin Grooves Fest //
The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA
June 16th, 2018 //

We are in the heart of festival season. This is a time of the year for music lovers that’s often synonymous with multiple days of unforgiving heat, dusty campgrounds and some young adults who are readily anxious for a mosh pit. The long food-truck lines and heart-shaped sunglasses, polka dots, ripped denim and tie-dyed garments that have become staples at a large majority of music festivals — particularly during the summer months — were present, but Smokin Grooves Fest offered a welcome alternative. And based on its history, Southern California concert promoter Goldenvoice wouldn’t have had it any other way.

For one day only, a sold-out crew enjoyed moderate temperatures at the overcast waterfront adjacent to the historic Queen Mary in Long Beach for Smokin Grooves’ long-awaited return. The event, which last took place 16 years ago, pushed hip-hop, R&B and soul to the forefront of popular music at the time by booking The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, Cypress Hill and a whole lot more when Lollapalooza and other rock-focused festivals weren’t showing them the same kind of love.

The crowd, relaxed with a peaceful aura but also energized, mirrored much of the lineup, which showcased veterans such as Erykah Badu, The Roots and Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) among buzzing newcomers like H.E.R., Smino, THEY. and Arin Ray across the 38-act bill.

I fall somewhere in the middle between those two age groups, so it was fitting that the uber-talented rapper/singer/drummer Anderson .Paak had just walked onto the “Free Your Mind” main stage when I showed up. .Paak, 32, wore a smile as expressive as his music, packaged with a bright nautical-themed ensemble. He effortlessly impressed with standouts “Suede”, “Another Time” and “What More Can I Say” off Yes Lawd!, his 2016 LP with Los Angeles hip-hop producer Knxwledge as part of their collaborative project NxWorries (pronounced “No Worries”). The duo’s set would eventually culminate in a playful dance-off between women, which fans showed their appreciation for before .Paak and Knxwledge said their goodbyes.

Many attendees went back and forth from the main stage to the two other aptly named stages — “Smokin'” and “Groovin'” — via an elevated overpass, where we overheard several praising the Brooklyn troop Phony Ppl for their soulfully funky grooves.

Miguel

However, anticipation for The Roots kept me at the main stage. It proved to be a wise decision, as their nearly hour-long performance reminded me why the Grammy-winning band is still so revered after more than three decades. Black Thought got the crowd riled up with a 10-minute barrage of lyrical proficiency that so many have come to know as his “Hot 97 Freestyle” after it hit the internet in December and quickly went viral, while his bandmates exuberantly jumped with sousaphones and guitars during “You Got Me” and a number of other hits. But providing a jolt like he only can, the one and only Busta Rhymes showed up for a quick-but-memorable performance of “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See” and “Pass the Courvoisier, Part II”.

The concert, nevertheless, was not without its faults, as some complained about the sound quality during various times, but neglecting hometown artists certainly wasn’t one of them.

Not long after the buzz around Thundercat’s bass-guitar skills subsided, fellow LA-area acts Jhené Aiko and Miguel were greeted with admiration. Aiko, for one, entertained fans behind flowers, acoustics and enchanting vocals with occasional curse words. Miguel, who proudly reminded us that he was from nearby San Pedro and Inglewood, kept the momentum, along with his fringed microphone stand, moving by performing several crowd-pleasers like “How Many Drinks?”, “Sure Thing” and “Come Through and Chill”, among others.

The event’s headliner was Erykah Badu, who performed during the tour’s second edition in 1997 and looked like she hasn’t missed a beat since. Playing a drum machine between songs while weaving some classic hip-hop instrumentals — one of which was Mobb Deep’s “Shook (Part II)” — into her set, the neo-soul queen dazzled with her seductive, incredible voice and responsive wit for an hour-long class on “How to Deliver a Full-on Show.”

Several journalists and photographers, myself included, mentioned at various times the need to leave early to avoid the traffic on the way. But Badu and others made liars out of us, and we couldn’t have been happier in the end.

Smokin Grooves Fest 2018 - Isaiah Rashad

Smokin Grooves Fest 2018 - The Roots with Busta Rhymes

Smokin Grooves Fest 2018 - Alina Baraz with Khalid

Filed Under: Editor's Picks, Featured, Festival Reviews, Festivals Tagged With: A Tribe Called Quest, Alina Baraz, Anderson .Paak, Ari Lennox, Arin Ray, Black Thought, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill, Erykah Badu, Goldenvoice, H.E.R., Isaiah Rashad, Jhené Aiko, Khalid, Knxwledge, Lion Babe, Lollapalooza, Miguel, Mos Def, NxWorries, Phony Ppl, Ravyn Lenae, Smino, Smokin Grooves, Smokin Grooves 2018, Smokin Grooves Fest, Smokin Grooves Fest 2018, Snoh Aalegra, The Fugees, The Roots, THEY., Yasiin Bey

After two decades in the rap game, Talib Kweli is still fighting for what he believes in

January 26, 2017 by The Bam Team Leave a Comment

By Joseph Gray & Josh Herwitt //

Talib Kweli with Styles P, K’Valentine //
The Belasco – Los Angeles
January 19th, 2017 //

Talib Kweli has a lot to say.

Though he has often made headlines by feuding with critics, internet trolls and celebrities (even Kiss’ Gene Simmons of all people) on Twitter, the 41-year-old Brooklyn emcee is fine with governing the inconvenient space. Hell, his social-media presence, ripe with over one million Twitter followers, surely helped him garner an invitation — alongside a host of your favorite rappers — to visit The White House last year and discuss the best ways of reforming the criminal justice system with former President Barack Obama.

Kweli may never ride his social-media notoriety to Billboard‘s Hot 100 mountaintop like the meme-assisted Migos did with “Bad and Boujee” or video craze-pushed Rae Sremmurd with “Black Beatles”, but the veteran technician boasts an impressive rap résumé that has been built on razor-sharp lyricism and politically insightful artsy, both of which have dazzled so many hip-hop purists long before the genre overwhelmingly permeated the mainstream.

The reward for Kweli, despite never producing that big record to lift him to super stardom, is a loyal group of fans. Last Thursday in LA, many of them piled into the Belasco Theater’s lower bowl as part of “The Seven Tour” as Kweli made a point of acknowledging their longstanding love for him and hip-hop, even when it wasn’t the popular thing to do.

Talib Kweli with Anderson .Paak

Hitting the stage with plenty of positivity, thought provocation and several surprises, Kweli punctuated a rewind of his classic Black Star work with Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) with “Definition” before raising fists and excitement with “Move Somethin'” and “The Blast”, two organic standouts from Reflection Eternal, the longstanding side project that he formed with Cincinnati rapper/producer Hi-Tek two decades ago. With the diverse crowd at The Belasco digging his collaborative work, Kweli reminded us there was more goodness to come in the form of his forthcoming project with Styles P called The Seven (the only strange part was the fact that the duo didn’t perform any songs together at the show).

Styles P, the well-respected member of The Lox and Kweli’s latest partner in crime, came on just prior to his tourmate’s hour-long set, donning a backpack full of his signature hard and vivid rhymes but missing just one thing: a shot of Rémy Martin. After a number of requests, that too made its way to the stage, much to the delight of the crowd.

Now whole and indebted, Styles P got the party started by climbing over the front barricade into a mob of concertgoers as the self-proclaimed gangster and gentleman also became the people’s champion. He assured us, despite the changing and chaotic political climate, we would prevail (“We Gonna Make It”), get high (“Good Times”), spend money (“B.M.F.”) and remember the same guy who went against hip-hop titans like Diddy and Jay Z and came out without a major chink in his armor (“What Else You Need to Know”).

While Styles P and special guest K’Valentine — the curvy Chicago rapstress who used her gifted flow to speak out against Chi-Raq and her city’s highly publicized problem with gun violence — were well-enjoyed, Kweli turned to some more of his friends for a stronger jolt. Playing to the crowd with a black Lakers cap, he called Naughty By Nature’s Treach up for some feel-good throwback hits before Southern California’s do-it-all wunderkind Anderson .Paak punched the building full of unbridled energy with “Come Down” from his Grammy-nominated album Malibu.

While the vibes were free-flowing, Kweli made sure his show would continue to lean left on the eve of Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration. Diverging from his material with some social dialogue, he took his good friend and “Get ‘Em High” collaborator Kanye West, actor and comedian Steve Harvey and others to task for being “crazy” enough to set foot next to President Trump.

“Trump can’t understand the black scholar. We can run the ball but can’t run the office,” he said in response to Trump’s recent meetings with prominent black entertainers like West and athletes such as former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis and NFL legend Jim Brown.

With the laid-back atmosphere abruptly being replaced by the reality of continued racial and social issues in the U.S., Kweli walked off the stage. But like much of his career, he isn’t one to shy away from a fight.

Instead, he reappeared after encore chants to Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman” as the backdrop of the famous song led into the determined “Get By”, still Kweli’s biggest hit that felt even larger amid the clapping crowd. On this night, whether it was convenient or not, the man with a lot to say made sure to give us a whole lot to think about.