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

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

Smokin Groves Fest - 2022 lineup

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.

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.

Smokin Grooves 2022 - set times

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.

Smokin Grooves Fest 2019

Desert Daze locks in The War on Drugs, Kamasi Washington & Toro y Moi as headliners for 2021

Desert Daze - 2021 lineup

Desert Daze //
Moreno Beach – Lake Perris, CA‎
November 12th-14th, 2021 //

As the live music industry slowly returns to form this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic, our attention has already turned to the fall with the hope that some of our favorite artists and bands will once again be touring and performing all across California and the West Coast in the coming months.

And for almost the past decade now, Desert Daze has continued to serve as one of the Golden State’s premier boutique music festivals, even after leaving its Joshua Tree roots for the more spacious confines of Lake Perris a few years ago.

But after taking 2020 off with coronavirus cases spiraling out of control in the U.S., the three-day event presented by Moon Block and Knitting Factory Entertainment is finally ready to welcome fans back to Moreno Beach in November with a scaled-down roster that still leans heavily into psych-rock as The War on Drugs, Kamasi Washington and Toro y Moi each get set to make their headlining debuts at Desert Daze’s ninth edition.

One of the big highlights on this year’s lineup is no doubt The War on Drugs with the fest representing the Grammy winners’ first and only show slated in 2021, but also Washington — a virtuosic jazz saxophonist whose hometown performance at the Hollywood Bowl last weekend for KCRW’s World Festival series saw him team up with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo to celebrate the forthcoming release of The Metallica Blacklist compilation with a nine-minute version of the heavy metal band’s track “My Friend of Misery” — and Toro y Moi following his appearance at Porter Robinson’s sold-out Second Sky Music Festival in Berkeley this September.

Of course, we would be remiss to not mention a strong undercard that boasts Tim Heidecker & Weyes Blood, Devendra Banhart, Japanese Breakfast, Ty Segall, Andy Shauf, Yves Tumor, DIIV, The Budos Band, Crumb, Moon Duo, Sudan Archives, The Black Angels, Deap Vally, Pachyman, Kikagaku Moyo and many more so make sure to mark your calendar and peep the poster above for the rest of the scheduled acts.

Three-day and single-day passes to Desert Daze will be available to purchase here for $225 and $75 during a 12-hour presale that starts this Thursday, July 22nd at 10 a.m. PT before the general public on-sale begins the next day at the same time. And with a limited capacity this year to allow for some more COVID-19 safety measures, you can bet tickets won’t be around for very long. Good luck, Desert Dazers!

Our favorite performances from 2019

Best live shows of 2019 - Usher, Kacey Musgraves, Local Natives & Empire of the Sun

Ah yes, it’s that time again. Time to wave goodbye to another year, a hectic one that forced us to scale back our coverage toward the latter half of 2019. But before we officially ring in a new year and decade, it’s time for us to revisit the last 12 months at Showbams. For all intents and purposes, this space has provided us the access to witness so many amazing moments in live music, and even though we can’t show love to every performance we covered in 2019, we still managed to see some great ones.

Trimming down the list is never an easy task. Those who didn’t make the cut but still deserve to be mentioned here include the following artists, DJs and bands (in alphabetical order), all of whom we either covered at their own show and/or at a music festival this year:

Albert Hammond Jr., Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals, Ari Lennox, ASTU, AURORA, Bea Miller, Bebe Rexha, Beirut, Big Wild, Bobby, Bob Moses, Caroline Rose, Cherry Glazerr, Choker, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Club Night, Coke, Counting Crows, Crumb, CupcakKe, Daniel Caesar, Denzel Curry, Derek Ted, DJ Koze, The-Dream, DREAMERS, Ella Mai, Film School, FITNESS, Foxtail Brigade, Ginger Root, Half Alive, Hozier, Illuminati Hotties, In the Valley Below, Judah & the Lion, Justin Martin, Kali Uchis, Kamaal Williams, Katzù Oso, KONGOS, Lapel, Leon Bridges, Leven Kali, The Lil Smokies, Lil Wayne, LPX, machineheart, The Marías, Max Frost, Melvins, Michigan Rattlers, Mikey Mike, Miserable, MNEK, Mother Mother, Nicotine, (((O))), ORB, Outer Embassy, Princess Nokia, Puddles Pity Party, Queens D.Light, Raveena, Ravyn Lenae, RL Grime, Robyn, Rose Droll, Santigold, Sea Moya, SOAR, Stonefield, Super Unison, Tia Nomore, Tony Danza, Toro y Moi, Twenty One Pilots, Uni, Winnetka Bowling League, You Me at Six, Yuna

Now, it’s time for The Bam Team to present our favorite performances from 2019.

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2019

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2019:


Best of 2019 - MØ

Date: February 9th
Location: Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland

MØ’s performance, meanwhile, was even brighter than LPX’s with the colors just completely all over the place and smoke coming from behind her as the lights created larger shadows of the 30-year-old’s body against the back wall. Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen went on to perform all five singles — “Imaginary Friend”, “Nostalgia”, “Sun in Our Eyes”, “Blur” and “Way Down” — off her sophomore album and even showcased her 2017 collaboration “Don’t Leave” with British electronic duo Snakehips. -Karina Kristensen, photo by Karina Kristensen


Best of 2019 - Bob Mould Band

Bob Mould Band

Date: March 2nd
Location: The Fillmore – San Francisco

Bob Mould has had a lengthy, fruitful relationship with Noise Pop and the packed Fillmore demonstrated that in spades after recently releasing his rather well-received, and 13th, solo album Sunshine Rock since disbanding Hüsker Dü and intersplicing Sugar releases. Mould is nearing the age of 60, but you’d be hard-pressed to think that when he frantically paces back and forth onstage while firing off his characteristic take of punk-leaning alternative rock. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Mike Rosati


Best of 2019 - Modeselektor

Modeselektor

Date: April 4th
Location: Echoplex – Los Angeles

At LA’s Echoplex last Thursday, we didn’t have the fortune of getting another surprise cameo from Yorke, but it was intriguing to see a sold-out crowd welcome Bronsert and Szary back to the City of Angels under the Modeselektor moniker for the first time in a long time (and on a school night no less). And considering they were only stopping through two U.S. cities — LA and NYC the night before at Elsewhere in Brooklyn — on this tour, the show felt a little extra special for those of us in attendance due to the circumstances. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best of 2019 - The Chemical Brothers

The Chemical Brothers

Date: May 15th
Location: Shrine Expo Hall – Los Angeles

Leading off with “Go” from their 2015 LP Born in the Echoes, The Chemical Brothers delivered a 24-song set that covered all nine studio albums, including their newest effort No Geography that dropped in April. They seamlessly transitioned from one banger to the next, keeping our spirits high and leaving us not a minute to rest our feet. The onstage production, meanwhile, was next level. With an arsenal full of lights and lasers as well as a massive projection screen mounted behind them, Rowlands and Simons created a scintillating audio-visual experience to remember and one of the best we’ve witnessed in a while. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best of 2019 - T-Pain

T-Pain

Date: June 15th
Location: The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA

The sun finally came out for none other than T-Pain. Bouncing onstage like Tigger, T-Pain made a case for deserving a later set time (and was probably indirectly responsible for the wave of people passing out around 6 p.m.). The man is a party in a human body, and he’s aging like a fine wine — his music, his dance moves, all of it. It’s clear he belongs on that stage, whether it’s 2:15 or 10:15 p.m. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman


Best of 2019 - Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu

Date: June 15th
Location: The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA

As the sun set over the Pacific Ocean, the crowd swelled in front of the festival’s main stage, waiting for our lord and savior Erykah Badu. We waited. And we waited. Finally, 30 minutes later, Ms. Badu walked out and surveyed the scene before all was forgiven. Her shortened set was still probably more than the sun-dried fans could handle, with her vocals perfect and her vibe far-reaching and unmatched. As she threw her body left and right, jutting her limbs into the air and even jumping down to clasp a few lucky hands, you could feel a collective healing washing over the grounds. Before she left, she even thanked us for waiting for her, as though we had done her a favor. Psh. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman


Best of 2019 - Usher

Usher

Date: June 15th
Location: The Queen Mary – Long Beach, CA

How do you follow Erykah Badu? I didn’t think it could be done until about five seconds into Usher’s performance. He came out swinging, energy and choreography at 110 percent, so fast and fierce that I yelped, “Holy shit!” I grew up listening to Usher and respect him for days, but I didn’t expect him to put on one of the most enjoyable shows I’ve witnessed in 2019 so far. To say “he’s still got it” wouldn’t nearly be enough. So, just trust me when I say “you’ve gotta get yourself to an Usher show.” -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Rochelle Shipman


Best of 2019 - Middle Kids

Middle Kids

Date: June 22nd
Location: Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles

The Aussie rockers have been making a name for themselves on the festival circuit of late, and they did a fine job filling up the Palladium’s expansive floor. With Hannah Joy cementing the power trio’s sound on guitar and vocals, it was a performance that seemed to catch so many spectators off guard. Middle Kids’ songs possess the perfect amount of 90’s nostalgia to keep things catchy while remaining unpretentious and accessible, so expect big things from them in the future. -Zach Bourque, photo by Zach Bourque


Best of 2019 - Local Natives

Local Natives

Date: June 22nd
Location: Hollywood Palladium – Los Angeles

The band’s subdued lighting setup let the music do the talking and echoed its simple formula for success. Sometimes three amazing vocalists singing in harmony is all that you need to sell out a 5,000-person theater. While Local Natives haven’t taken a whole lot of risks over the last decade, including on the 10-track Violet Street, they still know how to hit you right in the feels every time. Nonetheless, time will tell which room they can sell out next. -Zach Bourque, photo by Zach Bourque


Best of 2019 - Empire of the Sun

Empire of the Sun

Date: June 25th
Location: The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco

We showed up for the second of three Bay Area performances only to find the crowd anxiously awaiting the group’s arrival onstage. When lead vocalist/guitarist Luke Steele finally emerged through all the smoke donning his usual headdress and face paint however, it quickly came to life. Complemented by a pair of backup dancers and plenty of eye-catching on-screen visuals, Empire of the Sun kicked things off appropriately with “Standing on the Shore” and between multiple costume changes and instrument swaps, completely blew us away before uncorking the LP’s title track to close their headlining set. -Karina Kristensen, photo by Karina Kristensen


Best of 2019 - Jim James

Jim James

Date: July 3rd
Location: The Wiltern – Los Angeles

That said, one could argue fairly easily that James’ songs are a bit more accessible than The CLD’s, and with that in mind, it wasn’t hard at all to understand why the man who has also put out music under the pseudonym Yim Yames assumed the closing duties for this tour. It became even more evident once James took the stage, shredding his way through tracks on Uniform Distortion like “Over and Over” and “You Get to Rome” before going to an acoustic guitar for “A New Life” from 2013’s Regions of Light and Sound of God. James would end up performing almost all of Uniform Distortion, but the real standouts of the show were in fact slightly altered versions of the Marvin Gaye-inspired “Here in Spirit” and the ever-haunting “Same Old Lie” to close what felt like a roller-coaster set full of peaks and valleys — and of course, plenty of screeches and squeals emanating from his Gibson ES-335, too. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best of 2019 - COMMON

COMMON

Date: July 25th
Location: Apogee Studio – Santa Monica, CA

That’s what COMMON does — he spreads love to each and every person his music reaches. As KCRW DJ Anthony Valadez pointed out during his sit-down interview with the emcee midway through the evening, COMMON has lots of songs about love, and you could quickly find more than enough evidence to assert that fact by looking at the setlist alone. Of the seven tracks he showcased off Let Love, five had the word “love” in its title, starting with “Show Me That You Love” that opened his set. The album, which is inspired by COMMON’s new memoir “Let Love Have the Last Word”, remains a departure from the political deliberations that dominated his 2016 LP Black America Again and spawned out of our most recent U.S. presidential election. I don’t think we need to revisit that moment in history right now, so let me stick to the script. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Brian Lowe


Best of 2019 - The Raconteurs

The Raconteurs

Date: July 27th
Location: Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA

On a Saturday night at the picturesque Santa Barbara Bowl — which we’ll argue is the best music venue in Southern California and where we caught White’s first-ever show there last year — The Raconteurs brought those songs to life as they stormed onstage and unleashed total sonic bliss on our ears with a 90-minute performance highlighted by Consolers of the Lonely tracks “You Don’t Understand Me” and “Carolina Drama”, the latter of which came during an extended encore that was capped off by the quartet’s biggest hit “Steady, as She Goes” and what ultimately inspired White and Benson to form the group back in 2005 as a couple of longtime friends from Detroit. All of this, of course, without having access to our mobile phones after locking them in a Yondr pouch and Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age, The Dead Weather) assisting on keyboards and guitar as a touring member. -Josh Herwitt, photo by David James Swanson


Best of 2019 - FKJ

FKJ

Date: August 5th
Location: Shrine Expo Hall – Los Angeles

2019 has already been a banner year for Venton in several ways. Besides making his debut at Coachella less than four months ago, he partnered with livestream media company Cercle to release this jaw-dropping live video that sees him performing on the world’s largest salt flat. Plus, he married Marieezy in March after previously working with the Filipino songstress. So with Marieezy by his side and fan bases in both Europe and North America now solidified, it appears that FKJ is ready to share his one-of-a-kind live show with the rest of the world. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best of 2019 - blink-182

blink-182

Date: August 9th
Location: Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

Though these 90’s pop-punk kings may be short an OG member, that didn’t stop them from a summer shed tour alongside Lil Wayne. Sure, we all miss Tom DeLonge, and yes, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio remains a considerably solid stand-in, but how effective is this nostalgia act in 2019? That’s a tricky question we won’t answer because at the end of the day, festivalgoers of all ages still love singing along to “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things”. It’s really as simple as that to be honest. Does frontman Mark Hoppus’ silly onstage banter work even as he approaches 50? That’s a whole other can of worms I won’t unpack here. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Marc Fong


Best of 2019 - Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino

Date: August 10th
Location: Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

As one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend, Childish Gambino (born Donald Glover) was an absolute highlight of OSL 2019 and it could very well go down as one of the best sets over the festival’s 12-year run. Minutes before making his grand entrance on the main stage, Glover was informed that he had induced the largest crowd in OSL history. When he finally dismounted from his disco platform in the middle of the polo fields, he shared the news and the audience’s energy from that point forward was palpable. Catching Childish Gambino on his current touring schedule is not only rare, but also few and far between. This year he has been mainly headlining festivals, and rumor has it that this cycle will be his final one billed under the “Childish Gambino” moniker, which made for an even more monumental event in SF. Glover dove straight into an aggressive set of songs from Because the Internet and notable cuts on 2016’s Awaken My Love while being accompanied by a backup band and rotating cast of creative support, including a full choir and crew of dancers/performance artists. More of a conceptual art piece than a typical headlining set, Childish’s masterpiece is one that we will remember for a long time. -Molly Kish, photo by Marc Fong


Best of 2019 - Kacey Musgraves

Kacey Musgraves

Date: August 11th
Location: Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

Kacey Musgraves is arguably one of 2019’s top artists. Her fourth LP Golden Hour has received incredible accolades since its release in 2018, eventually nabbing the highly coveted Grammy for Album of the Year. That said, it was little surprise that Musgraves was able to fill the main stage with fans. Her subtle, yet powerful opener “Slow Burn” could not have been more ideal as she took in the immense crowd. She cutely quipped about playing the Sutro stage in 2014, and you could tell she was well-aware of the moment’s gravity. She naturally leaned heavily on Golden Hour, making sure to include fan favorites such as “Butterflies” and “High Horse” during her set, and at this rate, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before this alt-country breakout star finds herself in big font at the top of festival posters. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Marc Fong


Best of 2019 - Paul Simon

Paul Simon

Date: August 11th
Location: Golden Gate Park – San Francisco

Now that OSL has casually cruised into its 12th year, some musical traditions appear to be in place. Sunday night has become the “legacy artist” slot for many years now, and while these may not be the highest-attended sets of the weekend, they have become a quintessential part of the event. Simon was no different in all circumstances referenced above. No one should be upset that his live retirement barely lasted a year, as the 77-year-old came out jubilant and as entertaining as ever. He quipped about his past musings and even invited a Bay Area legend onstage. As the sun began to set on a shockingly sunny August day, Simon waltzed out there and opened with “Late in the Evening”. Other classic hits like “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” were featured early. “Graceland” kicked off his encore, which saw the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir join in on the Simon & Garfunkel tune “The Boxer”. Although Weir didn’t tackle any major vocals, it was a unique moment to see the two share the stage. And in a fitting way, “The Sound of Silence” served as Simon’s closing song before the masses strolled into SF’s Outerlands one last time. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Marc Fong


Best of 2019 - King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Date: August 13th
Location: Greek Theatre – Los Angeles

All jokes aside, as these Aussie weirdos continue to explore other creative avenues, catching a King Gizzard show remains a fairly unique experience in its own right. You can usually expect at least one mosh pit, if not more, to form, but with the Greek only having a small floor area at the front of the stage, the lively audience that showed up on a Tuesday night could only get so rowdy with most of it resigned to the venue’s seated sections. That, however, didn’t stop these mates from delivering the goods. Over the course of a 90-minute set, they touched upon seven of their 15 albums, including opening and closing with three straight tracks off Infest the Rats’ Nest. There was “People-Vultures” from 2016’s Nonagon Infinity, plus a version of “Wah Wah” that featured a snippet of “The River” at the performance’s midway point. I’m actually a little surprised that they didn’t throw us a couple of curveballs before saying goodbye to be honest, because for as prolific and unpredictable as they’ve become lately, King Gizzard might be one of the most versatile rock bands on Planet Earth, too. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best of 2019 - Maribou State

Maribou State

Date: October 16th
Location: The Regency Ballroom – San Francisco

When Maribou State walked off stage for their encore break, it was almost as if the crowd immediately expected an encore. But no one left until they came back out and performed “Turnmills” from Kingdoms in Colour in honor of the London club that closed in 2008. We really couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a fall night in The City by the Bay. -Karina Kristensen, photo by Karina Kristensen


Outside Lands 2019

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Outside Lands 2019: Our top sets & festival awards

Outside Lands 2019Photos by Marc Fong & Mike Rosati // Written by Molly Kish & Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 9th-11th, 2019 //

Now that the dust has settled in Golden Gate Park both literally and figuratively, it’s time to look back at what made the 12th annual Outside Lands such a success this year. Besides the banner performances from a smorgasbord of artists and bands across a multitude of genres, some attention should be paid to the fresh features that were brought to the three-day music festival’s expansive grounds.

Grass Lands was unquestionably the most talked-about “land” onsite, as OSL made history by becoming the first major U.S. music festival to permit the sales of recreational cannabis. There was something for every stoner in this lush forest, whether it was a variety of edible selections from Kiva to our own personal favorite, the Pineapple Coast-flavored disposable vape pens by DomPen. It wasn’t surprising to witness a vast majority of attendees make a pass through this immersive area that featured vendors, promotional goodies and dedicated cannabis smoking areas. While the enjoyment of ganja-related items is not new to music events in the Bay Area, it was a breath of fresh air to have it be considered legal in these specified areas. What better way to cure that cotton mouth and those pesky munchies than with all of the mind-boggling food and drink options that were available?

The 2019 edition of Outside Lands also featured plenty of memorable sets from some of the best breakthrough talents, returnees and legacy acts in the business. So, sit back, relax and discover which were our favorite performances of the weekend, plus our picks for the fest’s most standout aspects, below.


Outside Lands 2019 - blink-182

TOP SETS:

Artist: blink-182
Set date/time: Friday, 6:25-7:40 p.m.
Location: Lands End

Though these 90’s pop-punk kings may be short an OG member, that didn’t stop them from a summer shed tour alongside Lil Wayne. Sure, we all miss Tom DeLonge, and yes, Matt Skiba of Alkaline Trio remains a considerably solid stand-in, but how effective is this nostalgia act in 2019? That’s a tricky question we won’t answer because at the end of the day, festivalgoers of all ages still love singing along to “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things”. It’s really as simple as that to be honest. Does frontman Mark Hoppus’ silly onstage banter work even as he approaches 50? That’s a whole other can of worms I won’t unpack here. -KQ

Outside Lands 2019

Artist: Tierra Whack
Set date/time: Saturday, 3:45-4:35 p.m.
Location: Twin Peaks

Following in the footsteps of many groundbreaking female artists who came before her, Tierra Whack brought some next level “Black Girl Magic” to OSL. Filling the oddball category on this year’s bill, the fire-spitting emcee brought impeccable artistry and her uniquely quirky brand of hip-hop to a stunned crowd as she competed against blink-182’s nostalgia-laden set over at the festival’s main stage. The audience was completely immersed in the 24-year-old’s warped red-and-white “Seussical” set design, as she delivered penetrating verses off her debut album Whack World. Reminiscent of Janelle Monae’s production during her tour cycle for Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase), Tierra paid homage to the aesthetics of Missy Elliot and Grace Jones while setting the bar for what music fans should expect from a truly authentic hip-hop show. -MK

Outside Lands 2019 - Childish Gambino

Artist: Childish Gambino
Set date/time: Saturday, 8:25-9:55 p.m.
Location: Lands End

As one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend, Childish Gambino (born Donald Glover) was an absolute highlight of OSL 2019 and it could very well go down as one of the best sets over the festival’s 12-year run. Minutes before making his grand entrance on the main stage, Glover was informed that he had induced the largest crowd in OSL history. When he finally dismounted from his disco platform in the middle of the polo fields, he shared the news and the audience’s energy from that point forward was palpable. Catching Childish Gambino on his current touring schedule is not only rare, but also few and far between. This year he has been mainly headlining festivals, and rumor has it that this cycle will be his final one billed under the “Childish Gambino” moniker, which made for an even more monumental event in SF. Glover dove straight into an aggressive set of songs from Because the Internet and notable cuts on 2016’s Awaken My Love while being accompanied by a backup band and rotating cast of creative support, including a full choir and crew of dancers/performance artists. More of a conceptual art piece than a typical headlining set, Childish’s masterpiece is one that we will remember for a long time. -MK

Outside Lands 2019

Artist: DJ Koze
Set date/time: Sunday, 3:40-4:30 p.m.
Location: Sutro

Daytime disco is never an easy feat to pull off at a festival, but DJ Koze had no issue whipping a packed field of dance enthusiasts into a lucid, sweaty frenzy. Coming off his OSL night show Friday at Mezzanine, Stefan Kozalla brought the club vibes so seamlessly to the midday crowd that in the moment, you could barely recognize that you were with so many glistening festival attendees in 80-degree weather (yes, really). Everywhere you turned, smiling faces flashed in unison to the infectious beats of “Pick Up” and “Operator” from his 10-year discography. Fans unapologetically sang along to DJ Koze’s well-known, nu-disco anthems and genuinely let go of themselves during a set that produced some of the weekend’s best vibes. -MK

Outside Lands 2019 - Kacey Musgraves

Artist: Kacey Musgraves
Set date/time: Sunday, 4:10-5:10 p.m.
Location: Lands End

Kacey Musgraves is arguably one of 2019’s top artists. Her fourth LP Golden Hour has received incredible accolades since its release in 2018, eventually nabbing the highly coveted Grammy for Album of the Year. That said, it was little surprise that Musgraves was able to fill the main stage with fans. Her subtle, yet powerful opener “Slow Burn” could not have been more ideal as she took in the immense crowd. She cutely quipped about playing the Sutro stage in 2014, and you could tell she was well-aware of the moment’s gravity. She naturally leaned heavily on Golden Hour, making sure to include fan favorites such as “Butterflies” and “High Horse” during her set, and at this rate, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before this alt-country breakout star finds herself in big font at the top of festival posters. -KQ

Outside Lands 2019 - Toro y Moi

Artist: Toro y Moi
Set date/time: Sunday, 6:10-7 p.m.
Location: Sutro

While this wasn’t Chaz Bundick’s first OSL appearance, the Berkeley resident was welcomed back with the biggest and most energetic audience that he has ever amassed in the festival’s history. Riding high from touring in support of his sixth album Outer Peace, he commanded the stage with confidence and performed a club-worthy list of dance-floor jams from his full catalog. Complemented by idyllic weather, Chaz Bear got us grooving and sweating during a much-needed, pick-me-up set on an often-weary Day 3. -MK

Outside Lands 2019 - Paul Simon

Artist: Paul Simon
Set date/time: Sunday, 7:35-9:35 p.m.
Location: Lands End

Now that OSL has casually cruised into its 12th year, some musical traditions appear to be in place. Sunday night has become the “legacy artist” slot for many years now, and while these may not be the highest-attended sets of the weekend, they have become a quintessential part of the event. Simon was no different in all circumstances referenced above. No one should be upset that his live retirement barely lasted a year, as the 77-year-old came out jubilant and as entertaining as ever. He quipped about his past musings and even invited a Bay Area legend onstage. As the sun began to set on a shockingly sunny August day, Simon waltzed out there and opened with “Late in the Evening”. Other classic hits like “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” were featured early. “Graceland” kicked off his encore, which saw the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir join in on the Simon & Garfunkel tune “The Boxer”. Although Weir didn’t tackle any major vocals, it was a unique moment to see the two share the stage. And in a fitting way, “The Sound of Silence” served as Simon’s closing song before the masses strolled into SF’s Outerlands one last time. -KQ


Outside Lands 2019

OUTSIDE LANDS 2019 AWARDS:

Best “Lands”: Grass Lands
Elevating the festival game with the legal purchase and consumption of marijuana on the grounds, there were interactive installations like the smell wall, tutorials on how to make bongs and pipes out of fruit, and lounges to chill and take in all the heady vibes.

Best Beacon: The Giant Inflatable Straw
In a city where the use of plastic straws is nearly obsolete, OSL found a tongue-in-cheek way to make sure that the last remaining one was ever-present throughout the park.

Best Food: Lobster Roll (Woodhouse Fish Co.)
This decadently loaded, perfect on-the-go meal may have been overshadowed by the rest of the 2019 culinary menu, but it was by far the best bang for your buck.

Best Cocktail: Pork Chop Express (The Treasury)
If you were looking for something refreshing and not too overwhelmingly intoxicating, The Treasury had you covered all weekend long. Consisting of gin, pineapple gum, honey syrup and lapsang souchong tea, this libation was a crowd favorite that essentially tasted like an adult Arnold Palmer.

Best Wine: West + Wilder (Sparkling)

Best Pop-up: Wyclef Jean’s (somewhat surprise) set outside of the Heineken Dome

Best Upgrade: Verizon Members Lounge

Best Merchandise: Limited Edition Bomber Jacket (buy here)

Best Comedian: Alyssa Edwards

Best Cameo: Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead (during Paul Simon’s headlining performance)

Outside Lands 2019: Here’s what to see, eat & drink

Outside LandsPhoto by Norm de Veyra // Written by Kevin Quandt //

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 9th-11th, 2019 //

As a thick layer of fog begins to make its daily descent upon the western edge of SF, Golden Gate Park to be precise, local residents know that Outside Lands can’t be too far off. Though in all seriousness, it hasn’t been a terribly overcast summer in the Avenues, especially come afternoon. Celebrating its 12th year as the Bay Area’s go-to festival for modern music, many have come to love their annual romp in the Outerlands and Golden Gate Park to an eclectic soundtrack of genres and eras.

Outside Lands’ 2019 edition is no exception with a truly varied trio of top-billed acts spread across three days. Attendees will get to see Twenty One Pilots in a headlining slot on Friday after their OSL debut in 2013. On Saturday, Donald Glover makes his own grand entrance as Childish Gambino while completing his recent victory lap. Paul Simon, meanwhile, has the honor of closing down the event on Sunday as he recently returns to the stage after retiring from intensive touring.

Now, let us assist with a few curated choices for this year’s event as you plan out your best layered-jacket look. But seriously, pray for sunshine and create your own schedule here.


Outside Lands 2019 - Paul Simon

Music

Artist: Boyfriend
Set date/time: Friday, 1:20-2 p.m. & 6:50-7:20 p.m.
Location: Panhandle & Gastromagic

Ever seen a rap-cabaret show? Do you want to see one? Well, you’ll have two opportunities on Day 1 to catch New Orleans’ own Boyfriend put on one of the most entertaining performances you’ll witness in a long time. Best known for her wildly creative live show where anything can happen, the singer-songwriter, rapper and producer spits some hyper-intelligent commentary on the current state of gender and identity. Collaborations with Big Freedia, Galactic and Run the Jewels DJ/producer Little Shalimar most recently have proven that she’s a versatile emcee who’s in high-demand. She’ll be presenting her act alongside Chris Cosentino, who will likely be dropping some serious Italian cuisine knowledge and techniques on the assembled crowd at the Gastromagic Stage after her afternoon set over at the Panhandle Stage.

Artist: Altın Gün
Set date/time: Saturday, 3-3:40 p.m.
Location: Panhandle

Though OSL and other large-scale music festivals have shifted the bulk of their lineups away from rock acts, Another Planet Entertainment has always been keen on tapping a handful of important up-and-coming bands that fit somewhere in the lexicon of rock ‘n’ roll. This year, attendees will have the chance to catch the SF debut of Turkish psychedelic folk-rock group Altın Gün as they finish up their first U.S. tour at OSL. The outfit’s supreme combination of traditional Turkish folk and psychedelic rock got the attention of King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard in 2018 and was signed to ATO Records soon thereafter. This Amsterdam-based six-piece has their finger on something both thrilling and experimental, so make sure to catch their afternoon set at the Panhandle Stage.

Artist: Paul Simon
Set date/time: Sunday, 7:35-9:35 p.m.
Location: Land’s End

It was only September 22nd when Paul Simon concluded “Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour” much to the disappointment of his fans. The prolific singer-songwriter was still sharp onstage and was playing to packed houses when he stated it was time to close up shop. Fast forward six months later to March, and OSL would reveal its 2019 lineup that sees Simon top the Day 3 bill. But this booking also comes with a little twist. For this show and several of his subsequent Hawaiian dates, Simon will donate all of the proceeds to the San Francisco Parks Alliance and Friends of the Urban Forest in SF. So, don’t sleep on this set if you’ve never seen Simon before, as this could very well be one of the last times to hear hits such as “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and “Late in the Evening”.


Outside Lands 2019 - Taste of the Bay Area

Food & Drink

Cassava: This Outer Richmond establishment has been drawing crowds to the Balboa Village area for years now and will be serving up buttermilk popcorn chicken rice bowls with harissa aioli and house furikake, as well as popcorn shrimp rice bowls with gribiche. Only a few short blocks from the Main Gate entrance, Cassava has become a popular destination for enjoying a pre-festival brunch. Just make sure to get there early, as a wait should be expected. Also, make sure to visit the Hockey Haven a block down Balboa St. for a quick libation before you head to the event.

Mozzeria: Famous for its mobile pizza ovens, Mozzeria returns to Golden Gate Park this year and will be whipping out its insanely delicious, and fresh, Neapolitan-style pies. The Mission District-based pizzeria will be serving up both personal Margherita and Salumi pizzas from its instantly recognizable truck that’s complete with an authentic brick oven. Expect a small wait as these pies are made to order, but just know that it’ll be worth your patience.

Woods Beer Co.: While Outside Lands brings in food and drink partners from around the Bay Area each year, this Outerlands-based writer felt compelled to focus on some local businesses located near the event. You might have visited one of the other Woods locations in Oakland or on Treasure Island, but the Woods Outbound outpost is only a few blocks from the polo fields. Despite the breweries at Beer Lands having not released their offerings yet, one should expect Woods to bring their flagship MateVeza IPA, their unfiltered Retro Pilsner or their Local Honey herbal ale to the park. Swing by Judah St. and try something a bit different than the rest.

Outside Lands - 2019 lineup

Outside Lands delivers its 2019 schedule

Outside Lands

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 9th-11th, 2019 //

The 12th edition of Outside Lands is only two weeks away, and the three-day music festival has dropped what many fans often clamor for in late July … that’s right, set times!

Ready to start planning your weekend at Golden Gate Park? Make sure to check out the 2019 schedule here.

But much like every year, there are some noteworthy scheduling conflicts. Friday will see Lil Wayne and Masego performing 15 minutes apart, blink-182 overlapping with Counting Crows, and Flying Lotus (3D), The Lumineers and headliner Twenty One Pilots all closing down their respective stages on Day 1.

Outside Lands 2019 - daily lineups

Saturday, though, is where things really start to get hairy with Santigold pitted against Tierra Whack, Alina Baraz playing at the same time as Phosphorescent, Better Oblivion Community Center starting 10 minutes before Flume, and headliner Childish Gambino vs. RL Grime — of course, that’s without mentioning Ella Mai and Hozier also have their own evening slots.

The Day 3 slate, meanwhile, offers some more challenges, beginning with Mavis Staples vs. Cherry Glazerr in the early afternoon. Catching both DJ Koze and Kacey Musgraves could be tough with their sets only separated by 30 minutes, as well as Leon Bridges and Toro y Moi. Sunday’s biggest conflict, however, could be choosing between Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (7:30 p.m.) and legendary headliner Paul Simon (7:35 p.m.). Plus, there’s Kygo on the Twin Peaks stage less than an hour later at 8:20 p.m. For those of you going to OSL, just remember: whoever you decide to see, it’s sure to be a good time! Download the mobile app here, and oh, wear some comfortable shoes, too (nobody likes blisters anyway).

If you can’t wait for Outside Lands now, look back at our coverage from 2018 here.

Outside Lands - 2019 lineup

Paul Simon, Childish Gambino & Twenty One Pilots to headline Outside Lands 2019

Outside Lands - 2019 lineup

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival //
Golden Gate Park – San Francisco
August 9th-11th, 2019 //

Outside Lands is back for another go-around in Golden Gate Park this August.

The three-day music festival, which a year ago saw The Weeknd, Florence + the Machine and Janet Jackson lead the way, has landed Paul Simon, Childish Gambino and Twenty One Pilots to anchor its 2019 installment.

Beyond the three headliners for the event’s 12th edition, this year’s roster will also welcome The Lumineers, Flume, Blink-182, Kygo, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Leon Bridges, Kacey Musgraves, Lil Wayne, Hozier, RL Grime, Ella Mai, Counting Crows, Flying Lotus (3D), Alina Baraz, Mavis Staples, Bebe Rexha, Sheck Wes, The Neighbourhood, Santigold, Better Oblivion Community Center, Toro y Moi, Denzel Curry, Lauren Daigle, San Holo, Judah & the Lion, Big Wild, Bob Moses, Wallows, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Yaeji and many more. See the poster above for the rest of the lineup.

UPDATE (May 14th): Outside Lands has delivered its daily lineups for 2019, with Twenty One Pilots headlining Friday, Childish Gambino performing Saturday and Paul Simon closing the festival Sunday. Take a look at the daily schedules below before single-day tickets go on sale for $155 (GA), $355 (VIP) and $695 (Golden Gate) this Thursday, May 16th at 10 a.m. PT here.

Outside Lands 2019 - daily lineups

If you’re already pumped for Outside Lands, don’t wait to get your tickets when they go on sale here this Thursday, March 28th at 10 a.m. PT and make sure to check out our coverage from 2018 here.

Outside Lands 2018

Lightning in a Bottle 2019 boasts Disclosure (DJ set), Big Gigantic, Flying Lotus & more at a new location

Lightning in a Bottle - 2019 lineup

Lightning in a Bottle //
Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area – Bakersfield, CA
May 8th-13th, 2019 //

After a longer-than-expected wait, Lightning in a Bottle has finally given us the goods.

The “transformational festival,” which has become an excellent hangover cure for West Coast music fans shortly after Coachella, usually drops its lineup sometime in mid-January, but with new dates and a new location in Kern County holding things up, it took an extra month before we could learn more about who will be performing in 2019.

And boy, did The Do LaB go big for the 16th edition of its signature event, booking Disclosure (DJ set), Big Gigantic, Flying Lotus (3D) and Santigold to lead another outstanding lineup that comes to Buena Vista Aquatic Recreation Area in Bakersfield this May.

Let’s just hope leaving on Monday morning doesn’t take a mind-numbing five hours like it did once at San Antonio Recreation Area, the festival’s previous site in Bradley from 2014-18.

Now a staple in California’s expansive music festival scene, LIB took some more steps toward the mainstream a year ago after securing Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Zhu, Griz and Fever Ray to play its 2018 installlment, and it appears to have continued down that same path with Gramatik, Toro y Moi and Khruangbin on board for this go-around, which will not occur over Memorial Day weekend as has been the tradition.

Lightning in a Bottle 2019 - Phase 2 lineup

Other acts earning a spot on the Phase 1 roster include Rising Appalachia, Masego, ELOHIM, Cautious Clay, Jan Bloomqvist & Band, Channel Tres, Framworks, ÌFÉ, LUM, Mobley, Lane 8, DJ Koze, Damian Lazarus, Shiba San, Bedouin, Recondite (Live), Escapade (Walker & Royce + Ardalan), G Jones, The Polish Ambassador, OPIUO, CloZee, Shades, 1788-L and more.

UPDATE (March 5th): The Do LaB has announced the Phase 2 lineup for LIB 2019 with Ozomatli, Rising Appalachia, My Baby, Swingrowers, Próxima Parada, The Fungineers, Frameworks, Vokab Company, Balkan Bump and more all slated to perform across four stages. Check out the poster above for the rest of the bill.

LIB has received praise as one of the nation’s premier boutique festivals over the years, but that label has been called into question as sold-out crowds have become more of the norm. Meanwhile, prior mainstays like Lucent Dossier Experience and William Close & The Earth Harp Collective have also been recently absent as the fest’s organizers look to branch out.

Four- and five-day passes to LIB can be purchased here for $335 and $395, respectively, this Saturday, February 16th at 10 a.m. PT. As attendees have come to expect over the years, The Do LaB will also continue to promote the ideals of sustainability, social cohesion, personal health and creative expression through art, yoga, workshops and speakers.

Itching to attend LIB? Take a peek at our past coverage here.

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018: A strong return for one of the Bay Area’s best live music events

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - JunglePhotos by Brendan Mansfield, Josh Withers, Paige K. Parsons & Josh Sanseri // Written by Brett Ruffenach //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park – Oakland
October 13th-14th, 2018 //

Treasure Island Music Festival is back. After 10 years on its namesake island, Another Planet Entertainment’s and Noise Pop’s two-day music and arts festival has returned in full form to its new home, the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland.

A popular spot for open-air events, MHSP has become well-known for its sprawling natural grass, cool breeze and stunning sunsets revealing a silhouetted view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco skyline. Having hosted both hip-hop festival Blurry Vision and house music day party All Day I Dream in the past, the park has become a reliable space for large-scale events in the East Bay.

TIMF 2018 was no different. For the fest’s first iteration at this new venue, organization and logistics ran as smoothly as one may hope. Based on my own experience and the anecdotes shared by other festivalgoers throughout the weekend, arriving and leaving the festival was simple and stress-free; exiting both nights after the headliner finished and waiting to board the shuttle to the West Oakland BART station took no longer than 30 minutes, even at peak times. After transporting thousands of patrons on and off Treasure Island in years past, it’s not a surprise that the organizers were successful in keeping everything on course over the whole weekend.

The layout of the festival followed a similar logic to previous iterations: two stages at opposite ends of a large field, with artists playing back-to-back on each stage. This is where TIMF truly shines — to be able to see every artist on any music festival’s lineup is always a treat. Kicking off Saturday’s hip-hop and electronic-oriented artist roster was up-and-coming experimental rapper JPEGMAFIA. Using nothing but a laptop (managed by himself) and a mic, JPEGMAFIA spent much of his set in the crowd, rapping his manic flows atop noisy, blaring hip-hop beats.

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Moses Sumney


Moses Sumney

Later, Moses Sumney took the stage as a four-piece band, a new iteration of what has usually been a solo project. His sultry vocals, combined with some expanded instrumentation, made for a complete reinvention of the LA native’s live show. “Make Out in Your Car”, for example, featured an extremely groovy outro that gave the band backing the soulful singer-songwriter space to jam out for a second.

Sadly, as Sumney began his closing track “Plastic”, electronic duo Polo & Pan started their set on the opposite stage, quickly overtaking the airwaves across Middle Harbor. Polo & Pan have garnered considerable hype this year, and for good reason. The French duo seamlessly guided us through a 45-minute, non-stop dance party, layering bacchanalian melodies over thumping house beats that invoked a sense of being at a old-time carnival. It’s quite a unique sound that can really get a crowd moving.

As the afternoon progressed, artist after artist brought their best underneath the beating sun. Laff Trax is a new side project featuring Bay Area resident Chaz Bundick (aka Toro y Moi) and enigmatic electronic producer Nosaj Thing. In what really ended up being a B2B DJ set rather than a new musical project, the two DJs were impeccable in their selections.

Back at the main stage, Santigold celebrated the 10th anniversary of her self-titled debut LP by performing it in full. Another new DJ duo, Silk City, which was formed by All-Star record producers Mark Ronson and Diplo, shortly followed, keeping a small crowd moving leading up to the night’s two final acts: Pusha T and A$AP Rocky.

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - Pusha T


Pusha T

Pusha T took The City stage right at set time, kicking off with an a capella intro to the opening track “If You Know You Know” from his most recent album Daytona. From there, it was “King Push” in full form — performing a setlist of nearly 20 songs, back to back to back, while never missing a beat. Throughout the set, Pusha and his DJ continuously proclaimed “DAYTONA … ALBUM OF THE YEAR!” And after he performed the whole disc from start to finish, including a word-perfect rendition of “Infared”, I might be inclined to agree.

Saturday headliner A$AP Rocky was an unfortunate disappointment. Due to what we think was technical difficulties, he didn’t take the stage until 37 minutes after his scheduled start time, killing more than half an hour. While he brought all the bells and whistles one would expect — pyrotechnics, strobe lights and a full backing band — when headlining a festival, you could tell he felt rushed and flustered trying to get through what they could before the strict noise curfew of 10 p.m. As a result, Rocky ended up being one of the more forgettable acts of the weekend.

Sunday at TIMF proved to be sublime. Offering just as much sunshine and warmth as Day 1, a perfectly sequenced day focused heavily on rock transpired. Pond, the first of four Australian acts to perform on the main stage, got things started for a noticeably large audience, many of who were likely Tame Impala fans arriving early to show their support for Jay Watson, who is in both bands. Next was Soccer Mommy, another one of this year’s indie darlings, as she and her sidekicks held their own playing tracks off her debut LP Clean, including excellent takes on “Your Dog” and “Cool”.

Alex Cameron, the second Australian act to take the main stage on Sunday, is a puzzling one. Picture “Macho Man” Randy Savage meeting Michael Jackson if you can. It’s part comedy bit, part completely serious 80’s dream-pop band. Cameron describes the project as a “dossier of evidence about the condition of being a straight white male.” Take from that what you will.

Treasure Island Music Festival 2018 - U.S. Girls


U.S. Girls

The marathon of music subsequently continued. Shame, a post-punk outfit that couldn’t have originated from anywhere except the UK, brought a breath of fresh air (and dust) to TIMF with their fast and loose instrumentation and leery vocal stylings. Sharon Van Etton unveiled what I see as version 2.0 of her music by adding some really gritty guitar and synthesizer sounds to her stunning vocals. We look forward to hearing her new album Remind Me Tomorrow, which comes out next year.

But U.S. Girls were the highlight of the weekend for us. A nine-piece experimental pop act, they put on a stunning 45-minute set that culminated in an entrancing rendition of “Time”, the closing track on their critically acclaimed studio effort In a Poem Unlimited, that lasted more than 10 minutes. The energy, instrumentation and vocal capabilities were absolutely stunning. Easily one of this year’s most exciting new acts, and we can’t wait to catch them again soon.

Tame Impala delivered what one might expect from one of the world’s top-touring rock bands right now. Running through a 17-song set full of hits, from “Alter Ego” to “The Less I Know the Better” on 2015’s Currents, the final Aussie act of the day left us with a special treat by playing “Jeremy’s Storm” from their debut album Innerspeaker for the first time in nearly five years.

After taking 2017 off and relocating to Oakland, TIMF has returned in full form and we are certainly thrilled about that. With great weather, excellent organization and a near-perfect sequencing of artists this year, it still happens to be one of the best live music events in the Bay Area. Who’s ready for 2019?

Can Treasure Island Music Festival regain its footing after a year off & a new location?

Treasure Island Music Festival - 2018 lineupWritten by Brett Ruffenach //

Treasure Island Music Festival //
Middle Harbor Shoreline Park – Oakland
October 13th-14th, 2018 //

With what seems like an endless amount of opportunities to see dozens of artists perform over a weekend in the Bay Area — Outside Lands, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Blurry Vision … the list goes on — Treasure Island Music Festival has spent the past decade establishing a foothold in Northern California’s festival scene through well-curated lineups and unique headliners such as Massive Attack, Atoms for Peace and Outkast, along with exciting emerging artists in pop, hip-hop, electronic and rock ‘n’ roll.

Best of all, TIMF is one of the few music festivals where you can see every single artist on the lineup. A two-stage event that staggers artists back-to-back for 12 hours straight, it’s ideal for those looking to discover some of the hottest live music acts on tour right now.

TIMF has gone through a couple changes over the years. Originally held on the northwestern end of its namesake island for the first nine years, organizers were forced to relocate the fest due to construction on new housing (what else would it be, of course?) in the area. And after what was an unfortunate 2016 installment due to bad weather and artist cancellations on the opposite end of Treasure Island, the festival took a break last year.

But TIMF has found a new home in Oakland’s Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. A new popular spot for open-air events, MHSP has become quite well-known for its sprawling natural grass, cool breeze right off the water and sunsets revealing a stunning, silhouetted view of the Bay Bridge and San Francisco skyline. MHSP has proven to be a reliable space for festivals, with events like hip-hop festival Blurry Vision and house music day party All Day I Dream.

Treasure Island Music Festival - 2018 daily lineups

TIMF’s 2018 lineup features, top to bottom, some of the most interesting artists in pop, rock, hip-hop, electronic and all the experimental forms that cross them. In an era where hip-hop remains at the height of its popularity, TIMF 2018 includes artists behind some of the most provocative rap music released this year. JPEGMAFIA, a rapper hailing from Baltimore, is a standout among heavy hitters like Pusha T and A$AP Rocky. Blending experimental noise with booming beats behind maniacal flows, this is not one to be missed. He’s on at 12:40 p.m., so get there early, folks. You won’t regret it.

It’s hard to place a lot of these exciting artists in a specific genre. How can you capture the sweeping sounds of Moses Sumney? Take the soaring vocal traditions in gospel, then mix jazz, looped electronics and simple guitar chord progressions, and stir. Having hit pretty much every major music festival this year while also appearing at The Oscars with Sufjan Stevens, this buzzworthy artist lives up to the hype.

In a similar vein, serpentwithfeet will make an appearance to play the experimental sounds from his critically acclaimed album, entitled soil, that arrived in June. Alongside other genre-bending artists like Hiatus Kaiyote, a soul-meets-rock band bound to catch the interest of any first-time listener, there’s really no shortage of artists refusing to be placed in one category.

Joining the wide spectrum of hip-hop, R&B and jazz showcased on Saturday is a cavalcade of cutting-edge electronic projects, including easily one of the most exciting acts to emerge over the last year in French duo Polo & Pan.

Treasure Island Music Festival - 2018 map

Even more excitingly, TIMF will host two brand-new projects making their Bay Area debut: Laff Trax and Silk City. Hard to imagine what exactly to expect, but when you see that indie-pop artist and Berkeley native Toro y Moi is going B2B with the downtempo, enigmatic beats of Nosaj Thing, it’s hard not to have your hopes high. Similarly, Silk City will feature two of the biggest pop music producers in the world joining forces, Mark Ronson and Diplo. You’ll just have to be there to see what it’s like.

Guitars may seem like a thing of the past at other major music festivals (we’re looking at you, Coachella), but at TIMF, rock ‘n’ roll is thriving. With the current kings of psychedelic rock in Tame Impala leading the pack, the bands preceding them are sure to pack their own punch.

Among the most exciting are U.S. Girls, a pop project lead by the unique vocal stylings of Meghan Remy. Their most recent LP In a Poem Unlimited is destined to top many year-end lists, and we can only expect their live production to meet a similar standard. Sharon Van Etten, with her new-meets-old-school style, and Courtney Barnett, who possesses the most charming accent in the game and just played LA’s Greek Theatre (read our review here) this month, also will be there to showcase their latest material.

Be sure to hit the merch stand early, as TIMF will have a brand-new line of gear to celebrate their new home in Oakland. This year’s merch is presented in partnership with Oaklandish, which is a popular fashion line and retail store based in Oakland. They’ll be printing all of this year’s merch locally in their warehouse, and they’ve also been tapped to design a new collaborative item specific to 2018. The company will also have a pop-up booth at TIMF for those looking to explore additional apparel and accessories. Plus, there will be a variety of Oakland and East Bay food trucks to keep things local and of course, your bellies full.

Who are you most excited to see? What are your pro tips for this weekend?

Noise Pop 2018: A Bay Area indie culture celebration

Noise Pop 2018Written by Jacqueline Moore //

Noise Pop //
Bay Area venues – San Francisco & Oakland
February 19th-25th, 2018 //

While it seems as if the rest of the world slept soundly over the holidays, putting their work aside to relax and unwind, the people at Noise Pop stayed wide awake, producing the most eclectic and unique celebration of Bay Area independent culture.

Starting next week, the 26th edition of Noise Pop invades all corners of the Bay (including the addition of shows in surrounding cities like San Jose, Santa Cruz and Sacramento this year) to honor everything we love about SF, Oakland and the greater Northern California region.

As a festival, Noise Pop is one in which you can jump from show to show while seeing plenty of big-name acts — tUnE-yArDs, Ty Dolla $ign and Built to Spill to name a few this year — on one night, then catch some of today’s most emerging artists, whether it’s Japanese Breakfast, Sudan Archives, Mount Eerie or another.

Throughout the week, make sure to explore everything that Noise Pop has to offer. Between film screenings, art galleries, happy hours and concerts happening all over SF and the East Bay, you’ll find that Noise Pop knows how to transform the area into your own playground.

Last year for its 25th anniversary, Noise Pop saw its largest attendance numbers, with nearly every show reaching capacity. In fact, more than 28,000 people came together for a week of events to commemorate what makes the Bay Area so damn special.

Names on the 2018 lineup are strong and not to be slept on. Between local shining star Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, well-known acts such as Bahamas and Geographer, besties Jay Som and Japanese Breakfast, and former Vampire Weekend keyboardist Rostam, the Noise Pop bill (which was announced in three phases) is stacked to the brim, making it tough to choose who to see each night.

However, there are only two ways to get in on the action: buy a badge and gain access to every show, or individually buy tickets to the ones that you’d like to attend.

The choice is yours, friend.


Download the Noise Pop mobile app to get special updates, including details on Noise Pop After Hours performances, and create your own customized schedule here. Super Fan Badges are still available for purchase here.

Noise Pop 2018 - Phase 3 lineup

The 25 best live music acts of 2016

Best live music acts of 2016

As we officially place 2016 in the history books, it’s time to look back at all the live music we experienced this year. Last year we shared our 25 favorite live performers of 2015, so this year we thought we would do it again while excluding any artists we named in 2015. After all, who really wants to see the same acts listed two years in a row? That said, now that we’re two years removed, our 25 favorite live performers of 2014 were once again fair game.

After covering many excellent bands, musicians and DJs over the past 12 months, trimming our list down to 25 wasn’t easy and as usual, some difficult decisions had to be made. Those who didn’t make the cut but still deserve to be mentioned here include the following artists, DJs and bands (in alphabetical order) whom we either covered at their own show and/or at a music festival this year:

Adrian Younge, Air, Alessia Cara, Alina Baraz, AlunaGeorge, Alvvays, The Arcs, A$AP Ferg, Atlas Genius, Aubrie Sellers, The Avett Brothers, Bag Raiders, Baio, Banks & Steelz, Bas, Battles, Beats Antique, Beach House, Best Coast, Big Freedia, Big Gigantic, Big Grams, Big Wild, Bloc Party, Bob Mould, The Boxer Rebellion, Brand New, Brett Dennen, The California Honeydrops, Capital Cities, Cate Le Bon, Chairlift, Chelsea Wolfe, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Chuck Mosley, Chromeo, Claude VonStroke, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Cold War Kids, The Crux, Dan Deacon, Danny Brown, Deftones, The Devil Makes Three, Dirtwire, Disclosure, DMA’s, DMX, Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors, Duran Duran, Every Time I Die, Emancipator Ensemble, Ezra Furman, Faith No More, The Faint, Fantastic Negrito, Femi Kuti, Florence + the Machine, Flume, Fruition, The Gaslamp Killer, Geographer, Glass Animals, Gorgon City, Grimes, Halsey, The Head and the Heart, Heartwatch, The Heavy, Highly Suspect, Hippie Sabotage, Holy Fuck, How to Dress Well, Hudson Mohawke, Hundred Waters, IAMX, Ibeyi, Ice Cube, Iggy Pop, The Infamous Stringdusters, Jack Beats, Jack Garratt, Jack Ü, James Bay, Jamie xx, J. Cole, Jimmie Vaughn, Jhené Aiko, The Joy Formidable, Joywave, Julia Holter, Julien Baker, Kaki King, Kamaiyah, Kamasi Washington, Kehlani, K.Flay, The Kills, Kurt Vile, Lafa Taylor, Lana Del Rey, Låpsley, Les Sins, Lettuce, Lionel Richie, Lord Huron, Little Scream, Lucius, M83, Major Lazer, Marian Hill, Mayer Hawthorne, MC YOGI, Methyl Ethel, Metric, Miami Horror, Mick Jenkins, Midi Matilda, Miguel Migs, Modest Mouse, Moon Taxi, M. Ward, Nahko & Medicine for the People, The Naked and Famous, Nas, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Neon Indian, Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker), Nite Jewel, Panic! at the Disco, Parliament-Funkadelic, Peaches, Petite Noir, The Pharcyde, The Polish Ambassador, Porches, Prince Rama, Purity Ring, Pusha T, Radiohead, Ra Ra Riot, The Regrettes, The Revivalists, RJD2, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rogue Wave, Rubblebucket, Run the Jewels, The Russ Liquid Test, Ryan Adams, The Sam Chase & The Untraditional, Saosin, Sarah Neufeld, The Seshen, Shabazz Palaces, Shlohmo, Silversun Pickups, Snakehips, Solange, Son Little, St. Lucia, Stormzy, The Struts, STS9, Sturgill Simpson, Sufjan Stevens, Summer Cannibals, Sunflower Bean, Sigur Rós, St. Germain, Sylvan Esso, Tacocat, Taking Back Sunday, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down, This Will Destroy You, Thomas Jack, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Tortoise, Tory Lanez, Tourist, The Trims, Troye Sivan, Umphrey’s McGee, Viceroy, Vince Staples, Vokab Company, Walk the Moon, Warpaint, Wavves, Weezer, Wheeler Walker Jr., White Denim, Wild Belle, Wild Nothing, Years & Years, Yeasayer, YG, Young Fathers, Yuck, ZHU, Ziggy Marley.

Now, it’s time for The Bam Team to present our 25 favorite live performers of 2016.

The Bam Team’s 5 Favorite Shows, Albums & Songs of 2016

Listen to The Bam Team’s favorite songs of 2016:


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #25 - Tycho

25. Tycho

For as much as Epoch was a surprise, so were Tycho’s two most recent shows in LA last week. It was the first time Hansen and company had played The Fonda Theatre since the Awake tour back in 2014, and Thursday’s sellout, which was announced less than a week before the show, along with the subsequent need to add a second date the next night, made it clear that more than ever, Angelinos have a strong appetite for what Hansen is doing on both a musical and visual level. It helps, too, that KCRW Music Director Jason Bentley, who opened the shows at The Fonda with a DJ set, has helped expose Tycho to a broader audience, whether through the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” theme song or live, in-studio performances by the band. Even nowadays with an abundance of streaming sites, you can’t underestimate the power of radio in a city with a driving culture as large as LA’s. And truth be told, Tycho is some of the best music to drive to, especially when you’re surrounded by nature. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #24 - Isaiah Rashad

24. Isaiah Rashad

And when it did, Rashad torpedoed onto stage and turned the restlessness in the room on its head with “Smile”, the apropos homecoming banger he released after years of uncertainty that followed his 2014 EP Cilvia Demo. It was fitting because prior to his reemergence, which was sparked by the song, Rashad admitted to being addicted to Xanax and alcohol, and it almost led to him being dropped from his West Coast record label on several occasions. From his issues with substance abuse to the tears he shed while listening to Kid Cudi’s music and his open-book thoughts on the humanizing of mental-health issues, Rashad’s journey from being the contemplative unknown in superstar Kendrick Lamar’s crew to a complete artist deserving of your attention has been steeped in honesty. -Joseph Gray, photo by Joseph Gray


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #23 - Bob Moses

23. Bob Moses

Needless to say, worn-out axioms failed to apply in this scenario. Bob Moses silenced anyone attempting to pass them off as yet another contrived electropop outfit aiming to please the masses. At Mezzanine, both Howie and Vallance proved their prowess as EDM innovators, bringing more to the stage than a couple of laptops and a pretty light show. Surprising those unfamiliar with their work or expecting to be underwhelmed, Bob Moses have elevated the live electronic game for their respective contemporaries and succeeded in defining a new chapter for the genre — an innovative sound standard that’s all their own. -Molly Kish, photo by Lisette Worster


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #22 - Floating Points

22. Floating Points

The band continued building on its rhythms and melodies, creating a hypnotic feeling that was filled with textured synthesizers, guitar pedals and consummate percussion, as laser patterns reflected each rise and fall during its lengthy jam sessions. As Sheppard and his sidekicks progressed through each track, the complexity of the laser projections grew into optical illusions that, almost like another musical instrument onstage, intertwined with the style and progression of the band’s production perfectly. With each song reaching a climax and eventual denouement, the artwork remained untouched for a few minutes so that fans could observe each piece before their very own eyes. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Alister Mori


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #21 - Ty Segall

21. Ty Segall

But Segall is no doubt a showman himself, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who expends as much energy onstage as he does in merely 90 minutes. His passion simply rubs off on his fans, who wasted little time climbing onstage and taking the plunge into a sea of hands for a couple of minutes. Segall, of course, also got in on the action at one point, as his shows are often known to feature crowd surfing from both band and audience members, and he made sure to take the mic stand with him while he horizontally slithered across the room. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #20 - Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

20. Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem

One of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind coming into Outside Lands was, “Who were Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem?” For those who knew, it was, “How in the hell were the Muppets going to fill a Sunday slot on the main stage?” Because the band had never played a show of such magnitude or outside the context of a TV/film studio, no one had any clue what to expect during this early-afternoon slot. Though some festivalgoers (mistakenly) decided to forego the experience altogether, those present will not forget the incredible feat that Another Planet Entertainment and Jim Henson Enterprises were able to pull off for what was one of the most emotionally nostalgic, blissfully complex and once-in-a-lifetime festival performances maybe ever. The Muppet house band both effortlessly managed to pluck the heartstrings of multiple generations of fans while delivering the most conceptually beautiful “love letter” to the city of SF, blanketing the grounds in a sea of love and collective euphoria for a brief, yet unforgettable moment. -Molly Kish, photo by Rochelle Shipman


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #19 - RÜFÜS DU SOL

19. RÜFÜS DU SOL

By the time RÜFÜS made their entrance, the excitement in the room was at a fever pitch. The crowd was ready to dance from the very first beat (thanks to the excellent warm-up from Kllo and Yuma X), and they did just that. Lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist took center stage with great energy and proceeded to do the customary water bottle toss shortly after. Lindqvist set the tone right from the get-go for a high-energy, high-audience-participation set. The crowd responded in kind by getting down much harder than expected for a Wednesday night. Notably, there were surprisingly very few phones out as most attendees put away their cameras to make the most of every song. The intimate setting of The Fillmore could almost have been mistaken for the polo fields of Coachella, given how many girls-on-shoulders could be seen around the venue. -Geoff Hong, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #18 - Rudimental

18. Rudimental

Through Rudimental tracks like “Not Giving In”, “Free” and “Waiting All Night”, the most unique element of the group’s live production was their charisma. Simply put, they look like they’re having fun. These aren’t tortured artists or cathartic performers — Rudimental are a band that loves the music they make. Even the band’s drummer, Beanie, easily one of the hardest working rhythmists on tour right now, managed to keep a smile on his face, racing through Rudimental’s repertoire of songs that were anywhere from 145 to 160 BPMs. The septet’s de-facto leader, DJ Locksmith, was surprisingly more in the background than you would expect from a typical DnB hype man. As Rudimental wrapped up their set with their chart-topping hit “Feel the Love”, the crowd joined in as the song ended, creating a shared moment at The Fox that perfectly reflected the intention of Rudimental — to spread the love. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Marc Fong


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #17 - BØRNS

17. BØRNS

On this night, that proverbial phrase seemingly rang true. It wasn’t just that BØRNS most likely amassed the largest attendance in the history of the Twilight Concert Series, but also the fact that it was easily one of the best shows I’ve ever witnessed at the Santa Monica Pier. One could certainly point to the opening of the Expo Line extension as a reason for the larger crowds so far this summer, which wasn’t all that noticeable during the series’ opening night with Mayer Hawthorne just the week prior, but that would simply be underestimating the exponential rise of Garrett Borns’ eponymous project. Since he relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 and signed with Interscope Records, the Michigan native has gone from supporting modest indie bands like MisterWives to selling out shows as a headliner in a matter of a year. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #16 - Flying Lotus

16. Flying Lotus

Brainfeeder founder, producer and unapologetic cultural mouthpiece Flying Lotus (born Steven Ellison) ended the night with a mildly controversial headlining set. Walking onstage and making what any FlyLo fan would recognize as an off-colored comment on the current presidential race may have proven too brazen for those not used to his brand. He let Captain Murphy out of the box a little early and road the wave of confusion into a heady, bass-driven assault on the conflicted crowd, providing the distinct audio punctuation point for the night’s bill of artists. Playing several tracks off of his 2014 LP You’re Dead! as well as various hits from high-profile hip-hop emcees like Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar that he has produced over the years, Ellison stunned us all with his double-screen, audio-visual stage setup and plenty of bone-rattling bass drops. -Molly Kish, photo by Marc Fong


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #15 - The Last Shadow Puppets

15. The Last Shadow Puppets

TLSP brought a strings section to their show, an added element that helped keep things fresh and new. The show began with the beautiful sounds of violins and cellos, but the moment TLSP got onstage, the whole floor at The Fillmore lit up in billows of smoke. I’m sure the band was stoned by the end of the show if it hadn’t been already, appearing beyond excited to be playing on a Sunday night in SF. Turner and Kane must have yelled out something about SF every few minutes and incorporated SF into some of their songs. They were so incredibly tight, and I felt their set in some ways was a bit better than what I had witnessed years ago — the mix and order of the songs felt more succinct at The Fillmore. -Rachel Goodman, photo by Diana Cordero


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #14 - Miike Snow

14. Miike Snow

Sunday’s roster at Coachella last year was significantly weaker in comparison to Friday’s and Saturday’s. This year was much of the same, though Calvin Harris somehow proved to be an even worse headliner than Drake (we didn’t know that was possible). But one of the bright spots on Day 3 was no doubt Miike Snow’s 9:45 p.m. slot in the Mojave Tent, the same place where I discovered the Swedish trio back in 2010 during my first Coachella. Andrew Wyatt, Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg have come a long way since then, and with three studio albums in their catalog, including their latest effort iii, they have more than enough material to fill out a 50-minute set and leave you wanting to hear more. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Norm de Veyra


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #13 - Young Thug

13. Young Thug

Fresh off releasing the latest — and final — installment of his Slime Season mixtape trilogy, Young Thug took his place on the stage. Arriving in a white blouse, multicolored sequined jacket, dark shades, a polka-dot head scarf and remarkably slim, golden pants, he aligned such a rangy and vibrant uniform with his performance. There wouldn’t be any towering LED lights, stunts or stage diving. However, Young Thug, who for the majority of his roughly hour-long set played the lone wolf, delighted the crowd with his animated and bright delivery while running through thundering Slime Season 3 favorites like “With Them”, “Digits” and “Slime Shit”. The audience, ranging from high school seniors to seasoned workers likely with mortgages, strikingly recited every uncanny, controversial lyric and Ric Flair-esque “Woo!” like they had been analyzing them for years. -Joseph Gray, photo by Joseph Gray


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #12 - Pretty Lights

12. Pretty Lights

Touring with a live band for the first time in 2013 — something that few other EDM artists have done to this day — he quickly changed the way electronic music can be experienced live. Fast forward to last Thursday, and we were once again treated to an electrifying Pretty Lights show that was more than just Smith behind a pair of Macbook Pros and two Akai MPD32s. Making his debut at the majestic Santa Barbara Bowl, he once again showed why he isn’t your typical EDM act. With Chris Karns and Big Wild providing support, Smith hit the stage at 8 p.m. with his bandmates — Karns, Borham Lee, Brandon Butler and Alvin Ford, Jr. — and put on a show that dazzled both sonically and visually. What was most impressive, though, was seeing how much of the performance was improvised, as the band transitioned from one jam to another while dropping in a number of remixes here and there. And as I looked on from my seat in the stands, I couldn’t help but think about how much the show reminded me of all the times I’ve seen STS9 perform live. It only seemed fitting considering that the livetronia band helped give Smith his start back in the day, and with the “EDM bubble” about to burst (that is, if it hasn’t already), it’s hopefully an approach more electronic artists will gravitate toward in the future. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #11 - Mac DeMarco

11. Mac DeMarco

The 26-year-old king of slacker rock, who over the past few years has become a fan favorite of many Bay Area audiophiles, never seems to hold back when he comes to town. His first night in SF last week saw him jump from The Indy’s balcony into an awaiting crowd (a feat that was later imitated by a female audience member at The Warfield the next night), run around half naked while playing new songs and perform a 25-minute cover of Eric Clapton’s 1971 hit single “Layla” with fart solos sprinkled throughout. -James Pawlish, photo by James Pawlish


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #10 - Moderat

10. Moderat

Easily the most anticipated set of the weekend from this spectator’s vantage point, Moderat hadn’t toured since dropping a pair of EPs in 2014. But with the release of its third full-length album, aptly titled III, the Berlin-based supergroup comprised of Apparat’s Sascha Ring and Modeselektor members Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary were primed to make their mark on the final day of LIB — and that they did. Beginning with “Ghostmother” off their latest LP, Moderat ran through a good chunk of new material, but nothing ignited the crowd more than their new single “Reminder”, which remains one of our favorite songs of the year so far. As we witnessed a few days earlier at The Fonda Theatre in LA, the group’s dark, minimalist stage setup with psychedelic flourishes paired nicely with Ring’s ethereal vocals. Of all the other performances throughout the weekend, Moderat’s 90-minute set undoubtedly stood as one of the brightest moments of LIB 2016. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #9 - Foals

9. Foals

Foals closed out their rambunctious set with a killer take on the title track “What Went Down” that brought lead singer/guitarist Yannis Philippakis diving into the crowd, giving fans one hell of a selfie and proving their rock credentials for good. After all, any band that can unite 20-something bros with 50-something grandparents gets a gold star in our book. Rock brings people together, and those who made it out to see this unicorn of a band won’t live to regret it. -Zach Bourque, photo by Steve Carlson


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #9 - Tame Impala

8. Tame Impala

As they opened with the dream-inducing interlude “Nangs” from their latest studio album Currents, Tame Impala gave the crowd an ample minute and a half to commit to the spatial surroundings before jumping full throttle into an explosive rendition of lead single “Let It Happen,” playing the tracks in reverse order than they are on the LP. By the third song (as promised), the sky, having just turned black, was filled with a stadium’s worth of rainbow confetti as the band played the opening chords of 2012’s psuedo love ballad “Mind Mischief”. Followed by a rare performance — only the second time in three years — of “Music to Walk Home By” from 2012’s Lonerism, Tame Impala played a wide range of emotive classics while scrambling the brains of more than 8,500 audience members with their intense onslaught of sensory-overloading imagery and hypnotic light show. -Molly Kish, photo by James Pawlish


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #7 - Jim James

7. Jim James

James is in rare company these days, amid a dying breed of guitar-rock gods like Jack White and Josh Homme who are not only capable of playing anything on six strings, but also on a myriad of instruments. And while Eternally Even feels in some ways like an opportunity for him to finally experiment more with keyboards, James made sure to remind his fans at the 90-year-old Orpheum Theatre last Friday that shredding is still a priority. Performing in his new hometown after officially moving to LA this year, he assumed the role of lead singer for much of the show as he and his bandmates from Twin Limb (also opening for James on this tour) played all of Eternally Even and half of Regions. But propped up by a stand onstage the whole time was James’ black Gibson axe, and you knew at some point during a two-hour set that he was going to unload some sick riffs like we have become accustomed to seeing from him at Jacket shows. -Josh Herwitt, photo by Josh Herwitt


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #6 - The National

6. The National

The real headline from The National’s performance was hands down the new material that was debuted, pretty much across their entire set, encore included. A rather standard opening of “Don’t Swallow the Cap” and “I Should Live in Salt” led into our first taste of the band’s upcoming LP in the form of “Checking Out”. Though many locals likely recognized this track from last year’s Treasure Island Music Festival (read our review here), it has tightened up over the past year and even begins to sound familiar as the Brooklyn-based five-piece begins to weave in more electronic, synth-like elements. -Kevin Quandt, photo by Steve Carlson


Coachella 2016 - Guns 'N Roses

5. Guns N’ Roses

There may have been no more talked-about act in Coachella’s 17-year history than Saturday’s headliner — and for good reason. Going back to 1993, it had been 23 years since Axl Rose and Slash last performed on the same stage together, and though some of that allure had worn off by the time they reached Indio thanks to a surprise show in LA and back-to-back nights in Las Vegas in prior weeks, Guns N’ Roses were still the talk of the town leading up to Coachella. In fact, all you had to do was look around on Saturday and see just how many GNR T-shirts were traversing the polo fields before their 10:30 p.m. set. When it came time to deliver, the original trio of Axl, Slash and bassist Duff McKagan most certainly did, while rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer proved to be more than suitable fill-ins for Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler/Matt Sorum. Meanwhile, the surprise appearance by Angus Young couldn’t have come at a much better time after the announcement was made minutes before GNR’s set that Rose will be filling in for Brian Johnson on AC/DC’s remaining tour dates this year. GNR have always been one of my biggest bucket-list bands, and even if a broken leg prevented Axl from strutting and slithering across the stage like he once did as a brash, slender 21-year-old rock star, seeing one of my favorite childhood bands perform for two and a half hours felt all too surreal as I left the Empire Polo Club that night. -Josh Herwitt, photo courtesy of Coachella


Coachella 2016 - Sia

4. Sia

From the very beginning, Sia set herself apart from every other artist who took the Coachella Stage this year. With the Australian artist standing in the back of the stage, her set was more performance art than it was pop music. While her face was hidden thanks to her trademark wig, Sia’s voice stood front and center as she belted out every note to hits like “Diamonds”, “Bird Set Free” and “Titanium”. Throughout it all, different dancers and actors would come on stage, abstractly embodying the themes her songwriting often conveys: fear, anticipation, stress, anger, joy, love and most of all, doubt. As Kristen Wiig and Paul Dano contributed to the overall performance, the height of Sia’s conceptual masterpiece reached its peak with a breathtaking rendition of “Breathe Me”, bringing some of the audience to tears. It was the true headliner of Sunday night and among the top performances of the entire weekend. -Brett Ruffenach, photo courtesy of Coachella


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #3 - Chance the Rapper

3. Chance the Rapper

In one of the few transcendent moments of the weekend, a set that had everyone throughout the fairgrounds hyped into an anticipatory frenzy, Chance the Rapper performed at the Lands End stage on Sunday afternoon for easily the largest crowd of the entire weekend. Even those who stood their ground through Third Eye Blind’s preceding set felt the drastic change in both crowd size and personal space as the polo fields flooded and temperatures rose. Even though Chance could have used this to his advantage and conducted an explosive show, igniting the tightly configured crowd into a combustive state, he instead took his fans “to church” with a spiritually centered gospel set, making sure everyone was attentive and of course, that “his part” resonated among the masses. -Molly Kish, photo by Norm de Veyra


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #2 - LCD Soundsystem

2. LCD Soundsystem

Over the last couple of years, it’s hard to think of a band I have wanted to see more than LCD Soundsystem. Deeply tied to my formative years in college, the Brooklyn outfit’s return after a five-year hiatus was nothing short of stunning. Opening with the undeniably groovy “Us vs. Them” and covering a good chunk of their catalog over almost two hours, LCD certainly met the expectations of an eager crowd. James Murphy kept the banter between songs fairly short, and these indie heavyweights demonstrated a true dedication to their craft, starting fast with songs like “Movements” and “Yeah” before moving to more deep, tightly wound rhythms on “Someone Great” and “Home”. Though “Losing My Edge” was written more than 10 years ago, Murphy’s part-improvised, part-proclamation, part-perfectly-delivered rendition of the track seemed to really capture the attention of more casual LCD fans. Nearing the end of its set, the band covered “Heroes” by late collaborator David Bowie. I have seen many concerts as well as attended many festivals in my life, but this was truly among the most beautiful moments in live music I have ever experienced. Wrapping up their headlining performance with “All My Friends”, LCD Soundsystem proved to be among the top artists to ever grace the festival’s main stage. -Brett Ruffenach, photo by Norm de Veyra


Best Live Music Acts of 2015 #1 - Anderson .Paak

1. Anderson .Paak

I’m going to be completely honest: I went to SXSW this year to see .Paak because I knew once he played it, tickets to his shows would be impossible to get. Six months later, $30 tickets to his show in San Francisco at The Fillmore resold for upwards of $400. If you didn’t have another way to get into that show or rent to pay, it was worth it. The energy that comes out of .Paak while he’s performing is charming, infectious and unmatched. He splits his time roaming every inch of the stage and behind his drum set, often singing and rapping without missing a beat. At .Paak’s December show at the Hollywood Palladium in LA, Stevie Wonder came out not to sing, but to tell the crowd what a big fan he is. So basically, Stevie Wonder dropped by. OK, Anderson … we see you. -Rochelle Shipman, photo by Norm de Veyra

Outside Lands 2016

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Toro y Moi keeps moving forward at The UC Theatre

Toro y MoiBy Lindsay Alamillo //

Toro y Moi //
The UC Theatre – Berkeley, CA
November 10th, 2016 //

As Chaz Bundick continues to tend to his main musical endeavor better known as Toro y Moi, the music is not the only thing growing. The singer-songwriter originally from South Carolina took the stage at Berkeley’s newly reopened UC Theatre with a bigger band than ever before.

Not only did he bring the chillwave vibes to the Bay, but attendees were also gifted with a free poster from the sold-out show — a nice treat and ode to The Fillmore’s signature sendoff!

Setlist:
What You Want
Lilly
Buffalo
Still Sound
Studies
So Many Details
Godfather
The Flight
How I Know
Half Dome
Empty Nesters
High Living
Grown Up Calls
You Hid
New Beat
I Can Get Love
Rose Quartz

Encore:
Say That
Yeah Right (with The Mattson 2)