San Francisco’s foggy skies shrouded the stages during Outside Lands’s three-day weekend at Golden Gate Park over August 7-9.
But no one seemed to care. Each artist brought their special sparkle to the park, whether they were inviting the crowd to shake some ass or jump in the mosh pit. Attendees could pick their poison: indie, rock, hip hop, TikTok pop, emo? It was all there. No wonder the festival brought out about 75,000 attendees per day.
While our friends at home celebrated Fiesta, the Independent’s Art Director Xavier Pereyra and I (reporter Callie Fausey) made the festival our fiesta. There was everything from band interviews to danceworthy performances to happy accidents, such as when we stumbled upon the festival’s surprise guest Leon Bridges at a smaller stage next to Wine Lands.
With a lineup packed with some of our favorite artists, it was difficult to choose where to go. Xavier and I ended up splitting time between artists, leaving sets early, and arriving late to others, just to catch glimpses of all the different action. Here are our highlights.
Xavier’s Highlights:
The Story So Far
The Story So Far brought the mosh pit energy early into the very first day of the festival. Probably because they originated just across the bay over in Walnut Creek. A devoted fan base made its way to the green meadow by the Sutro Stage, so they could cheer for the local band at their Outside Lands debut. As the mosh grew larger and larger, I watched from a comfortable distance. But I noticed a constant stream of crowd surfers being hurled at by the security guards near the front of the pit. At some points, legs pointed upward pointing to the sky and crowd surfers rolled like rotisserie chickens. It was hilarious, yet scary how security guards were catching people literally getting thrown at them from above their heads. It was a perfect mosh pit warm-up set to what was to come later at Sutro Stage.
Alleycvt
A new name to add to your EDM playlist is Alleycvt. The Los Angeles based producer played two sets on Friday. I caught a couple songs at her earlier Twin Peaks stage performance, which had the crowd forcefully headbanging to the heavy bass and distorted melodies. Where she really shined was at her later set at Duboce Triangle. A stage that feels like a hidden garden tucked away within the festival — an intimate space built for up-close, personal performances. A packed crowd was once again jumping and vibing to her dubstep noise.
Turnstile
Turnstile Credit: Alive Co.
The meteoric rise of Baltimore’s very own Turnstile has taken over the harcore scene. In February, they took home the Grammys for Best Rock Album and Best Metal Performance, deserving every bit of the recognition. A packed crowd awaited their arrival at the Sutro Stage and the anticipation was electric. Fans sang along to their intro “NEVER ENOUGH,” which was the most tame part of the show. For the next 50 minutes the crowd was in a cohesive mosh pit, not a single person standing still between the stage and the first speaker tower. The Baltimore club left fans in absolute awe, playing smash hit songs, “SOLE,” “HOLIDAY,” “BLACKOUT,” and “BIRDS.” I’ve done a lot of concerts and music festivals, but without a doubt, it was the greatest live performance and best crowd I’ve ever seen. I also learned my first mosh lesson pretty quickly: I jumped into the mosh with sunglasses on the top of my head and when I took a breather I realized I no longer had my glasses. As I looked back onto the floor of the mosh, I immediately saw my Ray-Bans get jumped and stomped on. Thankfully they were still in one piece, but what a rookie move on my part.
Snow Strippers
Snow Strippers Credit: Alive Co.
What a name right? Snow Strippers, consists of the duo of singer Tatiana Schwaninger and record producer Graham Perez. The EDM-based couple held down the Sutro stage and had the crowd in a trance via psychedelic visuals paired with a mix of heavy, clashing electronic beats, icy synths, and abstract vocals. Their set was a mere six song performance, but the way the duo played extended versions of their songs along with hyper dancing on the stage made for one of the more entertaining acts on Saturday.
DJO
DJO Credit: Josh Withers
DJO, a.k.a. Joe Keery, who fans may recognize for his popular role as Steve Harrington on Netflix’s Stranger Things, brought out a massive influx of fans to the main Lands End stage for his high energy set. He bounced all around the stage looking wildly charismatic in a bright red hoodie, as he dove into his indie pop catalog of songs. Some highlight jams were, “Basic being Basic,” “Delete Ya,” and a heavily inspired Tame Impala (who DJO just came back from touring with) sounding track “Roddy.” As all performers do, DJO saved his best for last, singing his incredibly catchy song, “End of Beginning.” A song that has racked up almost 3 billion streams on Spotify for all the right reasons. For what it was worth it was a solid set to get the crowd ready for the night’s main event, The Strokes.
The XX
The London-based band, The XX, made their long awaited return to Outside Lands after an eight year hiatus. The trio, Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim, and Jamie Smith (Jamie xx), who have been plenty busy on their own ventures, came together to rock the Twin Peaks Stage. I had made the instinctual decision to leave the Stokes by myself to catch their performance on the other side of the park. The Strokes are great, but I had seen them at Outside Lands in 2021, so it only made sense to see the XX, a band I hadn’t seen before and that doesn’t tour very often. The band played a career spanning setlist. It blended emotional hits like “Crystalised” and “Islands” with some solo material from members, such as a deejay portion from Jaime XX. The band capped off the second day of the festival by closing their set with an epic live performance of their legendary track, “Intro.” After the set I made it back just in time to see the final songs from the Stokes. Safe to say my solo mission was a success.
Balu Brigada
Balu Brigada Credit: Alive Co.
Balu Brigada Credit: Alive Co.
The Sunday line-up for the third and final day of the festival was stacked from top to bottom. I made my way in early to go see Balu Brigada. I had first heard of Balu on 92.9 KJEE. Their hit song, “So Cold” was often on the radio station. So often that the song made its way onto my Spotify Wrapped this past year. Their upbeat indie rock style had the 2 p.m. crowd moving and jumping early on the final day of Outside Lands. The New Zealand indie-alt-rock duo of brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley drew a massive, energetic turnout with the fans at the Lands End Stage. Balu played an engaging 12 song set with songs off of their latest album Portal. Balu even dipped into a cover of “Oblivion” by Grimes. A hypnotic and different spin that blended smoothly with their signature style.
Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun Credit: Alive Co.
Empire of the Sun Credit: Alive Co.
Empire of the Sun Credit: Alive Co.
I’m not sure who was performing adjacent to Empire of the Sun, but whoever did probably had a small intimate set. Empire drew the largest day crowd of the festival, most likely because half of their set were songs most millennials and gen z-ers have grown up with. Fans belted out a string of nostalgic hits, “Walking on a Dream,” “Alive,” “Half Mast,” “We Are the People” as frontman Luke Steele held the stage with pinpoint vocals, decked out in his signature metallic outfit and towering headpiece. It was a set built from songs that have soundtracked a generation of music lovers, even Karl the Fog had grooved off of Golden Gate Park and the sky began to finally let a little sunshine in. Empire of the Sun delivered exactly the kind of spectacle that sends a festival off right.
Callie’s Highlights:
Labrinth
On Friday, I had to separate from my friends, who very much wanted to stay in one place. But I very much wanted to see singer-songwriter Labrinth. He was easily one of my top three favorite performances at the festival.
To weave through Outside Lands means ducking and weaving through crowds of people on who-knows-what. It’s a daunting endeavor. Yet, I persisted.
Eventually, I made it to the Lands End stage and there he was: the man who composed the dark, soulful tracks from the show Euphoria’s first two glittery seasons.
I was worried he would play none of those songs. In an Instagram post, he claimed he’d been mistreated and would not be returning for season 3. Would he be that spiteful, I wondered? He did initially announce his departure via a rant saying “Fuck Colombia. Double Fuck Euphoria. I’m out.”
But if he harbored any such resentment, it did not bleed into his set. Heart and soul were his puppeteers, commanding the crowd with each vocal exclamation. He played tracks from both Euphoria and his own projects.
I was walking up to the Lands End stage for the beginning of “Formula,” and Labrinth — a.k.a Timothy Lee McKenzie — was jumping, white electric guitar slung over his shoulder.
I nudged my way through the crowd until I hit a dense wall of bodies. I landed next to a group of 19-year-olds drinking White Claws. It was apparently a problem: many underage drinkers were getting kicked out. As our fellow reporters at the park noted in their coverage, the festival attracted many teens. But they were having fun and enjoying the music, so I didn’t see it as a problem.
The words to “Formula” flashed on the screen overhead as Labrinth would lean into the mic, singing the chorus “I’m living for the thrill / Formula,” then flinging his head back for dramatic effect, before leaning into the mic again, rinsing and repeating.
He employed his electric guitar, versatile vocals, piano, and electronic effects. All of this blended together to create an effect similar to melting an acid tab on your tongue as the world around you dissolves into iridescent soup. He holds your hand every step of the way — ups and downs, ohs and ahs, bass drops and vocal crescendos — like any good trip sitter would.
No matter how electronically composed his music sounds, he sings and plays it live. The extended intro of “Forever” with its instantly recognizable, variably-pitched “oh, oh, oh, oh” turned his voice into a flute, underlain by punctual piano notes he played in time. He got the crowd clapping along to the beat — and not one did he miss.
He ended on “All for Us,” another Euphoria track that shows his gospel roots with powerful choir-like resonance. It’s a song soaked in emotion, and perfectly shows off his sonic style: diving into electrified water and periodically coming up for air.
PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress drew a large crowd at the Sutro Stage on Saturday night. Credit: Josh Withers
PinkPantheress is a TikTok mainstay with tracks that have taken over the social media soundscape, such as “Illegal” with its catchy lyrics, “My name is Pink and I’m really glad to meet you / You’re recommended to me by some people / Hey, ooh, is this illegal?”
Even if you haven’t intentionally listened to PinkPantheress, you’ve likely heard PinkPantheress. That was my case. She closed out the day on Saturday, competing for the nighttime crowd with the Strokes and their surprise guest Charli XCX, who headlined the day prior with a steamy set.
Pink’s performance was fun, dynamic, and upbeat, just like her music.
She is a rising queen of pop in a new digital era. But she refuses to be a carbon copy. Her tracks are uniquely hers, identifiable by fast-paced instrumentals and her high-pitched voice reminiscent of K-Pop girl groups. She turned the Sutro stage into an outdoor nightclub, and even the dreary and wet weather could not rain on the party. San Francisco mist brought goosebumps to the crowd — but so did Pink.
She played all the hits from her dance-worthy choreography, and borrowed a few from fellow artists, including her remix of the 2023 hit “Rush” by Troye Sivan, who briefly joined her on stage to dance to the song.
My friends and I watched from the hill, worn out from the festival’s first two days. One of them put their head in my lap and we vibed from the sidelines, watching groups of people dance along to Pink’s party. If the wet soil and cold drizzle had any effect on them, they didn’t show it.
Geese
Brooklyn rock band Geese took a daytime slot on Friday, showing off their alternative style that is crack for Gen-Z rock fans. Revered as a revival of classic American rock, the five-piece band exhibited the tight-knit energy and talent that has shot them into the musical stratosphere, setting them apart from an industry currently dominated by solo acts. They’ve got a touch of Southern twang, a hint of Elvis, and a generous sprinkle of garage indie-rock reminiscent of Car Seat Headrest. Lead singer Cameron Winter’s vocals are expressive and raw, and underpinned by dynamic melodies that range from soft to frantic. While the band has been around since 2021, they are still getting their footing in the industry. But the ground underneath them is quickly solidifying. A group of young people in front of me were singing along to songs like “I See Myself” from their 2023 album 3D Country, and “Husbands” — “You don’t have to waste your time,” Winter sings, clinging to every syllable — from 2025 album Getting Killed.
They are still unknown enough, however, for my friend to have successfully sold a bit to our group that Winter was her toxic ex-boyfriend. Sorry, members of Geese, if you saw a few of my friends giving you the finger. They were a little drunk and a lot of gullible.
Sports
Yes, just “Sports.” The indie pop-rock duo that’s been around since 2015 first caught my attention when an ex-boyfriend played their song “Baby Baby” in the car a couple of years ago. Released as a single in 2020, but gaining rapid and sustained popularity since its inclusion in their 2022 album Get a Good Look, the song features an incredibly catchy and funky synth melody, groovy bass, and the pop-eqsue, high-pitched vocals of lead singer Cale Chronister. It is easily one of my most-listened to songs of all time.
But I missed it at Outside Lands. I got there just after they finished, having rushed over from Death Cab for Cutie. That’s just one of the festival sacrifices I had to make.
Thankfully, the rest of their set was on par with that hit: dreamy, hypnotic, and ear worm-spawning. Dressed in an all-white ensemble with glasses to match, Chronister fully flexed his falsetto vocal hooks. And multi-instrumentalist Christian Theriot anchored the set with clean rhythms on his electric guitar. They played their other indie rock hits, including “You Are the Right One,” and “Falling in Love,” until their sound cut out. It happened a few times at the Lands End stage, allegedly. But they were good sports about it, and picked themselves up for the finale, “Whatever You Want.”
Disco Lines
Credit: Callie Fausey
Disco Lines, a generation-defining DJ with some of the most iconic boots-and-cats house mixes in today’s industry, had a sunset set on Sunday.
“No Broke Boys,” the 27-year-old DJ’s hit featuring Tinashe, took social media by storm, and had the huge crowd at the Lands End stage shuffling and jumping.
Disco Lines, or Thadeus Francis Labuszewski, used pyrotechnics and psychedelic lights and animations, including rockets, flowers, and disco balls to liven up the stage under the city’s overcast skies.
He played his major hits, usually incorporating vocals from rap and hip hop artists such as Shoreline Mafia or popular music samples, including a remix of Heads will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It was an electric set to celebrate Sunday’s last moments of daylight.
Baby Keem
Baby Keem (Hykeem Carter), a self-taught beat-maker and hip-hop artist who arrived on the scene in 2019 at only 19 years old (and grew into the mainstream partially thanks to guidance from his cousin, Kendrick Lamar), was one of the closers on Sunday, competing with Rufus Du Sol and Death Cab for Cutie. But my friends and I made the trek across the park to the Twin Peaks stage just to see him. His high-energy set was the perfect note to end on. The energy was infectious, making the crowd mosh and sing along — especially to “Orange Soda,” his breakthrough single that elicited a chorus of cheers from the crowd and proved impossible not to dance and recite, and “Family Ties,” his aggressively explicit collaboration with Kendrick Lamar.
Honorable Mention: DJ Stages
Also worth a mention were the smaller DJ stages situated around the park. They were fun, intimate pitstops between bigger artists where people could dance as if they were transported to a club for just a moment. At Casa Bacardi, DJs played Bad Bunny and Daft Punk remixes. And at Dolores on Sunday, a group of DJs and dancers under the playful portmanteau of Polyglamorous took over to play dance-worthy tracks as women with playing cards covering their breasts and gender-bending fairies with nipple tassels grooved to the beats.
