Each year, as the Bay Area prepares to say goodbye to summer, Outside Lands consistently softens the blow with one final, spectacular send-off. As the crown jewel of San Francisco’s musical community, the August celebration draws artists and fans from all over the globe for one last hoorah in the city’s historic Golden Gate Park. This year’s festival proved to be an incredible addition to its legacy, showcasing a full range of talents across genres and styles. From familiar faces returning to the Lands End stage for another round, to artists who might have struggled to pack a smaller venue this time last year but have spectacularly climbed the charts this summer, there was no shortage of stimulation in the park this weekend.
Opening the festival on the main stage, Long Island outfit The Lemon Twigs brought youthful enthusiasm to the early crowd. Kicking off the weekend with their recent single 'My Golden Years,' the smiles never left the artists’ faces as their infectious positivity spread through the audience like wildfire, setting the tone for the weekend.
Alt-country artist Shaboozey made waves on the Sutro stage midway through the day, proving that San Francisco still had a bit of cowboy in its roots. Sauntering out to an old-west instrumental intro and draped in denim, the audience screamed along as he began his set with 'Horses & Hellcats.' Blending hip hop and western swing, his resonant voice echoed through the festival grounds, with every word seeming to hit home with the packed crowd. The Virginia-born artist brought an air of enlightenment to the Bay Area bubble, confiding in the crowd that many of his lyrics were inspired by traveling with their music outside of their state and comfort zone.
Completing their career hat trick in Golden Gate Park, California outfit Young the Giant performed their third set to an audience hoping it wouldn’t be their last. Starting the show with intensity, the band quickly ran onstage together and immediately got the ball rolling with their 2016 hit 'Jungle Youth.' Performing a setlist that reflected the project’s decades of success, every era of their music was represented, including 'Cough Syrup,' 'Silvertongue,' and 'Call Me Back.' Reflecting on their longstanding success, frontman Sameer Gadhia mused, 'When you’re really doing something right, you don’t have to apologize for who the hell you are,' before playing their 2014 single 'Mind Over Matter.' In a nod to the festival’s lineup in the days to come, the band took a moment to cover 'Espresso' by Sabrina Carpenter in anticipation of her headlining set the following day.
Closing the evening on the Sutro stage, Canadian R&B artist Daniel Caesar delivered a contained and calm performance befitting his style. Performing much of the set behind a thin fabric, a sense of mystery and anticipation permeated his mellow performance. Acknowledging the cold weather typical of San Francisco summer nights, the artist commented on the chill in the air, announcing, 'It’s fucking freezing,' and even admitted, 'I didn’t feel like doing this today,' before elevating his energy and stating, 'But now I feel great.' His performance exuded sentimental resonance, brought on by his vocal expressiveness and lyrical vulnerability, sending fans off with a set featuring 'Violet,' 'Best Part,' and 'Get You.'
Check out more photos of Outside Lands Day 1.
