Day two of Outside Lands brought the biggest crowd of the weekend, and with that it gave a platform to a heavier genre, once thought to be a fad of the early 2000’s. From top to bottom, the day’s bill was packed with pop-punk artists new, old, and some bridging the gap in between, proving once and for all, pop punk’s not dead.

While the distance between this and the last Outside Lands was the shortest in the history of the festival, last year’s dates were moved from August to October due to the pandemic, anticipation from the fans was not lacking as crowds showed up early and enthusiastically to Golden Gate Park Friday morning. The return of San Francisco’s end of Summer classic brought a sense of unity to the city as everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief that the community and the world was returning to a more comfortable pace.

After more than two years of waiting for Outside Lands to return, day three felt bittersweet. The end of this grand return was looming and after such a long hiatus from marathons of constant stimulation, generally, many felt strange to notice that their labido for revelry had atrophied. Thankfully the final day started with a low-profile and built energy throughout the day encouraging fans to warm up with the lineup.

After a heavy-hitting first day of Outside Lands Festival day two proved just as enthralling in a different way. Where the acts of day one were largely upbeat, those performing the festival’s second day proved more lowkey and indie but still fantastic in their own way. 

Outside Lands is finally back. The crown jewel in the Bay Area’s yearly live music experience finally returned to Golden Gate Park. Three days of music, food, and escape for everyone from hippies to tech bros. Unable to return during their typical early-August dates due to pandemic-related restrictions, the festival was slated for a unique space on the calendar. Halloween, the unofficial landmark holiday of San Francisco, collided with the last day of Outside Lands 2021.

Our journey through day three of Outside Lands began with a heartfelt performance on the main stage from the original queen of soul and gospel music, Mavis Staples. Her set was packed with so many songs that have helped her career take flight throughout the years such as “Build A Bridge,” “Change,” and “We Get By” but her performance was about so much more than just hearing her hits, the ambiance of her performance was electrifying and the 80-year-old Staples simply put on a clinic on how music keeps us all young.

The hydra of entertainment and stimulation that is Outside Lands will always find a way to entertain all who visit. From music to food, to comedy, to Cannabis, and more, there is something for everyone who comes to this festival. Early on Saturday, we stopped by the Barbary tent to see the standup bill that had been put together. Comedian Jimmy O. Yang, known for his roles on “Silicon Valley” and “Crazy Rich Asians” headlined an afternoon of comedy that was  defined by equal parts observational and racial humor.

Outside Lands 2019 came and went, and the 12th year of the festival brought with it a wide array of emotions for all to step through the gates. This year’s Outside Lands featured their most polarizing line up to date. The general feel around the Bay Area in the months leading up to the festival was you either thought this was the strongest year yet, or adamantly detested everything it stood for, there was no in between.

Outside Lands celebrated its 10th year this August but at first glance, it runs like its been going on for much longer. The caliber of food, drink, performers, and even extra-curricular activities is unmatched on most other festival grounds.

Outside Lands is in its 9th year but you wouldn’t know to look at it. In some ways it feels like a brand new festival, while in others it’s clear that it’s far from amateur. The smooth operations, from getting fans through the gate without much wait to having eco-friendly workers to help navigate which bin to put your trash in (compost, recycling, or landfill), are just a few pieces of proof that Outside Lands really has their shit together.