Outside Lands 2015 Recap

August 7th, 8th and 9th marked this year's Outside Lands Fest and for the 8th year in a row the Music, Food and Art Festival did not disappoint!  Warm sunshine added to the enjoyment as thousands of people flocked to Golden Gate Park to peruse 70+  food vendors  and 100+ bands  over the weekend long fest this year.  

Here are some highlights from the festivities!

Friday, the first day of the festival, Swedish sisters of the folk-indie duo, First Aid Kit graciously hit the main stage just past 3:00 that afternoon. Along with friendly banter and popular songs off last Summer's Stay Gold, the girls covered Black Sabbath's "War Pigs". It was pretty awesome to hear their danity version of Ozzy's heavy metal hit in the middle of the park! 

Across the way on the Sutro Stage in Lindley Field, George Ezra covered "I Try" originally by Macy Grey. By the sound of the throngs of fans singing along, I'd say the guitarist's rendition was an overall crowd pleaser!

Cold War Kids @ Outside Lands 2015
Photo by Marc Fong 

Though I only had enough time to catch one song from 2015's favorite indie-pop-ska act, Misterwives , after lunch on Saturday,  I was more than happy that I did! Daring to wear white denim and matching Doc's, the band's petite leading lady had a big stage presence with a bubbly, charismatic, extremely engaging energy.  Hopefully I'll make it to the fun filled show at The Fillmore when they return this October!

I never noticed how much the lead singer of Cold War Kids  looks like Will and/or Win Butler of Arcade Fire until seeing them at Outside Lands on Saturday. Stern yet playful, Willett demanded attention as he and his band mates each played various instruments including, keyboards, guitar and maracas throughout the set which  included "Hang Me Out to Dry" as well as songs off of their new album.

Billy Idol @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

It was pretty neat hearing the infamous Billy Idol sing his 1980's hit "White Wedding" as I made way over to the Sutro Stage to catch some of the Milky Chance set.










The massive crowd was way too out of control  to make it to the Twin Peaks Stage Saturday Night headliner, Kendrick Lamar (where I later heard later people had to get rushed to the ER after catching shoes and bottles to the face) but after 7 years I did finally make it to my first OSL after show!

Kendrick Lamar  @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Unknown Mortal Orchestra  @ The Indpendent 8/8/2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Unknown Mortal Orchestra  played the Twin Peaks Stage at 2:00 on Saturday afternoon and their OSL night show at The Independent, which  was announced late that week, sold-out super quick! They started after 11:00 that night,  keeping to themselves on the dimly lit stage as they filled the intimate venue with ambient, psychedelic indie-rock. After spending all day outside at a music festival, the stoner friendly set was a very nice way to unwind.







If you've been missing the band fun. as much as I have hopefully you were at Outside Lands on Sunday for Nate Ruess!  He was full throttle the moment he burst on to the main stage at 3:00 and never (really) slowed down. Kicking off the set with songs from his solo album, Grand Romantic, he'd pause briefly  between songs to introduce the next one, thank his beloved fans, or express his excitement for playing Outside Lands again (fun. played the same stage in ...) before jumping (quite literally) back into the performance. He and his band did a great cover of  Prince's "Let's Go Crazy" in the beginning of their set before later playing hits by fun. including "Carry-On" and "Some Nights".

Nate Ruess @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

The Panhandle Stage was the place to be at 5:55 on Sunday evening for Dan Deacon's set!

Dan Deacon @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Nikki DeMartini

Dan Deacon  @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

The University-trained composer took the stage accompanied by a drummer and an instant fan connection was made as he invited everyone there to bring a hand to their chin, raise their head to the sky and blow any anxieties to people  passing by the pandhandle stage. Though the visual pleasing light show his shows are known for was hindered because of the time of day he played, Deacon's interactive crowd participation was on point with insightful  exchanges and even included a Kanye-esque request for fans clear a circle in the middle of crowd. To his credit Deacon's request was warranted with dance off purposes and fans were happy to oblige. His lighthearted demeanor carried the dancey set with a feel good vibe. 

Mac Sabbath @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Parody Heavy Metal tribute band, Mac Sabbath was the last band to play the GatsroMagic Stage this year.  Chef's prepared chicken nuggets behind the visually vivid, LA based band cover Black Sabbath songs with lyrics based around McDonalds and the fast food chain's menu.
With full on costumes, crazy fun and animated stage antics, Ronald Osborne, Slayer McCheese, Grimalice and The Catburgler deliver a highly entertaining show!

Green Velvet @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

I had never heard of the Techno DJ duo Green Velvet before seeing a few songs of their set on Sunday night and I am so happy that  Outside Lands introduced me to them! I had a blast getting my dance on to their dance-party-anthem track, "Hit Me With Those Laser Beams".

A bedazzled and absolutely fabulous, Sir Elton John was an unforgettable way for Outside Lands 2015 to end! Nearly 70 years old, the Tiny Dancer singer sounded flawless through out his two hour long set.  Everyone in attendance would probably agree that it's an honor to have seen him perform live! 

Elton John @ Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

Here are some other highlights aside from all of the music at Outside Lands 2015: 

- Best Meal:cheese burger and spicy fries from 4045 Meats. I love me a burger and this is easily the best dang burger in the city! 4045's cheese burger needs no added fixin's because it's juicy quarter pound, grass fed beef patty is loaded with crispy lettuce, melted Gruyere cheese and a secret sauce that's absolutely delish on a grilled sesame/scallon bun. Paired with a side of their spicy fries: hand-cut, tallow fried french fries topped with chimichurri sauce and a lemon-parsley aioli this filling meal is not intended for the light eater! This is high quality fest fuel that'll fill you up and keep you going. 

 Outside Lands 2015 
Photo by Marc Fong

- Trending: People carrying signs so the rest of their crew can spot them and get to them in the thick of crowds has always been a big thing at OSL. There have been some good ones over the years but this was the first year a bunch of  people carried huge photos of their own faces around! This new fest fad is funny and kind of trippy! 

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015

An announcement for the sold-out Ratatat show at The Regency Ballroom on July 31st came from the band early that morning alerting ticket holders that the their tour bus broke down so the show had to be re-scheduled.  Fans were understandably bummed that the Friday night show got moved to that following Monday night but they were actually really lucky that Ratatat was able to reschedule so quick. The Brooklyn based band had an open slot on their tour and their bus was repaired and en route to SF over the weekend! I for one would rather go to a show any night of the week than have to
wait weeks or even months to see a show that had to be rescheduled.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

Flashy  riffs wafted from the guitar of Mike Stroud as "Pricks of Brightness" as  luminous bass from Evan Mast steadily blended in with rhythmic drum machine beats filling the room with  euphoric rocktronica sound. Huge, hanging pieces of plexiglass which bookended the stage (the same ones they had the last time they played in SF aft The Warfield a few years back) were used to project cool holographic images and a wild array of color-changing lasers, blinding lights and pulsating strobes,  amplified the experience of Ratatat's live performance.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

The crowd joyfully cheered at the top of each song of the well balanced set which covered all five albums and included: "Loud Pipes", "Kennedy", "Grape Juice City", "Falcon Job". Of course the room roared real loud with applause for "Wildcat", the bands most well known single which surprisingly wasn't saved for the end of the show.

Ratatat @ The Regency Ballroom 8/3/2015
Photo by Marc Fong

Ratatat is known for exploring the avenues of electronica, taking it to unexpected places with rock driven instrumentals. The two musicians poured their passion into their work on stage, delivering a high quality show of their multi-faceted sound.

 Sweaty, smiling fans peacefully danced to the crafty, hypnotic electro-indie with only a few, welcomed interruptions of "thank yous" from Stroud and Mast between songs on Friday night, giving them more time to churn out tunes for fans to enjoy.




Sweet, chill, retro surf-rock melodies of "Supreme", washed over the crowd cooly as they transitioned to the end of the show but the dance party wasn't over yet. The room erupted in a controlled craziness, for the high and low tempos of the last song of the regular set "Seventeen Years".

The two song encore included the swirling, adrenaline pumping, breakdown/buildup riddled "Shempi" off 2008's LP,  which again sent fans into a little, happy feet frenzy. 

It was definitely anything but a mundane Monday and as fans spilled out of the venue it was clear to see that some might be hurting at work the next day, but everyone there knew  it was well worth it! 

Susie "Cup-Cakes"

When a friend of mine stopped into SusieCakes on Chestnut Street in San Francisco to pick-up a cake for a Birthday Picnic we were heading to, I couldn't resist getting mini-cupcakes for us. SusieCakes is an all American, homestyle bakery and all of their classic treats are made entirely from scratch! They have a few locations in NorCal and a few in SoCal too! The store fronts are super cute with an old-fashioned neighborhood experience. 

I am a sucker for the color seafoam and on that warm, sun filled Sunday I treated us to a little vanilla cupcake with seafoam colored, vanilla flavored frosting. All of the mini-cupcake flavors were also available in standard cupcake size but we were going to eat cake later, therefore mini-cupcakes were just right this time! 

The staff was attentive, friendly and really knowledgeable about what the store was offering that day as well as everything on the menu.
I was asked if I wanted to eat them there or to go, I opted to get my order to go, then went to the cash register to pay without knowing the price because there no prices displayed in the store. The total for two mini-cupcakes came out to around $4.50 which was more than I thought two mini-cupcakes would cost ($2.25 each) but it was a special occasion and I don't get a mini-cupcake from Susie Cakes everyday.






The vanilla cake was fresh and vanilla frosting was so exceptionally fresh that it practically melted on my lips! The dollop of frosting was a little sweeter than the subtle sweetness of the vanilla cake it topped and while the cake wasn't super moist or fluffy the frosting was rich yet light, rounding out the cupcake well. It was rather refreshing for a cupcake! I probably could have eaten the whole mini-cupcake in one bite but I didn't and I still had room for a piece of Birthday Cake later that day! 

Summa Jams 2015!

It's already the 3rd day of August and that means Summer is slowly slipping away from us, so before it's gone, this is the perfect time to share my Summer 2015 playlist with you.  I'm not sure what it is about Summer that makes me want to put together a playlist: maybe it's because people love summer time, enjoying the sunshine by the pool, on the beach, barbecuing, vacationing...people just seem happier during the months of Summer. People also love and enjoy music, so why not compile new music releases and singles that can bring you back to that happy place as the warm weather fades? Plus, Spotify makes it easy to find music, pick a song and save it to a playlist to share!
Here are my picks from this Summer on my Summa Jams 2015 playlist!

"Lean On" - Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MO 

I came across this Mazor Lazer single featuring MO and Diplo on-line in the beginning of Summer and it has blown up since then! With it's Bali-wood hooks, catchy dance beats and sentimental lyrics sung by indie artist, MO, who has collaborated with Tove Lo and Iggy Azalea in the past, Lean On is refreshing, reflective and fun making it perfect for any Summer soundtrack.

"Want You to Want Me" - Jason Derulo

Definitely my #1 guilty pleasure this Summer. I just can't help but turn this song up all the way up every-time I hear it nor can I resist singing and dancing along. It really riles me up, what can I say?!

Who doesn't want to hear a hot guy to say that they want you to want them? It's great boost of confidence on the fly.

  

"Talking Body"- Tove Lo

Last summer it was her break through single "Habits (Stay High)" that got me and this Summer the starlet songstress got me again with her titillating single, "Talking Body". It has a slower tempo but it's hot topic will pick and perk you up. It's also a good one to turn to when you need motivation to get beach body ready, too!

"Running Behind" - HOLYCHILD

Hands down, my favorite new band find of the year so far is the self-proclaimed Brat-Pop act, HOLYCHILD.  Everything I've heard from these new kids on the scene is ear catching and dance inducing. The swirling marching band drum rolls, synchronized enthusiastic clapping and a youthful, vibrant, sparkly vibe on Running Behind might very well be a Summer Music Festival anthem in the making!

"Stirred Up" - Matt & Kim

Matt & Kim have done it again! This fun loving couple have an insanely contagious energy which you can catch on every one of their tracks and Stirred Up is the stand out one from their latest album New Glow. Strewn with baritone back-up vocals and a beat that drops, this track's hip-hop undertones add a new flare to Matt & Kim's signature sound. 

"Radio" - Santigold

Mum might be the word on if Santigold has been enjoying motherhood or not, but other than releasing Radio for the Paper Towns movie soundtrack, the singer/songwriter has been m.i.a since 2012's Desperate Youth. "Radio" is pure gold...Santigold!

"Mom & Dads" - Waters

Pegged as a band to keep an eye on, Waters not only has a name that can be tied to fun times in Summer time, the song Mom & Dads, conjures thoughts of college kids returning home over Summer break. It's chillax vibe is an essential one for the season. 

"Can't Feel My Face" - The Weeknd

Have you ever had the kind of Summer lover who always made you smile? Being with them just made you so happy that your happiness was plastered on your face? The Weeknd knows that feeling, or lack there of and his new hit single will make you feel good. Heck, it just might bring a smile to your face, too! 

"Electric Love" - BORNS 

I can't put my finger on who indie's latest emerging artists reminds me of (Banks? Cathedrals?) but I really like it! Their galactic, glam, indie, electro-pop remains safe within an experimental range delicately bending the indie-pop genre. The way the song ends is probably my favorite part of "Electric Love" : as they "play" so to say with the words in their own lyrics, changing it up just a bit before the somewhat abrupt ending.
Don't be fooled by the high pitched, feminine vocals! The singer is a dude!  

"Molecules" - Atlas Genius 

The sophomore album, Inanimate Objects  from Atlas Genius will be available every where on August 28th but you can enjoy "Molecules" today! The Aussie guys dance around indie boundary-lines with a slight build up to a late breaking break down. They drop and even briefly switch the beat before bringing us back to the existential questioning track before it ends.  

"Dreams" - Beck

Beck's creative juices haven't stopped flowing since his dreamy 2014 release, Morning Phases won him the album of the year Grammy. His tune has turned more the optimistic side, with more of a dance/indie-rock appeal than a folk-rock one, inviting you to lose yourself in Dreams.  

"Supreme" - Ratatat

The 5th studio album from Ratatat has been 5 years in the making and the spirit lifting Magnifique was well worth the wait! The un-mistakable surf-rock sound heard on "Supreme" midway through the album is a wonderfully relaxing way to wrap up my Summa Jams 2015 playlist! 

Gearing up to go to Outside Lands 2015!

 This time next week the 8th annual Outside Lands Festival will be underway! Here are  some tips to help get you prepared for three days of festivities in Golden Gate Park.

With over 100 bands on 7 different stages scheduled at this year's Outside Lands chances are the list of bands you want to see is pretty long. A key element to being festival ready is knowing when and where those preferred bands will be.  Thanks to the wonderful promoters at Another Planet Entertainment who've so kindly released the schedule of daily set times for Friday, Saturday and Sunday you can devise a plan of action before then! 

Visit the Outside Lands website to create your customized line-up pick list then easy access it on your mobile device onsite. Or you can do like I do and roll old school:  get your hands on a Festival guide (or three) when you get to the fest and keep it handy so you can check to see where you want to be all weekend long!  The guide comes complete with the daily lineups, set times and a map! You've already prioritized all of  the acts you want to see so do a loop as soon as you get there to get a lay of the land.  Then you'll be ready to get around the Festival more efficiently later!

Pick a meeting spot! If someone gets separated from the group in the crowd/lost amidst the lines for port-o-potties it's  a great  idea to agree on a meeting spot as soon as you get to the fest! Cell phones don't always work when there's so many people in one place and being alone in the thick of it can be overwhelming, but if  your posse pick a "if we get lost spot" (the ATM closest to the outside lands stage near the South gate entrance, in front of the VIP entrance near the Twin Peaks Stage...) you'll have  peace of mind that if you get lost you'll be found. 

And if this happens don't panic! You're still at a Music Festival so try to enjoy it! 

When deciding what to wear at OSL this year, I advice not to forget the famous Mark Twain quote, "the coldest Winter I ever spent was a Summer in San Francisco." Yes, Music Festivals can be a great place to let your inner fashionista free but don't freeze for the sake of looking (being visibly cold isn't a good look on anyone). Dressing in layers is the "rule" for San Francisco's unpredictable weather and it's one that should be followed closely at Outside Lands. Don't be fooled by the seasonal heat waves! Check the weather report for the weekend of August 7th and throw extra socks, scarves, gloves, hats and beanies in your bag so you're not stuck out in the cold! 

Here's a helpful hint for all you beer drinkers: bring a coozie! It keeps your beer cold while keeping your beer holding hand from getting too cold! 

The latest festival fads for ladies seem to be: anything and everything crochet, white lace dresses, maxi dresses,  sunflower print, wide brim/floppy hats, round sunglasses and foil tattoos. Flower crowns still fare well as far as festival garb goes yet the furry bear hat phenomenon we saw a few years back has been on the decline. My friends coined the term, Festival-core to explain this recent fashion sense wave at music fests: it's a hybrid of goth meets bohemian. It's almost witchy and very trendy, so trendy in fact that H&M actually launched a Coachella themed line this Spring (much to the dismay of my friends). You might not be able to buy from that line specifically any more but you'll definitely be able to build an outfit with similar pieces from plenty of places like Forever 21, Target, Brandy Meville and Pac Sun. 

If for whatever reason you forget to bring clothes to  bundle up with, stop by the San Franpyscho booth and pick up a rad snuggly hoody or a blanket from the Outside Lands Merch tent or any of the many other vendors but it will cost ya! 

No matter if you have tickets to one day, two days or all three days of OSL you will be out in the elements all day long which will be physically draining if you notice it or not. An easy way to start your OSL 2015 experience on the right foot is showing up properly hydrated! This means simply drink plenty of water the days (and every day for that mater) leading up to the Festival. Bring a water bottle then take advantage of the refillable water stations at Outside Lands. 

San Francisco is a foodie city so of course there's an abundance of food vendors to choose from but beer + lunch + beer + snacks + beer + wine + dinner + wine + beer + beer + beer can and will add up fast! Music Festivals are spendy by nature, but you don't have to break the bank completely. Eat a protein filled breakfast (eggs, spinach, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese) paired with healthy fats (nuts, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil) and complex carbs (carbohydrates containing starches and fiber: whole grains, legumes) and you'll stay fuller, longer! 

Drinking plenty of water plus the breakfast plan listed above will give you lasting energy, too! Throw some fruit and nuts in your bag and you'll be ready and set for a full day of fun! 

Can't make it to Outside Lands this year, don't be bummed! 

There are a number of official OSL night shows! 

August 6th: Alvvays with GRMLN at California Academy of Sciences
August 6th: Strand of Oaks at Brick and Mortar Music Hall
August 6th: The Notorious Wilco Brothers at The Independent
August 6th: DJ Wnidows 98 (aka Win Butler of Arcade Fire) Popscene at The Rickshaw Stop
August 7th: Leon Briges with Langhorne Slim & the Law at The Independent
August 7th: The Drums at Brick and Mortar
August 7th: METZ with Speedy Ortiz at The Rickshaw Stop
August 8th: RL Grime at The Independent
August 8th: Twin Peaks with DMA's Day Wave at Brick and Mortar
August 8th: Clasixx, STRFKR &Aaron Axelsen at Mezzanine