As another whimsical summer draws to a close, the city of San Francisco once again held its August Tradition of ending the solstice months with the biggest send-off imaginable. For the 17th year, Outside Lands came to the historic Golden Gate Park for three days of unparalleled live performances in a city whose culture and history, in many ways, paved the way for live music as we know it today. This year’s festival proved to incorporate the heart of the city in more ways than just through the music. The weather was arguably the foggiest on record, with low overcast making all smoke effects onstage redundant for almost the entirety of the weekend, but nothing could dampen the spirits of almost 100,000 fans who each day came to see some of the most captivating artists currently touring the world.
Starting the energy on the Lands End stage at a high level, local Sacramento punk outfit Destroy Boys put on a rowdy hometown show that embodied the spirit of their genre. Wasting no time in getting their set off on the right note, the band opened with their 2024 single “Shadow (I’m Breaking Down)” and the intentions of their work were immediately obvious. Frontperson Alexia Roditis’ hand-drawn mustache proved to strike the right tone with the quirky-leaning tastes of the San Francisco audience. Stressing personal identity as a strong theme through their set, Roditis told the audience, “There is no problem with dressing the way you want to dress… If somebody doesn’t like it, they need to mind their own business.” She continued with sporadic tidbits of life advice throughout the show, leaving the audience with one final message “If someone much, much older than you is hitting on you, it's because they can't find someone their own age because they’re fucking weird” before ending the set with their 2017 single “I Threw Glass at My Friend’s Eye and Now I’m On Probation.”
Continuing the heavy punk theme on the mainstage, Philadelphia rock act Mannequin Pussy immediately followed up with their own rousing set that showcased their decade and a half of performing together. Taking full advantage of the elongated stage of the day, frontwoman Marisa Dabice projected “Shoutout to Doja Cat for this beautiful catwalk” as she took every opportunity to step closer to the audience. The limitless energy from the artists largely defined their performance, as their production values echoed the sentiments of high-volume vitality that defined the genre. Staying true to these principles in all practices, Dabice stated, “I know this is (being broadcast) on Amazon, but fuck every Billionaire who has collectively made our lives shittier… Fuck them all.” For all these strong words, everything was backed up by an enthrallingly diverse setlist, with hits including “I Got Heaven,” Pigs Is Pigs,” and “Romantic.”
Performing a cozy mid-day set on the more intimate Sturo stage, New York-based artist Mark Ambor showed audiences just why their rise in the public eye has been nothing short of meteoric over the last few years. With a uniquely wholesome and lyrically motivated style of composition, the artist presented a performative comparability to Gavin DeGraw through his sentimental style of acoustic pop. Santering onstage with his instrument in hand to an already enthusiastic crowd, the artist started his set with his heartbreaking 2024 single “I Hope It All Works Out.” Acknowledging the stage of his career, he addressed the audience and stated, “I know you might not have come specifically to see me, but for the next 40 minutes, it's my job to put on the best fucking show for you.” His gentle demeanor and thoughtful lyrics carried his performance as he breezed through a series of his original work, including “Good To Be,” “Our Way,” and the unreleased “Our Song.” Ending his performance with the single nobody ever believed he would leave out, he closed out his show with his immensely TikTok-famous hit, “Belong Together.”
Ending the night on the Lands End stage, California native singer and rapper Doja Cat closed out the mainstage with a performance that encapsulated the very aesthetic of modern popular music. Entering the stage with a dramatic flair, she appeared atop a large platform in a sleek 80s-inspired zebra print jumpsuit and started her set with her multiplatinum 2021 hit “Woman.” Hardly able to stick to just her classic work, she teased music from her upcoming album as she gave a debut performance of her unreleased single “Jealous Type” to an audience who could hardly contain their excitement. Far from the only surprise in the young artist’s setlist, her set also showcased the live debut of her 2020 single “Boss Bitch,” the audience fully aware of the weight of the moment from the moment the artist teased the track with the opening line “I’m a bitch, I’m a boss, I’ma shine like gloss.” The artist continued to perform hit after hit from her vastly illustrious repertoire, with singles including “Say So,” “Paint the Town Red,” and an extended version of “Go Off.”
Check out more photos of Outside Lands Day One.
