It’s the first day of Outside Lands and we’ve never been more excited for this year’s stacked lineup. We get the privilege of enjoying the beautifully cool, overcasted Bay Area weather this August. And on top of that, Golden Gate Park, where the festival is held, has plenty of experiences for fans to enjoy outside of the music space. We’ll take you to our favorite activities soon, so stay tuned for that!
While it was difficult to choose from our top performances, here are our top five acts from day one.
1). The Last Dinner Party
From serenading the dimly-lit corners of East London pubs to Courting interest from several major record labels, agents, promoters & publishers in a few short months, The Last Dinner Party have burst forth gloriously into the guitar music renaissance. We caught this five-piece band just a week after their breakthrough Coachella performance as they toured the country in celebration of their debut album. Check it out below:
It was brilliant to hear from these masterful artists once again, and for the second time in a year. What a treat it was to begin our day with a fully immersive experience that is this project. The band joined the Lands End Stage as they were met by a roar of the crowd. The audience echoed the band’s every word and held their breaths at every pause in the music. We were hooked from the start and sad to witness the performances end.
“And remember… nothing matters,” Abigail exclaimed to the crowd before completing their performance with track, “Nothing Matters.”
2). Knock2
Knock2 has been captivating the dance music scene ever since the 2021 release of the near-universal bass-house anthem “dashstar*” – a festival banger that has tracked over 50 million Spotify streams and garnered support from DJs like Tiesto, DJ Snake, Skrillex, and many more. Combining monster grooves with raw party energy and waves of early 2000’s pop nostalgia, he has created a potent cocktail that is impossible to ignore. Few acts redefine what dance music can be, and even fewer create their own cultural movement – something that seems to come naturally to the San Diego native.
We hiked to Twin Peaks just as Knock2 joined the stage and the crowd’s energy was infectious from the start. We plunged ourselves into the thick of it to experience this artist to the fullest, pulled in by the intense beats and joyful audience who jumped, mashed, and headbanged along to every beat.
We made a special note of a crowd of kids surrounding themselves around a person in a wheelchair as they all danced together in unison and added to the friendly energy as a whole for the day.
3). JUNGLE
Jungle‘s journey began in Tom McFarland’s bedroom in London, where he and childhood friend Joshua Lloyd-Watson began experimenting with music production. With a passion for creating soulful, funky beats and an affinity for live instrumentation, the duo quickly developed a unique sound that would set them apart from their contemporaries. Jungle’s music quickly gained traction, and they soon found themselves performing at some of the most prestigious music festivals and venues around the world.
We were pulled back to the Land’s End stage for the jazzy grooves that we were thrilled to witness just as the sun was beginning to set. While we’ve raved about their latest album, it was even more special to witness them live.
4). Reneé Rapp
Reneé Rapp is a critically acclaimed multi-hyphenate with experience in music, film and TV acting, and Broadway. Her debut album Snow Angel, released just under a year ago, earned the biggest US first-week sales for a female artist’s debut album in 2023. After landing her breakout role as Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway, she eventually turned her attention to her solo music career in 2022. To date, the multi-hyphenate’s entire discography has amassed over 568 million streams and counting.
As far as the performance goes, this rising star has taken over the Twin Peaks Stage with her impressive vocals and infectious energy. Fans recognized tracks before they even fully began to play out, and sang along to each word beautifully as Reneé grinned into the cameras on the stage and danced around.
5). Daniel Caesar
Multi-platinum GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Daniel Caesar is on a journey of self-actualization. He’s built his name across the gamut of contemporary R&B— contemplative soul and evocative rock to intergalactic alternative and understated pop—with artistry at his core.
We were particularly impressed with our last performance we witnessed of the evening… and Daniel Caesar crooned us with a simplicity in lyricism and melody not seen much in the music space these days. We particularly appreciated the sensitivity and the details in each note and word he sang and the way the lit up trees in the Sutro stage added even more to the romantic atmosphere.
If we can’t catch you this year, no worries! Tune into their livestream. Stay tuned for more news on Outside Lands!