Outside Lands offered a really beautiful end to our weekend with an energy we’ve rarely seen at festivals. The craze and craving for good music is very real, and we had our appetites satiated… at least for now! While the festival is over, we’ve got our top acts for the final day of the festival just for you…
1). Chappell Roan
Your favorite artist’s favorite artist… (oh how long we’ve wanted to say this…) Chappell Roan was an easy highlight for the entire weekend! Bold pop hooks, honest songwriting, and a heavy dose of glitter make up the world of Chappell Roan, the next multi-faceted force in pop music. Through her punchy bangers that combine fantastical narratives and heart-baring self-reflection, the LA-based singer, songwriter, and performer has emerged as the rare star who is both larger than life and real as ever.
We showed up bright and early for this performance. At doors, the barricades were swarmed by fans swathed in pink, but with a little luck and timing, after fueling up, we were among that group in the front rows. The excitement in the air was tangible and continued to build throughout the afternoon until she joined the stage.
In the explosion of built up excitement, you’d think that the fans would be rowdy and the crowd difficult to stand in. Rather, it was quite the opposite. After spending a lot of time in crowds, you learn a lot about an artist and who they are based on the kind of fans they have. While there are some exceptions to that rule, the consensus about Chappell’s is: the kids are all right.
Every soul was kind, and not a person in sight was missing out on the dance for “HOT TO GO.” Other than VIP, according to Chappell, who deemed “it’s so weird that VIP thinks that they’re wayyy too cool to do this… you’re not fun!”
A member of the crowd mentioned that the single is our generation’s “YMCA” and we think they might be right. Not to mention, she wore the very iconic outfit from the song’s music video to commemorate its one year anniversary.
2). Ben Howard
We were absolutely spellbound by Ben Howard‘s performance. Earlier in my photojournalism career, I was transfixed by the artist’s personal and intimate nature to his performances and the way he welcomed fans in to listen as if we were huddled in close to a campfire.
This year was no exception. San Francisco’s famed fog in August, rightly named “Fog-gust” by locals, had long since rolled in and made its home before transforming into a gentle rain. I was warmed by the nostalgia the music brought and the moments listening to his music on the road, watching the rolling hills float on by. It was the perfect set to sit down on a blanket in the grass to and to be among friends.
3). Victoria Monét
We rushed to the Twin Peaks stage next, for multi-hyphenate superstar and 3x Grammy-award winner, including 2024 Best New Artist, Victoria Monét was playing. She has been stealthily— and steadily— trailblazing her own gilded path in music for over a decade.
I was floored by the impressive dance performance, especially since the gentle rain had become heavier, clearly wetting the stage as a cold chill in the air began to set into our bones. We had the crowd to hide in. Monèt and her dancers did not.
Her vocals cascaded effortlessly, still. And having not seen her yet, I had become a newfound fan of her work.
4). Kaytranada
To conclude the evening, and the weekend, we stayed put after eating to the sunset and watched the crowd roll in for Kaytranada.
The Montreal-raised producer arrived during the early 2010s with ear-perking remixes and an array of sounds that veered from J Dilla-inspired hip-hop beats to distinctly woozy house grooves. Many of us at Glasse Factory have recommended this artist’s music before, but I had yet to witness the magic that my fellow writers raved so much about.
It was a slow burn for us. Kaytranada started the set easily and so effortlessly it didn’t feel like too much was happening. But we stood and listened and watched, and slowly the music spoke to us.
San Francisco is known as the little sister of Los Angeles. And for that, many non-Californian residents overlook it in their travels.
We took note of a singular cloud totem that stood alone in the crowd (Not a phone was in sight either). It reminded us of the little sister, persisting in the fog and the cold and the rain. It was tucked in the forest and shining bright and proud.
Many who don’t know the magic of San Francisco say that the music and the art scene of San Francisco is dying. Some people would agree with them. But what Kaytranada’s set and the crowd showed us was that it in fact was still there. Outside Lands itself showed us that the scene was still trhiving. It might be tucked away out of sight from some eyes, much like the little totem cloud in the forest. Once you decide its worth traversing into the depths of the forest, open your mind, and let the city sweep you in, you can witness the true magic and vibrance and color from within.
And that’s it for Outside Lands 2024! Stay tuned for more news, and we hope to see you next year!