Who: Outsidelands
When: August 11-13, 2017
Where: Golden Gate Park/ San Francisco, CA
With: All the San Franciscans. All of them.
Of Note: This is going to get a little schmaltzy.
Day 1: Tove Lo, Sleigh Bells, Belle + Sebastian, Future Islands, RAC
Day 2: John Moreland, San Fermin, Joseph, Lemon Twigs, Vance Joy, Claude VonStroke, Empire of the Sun
Day 3: Jacob Banks, K.Flay, Bleachers, Young the Giant, Lorde, Shots Fired, The Who
Okay, so, Outsidelands was this week-end. And, as it's in my neighborhood, my choices are either to attend it or to leave the state. There is no in between. But, I love music and love festivals and bought a super duper early bird ticket (before the line up was announced early) and off to the park I went.
The first set I saw on Friday was one of the smartest pop acts of today, Tove Lo. I've seen her before and loved her and was excited to see what she'd do with a festival set. I got to the park, filled up my water bottle, grabbed a beer and headed over to the set. I was immediately struck with an overwhelming sense of dread... the crowd looked young. Like, younger than my nephews young. Like, I can't believe your parents let you out of the house dressed like that, young lady, young. Like, oh crap, I shouldn't even look at any of these guys because jailbait, young. And so, I took to the internet to deliver a series of "Reasons I'm too old to be at a music festival" - humorous anecdotes and observations about the week-end that showed I'm, maybe, no longer in their target demographic. But, guys, here's the thing... I still had SO MUCH FUN and LOVED IT ALL SO MUCH and AM SO GLAD I WENT despite feeling a little like I should have been chaperoning.
So, to counter everything I posted this week-end, here are three reasons I am absolutely not too old to go to a music festival:
1. Festivals are easier when you can throw money at your problems/discomfort. I remember when Jenn Fish and I went to Bonnaroo and I had to hide sandwiches in my purse to avoid having to haul myself back out to the campsite in the middle of the day to eat because if I wanted to buy a t-shirt, I had exactly $14/day to spend on food/drinks. That's insane. Now? If I'm hungry, I grab food. If I want a beer, I buy one. If I don't feel like carrying a sweatshirt for the day but it gets cold? I buy a sweatshirt. Easy breezy.
2. I don't really give a shit what people think. Like, I hung out on my own for a fair amount of this week-end; I don't know a lot of people who love music as much as I do and the people I did know there often wanted to see different acts, were hard to track down, etc. I was not at all self-conscious or weirded out by that at all. I've grown into myself, become really comfortable with my ability to do things independently, and am (vanity about "dressing old" aside) almost completely unself-conscious these days. I danced when I wanted. Sat when I wanted. Did just as I pleased.
3. This isn't news but I fucking love live music. I love the energy and the sing alongs and the feeling that anything at all could happen on stage and I'll be there to see it. I love the moments from a performance that stay with you. I love seeing new bands on small stages and finding something new to be a fan of. I love super fans. I love the mutual circle between crowd and performer of giving and getting energy. There are few things in this world that make me giddier than a killer set.
So, I hope, that for as long as I am of sound mind, body, and finances, I hope I keep going to festivals. And, maybe, eventually, I'll go full on old-person with supportive, cushioned shoes and a full on field set up with a blanket and stadium chair. But either way, I know I'll be there.
So, now that I've faced my own mortality and aging (heavy stuff for a Monday morning), let's count down my favorite moments from the week-end. That sounds like a lot more fun.
In no particular order:
1. Joseph's whole set; they're a sister act kind of like Haim but less LA-y. I love their 'I'm Alone, No You're Not' album and live they were electric. Tight harmonies, high energy, and a whole lot of foot stomping. LOVE.
2. The most sexually charged baritone saxophone playing I've ever seen during the San Fermin set. They reminded me a bit of the Canadian group Stars - male and female lead vocalists who trade off, a whole lot of people on stage, a little bit ethereal. But, man, their saxophone player killed it.
3. The entire crowd singing along and dancing during Lorde's 'Greenlight'.
4. Hanging with Andrew and his roommate for Claude VonStroke, having a big old dance party while Andrew repeatedly insisted, "I"m just going to go be one of those EDM guys. That's who I am now."
5. Standing next to the SUPERIEST OF SUPER FANS for Lemon Twigs. This girl knew every word, every drum kick, and was having the time of her life. You go girl. (Though, I would recommend wearing a bra if you plan on jumping that much.)
6. Watching The Who destroy 'My Generation' while video footage of them destroying 'My Generation' 50+ years ago played behind them.
7. Seeing Tove Lo with new buddies Russ & Jake who, when she flashed the crowd, caused Russ to say, "Oh dear, this might be the start of my straight experimental phase." Jake replied, "I'm glad I saw that; it affirmed my love for men." I cracked right up.
8. Watching Jack Antonoff live his very best life and deliver a set that was so fun and so dance-able, and had so much energy. 'Rollercoaster' was a blast, 'Everybody Lost Somebody' was way more fun than it sounds, and it took me a minute to place 'Wild Heart' as a Sara B. song. But, when he brought his dad on stage to play guitar and the band covered Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way' while the whole crowd jumped up and down? That was pretty close to transcendent.
9. Speaking of covers, Vance Joy's 'Call Me Al' into his delightful 'Riptide' was a rollicking way to close his set. Plus! His floppy curls are just the cutest! (I just googled it; he's 29. That feels like fair game.)
10. RAC's set at the Panhandle while I skipped Gorillaz (just #notmyjam), was SO FUN and SO DANCE-Y and EXACTLY the way I wanted to end the first day. I've been singing 'Cheap Sunglasses' to myself all week-end.
And a bonus: The table-side magic at the Cocktail Magic area. The guy MADE A FOLDED UP ACE OF CLUBS APPEAR UNDER MY WATCH and I have no idea how he did it.
And so, another Outsidelands is in the books and, while I felt juuuuust a little long in the tooth, I am so, so very glad I went. Until next time!
And now! Some iPhone photos. Just in case this whole post wasn't self-congratulatory enough:
When: August 11-13, 2017
Where: Golden Gate Park/ San Francisco, CA
With: All the San Franciscans. All of them.
Of Note: This is going to get a little schmaltzy.
Day 1: Tove Lo, Sleigh Bells, Belle + Sebastian, Future Islands, RAC
Day 2: John Moreland, San Fermin, Joseph, Lemon Twigs, Vance Joy, Claude VonStroke, Empire of the Sun
Day 3: Jacob Banks, K.Flay, Bleachers, Young the Giant, Lorde, Shots Fired, The Who
Okay, so, Outsidelands was this week-end. And, as it's in my neighborhood, my choices are either to attend it or to leave the state. There is no in between. But, I love music and love festivals and bought a super duper early bird ticket (before the line up was announced early) and off to the park I went.
The first set I saw on Friday was one of the smartest pop acts of today, Tove Lo. I've seen her before and loved her and was excited to see what she'd do with a festival set. I got to the park, filled up my water bottle, grabbed a beer and headed over to the set. I was immediately struck with an overwhelming sense of dread... the crowd looked young. Like, younger than my nephews young. Like, I can't believe your parents let you out of the house dressed like that, young lady, young. Like, oh crap, I shouldn't even look at any of these guys because jailbait, young. And so, I took to the internet to deliver a series of "Reasons I'm too old to be at a music festival" - humorous anecdotes and observations about the week-end that showed I'm, maybe, no longer in their target demographic. But, guys, here's the thing... I still had SO MUCH FUN and LOVED IT ALL SO MUCH and AM SO GLAD I WENT despite feeling a little like I should have been chaperoning.
So, to counter everything I posted this week-end, here are three reasons I am absolutely not too old to go to a music festival:
1. Festivals are easier when you can throw money at your problems/discomfort. I remember when Jenn Fish and I went to Bonnaroo and I had to hide sandwiches in my purse to avoid having to haul myself back out to the campsite in the middle of the day to eat because if I wanted to buy a t-shirt, I had exactly $14/day to spend on food/drinks. That's insane. Now? If I'm hungry, I grab food. If I want a beer, I buy one. If I don't feel like carrying a sweatshirt for the day but it gets cold? I buy a sweatshirt. Easy breezy.
2. I don't really give a shit what people think. Like, I hung out on my own for a fair amount of this week-end; I don't know a lot of people who love music as much as I do and the people I did know there often wanted to see different acts, were hard to track down, etc. I was not at all self-conscious or weirded out by that at all. I've grown into myself, become really comfortable with my ability to do things independently, and am (vanity about "dressing old" aside) almost completely unself-conscious these days. I danced when I wanted. Sat when I wanted. Did just as I pleased.
3. This isn't news but I fucking love live music. I love the energy and the sing alongs and the feeling that anything at all could happen on stage and I'll be there to see it. I love the moments from a performance that stay with you. I love seeing new bands on small stages and finding something new to be a fan of. I love super fans. I love the mutual circle between crowd and performer of giving and getting energy. There are few things in this world that make me giddier than a killer set.
So, I hope, that for as long as I am of sound mind, body, and finances, I hope I keep going to festivals. And, maybe, eventually, I'll go full on old-person with supportive, cushioned shoes and a full on field set up with a blanket and stadium chair. But either way, I know I'll be there.
So, now that I've faced my own mortality and aging (heavy stuff for a Monday morning), let's count down my favorite moments from the week-end. That sounds like a lot more fun.
In no particular order:
1. Joseph's whole set; they're a sister act kind of like Haim but less LA-y. I love their 'I'm Alone, No You're Not' album and live they were electric. Tight harmonies, high energy, and a whole lot of foot stomping. LOVE.
2. The most sexually charged baritone saxophone playing I've ever seen during the San Fermin set. They reminded me a bit of the Canadian group Stars - male and female lead vocalists who trade off, a whole lot of people on stage, a little bit ethereal. But, man, their saxophone player killed it.
3. The entire crowd singing along and dancing during Lorde's 'Greenlight'.
4. Hanging with Andrew and his roommate for Claude VonStroke, having a big old dance party while Andrew repeatedly insisted, "I"m just going to go be one of those EDM guys. That's who I am now."
5. Standing next to the SUPERIEST OF SUPER FANS for Lemon Twigs. This girl knew every word, every drum kick, and was having the time of her life. You go girl. (Though, I would recommend wearing a bra if you plan on jumping that much.)
6. Watching The Who destroy 'My Generation' while video footage of them destroying 'My Generation' 50+ years ago played behind them.
7. Seeing Tove Lo with new buddies Russ & Jake who, when she flashed the crowd, caused Russ to say, "Oh dear, this might be the start of my straight experimental phase." Jake replied, "I'm glad I saw that; it affirmed my love for men." I cracked right up.
8. Watching Jack Antonoff live his very best life and deliver a set that was so fun and so dance-able, and had so much energy. 'Rollercoaster' was a blast, 'Everybody Lost Somebody' was way more fun than it sounds, and it took me a minute to place 'Wild Heart' as a Sara B. song. But, when he brought his dad on stage to play guitar and the band covered Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way' while the whole crowd jumped up and down? That was pretty close to transcendent.
9. Speaking of covers, Vance Joy's 'Call Me Al' into his delightful 'Riptide' was a rollicking way to close his set. Plus! His floppy curls are just the cutest! (I just googled it; he's 29. That feels like fair game.)
10. RAC's set at the Panhandle while I skipped Gorillaz (just #notmyjam), was SO FUN and SO DANCE-Y and EXACTLY the way I wanted to end the first day. I've been singing 'Cheap Sunglasses' to myself all week-end.
And a bonus: The table-side magic at the Cocktail Magic area. The guy MADE A FOLDED UP ACE OF CLUBS APPEAR UNDER MY WATCH and I have no idea how he did it.
And so, another Outsidelands is in the books and, while I felt juuuuust a little long in the tooth, I am so, so very glad I went. Until next time!
And now! Some iPhone photos. Just in case this whole post wasn't self-congratulatory enough:
What up Ranger Dave?
"If you're talking bodies...."
I didn't mention it above, but I also really loved the Future Islands set. Their lead singer felt every single word he sang. It was pretty special to watch.
Pretty or sinister?
YOU GO SAX MAN!!
Vance Joy!
Jack Antonoff, living his best life.
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