Outside Lands marks a decade of music festivals in Golden Gate Park this year, with the next one planned for August 11-13. Headliners like Metallica, The Who and A Tribe Called Quest top the bill, but there are plenty of surprises to be found in the lineup.
One is a planned set by Doctor Octagon, a trio led by rapper Kool Keith and produced by San Francisco's Dan The Automator and supported by Bay Area world champion DJ Qbert. They haven't collectively released an album in 21 years (their "Dr. Octagonecologyst" was recorded in SF) but, buoyed by the success of their first ever live shows last month, are hitting the festival circuit with fresh confidence.
One notion to keep in mind is that surprises are often a part of the mix. Last year's event, for example, featured a secret show from Outkast's Big Boi and a late-breaking pop-up stage from Warren G and E-40. And more local DJs and acts (beyond already announced performers like Oakland's Kamaiyah) tend to be added by August.
A stage called the Barbary has yet to be announced, but always attracts solid standup comedians and improv artists. Food and drink options are also revealed closer to the date and tend to improve each year, as with last year's full-scale fine dining experience in the trees hosted by local restaurant Trestle. There are usually around 80 vendors to peruse for creative eating and drinking, while the GastroMagic stage always adds renowned chefs and additional musical performers to the festivities.
Prospective attendees are advised to make their decision quickly. Early bird passes sold out a few months back, but three-day general admission ($375) and VIP tickets ($795) go on sale at 10 a.m. PST on Thursday. No information about possible single-day ticket sales has been posted.
Here's the announced Outside Lands lineup, which is subject to changes and additions:
Metallica, The Who, Gorillaz, Lorde, A Tribe Called Quest, Alt-J, Queens of the Stone Age, Above & Beyond, Fleet Foxes, Empire of the Sunm The Avett Brothers, Belle and Sebastian, Solange, Future Islands, Schoolboy Q, Young the Giant, Rebelution, Little Dragon, Vance Joy, Kaytranada, Bleachers, Tove Lo, Action Bronson, Shovels & Rope, Thundercat, Dawes, Warpaint, Dr. Octagon, Rag'N'Bone Man, Bomba Estereo, Real Estate, Rac, James Vincent McMorrow, Temples, K. Flay, Hamilton Leithauser, Maggie Rogers, Sofi Tukker, Foxygen, How to Dress Well, Sohn, Electric Guest, Goldroom, Hundred Waters, Noname, Khruangbin, Kamaiyah, Survive, Kali Uchis, San Fermin, Joseph, The Japanese House, Lee Fields & The Expressions, The Lemon Twigs, Muna, Mon Laferte, Grace Mitchell, Porches, Jacob Banks, Mondo Cozmo, Frenship, John Moreland, Sam Dew, Oliver Tree, Lawrence, The She's, Berklee College of Music
