Outside Lands Music Festival: Daily Journal
(Stayed tuned here! I'll be updating this post throughout the weekend.)
SUN 7:55PM - Can’t win em all. I think that was Elton John’s motto during his 2-hour headlining slot. Maybe I hyped myself up too much. A couple songs in I found the unruly crowd and a few tag alongs managing to pull away my attention from the stage. Long story short, Elton soundtracked our exit through what felt like ALL the woods to grandma’s house. Since the streets surrounding Golden Gate Park were basically CARmageddon, we walked about a mile through Pac Heights towards a non-surging Uber, sans a crowd, and with Eltton’s song like “Rocket Man” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues” billowing through the streets at a sing-a-long volume and boy did we.
SUN 7:05PM - Thanks to Sam Smith the collective 15 hour road trip spanning 700 miles was made worth it. Without a doubt his performance will go done as a staple of my Summer 2015. Our hotel bed comforter framed our picnic over the grass (a king-size shot out to The Marker Hotel!), the cloud cover set the cool, crisp temperature, while Sam’s cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry On Their Own” which he and his backup singers mashed with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” took it home. It was a set that even the weathered crowd couldn’t distract with their sloppy third day behavior.
SUN 11:40AM - This morning I've been on a very tight schedule of not getting anything done. Robes, room service and really bad television (literally my favorite pastime), but I'm not letting this turn into an all day hotel room affair. After all, we have Sam Smith and Mr. Rocket Man himself to look forward to!
SAT 6:15PM - Back to Outside Lands coverage tomorrow afternoon. I may fill everyone in on today but you'd all need to pinky swear (both pinkies) you won't tell anyone. That, and it's not over yet! Brb.
SAT 10:50AM - Up and at 'em! Well, "at 'em" hopefully after this Emergen-c. Kicked off last night at Mezzanine hosted by our friends at Beautiful Buzzz. Hands down, The Aston Shuffle played the best set of the night - and they had some steep competition like Robert Delong at the stuffy The Clift Hotel. Our LA crew used Delong's set as our rendezvous spot before ending the night at Oasis (which was my first time there but I can already say it's never a good idea).
FRI 9:30PM - Carb-ful Italian dinner at Kuleto's before heading to Mezzanine.
FRI 7:30PM - James Adomian is hilarious, his impressions actually made me lol. I'm that laughs-on-the-inside type, like Posh Spice, but I'd be down to be his friend. Cut to sneaking out during his bow and high tailing it to see Chet Faker. Turns out I miscalculated his set time so it was one quick Snap (no idea what song) before the stage went dark. Curveball. Now I'm back at the Twin Peaks stage essentially typing from the middle of a mosh pit with Porter Robinson testing all the adults tolerance for EDM. *glitch glitch bleep bleep* with steamrolling bass sending the park's animals running across the Golden Gate Bridge for safety.
FRI 6:10PM - Hidden Treasure stage aka The Barbary Comedy & Improv stage (located at 30k ft elevation I'm pretty sure after those stairs) is about to go down. Someone Google Andy Kindler, Tig Notaro and James Adomian and tell me what I'm in for. Chet Faker is on at 6:45 located about 357 miles away so the strategy here is to grab a back row seat, get in a few laughs (one strategically to the ground) and roll out. Sun is also rapidly descending which means the rest of my people are about to come out. Make sure to catch my snaps (Snapchat: @kickickSNAP)!
FRI 5:00PM - St. Vincent's guitar choreography is winning. My wifi connection is not.
FRI 4:00PM - The Sutro stage may be my favorite. Props to Adolph Heinrich Joseph Sutro, the 24th mayor of San Francisco, whose 1894 reign gets a 2015 serenade from artists like George Ezra (right now) and later Glass Animals, Chet Faker and D'Angelo and the Vanguard. Also in attendance: marijuana. The people watching here is way beyond my comprehension and ability to describe. FLASH UPDATE George just broke into "Budapest" and the crowd ooohs are calling, then back to the media tent for me.
FRI 2:45PM - Made it to the main stage (Lands End) with Lake Street Dive performing (surprisingly phenomenal) and mid-sing-a-long. I'm actually sitting on the grass with my new Acne jeans so clearly not giving any fucks starts right now. Not a care in the world. (Beer count: 2)
FRI 2:06PM - Exercise in for the day with that walk from The Twin Peaks stage to the media tent. Started from the bottom, now we're here. Luckily, the weather couldn't be more perfect. 66 degrees and partly cloudy - equal awesomeness to the Heineken sitting on my left. Should we start a drink count? I also have the secret festival wifi AND my phone is charging RIGHT NOW. So many San Francisco treats and we're only a few hours deep. Okay now off to find an Instagramable moment.
FRI 1:25PM - I'm watching BROODS right now at Outside Lands (Twin Peaks stage) in Golden Gate Park. This shouldn't come as a surprise if you're reading this. Just feels so good to be able to say. I've also said this before but it's also worth mentioning...Georgia Nott has all the moves. More moves than U-Haul tbqh.
FRI 1:05PM - We are in! Follow me on Snapchat (@kickkicksnap)!
FRI 12:30PM - New website up! Well, most of it. Our Dev is going to be chipping away at all day until all the bells are chiming and whistles are blowing. Finally in an Uber heading to media check-in!
FRI 10:20AM - Last night, after an 8-hour drive from LA to SF (what was supposed to be a "super fun!" roadtrip) full of construction, rain and lightening we made it to our hotel. Cut to 5 hours later to right now as I'm awaiting the new site design to hit while shoving toothpicks between my eyelids to keep them apart. Keeping things pitch black in my hotel room. I'm afraid to open the curtains in case there's sunshine and a singing bird to welcome me who I'd grab and do to it what Ozzy did to that bat.