I took to the internet this morning to start discussing the Outside Lands headliners and lineup with the Bay Area music nerds, and to get some instant reactions from the Spinning Platters staffers. The 2014 Outside Lands lineup doesn’t look like every other festival lineup happening this summer, and that’s no surprise. We’ve always been able to count on the festival to provide different headliners from every other festival. How else can you stand out when everyone else is booking the same ten bands?
Personally, I’m looking forward to the Atmosphere vs. Macklemore fan battle over hip-hop authenticity, to find out if Kanye brings his Holy Mountain stage (if he doesn’t, I’ll meet you at Twin Peaks), and to see a huge crowd bounce around to the best pop song of 2013 — “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities. There’s no one in the lineup I’ll be fighting to get to the front to see, and that’s fine by me. There’s also no one I’ve been waiting years to see. Overall, it’s a lineup devoid of “Holy Shit, really?” bands, and I don’t think it’s going to have the same cross-demographic buzz as in years’ past. (Also, they had Huey Lewis do the lineup video, but didn’t book him? HELLO! Who’s filling the Sunday afternoon Hall & Oates good time singalong slot?) It’ll still sell out, though, and everyone I know will be there to complain about the lineup in person. Everyone wins.
Enough about me, though. What about the rest of the Spinning Platters staff? I asked them to “keep it short and no outright band hatred,” and for the most part, I got short responses with no outright band hatred …
Dakin Hardwick:
There are three acts on this bill that I will never miss under any circumstance: The Flaming Lips, Jenny Lewis, and Givers. There are two acts that cause me nothing but pain whenever I hear them: Kanye West and Disclosure. The great thing about festivals is that you usually have three great options for every bad one. The bad thing about festivals is that I may have to do a three way Sophie’s choice with Lips, Jenny, and Givers.
Marie Carney:
Dammit! When am I going to learn to buy the cheaper pre-announcement tickets!
Amber Gregory:
Every year the OSL lineup features 3-4 artists I absolutely LOVE. This year is no exception — Arctic Monkeys, Chvrches, Chromeo, Holy Ghost! — but unfortunately it’s also no exception on the other side of things. The rest of this lineup is disappointing, and that’s how I feel every.single.year.
Stephanie Skidmore:
1st: WHO THE FUCK MADE THIS JOKE LINE-UP, STOP TROLLING TROLLS.
Jonathan Pirro:
Despite having The Flaming Lips on the lineup, and a small handful of a few other favorites, this year’s Outside Lands lineup seems lazy, dispirited, and thrown together to fill the space. The pop trifecta of Kanye, Tiësto and Macklemore doesn’t help their case.
Kara Murphy:
Im’ma let you finish but with the exception of one headliner who’s “in Vogue,” the line-up is looking A-OK.
Chris Rogers:
CHRIS ROGERS VS OUTSIDE LANDS 2014
This is an embarrassment to San Francisco. Line up as bad as Coachella.