It’s as if the last Outside Lands was only 9 1/2 months ago… But it’s time for ANOTHER Top 10 from the bottom half of the Outside Lands poster. There is so much good stuff on here that you’ll be mad you slept in. Tickets are *somehow* still available here!
Wet Leg
Technically speaking, Wet Leg is above the second half fold. But this is my blog, and I make the rules, and I fucking love Wet Leg so much and want to write about them whenever I can. We all know “Chaise Longue.” I may have purchased one *just* because of the song. But knowing their big hit doesn’t equate to knowing the band. That song, as glorious as it is, doesn’t begin to dig into the heart, the anxiety, the beauty of their debut record. If you miss this set, you are only hurting yourself. And if you get there early enough, you might end up in the front row. And if you do end up there, there is an ever so slight chance you’ll get invited back for a warm beer after the show? (Actually, probably not. COVID precautions make moments like that hard to come by with touring bands.)
Pussy Riot
Has it really been 10 years since three members of the protest and performance art collective Pussy Riot attracted national attention for getting arrested for hooliganism? It’s amazing how time flies. The members have all been arrested numerous times since then but have also started releasing traditional singles. Their music is more in the electroclash vein than typical punk rock, and it’s great. The message is as potent and direct as ever, as they continue to get under Putin’s skin but also fighting the good fight for human rights worldwide.
DUCKWRTH
DUCKWRTH used to support pretty much every hip-hop show to come through the Bay Area. I genuinely thought he was a local… But it looks like he just loves us. In his early days, his shows were pure insanity. As he’s gotten older, he’s mellowed out just enough to let the songs come through, and he’s all the better for it. However, I will miss the madness just a little bit.
Faye Webster
I always think Faye Webster is bigger than she really is. She is a phenomenal songwriter, and her 2020 record, I Know I’m Funny haha, was one of the best records of one of the worst years. Even Barack Obama is a fan. I’m not necessarily psychic, but I’ve made similar comments about Lizzo and Haim, and both are playing arenas now… So you should hit Webster’s set now while you can still get close to the stage.
The Linda Lindas
It’s funny… More has probably been written about The Linda Lindas in 2022 than the rest of the OSL line-up combined. For a good reason! These tween to teenaged punks from LA keep pumping out brilliant singles- the earworm of a Babysitter’s Club tribute “Claudia Kishi,” to last year’s unexpected political hardcore of “Racist, Sexist Boy,” to the power-pop of “Oh!” They might be your little sister’s (or my daughter’s) favorite band right now, but they will be yours soon, too.
Robert Glasper
The 2020’s remind me a lot of the 90’s sometimes… Actually, really only in one way- Hip Hop, once again, is embracing jazz. Unlike the 90’s, when rappers were sampling classic musicians without giving any credit to the new wave, modern hip hop is elevating modern jazz musicians. Kamasi Washington, BADBADNOTGOOD, Thundercat, and so on are practically household names. Another name to add to that mix is Robert Glasper. This jazz pianist is HOT. And his set will blow the minds and ears of the unsuspecting listeners that come across his set in Golden Gate Park.
MICHELLE
Holy shit, these harmonies! Classic four-part harmony R&B that’s honey to your eardrums; that’s what MICHELLE does. En Vogue would be proud. This band feels like the perfect “beer & a blanket” chill band, until you realize that you’ve been so absorbed in the music that you both forgot about the beer and are crying by the end of the set.
SPELLLING
One of Oakland’s finest and the true heir apparent to the art-pop throne that Kate Bush has held onto for DECADES! SPELLLING is a rarity- a solo female that has been wholeheartedly embraced by the psychedelic rock world, appearing at tastemaking psych festivals like Levitation and Desert Daze, and even opening for the likes of King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Primus. Everyone is looking for the “take off in a rocket ship” band at these things, and SPELLLING is, by far, the best choice for that.
Griff
First of all, Griff’s wiki entry proclaims that she found music at the age of 8, and it was Taylor Swift’s Fearless record. For old people that think of that record as “late era” Taylor Swift, that makes me feel ancient. However, this 21-year-old Brit is a bit of a prodigy, and there is an 8-year-old out there, somewhere, that’s hearing Griff for the first time right now and is ready to embark on their own career in music.
Best Coast
This entry bums me out a little… Mostly because it’s the first time a band has returned to the “Top 10 from the bottom half” post. In the 11 years since Best Coast first graced Golden Gate Park, their debut album, Crazy For You, has since become a standard bearer for Indie Rock. And, with each subsequent album, the band has only improved. No longer are they “what would happen if Neko Case started a surf punk band.” Now they are their own entity, still holding on to their DIY Punk aesthetic, while growing up and really teaching kids how not to be afraid of lite rock while still not turning into Sting.
