[News] Outside Lands 2013 Announces Lineup

The official lineup for Outside Lands Festival 2013 is here, and it looks to be pretty good. Topping off the bill are Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The National, Vampire Weekend, D’Angelo, Kaskade, Pretty Lights, Jurassic 5, Willie Nelson, Hall and Oates, and Grizzly Bear.

Rounding out the eclectic lineup are Wavves, Young The Giant, Band of Horses, A-Trak, Yeasayer, Matt & Kim, The Tallest Man on Earth, Foals, Youth Lagoon, Gary Clark Jr., Jessie Ware, Dillon Francis, Kurt Vile and the Violators, Surfer Blood, Chromatics and Smith Westerns. While not as good as last year's lineup, which was headlined by Metallica, Neil Young, The Kills, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Beck, Sigur Ros, this year seems promising. Check out the full lineup here or below in a ridiculously charming announcement video.

Tickets go on sale this Thursday, April 18th, at 12 noon PDT at the festival's official website. Outside Lands takes place August 9-11 in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

[Outside Lands 2012] A Photo Journal

I recently had the opportunity to fly down to San Francisco with my best friend Samuel Boardman Parker to attend the city’s burgeoning Outside Lands Music Festival. Who could pass up a chance to see Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Beck, Sigur Rós, Justice, Jack White, Passion Pit, Bloc Party, and so many more amazing and talented musicians? With Sam taking photos and myself interviewing artists, we flew down the West Coast to embrace all the experiences the festival had to offer. While the photo journal below includes only a fraction of the places we went, the people we met, and the bands we stared in awe at, it displays in brief the fucking craziness that was San Francisco and Outside Lands Music Festival.

[Outside Lands 2012 x Interview] YACHT

Photos by Samuel Boardman Parker

Everyday is full of experiences, whether it is an uneventful one or an undoubtedly strange one. Whatever the case may be, it is an experience nonetheless. When it comes to music festivals, though, chances are those experiences are some of the most unique and odd you'll come to encounter. Ridiculous costumes, people from all over the world, the infusion of drug after drug after drug, and the inherent love and passion for music all combine in one location to make for unforgettable happenings. Outside Lands Festival proved to embrace that time honored tradition.

I found myself in one of these memorable encounters on the second day of Outside Lands, meeting up with Claire Evans and Jona Bechtolt of YACHT under the same trees that Electric Guest and I found ourselves in one day later. The quirky contingent that is The Western American Utopian Triangle proved to be an absolute joy to talk to, as photographer Samuel Boardman Parker and I dished out questions regarding YACHT's live performances, the danceability of their music, and what Claire's favorite dish at Olive Garden is. Stream the full interview below.

[Outside Lands 2012 x Interview] Electric Guest

Photo by Samuel Boardman Parker

One would assume that a festival taking place in the middle of one of America's largest cities would feel crowded, unnatural or weighed down by the looming presence of San Francisco itself or those that dwell within it. And this is where I say, one would assume wrong. Outside Lands Festival is an insane experience. That's just it. It's one strange story or crazy experience after the other, and with the festival grounds being surrounded by beautiful greenery and natural isolation, Golden Gate Park makes for a dream setting. The isolation alone gives the festival an incredible feel, as you can bask in the wonders of live music amidst walls of towering trees and odd yet charming people from all walks of life. It truly is amazing.

It was this natural setting and captivating environment that made my interview with Los Angeles band Electric Guest so enjoyable. In the early afternoon on the last day of the festival, I met up with Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton in the designated media area, at which point I opted for some place else, a more secluded location, to have the interview. They promptly agreed. Finding our way out of the media area, we settled up in the winding branches of a nearby tree to chat about all things Electric Guest, from their quick leap into the public eye to recording their debut LP Mondo with Dangermouse. Asa even complimented me on my jacket prior to our interview. Well, to be fair, it's technically not my jacket, but that's beside the point. Hear what Asa, Matthew, and I had to say in the player below.

[Outside Lands 2012] Our Most Aniticipated Artist of the Festival

Today marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, the final day of our preview coverage, we look to answer one important question: who is our most anticipated artist of the festival?

With such an incredible and diverse lineup, Outside Lands offers something for everyone. Stevie Wonder, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Metallica, Foo Fighers, Sigur Rós, Jack White, Beck, The Kills, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, Passion Pit, Santigold, MSTRKRFT, The Walkmen, YACHT, Andrew Bird, you name it, there is a band for each and every attendee to get excited about. For us, though, there is one band that sticks out at the forefront, and that is Australian psych rock outfit Tame Impala.

Ever since Tame Impala dropped their debut LP Innerspeaker back in 2010, the psychedelic stylings of the Perth band have never left my eardrums for more than a few days. Somehow, they have perfectly captured what was so good about psychedelic rock in the '60s and '70s, the carefree attitude and the general sense that all that needs to be done is to play the hell out of some fucking instruments and put on a damn good show. When listening to Tame Impala, it's not uncommon to feel as if you're listening to Eric Clapton, transporting you to a time when the biggest names in rock were at their peak. This new wave of neo-psychedelia has been rising since the early to mid-1990s, but Tame Impala directly utilizes the styles and sounds of the 1960s, and they pull it off so well.

For every band that is performing at Outside Lands, the collective love we have for Tame Impala trumps even the biggest names. Hearing their brand of psychedelic rock in a live setting sounds infinitely more tempting than any of the other offerings at the festival. Call me crazy, but the idea of dancing under the influence of who knows how many narcotics to the addicting psychedelic soundscapes of Tame Impala seems like an amazing experience to me. In fact, I'm more sane for thinking so.

[Outside Lands 2012] Top Five Songs We Can't Wait to Hear Live

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top five songs we cannot wait to hear live at the festival.

No matter how good a band's repertoire is, there is always one song that stands out, one song that automatically comes to mind whenever you think about said band. That recollection is even more potent when you go to see them live in concert, bringing the immediate hope that they will play that song live and it will be even better than the studio quality version. Of all the bands playing at Outside Lands this year, there are five that have songs so damn good that we're shaking with excitement to hear them live. Now, keep in mind all of these songs are relatively new, having been released at various times over the past year or so, but that doesn't mean they aren't highlights in the catalogues of these artists. Rather, it's the opposite. These songs are gems in the handfuls of songs these bands have given us over the course of their long, or short, careers, and they are sure to be as good if not better live in concert. Check out our top five picks after the jump.

NOTE: For all of our Outside Lands coverage, head here.

Bloc Party - "Octopus":

Jack White - "Sixteen Saltines":

Alabama Shakes - "Hold On":

Tame Impala - "Apocalypse Dreams":

Passion Pit - "Constant Conversations":

[Outside Lands 2012] Top Five High Energy Shows to Dance at Till You Drop

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top five high energy shows to dance at till your knees are trembling.

If you're willing to put the time, effort, and money into going to a show, then it is immediately worth it. One aspect that makes a show much more worth it, though, is if you show up and you're dancing from start to finish. When a band has a stage presence that is so energetic, and when the music is paced perfectly so that you don't stop moving for the entire set, that is when you know it was a good show. Take a look at the top five picks for the most danceable acts at this year's Outside Lands after the jump.

Justice: The moment Justice becomes a topic of conversation, the song "D.A.N.C.E." is almost always brought up. The French house duo has become iconic for their Parisian brand of electronic music, a brand that translates perfectly to the dance-hungry crowd. Whether you're playing Justice at a house party or seeing them live in concert, the dirty, sexy basslines and unwavering barrage of synthesizers plays perfectly into high energy, non-stop dance-a-thons. When it comes to dancing, Justice has you covered. Just make sure you have a full day afterwards to recover.

YACHT: This Portland outfit continiously impresses with their infectious electropop sounds, and in a live setting, it's impossible to prevent the onslaught of dancing crowds. Who wouldn't dance to "Dystopia (The Earth Is on Fire)" or "Shangri-La"? It's all just so damn catchy. YACHT knows how to do danceable, groovy beats right, so do yourself a favor and check them out.

MSTRKRFT: Jesse F. Keeler and Al-P know how to get a party started. Every song they release under the MSTRKRFT moniker is a party in itself, with pounding kick drums, ever-evolving synthesizers and altered voice samples. MSTRKRFT is the kind of thing you would play for a group of people on MDMA, and that's exactly why it's the perfect brand of music to dance until you drop.

Franz Ferdinand: Something about this Scottish quartet is so captivating, whether it's the music itself or their unrelenting and energetic stage presence. Each one of their three full-length albums are full of numerous catchy post-punk tracks, every one of which is perfectly suited for the live stage. If you've ever wanted to dance our heart out during an outdoor concert in the pouring rain, who better to do it to than Franz Ferdinand?

Passion Pit: If you've ever watched footage of Passion Pit performing live, there is no doubt that their catchy pop sounds are perfect for crowds of eager fans wanting to dance to their heart's content. Manners was packed with danceable song after danceable song, and Gossamer is no different. The Massachusetts outfit knows how to deliver a fulfilling pop song, and fans of the band know perfectly well how to dance to it. Seeing this band live is not something you should pass up.

[Outside Lands 2012] Three Mesmerizing Light Shows That We Can't Wait to See

This Friday marks the beginning of this year's Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, the fifth edition of the cultural highlight. SKOA will be attending the festival this year, and each day leading up to the festival we will be dishing out a feature focused on the bands set to appear at Outside Lands. Today, our spotlight is focused on the top three light shows we can't wait to see during the festival.

Every live performance hinges on the talent of the musicians themselves and their ability to convey their music in a live setting, but that's not the only important aspect; a truly great concert reaches that status through the perfect combination of the music itself in conjunction with an absolutely mesmerizing light show. Nothing compares to being front row at a concert and hearing a beloved song live, only to have every kick of the drum met with entrancing flashes of light, each low moment combined with a dimming atmosphere, and every high met with a grand array of colors and illumination. Most concerts have good light shows, but some seem to stand out above the rest. Take a look at the top three picks for this year's Outside Lands Festival after the jump.

Justice: The French electronic duo has made a name for themselves with their grimy, industrial brand of Paris house, and it translates beautifully to the live setting. Justice clearly put a lot of effort into their light show, with every hard-hitting delivery of the drum kick accompanied by pulsating flashes of light, walls of light drawing the drug-fueled crowds into a trance, and colors so vibrant it's impossible not to look away.

What makes their shows truly unique, though, is their use of the cross imagery. It has appeared on the cover of each of their studio full-lengths (both † and Audio, Video, Disco), and during live performances they prop up a massive, illuminated cross right in the middle of their modular synthesizer prop. It's such iconic imagery, and the duo has very intelligently utilized it. What is there to not get excited about?

Sigur Rós: What is there to say about Sigur Rós gorgeous, unique soundscapes? How could I describe my excitement for seeing them live? The Icelandic quartet has been drowning my eardrums in beautiful, ambient music for nearly a decade, and the odd stylings of their music and their personas is what makes their live performances so unique. Jónsi alone is so strange and out there that the allure is beyond questioning.

The idea of witnessing Sigur Rós' live music backed with a colorful, dream-like light show is the truly alluring aspect, though, and online videos aren't enough to satisfy the desire. What could compare to hearing "Sæglópur" amongst a dazzling display of colors and streams of light? I'll just have to see for myself.

Explosions In The Sky: This Texas post-rock outfit might not be the first band that comes to mind when speaking of mesmerizing light shows, but it's the combination of their music and the live setting that excites me. The band has become known for their sprawling, lengthy musical compositions, with echoing guitar riffs, expansive percussion coming together to form beautifully atmospheric and cohesive songs. It's difficult to form such immersive sounds, but these guys pull it off without a hitch. Place this in a live setting, and something amazing is bound to happen.

Explosive percussion, a distant, distorted guitar juxtaposed by a beautifully rhythmic one, captivating sounds coming from all angles amidst a hypnotizing-yet-subtle shower of lights; slow-rising instrumentation building to an eventual frantic climax met with a well-timed burst of illumination. This is what live performances are all about. This is what I want to see.