The final day, the home stretch. As with most festivals, Outside Lands isn’t for the weary, but then again, neither is a city like San Francisco. The rolling hills, the near-90 degree vertical inclines, and the way either facet makes a short walk feel like a trip through Yosemite — it’s a tough trip.
As a result, the last day saw many tuckered out festivalgoers. But with a main stage full of nostalgic performers (Fishbone, Hall & Oates), the inclusion of hip young-ins (Kaskade, Matt and Kim), and a medley of both (Willie Nelson, Kurt Vile), everyone chugged around the bend to make it to the finish line, smiles galore.
As I write all this now, I sit in my San Francisco apartment sipping on a cup of hot coffee at 11 p.m. on a Sunday, merely blocks away from ground zero. The Richmond District remains alive and well with festivalgoers, some local and trying to find food, others lost in the midst of their travels.
It sounds like a vivid party outside, which leads me to believe that, regardless of one’s endurance or where anyone calls home, Outside Lands makes for a rugged yet worthy journey of fantastic music and delicious local eats. Sore limbs not withstanding, it’s a cleansing for the human spirit.
Soak up.
–Ted Maider
Staff Writer
