Outside Lands 2017
Festival guide
Head to San Fran's Golden Gate Park from August 11th to 13th for this 10th anniversary special of Outside Lands Festival. With a stellar, tantalisingly varied line-up featuring everyone from Metallica to Maggie Rogers, Swet Shop Boys to Queens of the Stone Age, browse our picks of the best.
Top picks
Swet Shop Boys
Chances are you already know Riz Ahmed - be it from his acting career (notably he was in Four Lions, Girls, and Star Wars: Rogue One) or his insightful long-read on what it’s like to be stopped at the airport every time you fly - but perhaps you’re less aware of his music career. Riz MC - along with fellow rapper Heems and producer Redinho - comprise the Swet Shop Boys, and make hip hop that swirls humidly with South Asian samples and salient, seething commentary on the immigrant condition. These guys are special, and this set should be too.
Kali Uchis
Colombian-American singer Kali Uchis has got a striking voice that's not far removed from that blues-y richness of Amy Winehouse, and she makes smooth music that bridges the gap between soul, electro and pop. Her 2015 EP Por Vida was entrancing, sparkly, and delicious, while her latest track "Tyrant" with Jorja Smith (which also comes as a Spanish version, "Tirano", featuring Fuego) is lithe and a little more upbeat. Ahead of her soon-to-come debut album we highly recommend catching this beguiling star in the making.
Warpaint
The Los Angeles band make dreamy rock/pop music that has increasingly reverberated with hip hop-style drum machines - with 2016 album Heads Up there was notably less guitar than ever. Indeed, Warpaint have been stepping away from a genre-specific sound, instead channelling the various styles they grew-up with. Overall they make ambient, spacious music with vocals that float beautifully yet powerfully. The years have proven that Warpaint's music is consistently impressive, and - with live shows famed for being upbeat and glorious - we suspect this set will be consistently impressive too.
Big names
Don't miss
- Songwriting is almost a therapeutic thing; a way for me to process details of my life.
- It’s a blurry, slick, fantasy ride: sometimes light, sometimes dark; sometimes up, sometimes down…
- We don’t write b-sides; it’s all solid gold. It’s like, why write a song if it’s no good?