Outside Lands (Day 1) Returns Strong with Tyler, the Creator, Sharon Van Etten, Glass Animals, Khruangbin (FESTIVAL RECAP/PHOTOS)

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, Outside Lands made its much-anticipated return to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park for its 2021 iteration. Fans arrived early and in force on a picture-perfect Bay Area fall day to catch the first sets of the festival. In the initial phase of the day, entry lines moved quickly, even with the additional step of the event’s Covid-19 protocols. (Guests either had to show proof of vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours of attending — further expedited by checks being done by staff in advance on inbound shuttle buses.) By the late afternoon, the marine layer rolled in, bringing cooler temperatures and a spooky, misty setting, which was perfect for the start of Halloween weekend. Here are four sets that stood out from Day 1: 

Sharon Van Etten

“Sharon! Sharon! Sharon!” The crowd let out a hearty cheer for Sharon Van Etten, as the band ripped through a heavy rendition of “Hands.” Van Etten’s set featured some of the best guitar riffs and basslines of the afternoon. The next track, “All I Can,” began with a slow-burning open before giving way to another rocking breakdown in its coda. At the end of the set, Van Etten had one more surprise for the audience: She brought out Angel Olsen (who’s also at Outside Lands on Saturday) to play their collaborative track “Like I Used To,” which was a perfect showcase for their excellent vocal harmonies. 

Khruangbin

Khruangbin proved that a largely instrumental band could captivate a main stage audience with their early evening set on the Sutro Stage. Guitarist Mark Speer showed off his impressive skills, memorably adapting Sister Nancy’s dancehall classic “Bam Bam” into a sprawling guitar riff. The band also interpolated a bunch of classic rock tracks, which was perfect for a festival crowd (e.g., AC/DC’s “Back in Black”, Dick Dale’s iconic surf rock cut “Misirlou” and a heavy version of Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets.”) They even showed their versatility with a surf rock-inspired take on The Sugarhill Gang’s “Apache.” 

Glass Animals

Glass Animals proved they’re ready for the big time as the main stage’s penultimate act. An enormous crowd greeted the English synth pop/electronic rock band, as lead singer Dave Bayley remarked, “This is the biggest crowd we’ve probably ever had.” Even for the uninitiated, the bouncy beats of hits like “Gooey” and “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” got the crowd moving and waving their hands. 

The end of the set featured a memorable one-two punch. First, Bayley welcomed rapper Denzel Curry to handle his rapid-fire verse from their anthemic collaborative cut “Tokyo Drifting.” Then, the band closed out the set with their massive hit “Heat Waves.” Throughout, Bayley proved to be the consummate showman, captivating the whole crowd as he spun across the stage. Don’t be surprised to see them closing out festivals in the near future. 

Tyler, the Creator

The marine layer may have cooled off the Bay Area by nightfall, but Tyler, the Creator brought the heat with his fiery headlining set. The rapper set the crowd off immediately, with massive fireworks going up on the first track “CORSO.” 

Tyler, the Creator really upped the ante of his live show in support of recent album, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, with his ambitious set design, complete with impressive background visuals and a huge boat that oscillated as if sailing on choppy waters. The crowd went wild as Tyler performed “WUSYANAME” from the jostling boat and bounced eagerly to “LUMBERJACK.” 

He then showed his mastery of his pop elements, taking the crowd back to 2017’s Flower Boy with the excellent combo of “See You Again,” “911 / Mr. Lonely” and “Boredom.” On the latter, the rapper even led a huge singalong from the barricade, mobbed by screaming fans. Tyler, the Creator also gave longtime listeners a taste of his earlier output, showcasing his expert flow on “She,” “Yonkers” and “IFHY” over some minimal instrumentation.   

“I wanna thank y’all very much for having me,” Tyler, the Creator said to the crowd at the end of the set. “I genuinely had so much fun up here moonwalking for you for an hour.” With that, he got the crowd jumping one more time with closer “RUNITUP” as more fireworks sent out the set with a bang.

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