Outside Lands got a jolt of pure indie rock energy when Role Model took the stage, delivering one of the festival’s most electric sets. From the first riff, it was clear the crowd was in for something special — the Sutro was packed shoulder-to-shoulder, buzzing with anticipation for one of the most exciting young artists on the rise.

In the middle of a sunny San Francisco afternoon, Thundercat turned Outside Lands into a blissed-out, technicolor dreamscape. His midday set was less a performance and more a cosmic transmission — a swirling, psychedelic trip that had the crowd moving in slow, hypnotic waves.

After a long rain delay and a thunderstorm warning that paused the entire festival, the energy at Osheaga’s River Stage was at a boiling point. By the time Tyler, the Creator finally stepped out under the Saturday night sky, the crowd was massive, jittery, and ready to explode. What followed was not just a concert, but a statement.

As the final night of Osheaga 2025 descended on Parc Jean-Drapeau, a hard choice had to be made. Jamie XX’s closing set on the Forest stage overlapped with Olivia Rodrigo on the main stage, and while I hated to miss her, I knew deep down that Jamie would deliver something truly singular. I wasn’t wrong. Under the canopy of the trees, the crowd (though smaller than expected) gathered to dance, reflect, and lose ourselves in one final release of energy.

Tucked into the Valley stage on a sunny afternoon at Osheaga, The Dare delivered a confident, high-energy set that turned casual listeners into full-on fans. The crowd that gathered for the performance didn’t just stumble in, they came ready to dance, and The Dare made sure to reward them.

By the time Gigi Perez stepped onto the Mountain stage Sunday afternoon, the sun was high and the summer heat had settled in. Festival staff sprayed water over the crowd to keep us cool, which added to the easygoing atmosphere, but once Gigi began to sing, no one was thinking about the temperature anymore.

As the sun began to sink behind Parc Jean-Drapeau on the final night of Osheaga, Cage the Elephant stepped onto the Mountain stage and reminded everyone exactly why they’ve been a mainstay of modern rock for over a decade. From where we sat on the hill, picnic blanket laid out beneath us, the entire moment felt like the perfect wind-down to a weekend full of noise, heat, and beautiful chaos.

Last week, to kick off the month of August, the fields of St. Charles, Iowa hosted one of the Midwest’s most promising festivals, Hinterland, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in spectacular fashion. Becoming known as the biggest festival in Iowa, Hinterland continues to grow in scope and stature, and this year’s edition was the biggest yet, featuring a bigger venue and record-breaking ticket sales.

Osheaga’s Forest Stage was the place to be Friday night as rapper, singer, and all-around powerhouse Doechii brought her “Live From the Swamp” tour to Montreal. It was the final set of the night and easily one of the wildest.