Some bands treat a festival slot like a sprint. Vampire Weekend turned theirs into a marathon victory lap. At Outside Lands in San Francisco, Ezra Koenig and company pulled off the rare feat of playing two full sets in one day — first with a surprise morning performance that felt like a gift to diehards, and later as the Twin Peaks stage headliners in front of a roaring, densely packed crowd that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Read MoreLudacris turned Outside Lands into a full-on party, delivering one of the best hip-hop sets the festival has ever seen. From the moment he hit the stage, the Polo Field was wall-to-wall with dancing millennials reliving the soundtrack of their youth — and the energy never dipped for a second.
Read MoreGracie Abrams stepped onto the Outside Lands stage and instantly turned the Polo Field into a sea of captivated faces. The crowd — massive and buzzing with TikTok-fueled anticipation — was ready for every note, and Abrams delivered with the poise and warmth of an artist on the cusp of superstardom.
Read MoreDoja Cat’s headlining set at Outside Lands was nothing short of a festival-defining moment. From the instant the lights came up, the Polo Field transformed into a pulsing ocean of fans — massively packed and buzzing with anticipation, many pulled in by the viral pull of her endless TikTok-dominating hits.
Read MoreOn the eve of Doja Cat’s set, Doechii stormed the Outside Lands stage with a performance so commanding it felt like a main event of its own. From the moment she appeared, the Polo Field was a sea of bodies — massively packed with fans, many drawn in by her runaway TikTok hits, all ready to experience her firebrand blend of rap, R&B, and unstoppable charisma.
Read MoreOutside 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.
Read MoreIn 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.
Read MoreAfter 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.
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreTucked 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.
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