As I was making plans to attend San Diego’s Street-Scene, I was so bummed to see that it falls on the same weekend as San Francisco’s Outside Land’s Festival. The only bummer about summer music festivals is that they tend to collide. On the bright side, all of them are practically hailing the same line-up. But Outside Lands however, has a kick-ass bill! Similar to Coachella, they don’t focus on just all the “big name” bands. They have a very unique and talented diverse set of smaller bands that float off the mainstream radar―and that’s what’s drawing me to this musical journey.

With that said, I will most definitely be up in SF that weekend rolling with the San Fran crew. We’ve been planning that shit since Coachella! I just know the inevitable is going to happen: not seeing every band on my list. Check out the full Outside Lands line-up here!

My top picks

Friday Saturday
Sunday

Dave Matthews Band
The Mars Volta

TV on the Radio
Conor Oberst & The Mystic
Valley Band

Raphael Saadiq
Os Mutantes
Deerhunter
Lila Downs
Zion I

Bat For Lashes
Dengue Fever
The Dirtbombs
Infantree


M.I.A.
Modest Mouse

Band of Horses
The Dead Weather
Atmosphere
Alpha Blondy
The Avett Brothers
Calexico
Heartless Bastards
Lenka
John Vanderslice
Matt & Kim
The Morning Benders
Big Light