Outside Lands 2009: Day 1

To say that the Outside Lands festival in Golden Gate Park is a concertgoer's idea of heaven might not do the whole event justice. With stages, booths, and events set up across three expansive meadows, Outside Lands might be heaven on earth. Period. As such, here's an account of my first day adjusting to paradise.

12:15: My friend Paulina and I arrive and have Venom energy drinks thrust into our arms. We don't drink them because we feel awkward about letting things named after snakes into our bodies.

12:30: I'm greeted by the enormity of the event. It's akin to a kid in a candy store.

12:40: Merch merch merch. I pick up a Silversun Pickups t-shirt.

12:50: We set up camp at the Lands End Stage in the Polo Fields. We're instantly aware that San Francisco has been licked by the sun, and a tremendous amount of sunscreen is applied.

1:05: Autolux takes takes the stage and opens the day. I'm reminded of how underrated Future Perfect is as an album.

1:15: "Turnstile Blues" rock us in all it's swirling, feedback induced glory. I come to the conclusion that Carla Azar can hit the hell out of the drums.

2:00: The first wave of hipsters start setting up camp. Paulina and I decide the criteria with which to identify them. They are as follows: Plaid shirts, bad stubble, tight pants, bright colored pants, Ray Bands, clove cigarettes, and any mention of The Smiths.

2:15: I berate Paulina for not liking her iPhone. After playing with it, I realize I want one even more.

2:30: Built To Spill comes out on stage (After a few members doing their own soundcheck) and proceeds to blow us all away. My only previous brush with the band is "Car" as covered by Brand New so I don't know what to expect. Within their first opening songs, I'm hooked.

2:40: I start noticing where Ben Gibbard borrows his singing style from. The band is tight, their arrangements falling in the realm of thick pop-rock with an indie flavor. The guitar bends are rich and they play a mean solo.

3:00: They play "Car."

3:40: Clouds roll in an shield us from the sun. Thank goodness.

3:50: I'm suddenly aware that Silversun Pickups have a larger following then I expected them to. Our campsite is overrun. Standing room only.

4:15: Silversun Pickups takes the stage. We are inundated with hipsters and smoking enthusiasts.

4:30: To say Silversun Pickups are a great live band is, again, a gross understatement. Brian Aubert's voice is ethereal and passionate, Nikki Monniger's bass is pulsing and deep, and Christopher Guanlao's skins work is detailed and precise. The band's energy is ten fold of their recorded selves, propulsive and almost punky at times.

4:40: They bring the fuzz with supped up versions of "There's No Secrets This Year" and "Panic Switch." While stripped back from their album counterparts (Keyboards taking a back seat to their messy guitar work), I'm convinced seeing them headline would be an incredible show.

5:12: Sliversun Pickups close out their set with a raucous and overdrive soaked version of "Lazy Eye." The crowd goes nuts and the feedback shakes Golden Gate Park. Tremendous.

5:30: I meet up with my friend Steven briefly. He's going to see Tom Jones. Paulina and I say we're staying for Incubus.

5:40: I chide Paulina about her crush on Brandon Boyd.

6:00: Incubus take the stage and sound tremendous. Ben Kenney's bass is low and grinding while Mike Einzinger reminds us how versatile a guitarist he is, his chunky riffs ranging from punk to metal to jazz with a few quick strokes.

6:12: They drop "Anna Molly" on the crowd and the huge sing-a-longs take hold, partially to help Boyd who was battling a cold. The selfish part of me took a great deal of pleasure in the fact that their set had a great many tracks off Light Grenades, my personal favorite Incubus album: "Anna Molly," "Love Hurts," "Quicksand," "A Kiss To Send Us Off."

6:30: I'm convinced that DJ Kilmore understands dynamics.

6:56: The band ends with a blistering take on Prince's "Let's Go Crazy." I'm shocked they don't end with "Drive."

7:15: Paulina and I escape the now cramped crowd in search of drink. We pick up food and set up camp a further distance away for Pearl Jam.

7:30: I try to convince Paulina that Paramore are a decent pop-rock act. She doesn't buy it.

7:50: Pearl Jam take the stage and the crowd erupts in cheers.

8:10: A few songs in, and the band is tight and focused. For musicians that got lumped into the grunge scene, it's wonderful to see them truly play like a classic rock band. Big meaty riffs, blusey solos, and Eddie Vedder's gravely voice.

8:30: We learn Vedder's voice is nearly shot from the tour. He begins rambling about being safe in the pit. I'm convinced that Vedder sounds like a crazy homeless man. It's a good thing.

8:40: "Evenflow" is a force of nature. The thunderous drumming brash guitar showmanship scream rock 'n roll. There is a reason this song was HUGE in the 90s.

9:00: The crowd starts helping Vedder sing Pearl Jam classics. "Black" is positively haunting with such large gang vocals.

9:50: Pearl Jam close out their set with Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" capping off a great day with a classic song.

10:00: I don't envy the clean up staff.