Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA — August 8-10, 2025

Outside Lands Music Festival returned for its seventeenth year bringing its booming atmosphere and diverse lineup to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. As one of the most anticipated festivals of the summer season, Outside Lands pulls in an eclectic range of artists spanning from indie rock, hip-hop, electronic, R&B, pop, techno, and more ensuring there is something for everyone. Over the three days, more than 110 acts performed across eight stages. The headlining acts featured Doja Cat’s dazzling performance on Friday, then Tyler, The Creator’s electric and quite literally fire performance on Saturday, and Hozier’s emotionally haunting vocals on Sunday. The subheadliners featured John Summit, Beck, Gesaffelstein, Vampire Weekend, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, and Jamie XX helped close out the festival on the other two main stages.

With well-known sub headlining acts such as Doechii, Gracie Abrams, Glass Animals, Role Model, Ludacris, Royel Otis, Jorja Smith at the top of the bill, as well as a stacked undercard filled with rising artists, Outside Lands continues to impress each year. The festival is completely encased within the lush landscape of Golden Gate Park, making attendees forget that they’re in the middle of a bustling city like San Francisco. Interactive art installations along with food and beverage experiences line the spaces in between the various stages, making sure attendees are constantly exposed to the art and culture that define San Francisco and the Bay Area.

Music played as early as 12pm each day and continued on to 10pm. Opening day Friday saw up-and-coming artists Almost Monday, Destroy Boys, and Fujii Kaze across the three main stages. About mid-day, the festival grounds began to fill out with Thundercat mesmerizing the audience with his intricate guitarwork at Lands End, MARINA giving a bedazzling pop performance at Twin Peaks, and Role Model brought out Troye Sivan as his Sally (if you know, you know) at Sutro. The SOMA stage returned again this year with a new triangular stage design casting a range of electronic, house, and techno artists heading back to back to back to back sets all day long. The Swamp Princess, Doechii, drew in a massive crowd giving one of the performances of the weekend. Continuing on with the hip-hop genre, Doja Cat closed out the night performing hits, “Tia Tamera,” “Woman,” “Paint the Town Red,” and debuting new songs off her upcoming album set for release later this year.

THUNDERCAT

STILL WOOZY

Vampire Weekend kicked off Saturday with their daytime set at Twin Peaks, emerging singer-songwriter, Sarah Kinsley delivered an ethereal performance at the Panhandle stage, Ludacris returned to the stage breaking out all his hits and features bringing back millennial attendees back to their old middle school and high school days. The Sutro stage had an incredible lineup to the day, with up-and-coming artists such as Artemas and 2hollis drawing in a high energy and mosh pit crowd leading up to Gesaffelstein’s light show heavy performance. Vampire Weekend returned to close out Twin Peaks with their nighttime set, ending with attempted covers at the audience’s request. The main event of the night was hip-hop headliner Tyler, The Creator. After having to pull out of the festival last year, he delivered a set that featured a wide range of songs from his expansive discography including not one, but two of his latest albums. Tyler, The Creator is such a performer and puts his all into his craft, it was well worth the wait for his return back to the park.

LUDACRIS

FLIPTURN

DOMBRESKY

TYLER, THE CREATOR

The weekend capped off on Sunday with heavy pop rock hitters with Bleachers and Glass Animals on the main stage. Sammy Virji’s set kept the energy high at Sutro & it was a giant dance party from beginning to end. As the night went on, the fog rolled in harder providing the perfect backdrop for Hozier’s chilling closing set.

CA7RIEL & PACO AMOROSO

BLEACHERS

GLASS ANIMALS

HOZIER

Outside Lands delivered a weekend that leaves all attendees eagerly looking forward to the next year and with newfound love for artists they already know and some new discoveries to explore. Outside Lands Music Festival returns August 7-9, 2026. For more information, visit their official website here. See you in the park!

Words & Photography: Sabrina Poei

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