Crowds rolled into Golden Gate Park this weekend for the annual Outside Lands festival.
Hosted from Aug. 8-10, the festival expects over 225,000 attendees to come and enjoy more than 110 artists throughout the three-day experience. The festival boasts strong headliners such as Doja Cat; Tyler, The Creator and John Summit, while also giving smaller artists a chance to show off their talents over the course of the weekend. Outside Lands also allows visitors the opportunity to indulge in the food culture of San Francisco by highlighting over 90 local food vendors, 85% of whom are women and people of color.
Read on for the Daily Bruin’s coverage of day one of Outside Lands 2025.
MARINA
The pop “PRINCESS OF POWER” MARINA commanded the Twin Peaks stage Friday afternoon.
The singer-songwriter performed in a bubblegum pink dress and headscarf, accompanied by a pink mic stand to complete the set. MARINA’s setlist showcased her incredible vocal range and stage presence. The artist opened with the upbeat track “Venus Fly Trap,” hyping the crowd up for an electric set to come. MARINA cycled through newer hits like “CUNTISSIMO” and older songs like “Froot.” Songs such as “BUTTERFLY” allowed MARINA to showcase her true singing chops, as she effortlessly switched between her low register in the verses and her higher range in the chorus.
Although the set design was simple, MARINA used the full space of her stage and remained a commanding force throughout her 50-minute set. The singer also used unique visuals to bring certain songs to life – “How to Be a Heartbreaker,” for example, featured a visual of a heart that gradually broke into more and more pieces throughout the set. “BUTTERFLY” featured a beautiful collage of butterfly wings, which only added to the ambience of MARINA’s declaration of freedom as she sings, “Now I’m leavin’ you behind.”
Marina’s bright, energetic set proved the star really is a “Primadonna.”
[Related: Concert review: Bring your hiking shoes – Caamp’s performance meanders, but is worth the trek]
ROLE MODEL
ROLE MODEL had every concertgoer between the ages of 16 and 50 falling deeply in love with him during his set.
The “Kansas Anymore” artist, otherwise known as Tucker Pillsbury, was dressed in a blue button-down shirt and blue jeans, using only an acoustic guitar the entirety of the night. ROLE MODEL’s set followed singer-songwriter Mark Ambor on the Sutro stage, known for showcasing a mix of established and rising talents. At 7:15 p.m., the singer-songwriter opened with four tracks from his sophomore album, “Kansas Anymore,” in addition to eight supplemental songs listed on the setlist. His 2020 single “blind” as well as a cover of The 1975’s “Somebody Else” were part of the set.
Met with overhead red and orange lights – fitting a similar color scheme to the 20-foot-tall Ranger Dave sculpture at the top of the hill – ROLE MODEL neared the end of his set, shouting, “Where’s my Sally tonight?” and introducing his chosen celebrity. As the song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out” came to an end, Australian singer-songwriter Troye Sivan ran onto the stage, dressed in a striped long-sleeve shirt, blue jeans, a black baseball cap and almost identical brown boots to his counterpart. In an embrace, the two artists swayed on stage for 40 seconds until Sivan ran off, and Pillsbury ended his performance with “Deeply Still In Love.”
Although “Sally” didn’t stay very long on the stage, ROLE MODEL was sure to leave a lasting impression on the Outside Lands crowd.
Doechii
There’s no denial in this river – Doechii is proving herself as the next big star.
The 2024 Bruin Bash headliner took to Lands End stage to perform a theatrical set consisting of five acts and an encore, with each set being introduced as a different hip hop “lesson.” Lesson 1 – “BARS” – opened with the fast-paced “STANKA POOH,” as Doechii sat in a classroom set, performing while on a desk. The rapper quickly transitioned into hits such as “NISSAN ALTIMA” and also performed her own rendition of “AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM” by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, showcasing her clean, unique rap style through her own added verse.
Doechii’s performance, however, proved she was not just a rapper – her “Alter Ego” dance break allowed her to take the front stage alongside her incredibly talented dancers, while “Anxiety” enabled her to show off her singing skills as well. The artist engaged her audience constantly, getting thousands of fans to dance and sing along throughout her entire set. Doechii began her encore with a performance of “DENIAL IS A RIVER,” which featured a ’70s sitcom-inspired introduction video that showcased the rapper’s true love for putting on a show.
Doechii has cemented herself as the future of the rap industry – a veritable “Swamp Ruler.”
[Related: Head in the Clouds 2025: Artists spanning across genres take the stage on Day 1 of festival]
Doja Cat
Doja Cat painted San Francisco red as she headlined Outside Lands.
The “Agora Hills” singer was the final performer at Lands End stage and ended the night with a fiery set from start to finish. Doja Cat opened with her iconic song “Woman” and effortlessly flowed through fan favorites and hidden gems from her discography. The singer and rapper wowed the crowd with hits such as “Tia Tamera” and “Need to Know” while also nestling in unreleased songs like “Crack,” showcasing a different side of her music.
However, Doja Cat’s set was elevated to the next level by her production. From pyrotechnics during “Demons” and “Tia Tamera” to an epic fireworks show after her encore performance of “Wet Vagina,” the visual aesthetics of the show only served to add to Doja Cat’s magical performance all night long. The artist also announced that she would be hosting a special showcase of her upcoming album, “Vie,” in the drag show nightclub Oasis, bringing San Francisco a unique opportunity to hear more from the acclaimed singer.
Doja Cat made sure to bring her A game as she closed out day one of Outside Lands on Friday night.
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