In the hours before Daniel Caesar searched for his inner spirit on the Sutro Stage, artists Tyla, Jungle, Kevin Abstract, The Last Dinner Party, Chulita Vinyl Club and Billy Woods shimmered in the Friday gloom.
Most lovable: Daniel Caesar
Daniel Caesar’s show is best described as an exhale. A deep inhale, perhaps. A sigh. The R&B artist was seen on screen before taking the stage, his head bowed in a pre-show blessing. The tall cypress trees towering over the Sutro stage matched his isolated, almost shy energy, though the branches, lit in shades of red, pink and purple, played in dissonant harmony with his stark grayscale staging.
After he walked onto the stage in silhouette with “Ochos Rios,” gauzy curtains fell from the ceiling, enveloping him in a soft light for the first few songs. His entire set was one of introversion, his shyness making his performance all the more likeable. The only thing that kept the show from feeling like a beautiful, airy dream was the completely rapt crowd. Daniel Caesar hung on every word of “Loose” that seemed to slip from his lips, transforming himself from hidden favorite to cultural titan. He was tugging on something – heartstrings, complexes? Either way, it was magnetic.
“I was in a bad mood tonight,” he said during one of the always gentle, soul-baring song breaks. “And I didn’t mean to do that. But I’m feeling great now!” And thank God he was, because there wasn’t a song the crowd wasn’t screaming for – although “Let Me Go,” “Entropy” and “Cyanide” were the highlights.
Smiling shyly, Caesar drew the crowd in by keeping his distance. The inherent intimacy of his lyrics helped fill in the gaps. As the big-screen cameras tracked his exit, he suddenly appeared on the hill, guitar in hand, singing “Streetcar” until curfew shut off the microphone. No matter how far away he stood, he seemed unable to get away.
— Afton Okwu
Most disappointing: Tyla
On August 9, South African artist Tyla was scheduled to play a full setlist at Outside Lands – consisting of her hits from her debut album TylaInstead, she entered the Sutro stage about half an hour late, played three songs and left again.
Although she ended her setlist with her international hit “Water,” most were still parched. The Queen of Popiano (a self-chosen name and a portmanteau of Pop and Amapiano) had only been on stage for about twelve minutes, performing hits “Truth or Dare” and “Jump” before closing her set.
The jokes interspersed throughout her performance spoke to the charm that the artist exudes despite her performance, which – whether due to circumstances beyond her control or not – can only be described as a complete failure.
Tyla showed off her Bacardi dance moves, quizzed the audience about the grey, solemn atmosphere of San Francisco and apologized to the crowd for her unshaven armpits. Her appeal is best understood as childish, as something green that indicates she is still relatively new to global fame.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t make up for the compactness of her set. Tyla has canceled all dates on her North American tour, including her stop at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco, so we really only have 15 minutes.
— Hafsah Abbasi
Most disembodied: Jungle
Who is Jungle? Who are the members? What are the band members like? These questions and more remained unanswered during the band’s flawless performance Friday afternoon, where a hypnotic, unrelenting groove distracted from the band’s total lack of identifiable personality or soul.
Josh Lloyd Watson, Tom McFarland and Lydia Kitto, the core members of Jungle (in the sense that an ever-expanding, ever-destroying black hole could theoretically have a core), switched expertly between their various instruments. The three wore black sunglasses throughout the set. It must be mentioned that the amount of sun shining on the east side of Golden Gate Park could not be underestimated. Also, anyone at the festival who was too high to remember where they were was lucky; Jungle’s few moments without their instruments resulted in varying cries of “San Franciscooo!”
Make no mistake: JUNGLE played a masterful set. The coherent, nuanced groove of “I’ve Been In Love” and especially “Casio” kept the crowd in near-constant motion. The opening line of the former – “In my Tesla, might get arrested” – speaks to Jungle’s artificial West Coast undertones, like a Brit’s confused introduction of a Californian. The band themselves were at their most tangible on songs like “Back On 74,” which featured Kitto as the lead vocalist. Her vocal chops are not to be underestimated, not to mention her prowess on the flute.
It can’t be easy to make such good music, but we still don’t know how Jungle manages it. But their vague happiness was certainly a highlight of the weekend. Even the sound engineers helped out.
— Sarina Bell
Most for the people: Kevin Abstract
In passing, it would be easy to miss Kevin Abstract at the height of his show. Not because he lacked stage presence, but because he wasn’t present onstage. Instead, the rapper, dressed in his finest flannel shirt and cargo shorts, could be seen in the crowd singing “Red Light” after jumping off the stage seconds after he entered the stage.
“How do I get back on stage?” he half-joked, making it just in time to launch into the bouncy, weary “Empty.” The track was undoubtedly a fan favorite, even if the competition was stiff. Abstract’s ability to captivate an audience by weaving in songs from across his artistic arsenal was evident on both recent release “Kobe” and his old-timer “American Boyfriend.” He kept things energetic, yet serious, making the Outside Land crowd feel part of the show even if they didn’t yet know all the lyrics.
Abstract was everyone’s best friend that night. Without any pretension, his performance was marked by minimal fanfare, as he chose to let his (and his DJ’s) infectious energy do the talking. Well, except when two fans who politely asked were pulled onstage. Before launching into “GUMMY” by Brockhampton, the boy band/rap group he rose to fame in, Abstract joked, “Pretend you’re every member.” And with his energy, everyone felt like they were.
— Afton Okwu
Most Heavenly Event: The Last Dinner Party
The Last Dinner Party is a kind of simulacrum of Florence Welch for Generation Z, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. On the Lands End stage at Outside Lands, it certainly wasn’t.
The London-based group seemed gigantic in all their chamber-pop glory early in their set, particularly during their performance of fan favorite “Caesar on a TV Screen”—a track that references both Roman dictator Julius Caesar and quasi-dirty left-wing culture podcast Red Scare. The song—even just its title—is a kind of synthesis of their project. What makes The Last Dinner Party so special is their reverence for the images and compositions of yesteryear, while their lyrics, while sometimes coming across as a little too stiff or studio-driven, feel contemporary.
The band closed their set with their debut single, “Nothing Matters,” and introduced their closing song with “Enjoy your time at Outside Lands. Just remember: Nothing matters,” which had the crowd erupting in screams. The proof is clear: their magic, whatever it is, works.
— Hafsah Abbasi
Most mediocre: Billy Woods
New York-based hip-hop artist Billy Woods delivered a perfectly adequate set on the Panhandle stage on Friday afternoon, with brilliant lyrics but somber experiences. “I’ve never been this late for a flight and still made it,” Woods announced at the start of the set, acknowledging that he “obviously” hadn’t gone to soundcheck. Woods was on time, however, and delivered a no-frills performance that satisfied his fans but failed to seduce passersby, perhaps because of the odd, boomy sound quality. The set ended promptly at 3:40, to which Woods remarked, “Professionalism!”
“Spongebob” and the closing song “Soft Landing” were crowd favorites, both collaborations with producer Kenny Segal. Woods’ background image – an animated version of the aeronautical album cover of his 2023 studio album Maps – and his casual demeanor also charmed the crowd. The accuracy, memorability and originality of Woods’ lyrics and production didn’t translate to his stage presence, but no one seemed too upset about it. “I’m not going to waste any time,” he had announced when he first took the stage. He succeeded, and the Daily Californian certainly praises him for it.
— Sarina Bell
Most moving: Chulita Vinyl Club
Nationally known DJ collective Chulita Vinyl Club played two 90-minute sets on Friday afternoon, bringing life to the festival’s rather empty, eerie north end. The venue? Casa Bacardí, a multi-story shrine to the 160-year-old rum company. The open-air building was adorned with faux tiles, faux wood and faux bricks and featured two bars, two velvet ropes, a dance floor and several $18 cocktails. Congratulations are in order for Casa Bacardí’s two hype dancers, who expertly animated the crowd into a series of dance contests.
The collective played a lively set that included a succession of new hits and cozy classics like Grupo G’s “La Inconforme” and Chaka Demus & Pliers’ “Murder She Wrote.” This paper would have liked to know the DJs’ names – at one point three were playing simultaneously – but the collective seemed fixated on a group image. Regardless, Chulita Vinyl Club delivered a masterful set and will be seen throughout the Bay Area next fall.
— Sarina Bell
