An ocean of humanity flowed in waves to the Twin Peaks stage area of Golden Gate Park at the Outside Lands festival in San Francisco on Saturday night — and it started two musical sets before the appearance of songstress Lana Del Rey.
Actually, some devoted Del Rey fans had camped out all day long in front of the stage, with their throw blankets, water bottles and sunscreen.
The final act was staggering, and while the Foo Fighters held their own as headliners on the Lands End main stage, the turnout for Del Rey appeared to be a testimony of the fondness and loyalty of her Northern California fan base.
On a spectacular cool night with wind and coastal mist flowing through the trees, Del Rey’s powerful, poetic, whispery sweet — and sometimes haunting vocals — on such ballads as “Summertime Sadness” and “Blue Jeans” wooed and connected with an audience that seemed overwhelmed with emotion. She also performed a truly tremendous cover of Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man.”
Saturday at Twin Peaks also featured Indonesian pop singer Niki and Conan Gray, who was called to the lineup only a few weeks before. Meanwhile, other standouts across the festival grounds included Maggie Rogers, Alvvays, L’Impératrice, and Mariah the Scientist.
Attendance for Friday’s first night of Outside Lands was projected to be 75,000, but Saturday’s totals will surely best that number.
The festival continues today, Sunday, Aug. 13, with performances by headliner Odesza, Megan Thee Stallion, Cigarettes After Sex, and The 1975.
The event is running smoothly despite two consecutive closures of the SOMA Tent dance venue. On Friday night it was reported that part of the stage gave way and needed repairs. It was open for the start of Saturday, but later in the day a problem with the flooring caused another closure. Transportation to and from the festival was as expected — madness. And Lyft prices reportedly spiked — with some short, 10 minute-or-less trips costing fans leaving the festival at night as much as $50.