What 15 Years Of Outside Lands Looks Like
Outside Lands 2023 marked 15 years of amazing music, the best food and drink, sensational art, and incredible moments.
Relive some unforgettable memories made in Golden Gate Park with photos, videos, lineup posters, and more from 2008 to today.
Inspired by the city’s rich history of counterculture, artistic innovation, and social activism, the organizers embarked on a journey to create an immersive festival experience that would embody the spirit of San Francisco. Check out the timeline below to discover how everything came together to be the massive festival success it is today with over 100,000 attendees.
Timeline (2008-2023)
2008
On August 22-24 2008, Outside Lands debuted in Golden Gate Park. Radiohead was the Friday headliner and holds the distinction of being the first-ever artist to perform after dark in Golden Gate Park.
2009
Q-Tip was joined by fellow legend and A Tribe Called Quest MC, Phife Dawg, for a memorable guest appearance during his 2009 set. RIP Phife Dawg.
2010
The one and only Ranger Dave made his debut at Outside Lands 2010.
2011
Fans recognized comedian Dave Chapelle in between sets at Sutro. After chants from the crowd, he came on stage to entertain the audience as they waited for the next performer.
2012
Jack White surprised festival-goers with a pop-up set in McLaren Pass – his first at Outside Lands since performing with The Dead Weather in 2009.
2013
2013 saw a stacked lineup, with Beatles superstar Paul McCartney at the top of the list in a rare festival appearance.
2014
Ranger Dave cemented his iconic status with a statue, erected in Lindley Meadow by the main gate.
2015
Riding high on his instant classic, To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar played to the biggest Twin Peaks crowd in Outside Lands history.
2016
The stage of stages at Outside Lands, Lands End, added its iconic bridge facade. The Muppets’ Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem graced the stage and performed their first-ever live set at a festival. Cocktail Magic made its debut, delivering masterful mixology to the people.
2017
Gorillaz brought the heat and welcomed a cavalcade of guest stars like Pusha T, Kali Uchis, De La Soul, and more to the stage during their performance.
2018
The first curated cannabis experience at a major American festival, Grass Lands, made its debut, celebrating the best of cannabis in the Bay Area and beyond. Ranger Dave’s friend, Ranger Ruth, also made it to her first Outside Lands.
2019
In an especially memorable year in the park, Paul Simon headlined and donated his performance fee to two local environmental groups, San Francisco Parks Alliance and Friends of the Urban Forest.
2020
Due to the COVID pandemic, Outside Lands looked a little different in 2020. In lieu of gathering in Golden Gate Park, we got together virtually for Inside Lands. Featuring never-before-seen footage, throwback artist sets and live performances from the Ranger Station, the festival stream garnered over 5 million views.
2021
We got back together in person for a very special Halloween edition of Outside Lands. SOMA Tent debuted, giving house music a weekend-long home at the festival.
2022
Green Day packed Golden Gate Park for a homecoming show, playing hit after hit – not to mention bringing a kid named Monty on stage to shred.
2023
Kendrick Lamar amongst many other electric performers gave Outside Lands 2023 a show to remember with more attendees than ever.
Read more about the full 15 years of history at Outside Lands on their website and stay tuned for next year!
