Outside In

It's not too early to be thinking about your summer festival plans. What is summer for, if not to get outside, shoulder-to-shoulder with your fellow terrestrials, soak up some sunshine, and lose yourself in the swirling nebula of euphoric intangibility that is Radiohead? To be fair, Radiohead is only one of three headlining acts set to thrill your musical senses at the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival August 22, 23 & 24 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. They just happen to be my favorite. Additional headliners Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers can be counted on for a super tight and thoroughly enjoyable rock show, and Jack Johnson is like the musical equivalent of a piña colada poolside. What’s not to like? Then there’s the rest of the line-up, a who’s who of awesomeness including Beck, Wilco, Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Widespread Panic, Primus, Steve Winwood, Steel Pulse, and so on.

You can float through the weekend’s glorious sea of sound guilt-free as this is a green event complete with a solar stage, bio-diesel generators, composting, recycling and even a bicycle valet. Tickets are on sale March 30 and available only through the event’s website. A portion of the proceeds benefit San Francisco Parks and local charitable organizations.