Festival Recap: Outside Lands 2024

Sabrina Carpenter, Renee Rapp, Chappell Roan and more take over Golden Gate Park

Outside Lands is held in the iconic Golden Gate park, just south of the Golden Gate bridge. Spread throughout the woods, with the main stage being situated in the polo field, it sort of felt like summer camp popping back and forth to all the different stages. A summer camp where Chappell Roan, Renee Rapp and Sabrina Carpenter are the counselors of course. With my camera and media pass in hand, I set out for a weekend of shooting from the crowd.

PHOTO BY EMMA FISCHER

Day 1: My festival weekend started off strong with a performance from The Last Dinner Party, followed by the Japanese House on the same stage (each equally enchanting). I took a break in my day to catch portraits with Odie Leigh, and then the day led me to another section of the woods where Tyla was set to perform. While she was only able to come on for three songs, she of course didn’t leave fans disappointed, performing her massive hit “Water” as the third song.

Meanwhile, Jungle and Renee Rapp had already begun. I planned my route to walk by Jungle on the way to our queen, hearing “Back on 74” as I neared Renee’s stage from a distance. As I approached, “Pretty Girls” began to play and I ran to take my place as far up in the crowd as possible. Seeing Renee perform truly just feels like hanging out with a bestie, on top of the incredible vocals. 

PHOTO BY EMMA FISCHER

Day 2: Day Two brought out an incredibly special mix of artists. I started off my day with the AG Club — the duo, along with their DJ, put on such a fun set. They had the whole crowd jumping and I found myself smiling the entire set. I even worked my way into the mosh pit myself for a quick fisheye pic. Next were icons KFlay and Fletcher, who also performed on the main stage. 

I was able to take a break in the day to catch portraits with Latin band DARUMAS and indie quartet French Cassettes. Hanging out in the press tent, I also managed to snag a quick portrait of AG Club. All the bands had incredibly positive energy and I felt honored to take their portraits. Next, I stopped by Mimi Webb and headed to the stage where Men I Trust were set to play. There’s not many artists that I think are as entrancing as Men I Trust; their smooth melodies, along with the calming, yet charismatic stage presence left me wanting more. 

The headliner for day two was Miss Sabrina Carpenter. Being the replacement for Tyler, the Creator and this being her first headlining set, the pressure was high. But she did not disappoint and it was incredible to see what a performance of hers truly could be when she was able to pull out ALL the stops. When it comes to theatrics, this was one of the most fun performances I have seen — she even brought out Kacey Musgraves for a special appearance. 

PHOTO BY EMMA FISCHER

Day 3: To camp or not to camp, that is the question. Day three came and I knew if I wanted to get close enough to get my pictures of Chappell I would have to wait it out in the pit for (maybe more than) a bit. I ultimately decided to camp with my bestie and made some more friends along the way. We stood through a few other performances on the main stage, and after the hours ticked by I could hardly believe when it was finally time for her to take the stage. With her recent rise to fame, she has everyone’s attention — for good reason. Chappell truly has a stage presence that you can’t take your eyes off of.