LaRussell Turned Outside Lands Into a Bay Area Block Party

At Outside Lands, LaRussell channeled the spirit of his beloved backyard concerts into a massive Saturday afternoon main-stage set.

“I’m a Bay Area kid,” the Vallejo star told the crowd, visibly moved. “I haven’t witnessed too many people be from here and make it on this stage.”

Repping his Good Compenny jersey, with a cow-print beanie, LaRussell commanded the audience as big, bass-heavy beats kept the energy high. At one point, he paid homage to the hyphy movement with Bay Area classics like E-40’s “Yay Area” — and even mobbed through the audience himself.

A hometown “collab choir” backed LaRussell, and the refreshing addition of a live flute and harp sent chills throughout the crowd. By the end, the audience was grabbing their collars, doing the thizzle dance and smeezing. It was a party on the westside, for real.

LaRussell performs at Outside Lands on Saturday, August 9, 2025. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

More Outside Lands highlights

Gracie Abrams performs at Outside Lands on Saturday, August 9, 2025. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

Gracie Abrams’ set was full of heart

Gracie Abrams created an intimate vibe on Saturday night, her gut-wrenching lyrics blending seamlessly with San Francisco’s misty air. The singer-songwriter came out dressed in a flowing, pink floor-length dress, immediately captivating the audience’s attention.

While some of the crowd was quieter during her deeper cuts, they lit up for fan favorites like “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “That’s So True.” Yet devoted fans held one another and sang along to every song. Abrams notably switched out her champagne-colored guitar for a silver sparkly one for her final song “Close to You,” drawing fan speculation that with her Secret of Us era ending, a new era is unfolding.

Tyler, the Creator performs at Outside Lands on Saturday, August 9, 2025. (Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)

Tyler, The Creator performed an instant classic

Sparks ignited the night; flames shot upwards in fierce bursts; and strobe lights sliced through the darkness as Tyler, The Creator took command of the stage. His headlining set was pure electricity. Fresh tracks from Don’t Tap the Glass, released just weeks ago, felt like instant classics as the crowd belted every word.

You could see the fire in Tyler’s eyes, his music practically possessing him, as he became a vessel for raw passion and unfiltered emotion. The crisp 57-degree air at Land’s End didn’t stand a chance, with the heat from the pyrotechnics matching the blaze in his voice and beats. When “EARFQUAKE” dropped, the ground pulsed. Fans’ energy bubbled up between songs, chanting “Tyler” back at him, echoing the fierce passion burning in his performance.