When it comes to pre-show buzz, this year’s Outside Lands, which promoters hope will fill Speedway Meadow and the Polo Fields on August 14 and 15, 2010, seems jinxed. First there was the incident a few weeks ago when Sunday’s headliners, Kings of Leon, walked off a St. Louis stage after playing just three tunes. Their hasty exit was the result of being pummeled with pigeon excrement from an unappreciative flock of flying rats living in the venue’s rafters. One bird almost managed a perfect swish into bassist Jared Followill’s mouth — that’s roughly what some critics say the Kings have been depositing into their fans’ ears for a couple of albums now.
As if the images of pigeons crapping into the mouths of rock stars wasn’t symbolic or disturbing enough, a fan video of Furthur’s Bob Weir surfaced the other day on YouTube. Videos of rock bands on YouTube are hardly new, but rarely has a live, on-stage trainwreck been so painfully documented. In the video, Weir completely botches a cover of that classic cowboy song by Marty Robbins, “El Paso.” Back when he was playing with the Grateful Dead, Weir routinely lost his way on songs, even ones he’d written, but this felt different, sadder. Here’s hoping the teleprompter is working properly in time for Furthur’s headlining set on Saturday.
So what’s left? Well, plenty, actually. For Saturday, I’d probably start the day at 12:45 at the Twin Peaks stage in Speedway Meadow, where Freelance Whales is scheduled to play. I like their lush, quirky and sweet sound. After that, I’d make my way to the Lands End stage at the Polo Fields by 3:05 to catch Gogol Bordello, who are beyond awesome, although I’ve never seen them before the sun has gone down. If too many people have the same idea, no matter: just stay where you are and wait for Levon Helm at 3:45. After battling throat cancer, the former member of The Band is doing some of the best stuff of his career, as a Grammy last year for Dirt Farmer attests.