5 Bay Area Artists Not to Miss at Outside Lands This Year

More than 200,000 fans are expected to descend onto Golden Gate Park Aug. 8–10 for Outside Lands. In addition to stars like Doja Cat, Doechii, Hozier and Tyler, The Creator, the massive festival features a sizable offering of local talent.

Here are five Bay Area artists you shouldn’t miss.

LaRussell
Saturday, Aug. 9, 2:45 p.m.

LaRussell’s bars overflow with joy and rambunctious energy, but he’s just as quick to offer earnest reflections on personal struggles and growth as he is to hit listeners with a clever punchline. Rooting for this rising Vallejo rap star feels like watching the ascent of an underdog home team, and big names like Lil Jon, Wiz Khalifa and E-40 have taken notice. (For those who can’t make it to Outside Lands, LaRussell and his Good Compenny crew team up with KQED for a local music showcase in Vallejo on Aug. 21.)

Destroy Boys
Friday, Aug. 8, 1:35 p.m.

Since their first big single “I Threw Glass at My Friend’s Eyes and Now I’m on Probation,” Destroy Boys’ dark humor and chainsawing guitar riffs have earned the band a following well outside their Northern California home base. Originally from Sacramento, Destroy Boys cut their teeth in the Bay Area. Their 2024 album, Funeral Soundtrack #4, showcases their versatility as they blend punk with indie rock grooves and even offer a bit of Argentine-inflected rock en español.

Baalti
Friday, Aug. 8, 12 p.m. and 2:20 p.m.

Electronic music duo Baalti are crate digger extraordinaires. The two producers cull samples from Bollywood and South Asian classics, and mix them into global club bangers that draw from house, U.K. garage and more. That fusion has attracted an international audience in nightlife meccas like Berlin, New York and, of course, their home base of San Francisco.

Claude VonStroke
Saturday, Aug. 9, 8:10 p.m.

The idea for Dirtybird Records came to Claude VonStroke after he hauled his sound system to Golden Gate Park and threw a guerrilla-style party 20 years ago. Since then, his gritty, booty-shaking take on house music, like his most recent single with Reggie Watts, “This MFing Beat,” has drawn a passionate cult following.

Still Woozy
Friday, Aug. 8, 5:30 p.m.

True to his name, Still Woozy pens dreamy melodies for reflective lyrics that float like clouds over fuzzy guitar riffs. The Moraga-raised singer-songwriter, now based in Portland, has spent this year bringing his charming grooves to festival stages like Coachella before he hits the stage at Outside Lands.

Outside Lands takes place at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco Aug. 8-10. Full schedule and lineup here.