FYM ON THE LIST: DAY TWO- OUTSIDE LANDS 2011

SPENT TIME IN OUTSIDE LANDS PART TWO: Our second day of press coverage at Outside Lands this year was filled with surprises. On that Saturday afternoon (into the evening) the people around us, as well as the incredible music being performed- easily made this our favorite day of the event. The article below spotlights a few of those memorable moments. Cheers, FYM.

OUTSIDE LANDS 2011 DAY TWO: Last Saturday, still recovering from the massive menu of sonic bliss FYM took in on day one- we made our way past the festival gates, through a noticeably larger early-afternoon crowd en route to the press tent. While in the back, getting our batteries charged for the day, we noticed Co-founder of Apple Computer Company, Steve Wozniak, (pictured above) rolling steady on his tricked out Segway.

Other press access highlights included our brief conversation with OK Go bassist Tim Nordwind! FYM publicist Nick Codling is pictured above hanging with Nordwind after OK Go's impressive main stage performance on Saturday afternoon.

The Arctic Monkeys have become an act that is hard to miss live over the past few years- they ripped through the hits and a nice selection of new tunes that day in front of an extremely passionate/rowdy audience on the Lands End stage. When you have a jam called Fake Tales of San Francisco you immediately become a fan favorite... (Above: Lead singer Alex Turner on the jumbo.)

COSMIC CONNECTION: This Art Director also had the pleasure of reuniting with our nashviLLe singer/songwriter/comrade rayLand Baxter. He came to S.F. fresh off his successful summer tours with The Civil Wars (with sold out shows across the country), followed by dates with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

rayLand was flown out to San Francisco for the weekend taking advantage of the good energy in the park- there to support his people at Red Light Management. You may remember Baxter stayed at FYM HQ in Seattle earlier this summer for three days while kicking off his tour with The Civil Wars (Click HERE to read about that situation).

The Black Keys were one of the few bands to add props to their stage presence- with a large blow-up Arkon Ohio Good Year tire (dawning their name) looming over the duo.

The Black Keys proved all those years of touring makes for a great live band in any setting (intimate clubs or large festival crowds). Their hard-hitting rocked up version of the blues went over tremendously well with the Golden Gate crowd. The follow-up to their Grammy Award winning Brothers album is expected later this year.

Following The Black Keys set, we made our way over to the opposite side of Outside Lands were FYM caught the magic of The Legendary Roots Crew live on the Twin Peaks stage. Following the success of 2010's How I Got Over, The Roots are planning on releasing a new record later this Fall.

After The Roots closed out their jam session and the sun sank past the horizon- FYM found themselves invited backstage watching Gregg Gillis (Girl Talk) orchestrating a furious boogie-down sonic mashing showcase.

(Click the photo above for greater detail.) Girl Talk knows how to bring the party as we documented from back stage below: 



Since Gillis can't necessarily make money from selling records due to copyright issues of merging so many samples together (even if he is creating something entirely new) so it's no surprise he makes his money on the road throwing these massive parties on stage.

Other highlights of being backstage for Girl Talk was running into Josh Hodges of Starfucker (Portland Electronica). Hodges pictured above with FYM's publicist- was kind enough to give us his Outside Lands meal ticket for the night.

As Day Two came to an end this Art Director parted ways with the FYM crew and met back up with rayLand Baxter. We found ourselves a few baked goods for the road and waited for a bus to take us downtown. Pictured Above: Baxter is always willing to help a lady with her hair..

It seems the case whenever I hang with rayLand, beautiful moments abound. The bus we were riding on was packed with festival goers. Watch below for what organically came out of this:



It was magic- people making an uncomfortable situation beautiful. The entire bus came together for a epic sing along of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. It was an amazing/surreal moment to experience. After a long public transit ride Baxter and I made our way to the 39th floor of the Marriott Hotel. I found myself sipping on Jim Beam and water (rayLand's choice), taking in incredible views of the city at night, and entertaining random conversations with the group of people Baxter had come to see.

As we left the hotel back to where my Nashville friend was crashing, it became evident the cab situation was non-existent at this time of night. And just then a limo pulled up, Baxter said something to the effect of you wanna get a ride from the limo? I'll take care of this... and we did. It was approximately 2:30 in the morning in the heart of San Francisco, feeling well-marinated in the back of a limo (my first ever time riding in one, as seen above) en route to rayLand's friends house, after a long day of music and partying, that it occurred to me- this is what it must feel like to be a rockstar. A special thanks to Outside Lands 2011, the beautfiul people of San Francisco, and rayLand for making Day Two an experience forYoungModerns will never forget.

FYM PREVIEW: OUTSIDE LANDS, GOLDEN GATE PARK 2011- SAN FRANCISCO, USA

PART ONE: San Francisco's premiere art/music/culture festival, Outside Lands, materializes every year in the remarkable setting of Golden Gate Park. This years event kicks-off this Friday August 12th, 2011. And that very morning, FYM's Art Director will be boarding a flight from Seattle to San Francisco ultimately meeting up with our publicist, to provide live press coverage for all three days. We are so excited to be back again this year! So over next couple days FYM will be dedicating our articles to the many highlights of this 2011 festival (that would make anyone want to fly, drive, BART, or walk to see).



DAY ONE: ERYKAH BADU Neo-soul goddess Erykah Bada has been a part of our must see live wish-list for many years. This Friday at 7:50 PM on the Sutro Stage, this Art Director's wait is over. From the onset, releasing Baduizm in 2007, to her latest 2010 offering- New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh, Badu has never failed delivering her own unique brand of boundless kinetic-soul. Check the video above, Back in the Day (Puff), for a sampling of vibes to come this Friday.

DAY ONE: BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE Big Audio Dynamite came into fruition in 1984 after Mick Jones was ousted from The Clash the prior year. Most well-known for their dynamic sampling techniques, genre-bending pop tunes, and their quintessential 80's rhythms- the band has found new life in 2011, reforming with their original line-up playing this Friday at 7:00 PM on the Twin Peaks stage. Revisit Big Audio Dynamite's Top 40 hit Rush, performed live above.

FYM FRIDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: And the list goes on... Friday's line-up also boasts the likes of, so fresh and so clean Hip-Hop Champ- Big Boi (6:20 PM Sutro), British Dance-Pop Diva Ellie Goulding (5:00 PM Sutro), TWO sets by Phish (6:30 PM Lands End), and a hard to miss opportunity to see Toro Y Moi live (3:50 PM Twin Peaks). For more Friday- artists and times, click HERE.



DAY TWO: THE ROOTS The Legendary Roots Crew roll into Outside Lands 2011 performing Saturday evening at 6:50 PM on the Twin Peaks Stage. This socially conscious, multi-instrumental renegade crew put on a ferocious live show. Let's hope Erykah Badu will stick around another day, and possibly make a guest appearance during their set. Above, watch Badu and The Roots do it up right, with You Got Me.



DAY TWO: ARCTIC MONKEYS These Brit rockers have traveled a long way from the polished-perfect sonic sensibilities of 2006's massively successful Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. In 2009, the band's sound progressed into a much more diverse exploration of where these guys can actually go musically (with the help of producer Josh Holmes) on Humbug. Their 2011 record Suck it and See, continues down the same road as Humbug, with an even darker/heavier feel. Watch their video for Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've moved Your Chair above. Catch the Arctic Monkeys live at 4:45 PM on the Lands End stage.

FYM SATURDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: Other highlights that will shine-on this Saturday included- a blazing dance party orchestrated by Girl Talk (8:40 PM Twin Peaks), a gritty set from psych-warriors The Black Keys (6:15 PM Lands End), and a special performance by (Seattle Hip-Hop Superheroes) - Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis (12:25 PM Lands End). Check the rest of Saturday's incredible schedule HERE.



DAY THREE: ARCADE FIRE If there was ever a song that deserves to be heard in a festival setting- Wake Up, by Arcade Fire will assuredly command Golden Gate Park's valleys while thousands of people become unified by way of passionate 'whoaaaing' together. Arcade Fire are the current reigning champions of rock n' roll (after winning Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammys). They are indeed the MUST SEE Sunday night closing act, performing at 8:10 PM on the Lands End stage.

DAY THREE: MAVIS STAPLES Windy City vocal-icon Mavis Staples, performs on the Lands End stage at 1:45 PM on day three of Outside Lands. This gospel/rhythm & blues luminary will most definitely be taking the Golden Gate Park audience to Church that Sunday. Check our classic jam above, of Staples taking lead, singing her heart out on Reach Out, Touch a Hand, Make a Friend.

FYM SUNDAY BONUS HIGHLIGHTS: The final day performances will be hard to miss, with Portland's The Decemberists making an appearance (6:15 PM Land End), local SF psych-hound Ty Segall (3:55 PM Panhandle), and Canadian itchy & scratchy house giant- Deadmau5 (8:00 PM Twin Peaks) providing a unique alternative for those who want to pass on seeing Arcade Fire (performing around the same time).

WORDS. GRAPHIC. J THOMAS CODLING: Check back tomorrow as forYoungModerns will shed light on a few of our favorite food vendors that will be catering to our hunger, as well as the eclectic cultural aspects that make Outside Lands more than your average music festival. Cheers, FYM.