neil young crazy horse outside lands

“The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”
–Mark Twain

It should be noted that the Outside Lands press release, website and emails all stated to prepare for the dynamic and chilly weather of Outside Lands’ host park Golden Gate Park. Regardless, that didn’t stop plenty–even weather-worn Washingtonians–from assuming summer is summer everywhere in California. So as the 55 degree weather, chilling fog and wind blanket the opening day of Outside Lands 2012, the Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared” rang true for everyone in sandals and shorts. Not that the weather will be the ultimate story here, but let’s just say this was the first music festival (especially during summer) where I could see my own breath. Luckily, the music was more diverse and nearly as quickly changing as the weather. Thoughts and photos on Friday of Outside Lands 2012. Also check out our Saturday and Sunday coverage, Phrases Heard at Outside Lands 2012 and full photo album.

outside lands friday

Die Antwoord (Reviewed by Austin Mell): When I heard Die Antwoord was going to be at Outside Lands, I felt it sealed the deal ticket-wise (after Neil Young, of course).  As I walked through the haze of ganja smoke and mess of people to the Twin Peaks stage, I could feel my excitement bubbling. This was it. I’m here! Somewhat cohesive, but I’m sure as hell ready for some Die Fokken Antwoord! I had to get a good spot, I had left my backpack with the group purposely, so I could freely move, and get down and funky. It opened with DJ Hi-Tek ascending to his turntables wearing an orange hooded sweat suit and grotesque mask to spin “DJ Hi-Tek Rulez,’’ an obscenity-strewn interlude from Die Antwoord’s impressive second album, “Ten$ion,’’ Vi$$er and group leader Ninja (Vi$$er’s partner in rap and parenthood) then entered with hoods drawn over matching orange sweat suits to lope through the album’s first single, an Afrikaans title that translates euphemistically as “Curse You All.’’ Soon enough, the three performers stripped off their tops, leaving Vi$$er in her T-shirt and the men naked above the waist, adorned only by Ninja’s crude tattoos and Hi-Tek’s ever-present mask. In short, the trio used old-school tactics achieve rebellious art’s coveted shock of the new. Costume changes were timed so that one rapper always stayed on the microphone; each raw techno-rap came with its own strange video projection; and the duo’s lurid dancing and harshly accented raps were buoyed by a strange, touching air of delicacy, like the sudden sauntering of a skinny kid who has just gotten sick of being bullied. If anything, that’s the message that Ninja and Vi$$er portray- the self-empowering defiance of motley outcasts – and it was brought home by the closing number, the 2009 single “Enter the Ninja’’. Together, they abruptly ended the show on another old-school principle: Always leave us clinging onto the last beat craving more! Zef for life.

die antwoord outside lands

Beck: My excitement was nearly unbridled in anticipation of seeing Beck for my first time at Sasquatch. Yet the (unfortunate) disappointment from that show was tough to swallow. So while waiting for Beck to take the main stage of Outside Lands 2012, I was wondering if he’d shrug that performance off as a fluke or whether we might get more of the same. I avoid writing negative thoughts here, but the Outside Lands suggested the latter. For one of the most creative artists of the 1990’s and a down-right fascinating dude, it’s bizarre to see two performances where Beck seemed quite apathetic. Case in point: at both his Sasquatch and Outside Lands performances, when changing guitar chords, he looked down to make sure he successfully made the change–pulling his head away from the microphone–and just decided not to bring his mouth back to the mic, singing verses away from the mic and inaudible to the crowd. Mostly, I’m just confused. Maybe Beck has been there and done that and isn’t as enthusiastic. Maybe the “slacker” schtick was inherent all along. Or maybe he’s just on LSD (the conclusion many had at Sasquatch). This is not to say it wasn’t an entertaining show, just less than expected from such a musical wizard.

Foo Fighters: Admittedly, I’m much more of a Nirvana guy than Foo Fighters (original, I know). But as the sound waves from the Foo Fighters ripping through their entire main stage set reverberated through the festival grounds, my hat was off the Dave Grohl for keeping the energy high this far into his career. Especially after seeing fellow 90’s staple Beck just before the Foo Fighters set, their dedication and passion seemed ever more admirable.

outside lands friday

Of Monsters & Men (Reviewed by Alan Densmore): Despite the mice and men confusion with the Steinbeck book, Of Monsters and Men and their self-titled initial release have gotten in my head enough that I have seen them twice during the festival season. We spent a lot of time listening to the Icelandic 6-piece on a recent camping trip to Northern California in the Redwoods, despite their status as a “hype” band I do not think they will be simple one hit wonders from the single “Little Talks” the whole album is full of melodic and soulful harmonies between Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar “Raggi” Þórhallsson and it makes for some great sing along moments. The dichotomy of the voices of Nanna and Raggi is what makes Of Monsters and Men unique and energized the show. On the song “Moutain Sound” they had the crowd split into his and her parts and brought the Friday Outside Lands crowd to its feet in full throated song. Just like their last show I saw at Sasquatch in May, their stage presence was powerful and you can see the joyous energy the band gets from playing in the festival environment. Ok, to be honest the best part of any OMAM show is that everyone gets to yell “la, la, la, la, la…” and who doesn’t love that.

Neil Young: Neil Young, man. Neil’s Friday night headlining set just north of his home demonstrated their are at least two distinct Neil Youngs: 1) The acoustic, idiosyncratic, Harvest, “Heart of Gold”, song writer Neil Young and 2) the garage rock, psychedelic, guitar shredding, Crazy Horse, Rock God Neil Young. Friday night’s show was the latter. Catering to a wildly excited hometown crowd, Neil and Crazy Horse opened the stage with 20 minute jam on “Love and Only Love”. Jams were plentiful on the night, with at least three or four 20 minute jams. Neil and Crazy Horse didn’t shy away from this either. Shrouding together in physically and psychically close proximity, the men of Crazy Horse winced, twisted, and shredded together as they burned through their collection of new and old songs. Ultimately, I realized how much of a rock god Neil Young is. His guitar work and pure neck-slaying abilities are on-par with anyone at Friday’s show. And touche to Neil Young for sprinkling humor throughout the set’s limited banter: “We can’t help ourselves, we’re trained like chimps. They trained us to write songs and we don’t know how to stop.”. Set list below.

Setlist
1. Love and Only Love
2. Powderfinger
3. Ontario
4. Walk Like a Giant
5. The Needle and the Damage Done (Young solo acoustic)
6. Twisted Road
7. Ramada Inn/ Every Morning Comes the Sun
8. Cinnamon Girl
9. Fuckin’ Up
10. Party Girl
11. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)

12. Mr. Soul
13. Roll Another Number (For the Road)

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