By Michael Roberts
In 2008, independent rock returned to the underground, where it belongs. Given the grand catastrophe that is today's record industry, most major-label executives don't have the time or energy to convince music fans they might like something a little out of the ordinary. They're too busy recycling variations on what were once sure things while desperately searching for career exit strategies that don't involve tall buildings, open windows and running leaps. As a result, fri
Soren Solkaer StarbirdSan Francisco's giant music marathon, Outside Lands, announced its lineup this morning, capping its press release with headliners like Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, and, yes, Dave Matthews Band hitting Golden Gate Park between August 28-30. Also in there--Tom freakin' Jones! So far we're impressed with the artistic spread. Any festival that includes Lila Downs, Mars Volta, TV on the Radio, Mastodon, and one of our favorites, the Dirtbombs, on one b
EKAphotographyVinyl Vamp: Zap Mama
Fickle weather and last-minute headliner replacements aside, Outside Lands was a success, by most yard sticks. Here's what folks are saying about the three-day extravaganza, which drew more than 100,000 people to Golden Gate Park:
Local reaction:
The Chron's Aidin Vaziri noted the lack of "urgency in the air" for big-ticket headliners, but added that the event itself was the event: "unlike last time, when people stampeded for hot commodities like Radio