Manan's notes

Outside Lands 2025 Reflections

Also see related note from two years ago! Outside Lands 2023 reflections

Day-by day highlights

Friday

  • Baalti
  • INJI
  • Fuji Kaze
  • MARINA
  • Doechii
  • Doja Cat
  • John Summit

Highlight: John Summit

Biggest regret: Not going to ARMNHMR / not spending the entire headliner set at John Summit

Saturday

  • Paco Versailles
  • Klangphonics
  • Flipturn
  • Sarah Kinsley
  • Wallows
  • Ludacris
  • Gracie Abrams
  • Tyler the Creator

Highlight: Sarah Kinsley

Biggest regret: Not catching more of Ludacris' set / not catching Gesaffelstein at the headliner slot

Sunday

  • Midnight Generation
  • Naomi Sharon
  • FINNEAS
  • CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso
  • Bleachers
  • Glass Animals
  • Jamie XX

Highlight: Midnight Generation + Glass Animals

Biggest regret: Going to Jamie XX over Hozier 🙃 Also bummed to have missed out on Sammy Virji and BigXthaPlug but wouldn't have chosen them over the other artists I saw in those time slots.

Food and drink highlights

Not as many highlights for food and drink this year! I didn't get a chance to have dinner on Friday because of timing and general craziness. My partner and I are also in a different financial situation this year than we were two years ago, so we decided bring in food for dinner on Saturday and Sunday to try and save money. All in all meant we ate much less at the festival than we normally would.

Got something from Saigon Sandwich for lunch all three days. Although the bánh mìs were marked up 180% over their original price ($14 vs. $5.50), they were still (by far) the cheapest filling meal at the festival. I thought the tofu bánh mì was delicious and good value even for San Francisco standards (let alone Outside Lands standards). My partner also really enjoyed the Vietnamese ice coffee.

Rocko's Ice Cream Tacos didn't hit as hard for me this time than they used to — maybe I'm getting old and can't handle that much sugar any more. More likely that I was high last the last few times I got them and the sober experience unfortunately doesn't compare.