Music Festival Observation #2: Most food stalls and food trucks are out to get you.

Music Festival Observation #3: The bathrooms by the media tent have the shortest line.

Onward to the music.

Hailing from Newtown, Australia, DMA’s debuted this year with an EP and has already established a cult following. Like a lot of the new bands at Outside Lands, they haven’t gotten much press yet, so even trivial tasks like figuring out the band member’s names is difficult. If you’re like me and have a soft spot for indie British rock bands, you should check out DMA’s even though they aren’t British. “Delete” is their most popular song, but I like “Your Low.”

DMA’s lead singer Tommy O’Dell. O’Dell’s singing style is often compared to that of Liam Gallagher from Oasis. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Well adjusted sunglasses are a crucial part of any performance. Matt Mason on guitar (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Guitarist Johnny Took of DMA’s. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily.)

The next band I saw wasn’t even on the lineup. Hidden in the forest between Gastro Magic and Choco Lands, I stumbled upon Royal Jelly Jive.

They were playing in a stage sponsored by Juxtapoz Magazine, where all of the staff were in costume and made-up to resemble a cross between Captain Jack Sparrow and a circus clown. And they could play. Maybe I just appreciated that “San Francisco’s Finest Hard-Swingin’ Soul Jive” band were playing real instruments. Not a Macbook Pro in sight.

I was so impressed I even bought their CD. Now all I have to do is find a CD player…

Royal Jelly Jive. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

After the pleasant surprise that was Royal Jelly Jive, it was time for the act I had been waiting all weekend for — St. Paul and The Broken Bones.

I’ve been listening to St. Paul and The Broken Bones on my way to work for a couple weeks now. My fellow music beat editor Ben, claims that they’re recorded work doesn’t really do them justice. I think he’s right. There’s no recording that can capture the soul that frontman Paul Janeway injects into the microphone. Three songs went by way too fast.

From his music to his style, frontman Paul Janeway doesn’t seem to hold anything back. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

St. Paul and The Broken Bones’ unusual usual horn section. Usually their horn section does not have a tenor saxophone and includes Allen Branstetter on trumpet and Ben Griner on trombone. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

(RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Lead singer Taylor Guarisco of GIVERS doesn’t like standing still. GIVERS hasn’t released an album since “In Light” (2011), but it doesn’t sound any less relevant. They’re a happy band, and they play happy music that’s hard not to dance to.

Givers singer and guitarist Taylor Guarisco.  (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Guarisco and bassist Josh LeBlanc. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Drummer Kirby Campbell. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Tiffany Lamson on percussion. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Benjamin Booker and his band aren’t what you would consider relaxed. Their music is hard and fast and it doesn’t let up. Booker’s raspy voice is unrelenting and always has somewhere to go. They’re a fairly young band and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Benjamin Booker. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Bassist Alex Spoto. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Max Norton on drums. One of the rare times the drummer wasn’t tucked in at the back of the stage. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

For me, Outside Lands 2015 ended with Sky Ferreira. I’m glad it did. Her song “24 Hours” off her latest album “Night Time, My Time” was my favorite. It’s very 90s. It’s big, it’s pop, it’s electronic. Is it Sky Ferreira? You tell me.

Sky Ferreira. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Sir Johnny Danger, keyboardist for Sky Ferreira. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Brad Bowers on guitar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

That’s all folks! Really that’s all.

And I’m out.

Contact Rahim Ullah at rahimu ‘at’ stanford.edu.

First up in the lineup was Heartwatch, a five-piece San Francisco band. Their song “Fireproof,” off of their Wind House EP, was stuck in my head all night. It made my time just that more enjoyable as I tried to sleep on the hardwood floor of my freshman roommate’s three-bedroom apartment that he is sharing with five other people.

Heartwatch’s lead singer Claire George in the rain. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Guitarist Eric Silverman. How to be a rockstar tip #34: have mad flow. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Bassist Nate Skelton and guitarist Rowan Peter. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Even in the rain, Heartwatch garnered a sizable audience for the first performance of the day. The sunflowers were a nice touch…well, that is until they started throwing them at the musicians… (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Next, I headed over to the main stage for MisterWives, a six-person group from New York. They started off their set with the song “Our Own House,” off of their latest album of the same name.

MisterWives’ lead singer Mandy Lee. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

MisterWives’ bassist William Hehir having fun on stage. How to be a rockstar tip #15: If you’re going to wear sunglasses, make sure they’re reflective. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

After MisterWives it was to the Sutro stage for Langhorne Slim & The Law. Langhorne Slim is Langhorne Slim of course, and The Law is made up of Malachi DeLorenzo on drums, David Moore on the banjo and keyboard and Jeff Ratner on bass. Langhorne Slim, who was born Sean Scolnick in Langhorne, Penn., included plenty of showmanship in his performance, and made it a point to get to know his audience, jumping off of the stage and climbing up onto the barrier. It’s difficult to take pictures and remember what songs they played when, but I do remember that they played “Put it Together” off of their brand new album released that weekend “The Spirit Moves.” It’s pretty folky.

Langhorne Slim and his Stetson hat. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Langhorne Slim climbed up onto the barrier to get closer to the audience. While it puts security on edge, photographers love it when the performers do that. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

After the stint at the big stages it was time to go back to the Panhandle Stage to catch Fantastic Negrito, or so I thought. It turns out that Fantastic Negrito a.k.a Xavier Dphrepaulezz was arrested earlier that day and was unable to perform. Instead, a group of comedians got up on stage claiming that they were a Christian a cappella group. They were pretty funny and managed to hang onto Fantastic Negrito’s would-be crowd by rapping and singing about Jesus.

Clockwise from the top left: Commedians Joe DeRosa, Ron Funches, Drennon Davis, and Rory Scovel. The comedians rapped to Davis’ beat-boxing. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

The Cold War Kids consists of multi-instrumentalists Nathan Willet, Dann Galluci, Matt Maust, Joe Plummer and Matthew Schwartz from Long Beach, Calif. They played their fairly standard set of popular hits — “Hang Me Up To Dry,” “First,” etc. Just check out their top five songs on your favorite music streaming service. You’re not missing much.

The Cold War Kids. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

After The Cold War Kids’ lackluster performance, it was back to the Panhandle stage for WATERS. They had flower bouquets taped onto their mic stands and they all rocked out to songs off of their latest album “What’s Real.” WATERS will start touring with MisterWives this September.

“Turn to that real friend, and go ahead and gently stroke their hair.” – Van Pierszalowski. Bassist Greg Sellin’s friend happened to be onstage. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Bassist Greg Sellin. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Brian DeMert on guitar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Sara DeMert on keyboard. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

If there’s one thing Billy Idol and his band have learned from 38 years of rocking out, it’s how to put on a show. Well into their fifties, Billy Idol and right-hand man Steven Stevens don’t look much different from when they did playing shows in the ’80s. They’re wearing tight leather, they’re showing off their moves, they’re reaching out to the audience. They’re not just playing their music — they’re performing it. And that’s a lot of what live music is about. The extra.

Billy Idol. How to be a rockstar tip #19: Leather. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Guitarists Steven Stevens (right) and Billy Morrison (left). Steven Stevens has been playing with Billy Idol since Idol’s eponymous debut album released in 1982. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Every time a song ended, Billy Morrison picked up a different Les Paul guitar. How to be a rockstar tip #14: Change guitars as frequently as you do chord progressions. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Following Billy Idol’s smashing performance on the main stage was Tame Impala. They sort of dropped the baton. They had technical difficulties. Microphones and keyboards didn’t work so lyrics didn’t come in when they were supposed to, so the band kept repeating the same motif. But then again, a lot of their songs sound like the music is stuck repeating itself anyway. When everything was fixed, they sounded exactly like they do on Spotify. They did, however, have an awesome display and light show.

Kevin Parker supported by the psychedelic background. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Multi-intrumentalist Jay Watson. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Drummer Julien Barbagallo.  (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

After the first three songs of Tame Impala, I rushed over to the neighboring Sutro stage for Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals. They had this weird rule where photographers couldn’t be in front of the center of the stage and could only shoot from stage right or stage left. If a photographer wanted to switch sides, they’d have to wait for the end of the song. Maybe Ben Harper doesn’t like the way he looks in photos straight-on.

Ben Harper himself. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

One of the Innocent Criminals, bassist Juan Nelson. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Jason Yates says hi from the keys. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Kendrick’s set began 10 minutes late. It didn’t matter; there were over 13,500 people who came to see him. It was a madhouse. If you were in the audience you weren’t just trying to enjoy the music or get a glimpse of Kendrick, you were trying to survive. The Kendrick fans in the photo pit said they’d bet money Kendrick would come out to “King Kunta” off his latest album “To Pimp A Butterfly.” Instead, he started off with a harsh and aggressive rendition of “Money Trees” off his album “good kid, m.A.A.d city.” There was more bass in Kendrick’s set than all of the previous sets at Outside Lands combined. It was an unhealthy earth-shattering, bone-breaking amount of bass. Thundering bass levels so high people in the audience climbed over the barrier to seek medical attention.

Kendrick Lamar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

This is why I like shooting from the other side of the stage. The lights were cool though. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

That’s all for now, folks. Outside Lands 2015 part three is coming soon, where I’ll be checking out the awesome bands that performed on Sunday.

Anyway, the first thing I did when I got to the park was eat something. The lines only get longer as the day goes on and you can’t appreciate any sort of music on an empty stomach. (You’ll see some of my food photography on this blog later today.)

Then I went straight away to witness Speedy Ortiz, a little rock band from Massachusetts. They sound the same live as they do on Spotify.

Devin McKnight on Guitar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Lead singer Sadie Dupuis. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

The man himself, Leon Bridges. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Jeff Dazey stole the show. I guess that’s what happens when play a growling solo during the soundcheck. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Drummer Josh Block…I don’t think he liked my camera, he must shoot Canon. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

David Shaw on vocals. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Zack Feinberg on guitar. If you’re thinking of becoming a guitarist, it helps if you have a nice looking guitar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Ed Williams rocking out on the pedal steel guitar. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

David Shaw getting a closer look at his audience. He really played to the audience, staying on the very edge of the stage, and even climbing up onto the barrier. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Violinist Lindsey Stirling. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Stirling in front of her dancers. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Lead singer Ellie Rowsell (foreground) and bassist Theo Ellis (background) or Wolf Alice. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

For the most part Rowsell stays fairly low key on stage, but sometimes you just have to shout. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Ellis activates star power. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily)

Drummer Joel Amey showing off his flow. He also knows his way around the drums. (RAHIM ULLAH/The Stanford Daily.)

That Managing Editor of Photography happens to be me.

For my first written piece for The Daily, I thought it might be a good idea to enlist a little help from my friends, and ask them what bands they’d be most excited to see if they were going to Outside Lands. Ben Sorensen ’18, our music editor, will talk about the new wave of old soul music in the lineup. Alice Dai, one of our summer interns, will go over this year’s mainstream headliners.

Benjamin “Soul Man” Sorensen –

If you count yourself as a fan of the musical stylings of bygone Southern stars like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, Lead Belly or Robert Johnson, well then, unfortunately all of your favorite singers are dead. But I’ve got good news. In the past few years, traditional soul and blues music has surged back to prominence with the emergence of acts that are new in name but old in spirit. Check out the handful who are bringing their nostalgic craft to Outside Lands.

Let’s start with St. Paul and the Broken Bones, a group faithfully built to evoke the 1960s Stax-Atlantic sound with an old-fashioned rhythm and blues band and a lead singer who drips equal parts sweat and soul. Like many of their forefathers they’re from Alabama, and they even recorded their first record, “Half the City,” at the state’s legendary Muscle Shoals FAME Studios. They’re led by the inimitable Paul Janeway, a man with the looks of Drew Carey, the footwork of Joliet Jake, and—perhaps most surprisingly of all—the thundering voice of Otis Redding.

If you want to cool down after St. Paul’s fiery set, look for Columbia Records rookie Leon Bridges, who opts for the more soothing sounds of Sam Cooke with a similar wistful flair. His debut album, “Coming Home,” is a polished effort washed deeply in nostalgia, and while he often seems to cross the line from invocation to imitation, his gentle personality manages to shine through the forced likeness. And Bridges goes farther than most to honor his musical heroes, applying ample doses of vintage aesthetic to his dress and presentation. If there were a way to perform live shows in black and white, I’m sure Bridges would be the first to know.

But both the Broken Bones and Bridges are modeled after a more sophisticated strain of soul, characterized by tender love songs and neat suits. Where can we get more grit? More blues?

Look no further than Oakland’s own Fantastic Negrito, also known as Xavier Dphrepaulezz, also known as the recent winner of NPR’s inaugural Tiny Desk Contest Concert. Fantastic Negrito’s sound comes from the raw roots of the Delta, and he evokes the spirit of troubled times gone by without any hint of artifice. He’s been to hell and back, and along the way he’s developed a spirited incarnation of the blues. I’d highly recommend reading through the biography provided by his website to get a better picture of who you’re dealing with.

Lastly I’d recommend Benjamin Booker, a young singer whose fiery blend of garage rock and blues sounds like a young Howlin’ Wolf leading a punk band. Not many can match his onstage energy, marked by rapid strumming, Hendrix-like mastery of feedback and a bronchitic rasp, and even fewer have his ability to pour that same raw spirit into soft, heart-wrenching ballads. He’s the rock star of the lot, no question.

My Take: St. Paul’s and The Broken Bones is essentially all I’ve been listening to since Ben told me about them a month ago. The last time I got my soul fix from modern, non-dead, artists was when Amy Winehouse released her second album “Back to Black.” And then…well let’s just say things mostly went back to the way they were. I’m glad to see acts at Outside Lands channeling this old-school tone.

Alice “The Intern” Dai –

For those less inclined to seek out the niche indie bands, Outside Lands heralds its fair share of rising stars and famous artists that, chances are, you’ve heard on the radio one too many times.

For those gravitating towards the crowds, make sure to grab front-row spots for these Daily-recommended live performances from pop culture’s royalty.

1. Sam Smith: “The Breakout”
   After a staggering four-Grammy sweep during last year’s awards ceremony, Sam Smith has rocketed into the music industry’s A-list. Smith is headlining on Sunday with chart-topping singles and soulful numbers from his album, “In the Lonely Hour,” in tow. Fans and newcomers alike won’t be able to resist Smith’s powerful Adele-reminiscent vocals and emotionally complex songs about love, heartache and moving on.
2. Elton John: “The Living Legend”
   This one’s for all ages. One of the most successful musicians of his time, Sir Elton John will be performing with his band featuring Nigel Olsson (Drums), Davey Johnstone (Guitar), Matt Bissonette (Bass), John Mahon (Percussion) and Kim Bullard (Keyboard). John has released over 30 albums in his career, and his single “Candle in the Wind 1997” is the best selling single to date. “Tiny Dancer,” “Your Song” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” are only three of John’s timeless classics in his extensive repertoire. John’s performance on Sunday is projected to accrue an immense crowd. Will you be there?
3. Lindsey Stirling: “The Youtuber”
   Lindsey Stirling is a star in the Youtube microcosm. Classically trained in violin, Stirling has amassed over 1 billion views and almost 7 million subscribers on her eponymous Youtube channel. Stirling has collaborated with artists such as Grammy-winning a capella group Pentatonix and celebrated pop singer John Legend. From popular covers to original scores, Stirling is blazing an instrumental career with a bedazzled violin by her side. Outside Lands is just one stop in her national tour.
4. George Ezra: “The Old-Time Romantic”
   Newcomer George Ezra, known for his single “Budapest,” could well be the next heartthrob of the folksy-pop genre. The English native released his debut album “Wanted on Voyage” in 2014 and has steadily made a name for himself. After performing a solo set at Chicago’s Lollapalooza music festival on Aug. 2, Ezra will head to the Bay for Outside Lands. At just 21, Ezra’s alluringly mysterious demeanor and bluesy voice make him a standout amongst Friday night’s performers.

My Take: As a live music photographer, it almost matters more to me how much energy each band brings to the stage, rather than how well its music plays to my tastes. This is why I’m definitely going to be covering Elton John and Lindsey Stirling. Just check out this clip of Stirling rocking out on the violin and you’ll see what I mean. And while Elton John’s performance at Outside Lands might not be as flashy nor as glittery as his performance on the Muppet Show in 1978, it’s Elton John, so you have to go.

Stay tuned for my daily coverage of the event, where I’ll be posting plenty of photos and share a couple words about each of the bands I get to see. As for which bands I’ll be covering, check out the approximate list below. Also be on the lookout for blog posts on The Stanford Daily’s Lomita Blog, where I’ll be showcasing some of the restaurants and food trucks at Outside Lands.

Friday

• Leon Bridges
• The Revivalists
• Lindsey Stirling
• Alvvays
• The Drums
• D’Angelo And The Vanguard
• Iration

Saturday

• Hearthwatch
• Misterwives
• Longhorne Slim and The Law
• Fantastic Negrito
• Cold War Kids OR Django Django
• Waters
• Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals
• Kendrick Lamar

Sunday

• DMA’s
• St. Paul and The Broken Bones
• Givers
• Benjamin Booker
• Sky Ferreira
• Sam Smith
• Elton John

Contact Rahim Ullah at rahimu ‘at’ stanford.edu, Benjamin Sorenson at bcsoren ‘at’ stanford.edu, and Alice Dai at alicettdai ‘at’ gmail.com.

On Oct. 8, the major contributors to the Windhover Contemplative Center attended a private dedication ceremony prior to the official opening of the building to the student body the next day.

Here are photos of some of this year’s dorm themes and decorations:

What are your thoughts on this year’s freshman dorm themes?

Vote for up to five below: