The rush of a music festival is incomparable to anything else in this world. Artists, staff, and guests alike can all feel the energy coursing through them days or weeks prior to the event. Going to sleep the night before is often a thankless task, as many are left wide-eyed like a kid on Christmas Eve. Outside Lands is known for its stunning display of culture through the use of live music, local food and art installations, and extraordinarily diverse crowds. This year’s lineup drew people across all ages, as well as music tastes. Friday’s sets included something for everyone, a staple of Outside Lands throughout the years. Pop stars, musical theatre world champions, and legacy rock bands all gathered at Golden Gate Park for this grandiose display in the freezing cold, dense fog, under stars nobody could see—and everyone ate up every second of it.

It’s a bit of a trek to get to Outside Lands, even if you are commuting from within the Bay Area. I’m a local reviewer, and my total one-way commute was about an hour and a half. However, the party truly began before I even made it to the venue. Staff had set up a very Bay Area playlist to load the shuttle riders into their vehicles from Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, where a box office was located. Immediately, even first-timers got a taste of what my city had to offer, with “Blow The Whistle” transitioning into “Mr. Brightside,” met with unparalleled enthusiasm from spectators. After check-in one more round of transportation brought me to gorgeous Golden Gate Park, it was about 2:20 PM, and I was right on time for the first act I wanted to see.

The Last Dinner Party had been on my radar since early this year, so I prioritized their festival set. Their immaculate stage presence drew one of the largest afternoon crowds of the entire weekend, especially impressive for the main Lands End stage. Comparable vocal stylings to Kate Bush insinuate The Last Dinner Party can satisfy the cravings of indie darlings, while overcoming generational divides with a timeless sound. This live set was perfectly placed, encouraging festival goers to brave the hilly park before sunset, even as they yearn for the comfort of Mr. Brightside. Many festival-goers reported that The Last Dinner Party became one of their new favorite artists after seeing them live for the first time. It was here that I met up with a friend Ivy, and her young niece Shelby, who became pivotal figureheads for the rest of the day’s experience.

We split off for a moment while they explored an installation that was stationed atop a hill I had no willpower to climb. Plus, I wanted to explore some of the culture surrounding the B-side stage. Our friends at Aviator Nation invited GSM to explore their activation, which celebrates a brand well-known in the Bay Area for their stylish presentation of self-expression through a range of different lines with the same shared mission statement.

On music and culture, Aviator Nation associate Josh states, “Aviator Nation is a classic, vintage 70s lifestyle fashion brand. In line with the 70s lifestyle, music is a large influence and inspiration for many of our collections. That’s also in alignment with the partnerships we do with music festivals. We do co-branded stuff with festivals around the country; previously, we did stuff with Outside Lands on a smaller scale than what we’ve got this year. The music scene is such a huge influence on the brand at large, and we hope to express that while we’re here.”

Most of the vendors shared similar sentiments; though primarily a music festival, a multitude of local businesses got the chance to show their stuff on a grand scale. A 20-piece “Bites of the Bay” offering encouraged people to not only fuel up but also try out the Bay Area’s colorful food scene, paired perfectly with local wine and their favorite song.

During my break, I caught another band that was on my list, Underscores. Their most-recent record caught my eye thanks to the Spotify algorithm, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed by their live sound. They have a unique charisma that drew many fans to the stage next to the tiny-but-mighty Panhandle stage. Underscores and their fans were not intimidated by the sheer weight of the music festival crowds, performing as though it was their headlining show, a mark of true dedicated artists.

Other than the evening’s headliner, Mean Girls alumni Renee Rapp proved to be the most impressive live set at the Twin Peaks stage. Of course, her powerhouse vocals were to be expected of Broadway’s first Regina George. However, her ability to effortlessly transition into pop music is a tremendous feat that many have caught onto. Her diehard fans flocked to the front rows, with signs that said, “Shake Your A**, Renee!” gathering attention from the starlet. She could have easily been placed on the main stage with the production level and crowd pull.

Finally, it was time to hunker down for The Killers. I had spent the day with Shelby, The Killers’ biggest fan, who had said at least a hundred times that she could not wait to hear “Mr. Brightside” live for the first time, band t-shirt on full display. This perspective was like looking into a mirror, a glance into my past life as a fangirl before I even knew I could be a journalist. It’s an amazing reminder that music often transcends generations; I doubt Brandon Flowers would guess that a teenage girl would be able to answer any trivia question like it was a commonly known fact, as though you asked her what color the sky was. Her aunt and I met over our shared love of the same bands, encouraging us to fight for spots as close to the stage that we could possibly get. We wanted Shelby to see every pore on Flowers’ face (though, he is so airbrushed that I’m not convinced he has any. Drop the skincare routine, king).

Though, what really surprised me was that I knew almost as many of the songs on The Killers’ set as Shelby. A legacy group at their core, The Killers have left such an impact on culture that it only makes sense that they closed out the first evening of Outside Lands, representative of inter-generational music enjoyment. Still, Mr. Flowers was not jaded by his decades-long superstardom; instead, he visibly enjoyed every second of the spotlight, not once cringing before performing a song he’s had to churn out thousands of times. An earnest love of one’s own art is always something I’ll cheer for.

Freezing, exhausted, and in exorbitant amount of foot pain, The Killers’ drummer closed out the set with a bang, exercising unparalleled levels of crowd control by commanding us like a high school band director. It was a ridiculous amount of fun; maybe it was the contagious aura of a nearby fangirl, but any stamina that had been lost throughout the day was regained, showcasing that The Killers had earned their spot as one of the world’s top rock bands. We filed out into the cozy residential areas to the aroma of street hotdogs, and I prepared for the two following festival days, full of vigor, ready for more adventures.