Outsidelands 2014 was an Amazing Extravaganza
by Chris Murphy
Photos by Michael J Mangano and Chris Murphy
There was something for everyone this year. Oldies, goodies, newbies and some flat out door-busting rock and roll from bands like the Arctic Monkeys going head to head with Kanye West. Tom Petty showed why he is still a current artist after all of these years and the up and coming bands that shared the monster stages felt the star power rub off while the whimsy of the Flaming Lips and the soul of Ray LaMontagne were truly special. Also cool are bands like Grouplove that started on the smaller stages last year, get super famous and come back on the big stages this year. For sure you will find new bands you never heard before and find new favorites. Some of the best shows are the impromptu shows in the Hollows so make sure you are following your favorite bands on twitter and keep a watch on the official OSL feed for updated and secret shows.
Over the years, the headliners at OSL have been amazing and the event keeps getting better each year. ModestoView has been covering OSL for the last few years and our own skill at covering the variety gets better too. The event functions well, the shuttles from Bill Graham Auditorium are efficient and convenient. The lines are manageable, there are ATMs aplenty and many of the vendors take credit cards and there are always places to hang out, take a breather and prepare for the next stage.
Food is on the top of our list for a full day at Outsidelands, we love the mac and jack, the lumpia truck, chocolands, food truck land and all of the options from the simple to the uber gourmet. The giant cookies are the cargo shorts secret energy stash. Chocolate covered beignets? Yes, you can get those too and you can get Moscow Mules at the bars. This is concert going.
But it all gets down to the line up of music that never disappoints. One tip you can’t forget is to download the iPhone Ap so you always have your schedule ready and get reminders for the shows. Be careful, you may encounter a random drum and stilt show by Hellmans Review and get sidetracked on the way to your favorite band or get lost in the Heineken dome or in the wine tasting area. 2014 was a powerhouse show as 2013 and the previous years were.
Note- Outsidelands always sells out. You can get Eager Beaver tickets early in March and sell out in an hour. VIP tix go fast too so stay tuned to ModestoView early March for the updates. We will keep you posted on our Twitter and Facebook feeds so make sure you are following us.
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ModestoView tips –
· Take the shuttle, so easy and convenient
· Book your hotels early. The Hilton is one of the closest to the shuttle stops.
· Use your phone ap and always carry a spare paper schedule.
· Get VIP tix if possible as the dedicated watching areas are really nice and the food and bar lines are much shorter, AND, there are more porta restrooms in the VIP section.
· Best place to take a break is the Barbary where you can kick it and dig some comedy.
Take it easy and just go with the flow. Unless you are super committed to a band and stake out the front row, you really don’t have to get there early as you can cruise and enjoy the show. Sound is great and there a good vantage points.
· It gets chilly. We always buy the new long sleeved OSL shart upon arrival as we are prepping for the chilly evenings when you even get fog rolling in.
