San Francisco's Outside Lands Music Festival

The Quick and Easy:

When: August 22-24
Where: San Francisco's Golden Gate Park
Why: Great selection of artists in a truly Green environment offer a unique experience.
Tickets: $225.50 ticket for 3-day entry into Festival.

Unreachable and un-inhabitable in the 19th century, the Outside Lands, as they were called back then, are now home to the Golden Gate Park and one hell of a Music Festival.

In its first annual incarnation, San Francisco's Outside Lands Music and Arts festival will be kick-started by the likes of Raidohead, Beck, Cold War Kids, Regina Spector and dozens of other choice music acts big and small. A healthy variety of DJs, visual artists and other Bay area talents will be also be at hand and that's not all. Attendees will get a taste of the thriving local scene in spots dedicated to SF's cuisine, local wine, emerging technologies and most commendable, sustainable green practices throughout the park.   

There's a lot of great music to look forward to, including Andrew Bird, Cold War Kids, M. Ward and Social Broken Scene. Yet nothing in life is perfect and there is only so much time to try to fit in so much rockin' music. You'll have to make some difficult choices. Beck, Manu Chau and the Black Keys are all playing Friday on a similar time slot. As a headliner, Radiohead will have the last slot of the evening all to itself. But to see one of the most influential and always relevant bands on earth will probably mean that to get a good spot you'll have to park near the stage way ahead of time.  

On Saturday you'll get to listen to such varied array of artists as Cafe Tacuba, The Walkmen and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. And again you'll be hurting from too much of a good thing when you're forced to choose between Ben Harper, Regina Spector, Primus and Cake all going on at the same time, pulling you in different directions. A particular affinity for a certain music genre might guide you on that decision, but if you've got an eclectic taste, appreciate raw talent and inspired musicianship these four acts dish out their own unique blend. 

The most pressing Sunday decision will be between Rodrigo and Gabriela and Wilco. And again depends on how you're feeling, still up for flamenco-soaked blends of hard rock and classical guitar or ready for the slow burn of Jeff Tweedy's alternative country rock. In the end you can always mellow out to Jack Johnson in what will be the last show of the Festival.