Growing up in the Bay Area, Dan Griffith would attend Outside Lands — as a fan — and dream about someday headlining the music festival’s big Twin Peaks stage.
On Friday, he lived out the dream.
The San Jose native — who is far better known these day by his stage name Gryffin — drew tens of thousands of fans to see him close down that marquee stage on Day One of the three-day event, which continues through Sunday in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
“Tonight is a big one for me,” Griffith told fans during one of the breaks in the pulsating, laser-rich action. “This is my hometown festival.”
It was nothing short of a triumphant homecoming for the 36-year-old DJ/producer/musician, who now ranks among the biggest stars in all of electronic dance music.
Gryffin’s set was a distinct highlight of the roughly 10 hours of music, which drew some 70,000 fans to see dozens of acts appearing across multiple stages on Day One. Other notable performers included headliners The Killers, “Mean Girls” star Renee Rapp, Tyla, The Last Dinner Party and The Japanese House.
Related Articles
Want to watch the 2024 Outside Lands music festival for free?
Outside Lands: 6 cool acts you should definitely see at the 2024 festival
San Jose native plays huge homecoming show at Outside Lands festival
Outside Lands: One major headliner exits bill, new one enters
Outside Lands releases daily lineups: What day is Tyler, the Creator playing?
The festival continues through Sunday with such acts as Sturgill Simpson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Teddy Swims, Post Malone, Slowdive, TV Girl and — the artist that is drawing more buzz than any other on the bill — Chappell Roan.
Gryffin performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Gryffin came to Outside Lands in support of his heralded new album “Pulse,” which features contributions from such talents as John Newman, Rita Ora, MAX, Elderbrook, Calle Lehmann and the legendary DJ-producer Armin Van Buuren. It’s his third full-length platter to date and his first since 2022’s “Alive.”
He performed to what appeared to be about an equal mix of already converted fans, who were singing along to the lyrical portion of the production, and newbies who simply wanted to come check out this rising Bay Area talent. And everybody in attendance seemed to enjoy the performance, bouncing along to the ample grooves and pumping their fists in the air to the big beats.
Gryffin certainly has a lot to offer onstage, mixing up the regular DJ/producer bit with moments where he showcases his guitar playing and piano work. Throw in a boatload of special effects, including vibrant video segments shown on the big screens as well as a laser show, pyrotechnics and plenty of billowing smoke, and you really had a memorable production.
Gryffin performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
While Gryffin was dropping the beats on Twin Peaks, The Killers were rip-roaring their way through their own headlining set on the festival’s largest stage — Lands End. They appeared before fans in their regular unassuming fashion right around 8:30 p.m.
“We are The Killers,” lead vocalist Brandon Flowers told the audience as the band got ready to play. “And we are a great rock ‘n’ roll band.
“Here — let me show you.”
He’d proceed to do just that as the band kicked off the set with a feverish version of “Somebody Told Me” and then reportedly continued on through another 17 songs during the set, which also drew tens of thousands of spectators.
Reneé Rapp performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
One of the other highly anticipated sets of the day came from “Mean Girls” star Renee Rapp, the 24-year-old North Carolina native who is famous for superbly playing the role of Regina George in both the Broadway musical and the topnotch film adaptation from earlier this year. She’s not nearly as well known — at least not yet — for her own pop music recording career, which has so far produced the 2022 EP “Everything to Everyone” and the 2023 full-length “Snow Angel,” but that is changing.
Being careful not to wear pink — since it wasn’t a Wednesday — a big crowd turned out to see Rapp’s set, which took place immediately prior to Gryffin’s headlining gig on the Twin Peaks stage. They mostly seemed to enjoy Rapp’s moderately engaging alt-pop songs, which fall somewhere in the Billie Eilish realm and really don’t make good use of her big Broadway vocal ability. Yet, she’d showcase her towering vocal talent late in the set, impressing everyone in the crowd with her soaring take on the power ballad “In the Kitchen.”
What would have really wowed the audience, however, was if Rapp would have decided to unleash a “Mean Girls” cut like “Meet the Plastics” or “World Burn.” Unfortunately, that never happened. I get it — she wants people like me to stop referring to her as “‘Mean Girls’ star Renee Rapp” and highlight her pop music career instead.
So, I won’t go so far as to say that it was mean that Rapp and her band didn’t play any of those Broadway musical numbers at Outside Lands.
Or else they might tell me I can’t sit with them at lunch.
Reneé Rapp performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Tyla performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
Young The Giant lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
The Last Dinner Party lead vocalist Abigail Morris performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
The Japanese House lead vocalist Amber Bain performs on stage during the first day of the Outside Lands Music Festival in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
