Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

By now you know the Outside Lands headliners: Florence + the Machine, Janet Jackson, The Weeknd, yada, yada, yada. But what about all those names in tiny print at the bottom of the flyer that you have never heard of? Who the hell are they and are they worth listening to? As much as a music nerd as I am, I have never heard of a number of the bands at the bottom of the bill. So, I sat down and tirelessly listened to hours of obscure music to help you figure out if these bands are worth seeing, worth adding to your summer playlists, or not worth paying attention to all, starting with Friday.

Nick Mulvey – “Mountain to Move”

Genre: Folksy-singer-songwriter-with-a-beard-type-guy.

Verdict: Get a front row spot if you like eating dinner at 4:30 in the afternoon and can’t wait for the reboot of Fraiser.

Caleborate – “4 Willem”

Genre: Late 90s/early 2000s backpacker hip-hop.

Verdict: Check him out if you miss A Tribe Called Quest and Living Legends, or if you enjoyed Kendrick Lamar’s first couple albums.

Bonus: He’s from Berkeley!

Sasha Sloan – “Normal”

Genre: Pop/background music for Hallmark commercials.

Verdict: If you loved jamming out to the store music at Aeropostale circa 2003, you’ll love this!

Olivia O’Brien – “Empty”

Genre: Pop.

Verdict: If you ever wished that Ke$ha and Iggy Azalea were the same person, this is your jam!

Mikky Ekko – “Pull Me Down”

Genre: Indie pop.

Verdict: Check him out if you like pop artists who never quite lived up to their potential.

Lucy Dacus – “Addictions”

Genre: Indie rock.

Verdict: Check her out if you want to see what it would be like if a shy Adele fronted a 90’s alt band.

Dermot Kennedy – “Glory”

Genre: Broadway show tunes with a pop twist/Irish folk-pop.

Verdict: If you like crying at festivals, this is probably the set to be at.

Elohim – “Hallucinating”

Genre: Nine Inch Nails-inspired pop.

Verdict: One of the first really interesting artists that I learned about while putting this together. As unique of a sound as it gets within the pop genre.

Shannon and the Clams – “The Boy”

Genre: 60’s doo-wop prom band on acid.

Verdict: This Oakland band is something special. They are one of the top spots on my “Must See” list.

Quinn XCII – “Straightjacket”

Genre: Really basic pop with a splash of cringe-worthy reggae.

Verdict: If you eat toast plain with no butter and love fake patois this is your jam.

Lauv – “Paris in the Rain”

Genre: Electro Ed Sheeran.

Verdict: Probably the biggest pop star no one has heard of. Check him out if you are 17 and are in search of a male Demi Lovato.

The Mountain Goats – “This Year”

Genre: Blues Traveler indie folk B-sides.

Verdict: If you own multiple pairs of hiking boots and put kefir in your cocktails, you’ll love ’em!

*Negative points for not actually being mountain goats

Sweet Plot

Genre: Some sort of funk/jam band type thing.

Verdict: Check them out if you’re into a Creedence Clearwater/Sly and the Family Stone hybrid.

Who the hell are all the bands in tiny print at Outside Lands?