The San Francisco Concert Uprise
PC: Sofia Iniguez
This past summer, a trio of blockbuster concerts lit up Golden Gate Park,bringing a tremendous amount of excitement, economic opportunities, and most importantly, fans to San Francisco in just the month of August. These 3 events generated an estimated amount of 150 million dollars, according to Mayor Daniel Lurie’s office.
Outside Lands started off this excitement with its annual festival, on August 8-10 in Golden Gate Park, with a crowd of over 225,000 people across three days. This year’s festival featured headliners Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, Hozier, and John Summit, accompanied by exceptional performances by Thundercat, Role Model, and Jessica Pratt. So many people were attracted to these performances that hotel capacity levels reached 90% during this weekend.
Just a week later, Golden Gate Park was full again as Zach Bryan took the stage on August 15. He drew a mind-blowing crowd of over 55,000 for his one-night show. The Bay Area holds a special place for Bryan, who just last year performed at the Oakland Coliseum, attracting 40,000. Not only that, but it became Bryan’s first-ever stadium performance. This summer, Zach Bryan truly stepped up his game with outstanding opening acts by The Kings of Leon, Turnpike Troubadours, and Noeline Hofmann.
Bryan didn’t stop there; he surprised fans with special guests, such as Gabriella Rose to join him when performing “Madeline” and Noeline Hoffman for the infamous “Purple Gas.” Zach Bryan honored San Francisco’s deep-rooted music history by wearing a Grateful Dead shirt during his performance, presented to him by a fan. This overlap connects his concert with another extraordinary performance, Dead & Company Concerts.
Dead & Company presented their farewells this August in the park, which caught the attention of the 180,000 fans who attended across these three days. Each evening had over 60,000 people in attendance. The line for this event included Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, John Mayer, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, and Jay Lane. All these artists played a major role in making this a monumental concert that is now part of San Francisco’s history.
Three weekends of outstanding performances and excited fans did not just end there; collectively, they helped employ thousands of people. Over 12,000 new part-time jobs and 400 union crew members were offered. These concerts also helped hotels, restaurants, and San Francisco’s overall economy skyrocket. Scott from Mayor Lurie’s office said in a statement that, “Outside Lands and these park shows prove San Francisco is still a global cultural destination. August’s three weekends of festivities blended fans from all generations to come out and support. No matter if it’s Outside Lands, Zach Bryan, or Dead & Company, San Francisco continues to prove just how much it has to offer in the entertainment world.