Latest news with #LaRussell
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay Area rapper shakes off nerves, electrifies Outside Lands' biggest stage
Vallejo rapper LaRussell brought local flavor, nervous energy and a heavy dose of sentimentality to Outside Lands, as he treated the audience — which ballooned throughout his set — to a slate of Bay Area anthems. 'I was nervous for nothing,' he said early on in his afternoon performance at the Land's End stage on Saturday, Aug. 9, shaking off the festival jitters. After playing a handful of songs off his latest album 'Good Ethika,' the North Bay artist banged out renditions of chart-toppers like Too Short 's 'Blow the Whistle' and Tupac's 'That's Just the Way It Is.' Though he admitted to being intimidated by the massive size of the venue — Golden Gate Park's Polo Field — LaRussell had plenty of fans cheering him on. His contemplative lyrics were buoyed by the beauty of Oakland-based vocal ensemble Collab Choir, as well as a flutist, harpist and pianist. The result: high vibes and a positive, contagious energy. Dressed in a red 'Good Compenny' jersey and rocking a cow-print beanie, LaRussell danced around the stage, often hopping off to high five the front row. Toward the end of his set, he submerged himself in the crowd, snaking his way all the way out to the sound mixing tent, much to the delight of fans who brought out their phones to capture the moment. Once back onstage, he was joined by up-and-coming rapper Ave for the upbeat track, 'We Outside.' LaRussell encouraged the young artist, putting his arm around her and swaying back and forth to amp up the hyphy elements of the song. 'A few years ago, no one wanted to book me,' LaRussell said. He also reminisced about playing to a modest crowd of just five people. 'I had more people in my car on the ride over!' he said with a laugh. Paying it forward, LaRussell brought his manager, another Bay Area native, onstage to perform spoken word poetry. 'Work ethic isn't something you can buy,' she recited. Embracing the spirit of uplifting one another, the crowd showed her just as much love as the artist they came to see. Throughout his show, it seemed LaRussell was right where he wanted to be.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
The best new food at Outside Lands
When it comes to food, all other music festivals pale in comparison to Outside Lands. The only thing that might make La Russell's set better? A hot dog made with an octopus tentacle. Some of the Bay Area's finest cooking talents are on display every year, and for this weekend's festival, 20 new spots joined the roster. Among the high-profile newcomers are San Mateo Top 100 restaurant Kajiken and San Francisco high-end Indian spot Tiya. After zipping across Golden Gate Park and eating enough caviar to fill up a Mason jar, we've determined these are the best new food vendors at Outside Lands this year. Kajiken Kajiken, a popular Japan-born ramen chain on the Peninsula, is known for its brothless abura soba, but that wasn't our favorite item on the festival menu. It was actually the karaage ($15), a Japanese-style fried chicken with grated daikon, ponzu and green onion. The crispy, flavorful chicken is easy to eat with your hands — an ideal snack option for walking around the park. Location: Hellman Hollow Popup Michoz, normally stationed at a cafe in Berkeley, brought its trademark Peruvian cooking to the festivities. The stall offers a no-filler menu consisting of nachos topped with berbere-spiced beef ($16) and a choripan ($18) dripping with chimichurri. With hints of ginger and pepper heat, the former improves on the form, while the latter punches you in the face with pungent herbiness. Grab extra napkins, both can get messy. Location: Hellman Hollow Tiya This weekend, Tiya has ditched the multi-course tasting menu in favor of more approachable dishes. The best is the butter chicken bowl ($20), featuring basmati rice and thick thighs doused in a bright red tomato gravy. While some executions of butter chicken can feel extremely decadent, this version was surprisingly subtle with pleasant tang. Location: Hellman Hollow Provecho Provecho began as a Oaxacan popup, but for the festival it has shifted toward a menu of raw seafood and barbecue bento boxes. The limited-edition Sashimi Tostada ($30) was the most expensive item on the menu, topped with fish, charred green garlic labneh, cucumber, onion and caviar. It was almost a shame to ruin the beautiful assortment of colorful ingredients on top with a first bite, but the refreshing, tangy flavors made it easy to finish. Location: Hellman Hollow
