Wine, weather, and water – Up until now, these were three of the primary reasons for booking a flight to the city where Tony Bennett left his heart.

Not to say that the music’s lacking here, but as far as the average Joe is concerned, it surely hasn’t received the mass-media attention of the Governator’s “come-to-Cali” commercials.

Well music lovers, take heed! San Fran increased its music-destination profile on a sunny weekend in late August when Golden Gate Park filled up with 60,000 (60,001 including me) for the first Outside Lands Festival. Even the hefty $275 price tag, and a WHOLE lotta’ walking couldn’t dampen my undying love for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. What is The Outside Lands, you ask? Isn’t that what the gold diggers first called Golden Gate Park when they came out west during the gold rush?! Well pin a rose on your nose, you’re right! In the spirit of environmentalism (that runs rampant through this city) the festival was a highly eco-friendly production. There were recycle centers, trash guides – you know, the people standing at a collection of 13 different colored bins directing your waste traffic - a solar powered “tree” to charge your reception less cell phone, and even solar powered stages! Oh and we can’t forget the GIANT all-important wine tent. People will probably debate over who the best act was – I’ve been a Tom Petty fan for a LONG time and definitely came to see him – but I was really blown away by Somalian born K’naan, AKA the “dusty footed philosopher”. They put him on one of the smaller stages and the informal setting made his 30-minute set that much more powerful. K’naan rapped about revolution and freedom. He banged out simple beats on a djembe; he rarely enlisted the services of his DJ. The show spoke directly to everyone listening, as if grabbing us each by the collar and demanding that we wake up and listen to the world. It was wholly interactive and unforgettable.

Not sure if the United States needed yet another outdoor music festival to satiate its undying quench for ROCK, but Denver, CO, shall be the site of this year’s inaugural Mile High Music Festival at the outer fields of Dick’s Sporting Good’s Park, July 19th and 20th.

The lineup thus far is a healthy mix of Dinosaur rock, Roots rock, dirt-twirlin’ hippie shenanigans, jam bands and the newly crowned “Best Festival Band of All Time Because They Play Literally Every Single Festival”: Spoon.

Other confirmed acts include:

Saturday 7/19
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
O.A.R.
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Steve Winwood
Spoon
moe.
Citizen Cope
Andrew Bird
Josh Ritter
State Radio
JJ Grey & Mofro
Bob Schneider
Brett Dennen
Newton Faulkner
Meese
Born In The Flood
Railbenders

Sunday 7/20
Dave Matthews Band
John Mayer
The Black Crowes
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Flogging Molly
Colbie Caillat
OneRepublic
The Roots
Leftover Salmon
Martin Sexton
Flobots
Ingrid Michaelson
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Tea Leaf Green
Rose Hill Drive
The New Mastersounds
Serena Ryder
The Photo Atlas

Sounds like a fun time. Unless you’re a smoker. Then you’re pretty much fucked in that Mile High elevation.

Festival Radness Alert! SF Outside Lands, which will be held at Golden gate park in San Francisco from August 22nd - 24th, has announced their headliners: Radiohead. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Jack Johnson.

You know they’re going to announce some more rad additions; this is a three-day festival so those three will probably just be the tip of the iceberg, but one hell of a tip that is: Tom Petty and Thom Yorke? Do you really need any more?

Well, more couldn’t hurt. Be sure to check back at www.sfoutsidelands.com in the coming weeks for more news.