Automatic have spent the last few years building one of the tightest, most confident live shows in the current wave of post-punk-adjacent rock, and their Saturday afternoon set on the Panhandle stage at Outside Lands was proof the trio's new record only sharpens that reputation further. Touring behind Is It Now?, Izzy Glaudini and Halle Saxon brought a set that balanced synth-driven cool with real physical urgency, and Golden Gate Park was fully locked in from the first note.

Fresh off the release of their newest record, Joy Next Door, one of our absolute favorite bands of all time The Maine is back and better than ever. With a tour planned and on the way (tickets here!), we got the unique opportunity for a lengthy Q&A with the band’s own Garrett Nickelsen. Make sure to check out the record and head to a date, but also to learn a little more about the album and the band’s storied history below.

After nearly two decades away from the album format that first defined them, The Format have reemerged not as a nostalgia act, but as a fully revitalized creative force. With the release of Boycott Heaven on January 23, 2026 via The Vanity Label, the duo of Nate Ruess and Sam Means have delivered a record that feels both rooted in their past and sharply attuned to the present. We can sincerely say it’s our album of the year and nothing else that gets shared this year will even come close.

Whitney have always had a gift for turning the everyday into something luminous, but Small Talk feels like the album where they’ve distilled everything they’ve been chasing since their debut into one cohesive statement. Set for release November 7th on AWAL, the Chicago band’s fourth record is not just their most affecting to date, it’s arguably their best, full stop. If their past albums flirted with brilliance, this one weds it, an effortless blend of their signature soft-focus soul, shimmering folk-rock warmth, and tenderly crafted pop that glows from the first note to the last.

In the modern-day landscape, it’s easy for us to get caught up in all of the different aspects of life, and it was refreshing to see a large-scale event feel so intimate. A carefully curated lineup with a stunning beachside setting allowed the sunset to become a part of the set design, adding to the audience’s energy, which is just as exciting as it is calming. Unlike so many other festivals I’ve attended, no one was in a rush, and someone was always willing to chat.

I heard one fan refer to the upcoming set as “Pearl Jam’s ‘Eras Tour,’” if you will, expecting to explore all of the band’s different moments and career highlights. Pearl Jam’s closing performance at Ohana Fest’s 10th anniversary did just that. With Abe Laboriel Jr. joining the band behind the drums, the performance carried an additional layer of significance as the group entered a new phase, while maintaining the chemistry that has defined them for decades. 

While legacy acts can easily lean heavily into the nostalgia factor, often having sets that double as both a performance and a victory lap—it was refreshing to witness Pixies approaching Ohana Fest with the same intensity that made them so influential in the first place. 

Courtney Barnett has built one of the most distinct catalogs in modern guitar music, equal parts deadpan observation and genuine emotional weight, and her Ohana Festival set at the Tiki Stage gave fans a full tour through both sides of that sound. As part of her Creature of Habit tour, Barnett delivered a set that moved easily between wiry, talk-sung storytelling and full-throated rock release.