Unlike the first day, I woke up on Saturday well rested and ready for the long day ahead. After trekking around the grounds the day before, I felt more confident in my bearings of all the stages and exactly how to get from point A to B between each show. I took my time so as not to feel in such a rush as I had the day before and, for the first set of the day, casually made my way to one of the more intimate setups tucked into a corner of the grounds called the Panhandle Stage to see Automatic. I wouldn’t call it a small stage, but unlike the more prominent stages, the Panhandle did not have screens projecting video of the performances, so you had to make sure to situate yourself close enough to see all the action of the shows.
Automatic emerged out of and is based in LA; they create a very unique soundboard that could be described as an experimental mix of punky and 80s new wave. The show was authentic and quirky, the perfect afternoon pick-me-up to get the day’s festivities started. I also had the opportunity to catch up with the duo that currently makes up Automatic, Izzy Glaudini, and Halle Saxon after their set so I could briefly pick their brains.
This is your first time at Outside Lands; what has your impression been of the fest, and how did you feel coming off your set?
Izzy: Festivals are chaotic; there’s never a real sound check, and I’m usually way overstimulated and socially exhausted. This was a fun one, though; I was just excited to wander around! It’s cool when there are actual bands playing and not just TikTok bots.
Just last year you released your third full-length LP, Is It Now? What have you been up to in the wake of its release and so far in 2026? Have you been letting this album sink in, or have you been busy continuing to create since then?
Halle: We have been working on new music, living our lives, touring and opening for LCD Soundsystem, fighting and making up sometimes, taking care of ourselves, taking care of others, ignoring Instagram comments from men (always men) with opinions about what we should do with our careers, holding it together, and trying not to fall into pits of despair about the state of the country/world.
In the time since your last release, the band did go from a trio down to a duo … and without prying too much into that, do you think as far as permanent members go, it’s going to stay just the two of you?
Halle: This is a really good question that we ask ourselves. For now, our goal is to work mostly just together. But by the time the music actually comes out, who knows what will happen.
If you had a word of advice for young girls interested in starting a band, something you wish you could tell yourselves when you were first getting started, what would it be?
Izzy: I wish I had started a bit sooner. The first step is to find other baby musicians whose taste you align with and write music together, and the second step is to book some shows! This is one of those things where you have to learn in front of an audience, and learn how to self-record, even if it’s with cheap gear (you don’t need expensive shit to make cool music).
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After my pitstop with Automatic, I hopped between two different sets to catch half of Ethel Cain and Snow Strippers. As anyone who has frequented a festival knows, there are always going to be schedule conflicts, and if you don’t get too sucked into the crowd, you can sometimes make it work to see two bands within the same timeframe. I started out at Ethel Cain at the main stage, and while I’m a huge fan of her Midwest ballads, this personally was not the best setting for me to enjoy them. Her voice and songwriting are unarguably incredible, but after the first few songs, I found myself slinking away to see what Snow Strippers were up to at the Sutro Stage.
Let me tell you, the vibe could not have been more polar opposite; hyper beats, strobe lights, and pure stimulating dance music. Their formula isn’t one that is revolutionary, but it definitely stirs the crowd, and it’s the type of fun, raucous set anyone can have fun at.
After a dinner break, I made my way all the way back to one of the farthest corners of the grounds, the Twin Peaks stage. Here I got to experience what may have been my unexpectedly favorite set of the entire weekend, watching The XX. There is something really seductive about the vocal pairing of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim; they just mesh so well. They are one of those rare bands that sound better live than in their original recordings because they have fun with their cadences during the live performance and give it a new flavor after years of sitting with many of their original songs.
Opening with their nearly 20-year-old hit “Crystallized,” you could almost feel the entire crowd getting goosebumps. They played a career-spanning set as well as throwing in several well-executed covers and even one of Romy’s solo tracks, “Enjoy Your Life.” When they lowered the giant neon X from the ceiling, the crowd really lost it. Altogether a beautiful and touching set.
Photos Courtesy of Outside Lands
