When Shaboozey signed a deal six months ago to perform at this year’s Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco, no one could have predicted that the Virginia-born country singer would have the No. 1 song in the nation on the Billboard Hot 100 by the time the festival rolled around. “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was still two months from release when the festival lineup was announced in late April, placing Shaboozey’s name in the lower third of the lineup poster.
Allen Scott, President of Concerts and Festivals at Another Planet Entertainment (APE), aimed to book emerging country music talent to complement headlining acts like Sturgill Simpson and Post Malone’s country sets. Alongside Charley Crockett and Paul Cauthen, Shaboozey was a gamble that paid off, showcasing a robust lineup of country stars.
“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good,” Scott said with a laugh from APE’s offices in Berkeley. “When we booked Shaboozey, he had never really toured yet. We’re close with Empire in San Francisco, his label, and they had talked to us about a number of their artists, but he really jumped out at us. We hadn’t even heard of this song, but we liked the whole vibe. And the further down the lineup poster you go, you can take more chances. Every once in a while, you have something like Shaboozey.”
Having a country-heavy lineup is unusual for Outside Lands, a festival now in its 16th year and considered one of the biggest and best in the country. If Coachella is the premier festival in California, Outside Lands is a close second, setting the tone for the industry. Embracing country music so prominently highlights the genre’s growing influence in the current music landscape.
