Originating from Ripon, California, the brothers Scott and Thomas Huerta and their friend, Mackenzie Bunch, have been making music since 2011. Their rich blend of tuneful harmonies and innovative instrumentation have become staples of the group since their first album, “Gold Youth.” This year at Outside Lands, fans amassed in front of the Panhandle stage to hear their unique blend of indie-pop.
Once French Cassettes took the stage, their friends shouted about having kids with them. Since the fans were bursting with anticipation to hear them perform, French Cassettes launched into their first song, “Bee’s Knees.” The indie rock aesthetic was a great way to kick off the set as it immediately got the crowd jamming out and singing. Since the group’s set started at 12:15 p.m., Bunch thanked the audience for waking up so early to watch them perform.
Third in the lineup was their single, “Good For It.” The song’s indie-folk arrangement was met with a collective sway through the growing crowd. After the song ended, Thomas Huerta decided he was good for it and started drinking a beer. Bunch then thanked their friends and family who showed up before introducing their next song, “Medium Horny.” The poetic verses made way for a melodic chorus about a failed past relationship.
For the group’s next song, they decided to slow things down with an alternative hit fit with a distorted bass. Next up, Bunch took a request from the audience to play a song from their new album, “Benzene.” “White Noise” is met with cheers from the crowd, especially during its drum-led climactic end.
French Cassette’s sixth song was, “Megabus.” The humorous lyrics were eaten up by the crowd who have surely all been stranded by California’s unreliable public transit. Before their seventh song, Bunch wished someone named Paula a happy birthday and the crowd went wild. Then the group went into a surfy rock-sounding song with lyrics about the rising sun, which was noticeably absent from the festival’s gray skies.
Eighth on the set was popular with the audience and not only because of its familiar SoCal name. “Santa Cruz Tomorrow” was instantly recognized by the fans in the audience and was videoed more than the previous songs.
To cap off their set, the French Cassettes played arguably their most popular hit, “Utah.” The song from their second album garnered proud singing from festival goers and proved to be a great number to end their performance on.
After their performance, this Bay Area band found a place inside the heart of Outside Lands 2024.
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Featured Image Photographed by ALIVECOVERAGE/Outside Lands
