A Burning Man favorite and a regular at music festivals across California, Berlin-based EDM performer Monolink will bring the sounds of the playa to Golden Gate Park with an afternoon show on Oct. 26 as the city’s newfound obsession with outdoor music continues.
It’s hardly a quick appearance, either. This will be a five-hour, 21-and-over show that lasts through sunset.
Unlike Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, the well-known October festival also held in Golden Gate Park, the Monolink show will not be free to attend, although organizers did not say how much admission will cost. Tickets go on sale Sept. 17. Likewise, one of the promoters, Non Plus Ultra CEO Jordan Langer, told The Standard that it will be a fairly intimate event. “We’re looking at a few thousand folks, upward of 5,000,” he said.
Beyond Non Plus Ultra, this afternoon of EDM is a co-presentation of San Francisco nightlife veterans, including Dogpatch indoor-outdoor venue the Midway, interactive event design company the Do LaB, Burning Man camp Opulent Temple, and the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department.
This concert won’t occupy Golden Gate Park’s Polo Field or Marx Meadow, as Outside Lands does. Instead, it will take place farther east, directly across JFK Boulevard from the beer garden on the car-free “promenade” section.
Monolink, born Steffen Linck, is a veteran festival performer with several appearances at Coachella and Lightning in a Bottle to his credit. Recognizable for his moody lyrics and German-inflected vocals, he’s crafted a sound all his own, characterized by his ability to play guitar, DJ, and sing all at once. He will be supported by Parallele, a Dutch duo of multi-instrumentalist brothers.
Summer 2024 brought numerous one-off outdoor shows to San Francisco — both free and ticketed — from June’s Fred Again x Skrillex rave in Civic Center to a series of raves and other performances staged by Outside Lands producer Another Planet Entertainment on the Embarcadero and elsewhere. The next large-scale concert, featuring alt-rock band Portugal. The Man, takes place in Civic Center on Sept. 20.