New York three piece Flatbush Zombies know how to get a crowd going. Taking a slightly warmed up Friday night crowd head on, their stage banter and lyrical prowess get the early entrants into Outbreak going. There’s probably time for one or two more songs after all the crowd interactions are said and done, but they had the folks in attendance eating out of the palm of their hand so it doesn’t really matter and the songs that do make an appearance like ‘Bounce’ and ‘Palm Trees’ are so good that the established fans don’t even care.
Perhaps the act on the Friday that is the most adjacent to the world of hardcore, JPEGMAFIA arrives on stage to a rapturous reception from the Outbreak crowd, even though he is a tad late. For the first time those at the front really come to life and the first proper moshing of the weekend occurs for tracks like ‘Lean Beef Patty’, ‘Scaring The Hoes’ and a nod to last year headliner Denzel Curry with a rendition of ‘VENGEANCE | VENGEANCE ‘. It’s a fantastic set with a particularly awe inspiring light show and JPEGMAFIA working the crowd like a pro.
Deservedly headlining the Friday was Action Bronson, and not one to rest on his laurels, brought an incredibly talented full live backing band to accompany him. It gives the headline set an almost jazz like affair, with impromptu solos and drum beats accenting some of the big man’s most famous tracks. ‘Latin Grammys’ in particular is one of the earlier tracks in the set that gains another dimension. Hands are in the air, a certain aroma begins to permeate through the stage and people are swaying, losing themselves in the beauty. While in tone and style it’s perhaps a far cry from the more aggressive, scene adjacent headliner from 2023 but it’s very apparent that Action Bronson knows where he is and the type of festival he’s appearing at. The live band in particular shows that but he doesn’t try to be anything he isn’t. He just is himself, and for that, the crowd loves him.