For music fans around the world, summer means festivals. Chicago has Lollapalooza and the Pitchfork Music Festival. England has the famed Glastonbury Festival. Even Denmark has the Rosklide Festival. And now the Bay Area has its very own premier summer music event: the Outside Lands Festival. Starting tomorrow and running through Sunday, the Outside Lands Festival will feature dozens of bands playing live in San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate Park.

The musical lineup spans several generations of musicians and styles of music, featuring everything from the avant-garde noise rock of Liars to the soothing acoustic pop of Jack Johnson. Fortunately, each day of the festival boasts bands that are worth your time and money. The Festival will be spread out over several stages. For more information, check out www.sfoutsidelands.com.

Here is a list of a few standout acts, with the stage and time noted.

Friday, Aug. 22

Gates open at 3 p.m.; music begins at 5 p.m.

Radiohead — Lands End, 8 p.m.

Duh. Any follower of rock music has likely heard whispers of Radiohead’s spectacular live performances. Tickets to their smaller shows sell out in mere minutes, so this particular gig might be your best shot to see them live in the near future. Plus, they will be the first band allowed to play live, at night, in Golden Gate Park. Just picture this Friday night — the moon, the shimmering lights of San Francisco shining behind you and Thom Yorke crooning over Johnny Greenwood’s angular guitar. Sounds like the perfect night to me.

Beck — Sutro, 6:40 p.m.

The master of rock reinvention himself brings his creativity to the Outside Lands Festival tomorrow. In 2006, he delivered an awe-inspiring show at the Download Festival that involved lots of puppets. (Need I say more?) His most recent release, “Modern Guilt,” is a gem of indie rock atmospherics and melancholy themes. Plus, imagine the roar of the crowd when he plays the opening chords to his hit, “Loser.”

Black Mountain — Twin Peaks, 5:30 p.m.

If you want to time travel back to Golden Gate Park’s hippie era, make sure to see this band. Combining both the hard and folky sounds of the 1970s, they no doubt make their fellow Canadian forerunner, Neil Young, very proud.

Saturday, Aug. 23

Gates open at 11 a.m.; music at 1 p.m.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers — Lands End, 7:55 p.m.

Tired yet of “Free Fallin’”? I’m not quite there — yet. Indeed, Tom Petty did a good job during halftime at the Super Bowl, and he will be equally proficient as he closes Saturday’s festivities. This is their first show since the Super Bowl.

Cake — Sutro 6:50 p.m.

This Sacramento band combines tight rhythms, funky horns and a sense of humor. In their heyday in the alt-rock days of the 1990s, this band was great. Hopefully their show will recapture the magic.

Liars — Panhandle, 2:55 p.m.

This band can be summarized in one word: noise. If you’re looking for a full-tilt assault on your eardrums, check out this New York band.

The Walkmen — Panhandle, 5:55 p.m.

This stalwart of the New York post-post-punk scene brings their new material, entitled “You and Me” to the West Coast. Expect lots of anguished singing, waves of distorted rhythm guitar and precious piano ambiance in a sloppy, punk vibe. The furious strumming and hatred-tinged singing on “The Rat” will provide the perfect catharsis to your stressful work week.

Lupe Fiasco — Twin Peaks, 3:35 p.m.

Ever since Lupe helped out on Kanye West’s track “Touch the Sky,” (“bottle-shaped body like Mrs. Butterworth”), Lupe Fiasco has grown into a star in his own right. No doubt he will bring a crowd, delivering some insights into skateboarding and Chicago along the way.

Sunday, Aug. 24

Gates open at 11 a.m.; music at 1 p.m.

Wilco — Twin Peaks, 6:35 p.m.

Perfectly balancing their more experimental sounds with traditional guitar jamming, Wilco is a crowd-pleaser live. More recent material like “At Least That’s What You Said” feature extended guitar freak-outs while their earlier “Summer Teeth” sound is more country and pop inspired. Band leader Jeff Tweedy played an excellent set last year at Golden Gate Park’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival.

Broken Social Scene — Twin Peaks, 5 p.m.

Don’t be surprised if this group brings out more than 15 band members at once, including Feist and Emily Haines from Metric. This Canadian group plays with the loose feel of a collective — a huge group of friends jamming. If you’re a fan of indie rock, this will be a giant party. Also check out their collaborators and band mates, Stars.

Andrew Bird — Twin Peaks, 3:35 p.m.

Andrew Bird relies heavily on loops in his show. He will, for instance, play a few notes on glockenspiel, loop it, then play a guitar riff, loop it and keep building up the sound until he has single-handedly fleshed out the song. Based on his most recent material, Andrew’s set will manage to be both intimate and energetic.