Janelle Monae isn't your typical artist to come out of the slick Bad Boy factory.

PHOTOS: Introducing Chase Lounge Artist Janelle Monae

The Kansas City native is an artist in every way: from her music, her album aesthetic, and her personal style, each aspect of her career is born from a need for pure expression. RadarOnline.com caught up with Janelle after her intimate performance at the Chase Freedom Lounge to dissect her signature black and white look.

PHOTOS: Langhorne Slim At The Chase Freedom Lounge

Her performance look, which Janelle dubs her "uniform," comes from the influence of "the working man and woman." While she calls the main source and genesis of her look "private," she did say part of it is about: "Paying homage to them (those working men and women) and giving them a nod saying I know what they're going through. It's my responsibility-working- when I have my uniform on."

Outside Lands Blog: Day One

She says the mandated monotone, which her band and team also wears, is "consistent" and that the simplicity of the uniform is a strategic move.

"You're able to respect the music and look beyond the uniform, respect the individuality of the singing. It's kind of like a blank canvas almost."

Funny enough, in this time of Lady Gaga excessiveness, less is getting more attention.

Langhorne Slim’s Knee-Slapping Outside Lands Jam Session

While most rising stars in the business rely on a partnership with a stylist or designer, Monae falls back on her tried and true team, the Wondaland Arts Society which she founded as a collective of like-minded, creative individuals including musicians and graphic novelists.

"We all wrap our minds around certain concepts and think of goals we want to achieve."

So don't go rushing to Prada for her to-die-for stark white blouse with dramatic pouffed shoulders. Karl Lagerfeld and the couturers of the world, eat your heart out!

Saturday evening, Langhorne Slim - in his signature fedora- hit the stage at the Chase Freedom lounge for an intimate appearance, giving an energetic and rousing performance.

PHOTOS: Langhorne Slim At The Chase Freedom Lounge

Proving his deft showmanship, LS didn't skip a beat when his guitar string broke halfway through his set. Rather than pausing, he soldiered on, jumping into the air, hitting high notes, and taking his mic even deeper into the crowd to pump up the atmosphere.

CONCERT PREVIEW: Rocking Out At Outside Lands 2010

He was immediately rewarded with a whallop of cheers goading him on followed by an enthusiastic accompaniment of on-the-beat clapping.

With an upright bass, drums, and banjo providing support to his pleading, soulful voice, LS moved from bluegrass romps to soulful acoustic guitar-led songs of love and heartbreak.

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The lounge, open to all Chase Freedom customers, was a treat for concertgoers that got a musical experience away from the packed outdoor stages. Parking themselves on the white banquettes dotting the tent, the audience got to sit back and relax in style as one of the hottest rising stars on the line-up gave an extended, up close set. Here, it was all about the music in a more personal venue.

Piano Man Rufus Wainwright Entertains New Yorkers

For the last song "Hello Sunshine," Langhorne Slim brought the show to an end by getting the crowd on it's feet, clapping and swaying as they rocked out for the last final minutes before hopping back in a car and heading to Los Angeles for the last shows of their tour.

Rock hard or go home!

Saturday kicked off the third annual Outside Lands Music and Arts festival in San Francisco and RadarOnline.com is bringing you all the action from the eco-friendly event in the middle of Golden Gate Park.

After a long, scenic walk to the main entrance, we blasted through the VIP tent (really, who wants to pay $10 for refreshments right off the bat!) to wander the expanse of the tents and stages in the Polo Field.

CONCERT PREVIEW: Rocking Out At Outside Lands 2010

As the sun peeked through the fog at 2 PM, the Afro beat folk strains of Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars competed with the metal sounds of Ground Control as the crowd noshed on beers and food from cajun sausage and calamari. With the crowd capacity still on the light side, one of the bigger draws besides the acts on the big stage was the tipsy concertgoer taking control of the karaoke machine in one of the experience tents. He was so bad he was good and drew a small gathering.

How To Make Your Plastic Pimp Up Your Music Travel Experience

Next stop: the Chase Freedom Lounge (which is open to all Chase Freedom ) where the faux hardwood floors indoors and leatherette couches were a nice change of pace from the gravel, grass and dirt de rigueur of outdoor music events. For those who took the extra step and redeemed their Chase Freedom points for concert admission, the outdoor VIP area offered free sandwiches, drinks, and a luxe respite from the other-wise rustic offerings.

Piano Man Rufus Wainwright Entertains New Yorkers

Nestled in the Speedway Meadow section, the lounge also offered an extra delightful bonus: exclusive, deluxe, tiled bathrooms that were line-free!

By 4 pm, the crowds finally began rolling in and filling up the grounds. At the Polo Field Sutro stage, Bassnecter- the hometown boys from SF specializing in freefrom electronica- got the capacity crowd rocking. Despite the chill, the most ardent fans whipped off their shirts and threw their arms up jamming to the hip-hop infused beats and bumps. As the last screams of their "West Coast" chants faded away, the crowd took a few last swipes at the black beach balls being passed around as they gave one last cheer for the band.

Back at the Speedway Meadow Panhandle stage, the Rebirth Brass Brand brought some true Southern flair. At 5:15, the band burst into a lively rendition of "Do Watcha Wanna," the theme song for the new HBO show Treme. The crowd howled as the band broke into the recognizable chorus, swaying their hips and stamping their feet in joyous unison.

At 6:00, it was back to the Chase Freedom lounge for an intimate performance from country rocker Langhorne Slim. Fans eager enough to get to the show early got a special treat: some of the band hung out by the stage chilling with the banjo player strumming some chords to warm up.

Click Here For Exclusive Review Of Langhorne's Show

Nightime has descended and it's time to catch the last big acts of the day: Cat Power at the Speedway Meadow Twin Peaks stage and The Strokes who will close out day one right after (more on them in tomorrow's blog from Outside Lands!).

PHOTOS: Langhorne Slim Rocks Out At The Chase Freedom Lounge

The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is back in full force this weekend and RadarOnline.com has a rundown of the industry's hottest acts who will be filling up San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.

Piano Man Rufus Wainwright Entertains New Yorkers

The traditionally eco-friendly jam fest is once again bringing together a mix of huge headlining acts and up and coming artists to watch.

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO BLOG: New Artist To Watch - Meet Tamar Kaprelian!

In terms of marquee names, Saturday brings The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, Cat Power, Wolfmother while Sunday has Kings of Leon, Phoenix, Social Distortion, Al Green, Chromeo and Empire of the Sun taking the stage. There will be four stages spread across the park: the Lands End Stage and Sutro Stage bookend the polo field while the Panhandle Solar Stage and Twin Peaks Stage are nestled at the Speedway Meadow.

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For a more intimate viewing venue, Chase customers can hit up the Freedom Lounge- located on Speedway Meadow closest to Wine Lands- where rising stars like Grammy-nominee Janelle Monae (Sunday at 5:00 PM), Langhorne Slim (Saturday at 6:30 PM), and Dawes (Sunday at 2:00 PM) will perform.

In addition to the amazing acts, the lounge offers free laptops with WiFi (you know you'll want to update your Facebook profile with new pics!), private wine tastings, charging stations for your phones, and other refreshments.

Old 97's: An American TreasureOld 97's: An American Treasure

Other acts you don't want to miss: Colorado's electronic duo Pretty Lights on Saturday and Tokyo Police Club.

On Sunday, make sure to squeeze in the mellow singer-songwriter Amos Lee and groovy Mayer Hawthorne.

The Outside Lands not only have a reputation as a popular outdoor music celebration, it also has a reputation for some delicious food. At the A Taste of the Bay Area part of the fest, you can fill up on things like organic smores from Charles Chocolates, crispy man & cheese at Andalu, samosas at New Ganges, and modern Vietnamese cooking from Out the Door, and gourmet mini cupcakes from Mission Minis.

Given the ongoing state of the economy, any extra boost helps. Chase is hopping on the mutual gratitude bandwagon with its Ultimate Rewards program.

Check Out Other Goodies Available Through Chase's Ultimate Rewards Program

Available to Chase Freedom credit card holders, the program allows members to collect and redeem points with no earning caps or expiration dates. While points redemption can often come with the stigma of chintzy, novelty items you don't ever actually want, the program boasts over 3 million merchandise items (think iPods and Le Creuset cookware) and more than 300 leading retailers participating in the Ultimate Rewards Bonus Mall.

But besides the fun booty, Chase is offering one-of-a-kind "experiences." While outdoor musical festivals are always a blast, between the beer-soaked grass and often blistering sun, they are not always ideal settings for discerning adults.

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Now, Chase customers can use their points to bid on packages at the hottest musical festivals across the country from Bonnaroo in Tennessee, this weekend's Outside Lands in San Francisco, and the upcoming Life Is Good in Boston.

Some highlights of the packages include: exclusive lounge access, 4 VIP festival tickets, soundboard viewing for one show of choice, photo pit access for the first three songs for one show, access to VIP viewing areas, and of course fun merchandise like t-shirts and posters.

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For Boston's Life Is Good, Chase is donating $500 to the Life is good Kids Foundation in the VIP auction package winner's name.

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Still not convinced? Jeffery Sangillo,  who won this year's VIP Bonnaroo tickets, had the following to say about his experience:

"It was only when I arrived at Bonnaroo did I learn that Chase had set up the Freedom Lounge for the weekend, where I could escape to the air conditioning; get free water, lemonade, and snacks all day; and a free meal in the afternoon; all while watching the various stages on one of several TVs. There were even air conditioned, flush toilets (a HUGE perk as compared to the hot, frequently gross porto-potties I would otherwise be using)... The execution of the entire weekend was flawless...being a guest of the Ultimate Rewards program brought my enjoyment of the festival to an unprecedented level.

"I earn a very respectable salary, but am far from super wealthy. On my own, I wouldn't have the resources to procure such an exciting or exclusive package like the Ultimate Rewards program was able to offer me."

Kings of Leon may have been the headlining act of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival this weekend in San Francisco, but never count out the old dog on the block: Al Green jumpstarted the lethargic (and possibly hungover) concertgoers with a rousing set on the main stage halfway through Sunday.

"You looking good baby," he told the crowd with his mischievous flair. Right back at ya', Al! Only someone as cool as Mr.Green can get away with the corny move of carrying a fistful of red roses while singing "Let's Stay Together."

Though the sound system was bizarrely muted at times, his love of (and talent for) showmanship shined through. The grand uniter of generations, Mr. Green brought together the eclectic audience filled with every type of music lover from teenage metal heads, Grateful Dead devotees, plaid-wearing hipsters, and classic rockers.

PHOTOS: Langhorne Slim At The Chase Freedom Lounge

Earlier, with our legs still throbbing from the day before, we skipped the VIP lounge (now deemed 'faux-VIP' thanks to its overpriced drinks and lack of munchies) and went straight for the Chase Freedom Lounge and its bountiful stock of wine, beer, M&M's, and food. It was truly the envied oasis of the festival which, despite its abundance of branded tents, was lacking in venues geared to enhance the concert-going musical experience.

To our pleasant surprise, we caught the band Dawes hanging out in the outside lounge (open to Chase Freedom customers who redeemed their Ultimate Rewards points for Outside Lands tickets) relaxing in the sun an hour before their awesome set. (Check out RadarOnline.com's review of their performance: Band To Watch: Dawes)

Another fun lounge-related moment: while we missed the check presentation earlier in the day, Chase Freedom handed over a $30,000 check to the San Francisco Parks Trust to provide full financial support for the planting of 40 London Planes trees in Golden Gate Park after some were vandalized earlier this summer. Anyone who has ever been to Outside Lands knows that the looming presence of the trees gives the fest a worlds-away experience that is unparalleled so keeping up the atmosphere is key.  The Strokes concert last night would not have been the same minus the mystical affect of giant trees illuminated in soft purples, reds, and greens.

PHOTOS: Introducing Chase Lounge Artist Janelle Monae

Early in the afternoon, Amos Lee brought his unplugged treatment of modern R&B to a solid gathering on the Land's End stage. His confident performance proved he is an act worthy of such prominent festival space.

Langhorne Slim’s Knee-Slapping Outside Lands Jam Session

As the sun began to dip, Phoenix drew a headliner-worthy audience. The area in front of the stage teemed with enthusiastic fans who screamed when their hit "1901" blared over the speakers.

Outside Lands Blog: Day One

Last but not least: Kings of Leon and Empire of the Sun close out the festival at the Lands End and Twin Peaks stages respectively.

"You broke the quick-giving heart of a kid and you're now coming back to a man," the band Dawes sang during its intimate set at the Chase Freedom Lounge during this weekend’s Outside Lands Music and Arts festival in San Francisco.

PHOTOS: Langhorne Slim At The Chase Freedom Lounge

PHOTOS: Introducing Chase Lounge Artist Janelle Monae

The theme of journeying through adulthood embodies not just the songwriter's emotions over a broken love returned, it also summarizes where this promising young band is in their career. They are old souls waiting for their current selves to catch up.

Acoustic sets always give listeners a naked assessment of a musician, and in Dawes' performance, what was found was pure and simple: raw, beautiful, talent.

While the young members of the band (one even had to get permission from his high school to go on tour earlier this year) have some kinks of maturation to sort out (some harmonies can be smoother and certain lyrics border on the trite), their easy style feeds a yearning for another time when lyrics meant something, when emotion was what lay between the lines, and when songs told stories.

Langhorne Slim’s Knee-Slapping Outside Lands Jam Session

For the lucky audience at their Sunday show (namely concertgoers who happened to be Chase Freedom cardholders), Dawes gave them a special afternoon delight: a premiere of their new song "Coming Back To A Man" (which is the owner of the lyrics at the beginning of this post).

Outside Lands Blog: Day One

The three young men of Dawes take their time to get to the point, meandering through soothing strains to build something that will hopefully last- or at least stir something in your soul, whether that be the yearning adolescent or the reminiscing adult. Listening to them is like taking a ride on a lazy river that has a purpose, knowing that at the end of the slow sojourn is a soulful sea you can't wait to wash over you.

"When my time comes, Ohhhhh, oh oh oh, When my times comes, Ohhhhh, oh oh oh," Dawes sang earnestly at the end of their set.

If the fans of this Los Angeles-bred band have anything to do with it, their time will come very soon.