Memorial Day for many is about cookouts, parades, honoring veterans and the start of summer. But in Boston, the holiday has become synonymous with three days of music. Boston Calling features an eclectic mix of iconic artists, alt bands and some of the most buzzworthy up-and-comers on the planet.
This year’s edition lived up to that formula with icons like Foo Fighters, Alanis Morissette, Queens of the Stone Age, Flaming Lips and Paramore, alt-rock stalwarts The Beaches, The National, Bleachers and The Lumineers and a bevy of breakout acts, such as alt-rapper Genesis Owusu, Belgium post-hardcore band Brutus, country-pop star Maren Morris, Teddy Swims, and Canadian indie rocker Talk.
The festival also does a wonderful job curating local artists, many of whom play the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage, a more intimate side area bounding with energy. And that was the case Friday where several cool, local bands harnessed the summery vibes, including grungey indie rockers Summer Cult, the bluesy Blue Light Bandits and Little Fuss, a fun indie band that mixed Taylor-Swift-esque pop rap with super catchy party punk.
“Fuckin’ surreal. Most fun I’ve ever had in 30 minutes,” Summer Cult’s Andrew Knox said after their fiery set.
There was plenty of local flavor throughout the weekend, including Boston-born Palestinian rapper NeeMz, funk band Couch, rapper Brandie Blaze and Boston-bred singer/songwriter Ali McGuirk. And of course, what would a Boston festival be without the Dropkick Murphys?
The Dropkicks were a last-minute replacement for The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more than did their job. I don’t care if you’re sick of “Shipping Up to Boston” and “Tessie.” If you don’t get chills hearing the band’s legendary bagpipe opening and the raucous guitars of “Rose Tattoo” while watching these Boston boyos rock 30,000 people in front of iconic Harvard Stadium, then you don’t have a pulse. Add in the Celtics historic playoff run and a two-story Dunkin’ Donuts pop-up; a weekend doesn't get more “Boston.”
The Red and Green stages were jammed for the headliners on the sprawling Harvard grounds. Not sure if it’s the decibel requirements imposed by the city of Cambridge after Metallica last year, but the sound mix was subpar at times for Foo Fighters and Alanis Morissette.
Still, both delivered knockout performances, especially the Foo Fighters who were performing just their second show of their comeback tour after the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins. Josh Freese took Taylor’s seat and the band didn’t miss a beat roaring through an impassioned string of hits, including “Walk,” “My Hero,” “All My Life,” “Monkey Wrench,” and “Times Like These.”
Regardless of your Foo fandom, or lack thereof, there’s simply no denying their live power and the wallop of their arena rock catalog.
At its best, music makes us connect with one another. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl relishes that ethos and unabashedly embraces the power of his distinct brand of power rock, using it to connect with crowds like few frontmen in history. When he brought out Hawkins’ 17-year-old son Shane to play drums on “I’ll Stick Around,” it was, quite simply, a hugely emotional rock moment that all there Friday will remember for the rest of their lives.
Ditto for those there for Morissette, a feminist post-grunge pop rock heroine who had 50-something Gen Xers, millennial moms and dads and Gen Z hipsters all rocking in unison to her staples “Ironic,” “All I Really Want” and of course, “You Oughta Know.”
And isn’t that what big festivals are all about? Making lifelong memories? If that’s the yardstick, then chalk up this year’s Boston Calling edition to a massive success.
For ideas on where to see live music this summer check out our main guide.