Dave Wedge

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? A