Boston Calling Festival Wrap-Up
It's been a couple of weeks since Boston Calling (the music festival now making its home on the Harvard campus and quite an upgrade) and I must say, although I've only been the past 2 years (since they moved it to Harvard), I must say, I'm convinced it's an incredible festival, well planned and well executed, with a great variety of music (and comedy; this year even offered a couple of live podcasts). It has been a great way to spend the long weekend over the Memorial Day holiday the past 2 years and I've already secured my ticket for next year. Actually, this year, I ended up winning 2 passes for all 3 days and brought my sister along for Friday and Saturday; Sunday was the rainy day, but still an amazing day. I will attempt to recap the weekend, but I suggest that everyone try to go to at least 1 day and experience it for yourselves, because I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Friday----
The festival was opening with an energetic set from Charly Bliss, which my sister and I immediately headed to, after getting our wristbands for the Arena comedy and podcasts. Charly Bliss had one of the shortest sets of the entire festival, but made sure to start everyone's Friday afternoon with lots of energy and pop-punk music that reminded me of bands like Letters to Cleo from the early-'90s. The female singer has a very high-pitched, squealing voice, but it fits very well into their sound. You can't help bebop/hopping along to their songs. They write fast, quick (under 3 minutes usually) songs.
Friday----
The festival was opening with an energetic set from Charly Bliss, which my sister and I immediately headed to, after getting our wristbands for the Arena comedy and podcasts. Charly Bliss had one of the shortest sets of the entire festival, but made sure to start everyone's Friday afternoon with lots of energy and pop-punk music that reminded me of bands like Letters to Cleo from the early-'90s. The female singer has a very high-pitched, squealing voice, but it fits very well into their sound. You can't help bebop/hopping along to their songs. They write fast, quick (under 3 minutes usually) songs.
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- (Unknown)(New Song)
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Then, my sister and I headed over to the Green stage to see Big Thief. Now, I've seen Big Thief twice (once as the headliner in Boston and just last summer, as the opener for Wilco in Portland, outside). They have an incredible and demanding sound, quiet and bombastic within the same songs often times. The female singer's quiet voice demands your attention immediately and she forces you to focus on the songs as she sings them, listening to the oftentimes very personal lyrics. She also comes across on stage as very uncomfortable in the spotlight, nearly awkward and at a loss for words, but yet in a humble way. They allow their songs plenty of space within the set for them to stretch them out with guitar solos which again, demand your attention. It was another short set, but worth standing in the hot sun for.
After them, my sister and I headed over to the Blue stage (which was located in a separate area, away from the two "main" stages of Green and Red) to see (Sandy) Alex G. He is kind of an indie/DIY folk-ish type of artist, preferring to record all his own material at home, in lo-fi. Most of his songs are less than 3 minutes in length and his sound varies from song to song, as he showcased during his 40 minute set. I had seen him last summer as he opened for the Fleet Foxes and kept things rather low key, preferring to play a lot of songs from his "new" album (at the time)- Rocket. His set at Boston Calling was more erratic and after each song he would say things like-
"That was the 1st song. Here is Song #2, #3..."
"I promise it will get better..."
"These are all originals..."
To fully appreciate Alex G you have to understand where he's coming from. He began as the opening act for many hardcore bands and he would go out on stage and scream through his songs for the first 5 minutes or so, to gain the crowd. He is often mentioned by many indie rock bands as one of their favorite artists. He's toured withe many different artists and Boston Calling was a "big" stage for him. I think he did rather well, especially bantering with the crowd.
"That was the 1st song. Here is Song #2, #3..."
"I promise it will get better..."
"These are all originals..."
To fully appreciate Alex G you have to understand where he's coming from. He began as the opening act for many hardcore bands and he would go out on stage and scream through his songs for the first 5 minutes or so, to gain the crowd. He is often mentioned by many indie rock bands as one of their favorite artists. He's toured withe many different artists and Boston Calling was a "big" stage for him. I think he did rather well, especially bantering with the crowd.
The National were the band closing out the Red Stage, setting up for the headliners, The Killers. Natalie Portman came out as it was getting darker for the 8:00p set, perfect setting for The National. I had been waiting years to see The National (although I was bummed that Boston Calling was making me choose between them and another band I'd yet to see, Paramore). I was extremely happy with my choice, though, because The National put on one hell of a show, mixing enough of their older songs with their new album. One highlight, for sure, was when they brought out Maggie Rogers (who had played a bit earlier in the day) to sing parts on "I Need My Girl." They played pretty much everything I could've asked for.
- Most of the Time(Bob Dylan song)
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(with Maggie Rogers)
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As it became almost 9:30p, The Killers took the stage and surpassed any expectations I'd had for them. I remember "discovering" them when they were the featured "live" band at a club on the television show "The O.C." back in the early-00s from which they quickly exploded into a mainstream band with that very popular electro-rock-dance music of the time. They seemed to lead that charge with their great debut album led by the single "Mr. Brightside" and also had about 5 other hit songs. They put out a few more albums, but then sort of disappeared, or went on hiatus as the lead singer Brandon Flowers explored a solo career that definitely was not as popular/accepted as The Killers. They recently got back together and put out a fantastic album "Wonderful Wonderful" so seeing them headline the opening night of Boston Calling this year seemed appropriate. They're a band from Las Vegas and their show/set really accentuates that fact. It was flashy and very showy, but not in an annoying way. They even brought up a teenage kid from the audience to play drums during the middle of their set. Brandon Flowers made a point to sound humble and modest as well as he claimed that they were "doing their best up here" but really didn't need to say anything as their music was letting it speak for itself. I also loved the fact that they opened their set with "Mr. Brightside" which is arguably their most popular song and thus usually a band's go-to encore song.
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(guest drummer, Nick, from the crowd)
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(Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover) (with "Free Fallin'" outro)
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- Encore:
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Saturday was an incredible day for a wide variety of music, which started with the jazz-infused rock band Tauk, as they opened the day on the Blue stage with their instrumental, 30 minute set. I had not heard too much of their stuff beforehand, although I did check out one of their live albums and knew I wanted to see them. They had also played a very lengthy, headlining show at the beginning of May right in Boston that looks like it was an incredible show, especially with the brief introduction I got to them at Boston Calling. I could be inclined to see them in a stand-alone show.
I missed the end of Tauk's energized set because I wanted to see Lillie Mae (who is a country artist on Jack White's record label Third Man), and she was playing on the Green Stage. So, I walked over to catch her set and was extremely impressed. Aside from writing and singing, Mae also plays the violin and fiddle which she proudly showcased during her entire set, even ending her set with an extended instrumental cover of an old country tune. Her songs remind you of the old-time, original Appalachian-style type of country music, yet filled with a great new flair that Jack White has seemed to have his finger on the pulse of for a few years now. Her set was perfect for the early afternoon.
My sister and I found each other for the Belly set on the Red stage by mid-afternoon. Belly was a local Boston band from the early '90s that became very popular with their songs "Feed the Tree" and "Gepetto" but as quickly as they rose, having toured and garnered respect from the alternative bands of the same era, they fell apart with in-band fights that resulted in a split up and Tanya Donnelly went on to have a very lucrative solo career. As the band members got older, wiser, and less agitated with each other, they seemingly decided to reconcile their differences and got back together just last year for an incredible comeback album. My sister and I saw one of their first "comeback" shows last year and it seemed like they had not taken nearly 20 years off from being a band. At Boston Calling, it was sort of a homecoming for them and they played quite a few new songs, but also knew that the crowd standing around for them, under the extremely hot afternoon sun, probably wanted to hear their old stuff. They played a great set and I think won over the younger people in the crowd.
After Belly, Manchester Orchestra took the stage on the Green and proceeded to rock as loud as you could expect and want them to. Their set was a surprise of lots of older songs as they opted to only play 2 songs from last year's incredible album "A Black Mile..." (which was my favorite album of the year), which was totally understandable, because when you're playing a festival, you are usually trying to win over a crowd of people not necessarily their to see you, but yet you want to impress them enough that they become fans. And, if that didn't happen after this set for people, they don't deserve to be fans of Manchester Orchestra. I think the highlight for me, though, was hearing them blast through "Shake it Out" early into their set. They were so loud, especially during that song, that my buddy all the way over near the Blue stage heard them. They only played for about 40 minutes and I definitely could've listened for another 20 minutes, but unfortunately Saturdays bill was chalk-full of incredible bands, so they probably had to settle for a mid-afternoon set.
Back at the Red stage, the England-based rock band Royal Blood stole the day (and perhaps the festival) for me. Last year, Cage the Elephant was the surprise of the festival for me. This year, Royal Blood blew me away. I didn't exactly know what to expect from them, having listened to the albums and only knowing that they were handpicked by Queens of the Stone Age as the opener for their fall tour last year. They were absolutely amazing live. Consisting of just a bassist and drummer they play their version of blues/hard rock with such intensity that you literally feel tired after watching them perform, as well as checking to make sure your face has not melted off. The singer/bassist even potentially broke his foot mid-way through their set as he attempted to climb atop the drum kit but failed and fell while playing. He took a few tequila shots while the drummer proceeded to finish off a bottle of what looked like Maker's Mark and holy shit, they played drunk but never missed a note. They absolutely converted me into a fan, from their 50 minute set, which actually ended 10 minutes earlier than it was supposed to because the bassist was in too much pain from his fall. I met a few awesome people as we stood around waiting for Royal Blood to start, as well, which helped make the experience even better, as we chatted about all things music, career, life, et al.
- Get Down Tonight(KC and The Sunshine Band song)
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After Royal Blood's incredible and energetic set, I turned my attention to the Green stage where St. Vincent brought her art-rock presentation and music to the amped up crowd. I'd recently seen St. Vincent here in Portland for her "Fear the Future" tour in which she played solo to backing tracks of all instruments sans the guitar. Here, at Boston Calling, she was playing with a full band and reimagining her songs for a new tour which included festival stops like this one. She still had a visual presentation throughout the set, which accompanied many of the songs and added depth to her introspective lyrics. Her "new" material did not disappoint and was a good lead into Jack White's headlining set, following her an hour or so later. Her set relied heavily on songs from "MASSEDUCTION" but sounded incredible with her full band.
After St. Vincent, the band I'd been waiting for all day was closing out the Red Stage and definitely proved that they could've and perhaps should've been the headliner for the day took the stage- Queens of the Stone Age. Having missed their tour stop in Portland, due to a sell out almost immediately, I knew I wanted to see them and experience them as best as I could at Boston Calling, so I perched myself along the barrier earlier (for Royal Blood, actually, and never left the spot) as I had a nearly centered view of the stage. QOTSA absolutely tore it up as they blazed through 15 songs that focused on 5 albums (Villains, being the new one, and of course, Songs for the Deaf, which definitely brought them into the mainstream hard rock/alternative attention). Their new songs have a smooth and groovy, nearly classic rock, with a tinge of sexual-healing vibe to them which was evident as singer/guitarist Josh Homme swayed his hips as he played each song, definitely playing it up for the crowd, encouraging everyone to dance and have a great time.
Jack White was the headliner for Saturday night, closing out the incredible day with an interesting approach to his catalogue of songs that included his solo work (his very bizarre, twist-and-turn filled new album) as well as White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and the Dead Weather songs (all of which he has a hand in writing and producing so essentially he takes ownership). To say I was disappointed by his set would not be accurate, as I was happy to finally see him live, but I did not have any particular expectations and perhaps I should've expected a bizarre set, given his latest venture in songwriting for this new album (which was quite disappointing to me). I think it was more that I was riding a natural high from the rock bands that led up to Jack White and all the energy that was infused throughout the day, with the likes of Manchester Orchestra, Royal Blood, and of course, QOTSA. Jack White definitely played enough of everything that I left happy, though. It was interesting that he decidedly split his set into two parts, and that his encore was actually an entirely new, extended set and not just 1 or 2 songs, but of course he ended the night with "Seven Nation Army."
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The Dead Weather song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The Raconteurs song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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(The White Stripes song)
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Sunday was a bit dreary, weather-wise, but I was very excited to see some great indie rock, the day and festival being capped off with a performance by Eminem, the headliner of the entire festival, you could say.
The day started off with a quick set by Field Report, which is a band from Wisconsin and features members who had previously played in Bon Iver with Justin Vernon. It seemed like their sound system was having a difficult time throughout their set. Everything sounded a bit cracky through the speakers, but they played through it. They had a good sound/vibe for the beginning of the day.
The day started off with a quick set by Field Report, which is a band from Wisconsin and features members who had previously played in Bon Iver with Justin Vernon. It seemed like their sound system was having a difficult time throughout their set. Everything sounded a bit cracky through the speakers, but they played through it. They had a good sound/vibe for the beginning of the day.
I ended up leaving their set about 10 minutes early because I wanted to make sure that I saw Portland-local band Weakened Friends and they were playing on the Green stage, so it was a bit of a walk. I've seen Weakened Friends probably nearly a dozen times now, since "discovering" them a few years ago right here in Portland. They shredded and played a great set for a rather unappreciative crowd that was most likely there to see Eminem (much later in the evening), but had already claimed their spots. I loved them and I hope they gained a few more fans from their great set to a large crowd.
I ended up leaving their set a bit early, as well, because today (and most times at a festival) it is all about set times, especially if you are hoping to catch everyone you want to see, although you definitely have to make a few sacrifices along the way (re: Paramore for The National, Friday night; and then, Alvvays for Dirty Projectors). Zola Jesus was great, but she seemed to be getting frustrated with the stage setup, as she complained about the length of her mic cord and the big space between the stage and the crowd (she referred to it as a "moat"). She played her set with programmed beats that she'd created as well as a live violinist and a guitarist. She danced erratically throughout her set and really showcased her opera-trained voice.
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- (Unknown)
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Next up on the Blue stage was Julien Baker. I had been dying to see her again since a couple of years ago I saw her open for Frightened Rabbit at Port City Music Hall here in Portland. Her quiet songs were slightly difficult to hear, but she played an incredible set while remaining humble and modest that people had actually gathered to see her play these quiet songs. The rain was also starting to slowly pick up and become steadier as she played her cumbersome and depressing songs. It seemed perfect for the atmosphere and I was brought to (small) tears during quite a few of her songs. Hers was a cathartic set, for me, at least. It was amazing that this small, otherwise quiet girl of only 22 years old commanded the large stage and crowd by herself, accompanied by a violinist/friend on a couple of songs. She certainly proved herself worthy of the large stage and festival atmosphere.
The sun was going down right as Fleet Foxes took the Blue stage, ready to close it out before the mad mad rush to the Green stage for Eminem's festival closing set around 9:20p. Fleet Foxes was ready to play for slightly over an hour and I absolutely loved how their sound meshed so well with the evening coming in, the steady drizzle of rain and the lush sound of their songs playing as the soundtrack to my weekend of music. I saw them last year right here in Portland at another outdoor venue, Thompson's Point, so I knew what I was getting with their set and they did not disappoint, each song sort of blending into the next one with the band rarely stopping to talk in between, which added to their set working perfectly. I left before their encore, though.
And then, the night/festival ended with something I'd been waiting over 18 years for- Eminem. He had not played Boston since 2003 and he brought everything with him, old songs and new songs, favorites and deep cuts. He even brought his own label's artist, Skylar Grey to sing a few of the choruses from his songs "Walk on Water," "Stand," and "Love the Way You Lie" in place of Beyonce, Dido, and Rihanna, respectively. He even brought out Royce Da 5'9" to rap with him on a few tracks. The one thing I noticed, perhaps because Eminem had a lot of ground to cover for the time lapse between his last time playing Boston and all the albums he's put out since then, or perhaps I'm just not in tune with hip hop/rap concerts, but Eminem played either about 1-2 verses and the chorus from his songs or about 2-3 minutes of each song, perfectly blending them one after another into each other. There were a few stops throughout his set as Eminem sauntered off stage and his "hype man" kept the crowd in it with questions and shout-outs. Overall, I was extremely impressed with Eminem set and heard just about everything I wanted to hear from him, having never had the chance to see him live. My favorite songs of his have always been when his vocals sound angry and he certainly brought those songs, but perhaps the highlight for me was seeing his skill as a rapper through the song "Rap God."
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(with "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want " interlude)
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(with "Blackleg Miner" interlude)
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(with "Dracula's Daughter " interlude)
The sun was going down right as Fleet Foxes took the Blue stage, ready to close it out before the mad mad rush to the Green stage for Eminem's festival closing set around 9:20p. Fleet Foxes was ready to play for slightly over an hour and I absolutely loved how their sound meshed so well with the evening coming in, the steady drizzle of rain and the lush sound of their songs playing as the soundtrack to my weekend of music. I saw them last year right here in Portland at another outdoor venue, Thompson's Point, so I knew what I was getting with their set and they did not disappoint, each song sort of blending into the next one with the band rarely stopping to talk in between, which added to their set working perfectly. I left before their encore, though.
And then, the night/festival ended with something I'd been waiting over 18 years for- Eminem. He had not played Boston since 2003 and he brought everything with him, old songs and new songs, favorites and deep cuts. He even brought his own label's artist, Skylar Grey to sing a few of the choruses from his songs "Walk on Water," "Stand," and "Love the Way You Lie" in place of Beyonce, Dido, and Rihanna, respectively. He even brought out Royce Da 5'9" to rap with him on a few tracks. The one thing I noticed, perhaps because Eminem had a lot of ground to cover for the time lapse between his last time playing Boston and all the albums he's put out since then, or perhaps I'm just not in tune with hip hop/rap concerts, but Eminem played either about 1-2 verses and the chorus from his songs or about 2-3 minutes of each song, perfectly blending them one after another into each other. There were a few stops throughout his set as Eminem sauntered off stage and his "hype man" kept the crowd in it with questions and shout-outs. Overall, I was extremely impressed with Eminem set and heard just about everything I wanted to hear from him, having never had the chance to see him live. My favorite songs of his have always been when his vocals sound angry and he certainly brought those songs, but perhaps the highlight for me was seeing his skill as a rapper through the song "Rap God."
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(Dr. Dre cover)
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(Drake cover)
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(with Skylar Grey)
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(with Skylar Grey)
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(with Skylar Grey)
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(Bad Meets Evil song) (with Royce da 5′9″)
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