PHOTOS: Boston En Masse Storms ONCE Ballroom (4/29)

By Harry Gustafson

Photos by Sarah Wilson

Lina Tullgren performs at Boston En Masse

The third iteration of the Boston En Masse festival, put on by Illegally Blind, made for a great Saturday night. Held in the ballroom of ONCE Somerville, the show featured an array of local talents that spanned genres. Because of the mix of different genres, it was a great opportunity for attendees to see one of their favorite acts followed by someone they’d never heard before. Split between two stages, each act was able to get started right after the other, so there wasn’t any time wasted setting up between sets. It was all tunes.

With a wide slice of local genres on display, the sonic changes between each act could be dynamic and at time drastic. Those who found themselves vibing to the washed-out hip-hop and R&B of Haasan Barclay, for instance, might not have been ready for the avant-punk experimentalism and intensity of subsequent act Birthing Hips (though if these audience members waited it out, they’d find the fierce groove in BH’s heavy attack). But it was moments such as this – those that showcased the dynamic sounds of Boston’s musical community – that gave Boston En masse its character and made it an event to remember. 

Here’s to hoping Illegally Blind keeps this event going for a fourth year and more! Here’s some cool pics of the performers, taken by Sarah Wilson: