Rainbow Kitten Surprise (RKS) has graced Boston stages several times over the last three years, and as a frequently touring band, they’ve developed a reputation for their jaw-dropping capabilities while performing live. On March 6th, the band returned to MGM Music Hall for The Bones Tour. Not only are Ela and the rest of RKS incredibly talented performers, but their chemistry as a band is what shines the most onstage. RKS enjoys nothing more than being with each other and the fans, performing their raw, emotive tracks as an act of collective catharsis. RKS fans are notorious for their dedication and enthusiasm at shows. When the level of commitment and emotion brought to a show is equivalent between the band and their fans, the result is pure magic, and that’s what one experiences at an RKS show. RKS also makes a point of performing tracks from across the eras of their vast discography. Although they performed many songs from their newest album, Bones, to the fans’ excitement, they also performed several beloved favorites like “Painkillers,” “First Class,” “Hide,” “Cocaine Jesus,” and “It’s Called: Freefall.” The last few years have been a transitional period for the band: changes in membership, a hiatus, and genre experimentation. But, as always, they left it all out on the stage for their Boston fans.
Check out all of Hannah’s photos from the show below.
On February 28th, TD Garden exploded in shrieks and cheers as the arena lights dimmed: The Wishbone Word Tour in Boston was about to begin. Children accompanied by friends and their parents grabbed onto each other, already bursting into tears at the idea that their favorite artist was about to be right in front of them. Teens and 20-somethings hurriedly shut down their digital cameras after finishing taking photos of each other in their elaborate, album-inspired outfits and homemade costumes. Even the older part of the crowd rushed to get out their phones to film the highly anticipated opening. Finally, Conan Gray emerged onstage. He rode out on a bicycle, waving and tipping his sailor hat at the sold-out crowd, beginning the show with the upbeat fan-favorite “My World” from his newest album Wishbone.
Following the release of his latest album, Gray performed a slew of shows he called “pajama parties” in major cities before announcing The Wishbone World Tour, his first-ever arena tour. Although the tour had only recently begun, it ran like a well-oiled machine once it landed in Boston. The show is broken down into three main “acts” based on various song groupings from Gray’s discography, each with accompanying sets and costumes. In between Acts I and II, Gray performs an acoustic “surprise song” in the show’s “campfire session” portion, surrounded by a campfire-like set at one end of the wishbone-shaped stage. Gray chooses a song close to his heart or related to the city in which he’s performing. In Boston, Gray chose “Movies,” a track from his sophomore album, Superache, because of his love for the film Good Will Hunting and its ties to Boston.
Changing from glittery PJs into a pirate-inspired look, Gray later performs a new song, “The Best.” By the time he’d reached Boston, fans had already learned all the words. Gray also engaged directly with a fan during the “breaking of the wishbone” section of the show. Chosen for his elaborate DIY Superache themed costume and intense enthusiasm at the barricade, Gray and the fan who introduced themself as River broke a real wishbone, with the incentive that whoever got the longer side would get to choose between two songs for Gray to perform next. Naturally, River won the contest and got to decide between “The Exit” from Superache and “Sunset Tower” from Wishbone, and they chose the latter. Gray even incorporated their name in the song’s lyrics while performing. Some other notable moments during the show included the chaos from the audience that ensued when fans realized that Gray was performing his first hit song from his first album Kid Krow, “Heather.” Just at the sound of the opening notes, the crowd went nuts. Also, when Gray performed the heartwrenching track “Family Line” from Superache, the entire crowd sang along with Gray, supporting him through the incredibly emotional performance. Fans also brought their full enthusiasm for “Maniac” and “Memories” as the show closed out.
Check out all of Hannah’s photos from the show below.
Beartooth performing at TD Garden on March 11, 2026. Photo by Greg Wong.
On the rainy evening of March 11th, Beartooth brought their power-packed brand of metalcore to Boston’s TD Garden. Opening for Bad Omens on their Do You Feel Love tour, Beartooth commanded the sold-out arena crowd with an electrifying set.
Although restricted by the limited time of their slot between the first opener, President and headliner, Bad Omens, Beartooth offered a satisfying cross-section of their catalog across 11 songs. Their recent studio album The Surface accounted for half of the setlist, and the remainder was a balanced representation of songs from three of their four other LPs, Disgusting, Disease, and Below. Most notable, however, was the addition of their brand-new single “Free,” one of a scant few releases since The Surface dropped in 2023.
Beartooth were at home on the arena stage as they charged through their opening set. Frontman Caleb Shomo capitalized on the enthusiastic feedback he received from the packed arena crowd, channeling the raw energy back into his performance. At the end of their roughly 40-minute set, Shomo lingered on stage as the crowd applauded. Basking in the noise, it seemed that only after Beartooth’s bombastic set wound down did he stop to fully appreciate their success.
March 13, 2026. Quarters perform at Royale Boston. Photo by Cam Cavagnaro
Changing your band name is always an interesting way to shake things up, for better or worse; Without name changes, we wouldn’t have Dinosaur Jr., Blink-182, or the Cure. New York-based rock trio, Quarters just released their third studio album, I Hope This Isn’t The End Of The World —the first release under their shortened moniker. Quarters played their inaugural show at Royale in Boston to debut their new LP and kick off their five-week North American tour.
Originally formed as Quarters of Change, the group made some slight personnel changes and came out more refined than ever. Admittedly, it is a bold move to release an album on the first day of a tour, especially when it starts outside of your home state, but Quarters rolled the dice and were met with an amazing turnout. The show featured local legends, Paper Lady and tour mates, Porchlight, which introduced some welcome diversity to the stage and crowd. Each opener catered to the different parts of the Quarters’ sound—Paper Lady fitting with the darker, moodier crowd, and Porchlight brightening the ambience and picking up the pace.
Quarters took the stage with “EZ,” one of the more progressive and atmospheric songs on the new album. Since stripping down to one lead guitarist, it was clear that Jasper Harris had been shaking off the rust and putting his best foot forward for the tour. Nearly every song featured some extra embellishments from Harris that really set the band apart from the others. All three permanent members have cut their teeth on tour and it’s clear they each spent time practicing their showmanship along with their performances. Singer Ben Roter appeared livelier and more confident than ever, interacting with the crowd frequently and using all of the stage for dynamic and theatric effect. Drummer Attila Anrather used every piece of his (massive) drumkit to make the songs pop a little more, which was aided by the stage lights installed inside the drums and the riser.
The set featured over half of the new album, which was surprising given the 14-song tracklist, along with noted classics “Kiwi” and “T Love,” from their 2021 breakout record, Into the Rift. It was nice to see the band mix up the set a little bit, while still showing their high level of confidence in the new songs.
Quarters have just started their tour across North America, so make sure to catch them while you can. Check out their new album, I Hope This Isn’t The End Of The World.
March 13, 2026. Dropkick Murphy (and fan) onstage at MGM Music Hall. Photo by Wendy Schiller
Punk rock is there for people who need it the most. It forges friendship and community in often unlikely places, across generations. That’s probably why the Dropkick Murphys’ annual St. Patty’s Day weekend residency at MGM Music Hall feels like Sunday dinner. Many people in the crowd make it a tradition to go year after year, bringing their parents and their children, and it’s obvious why. The band and their fans have been going strong together for 30 years now, and this weekend felt like quite a victory lap.
The supporting lineup to the weekend is often a mix of beloved hometown heroes and bands with cult followings, and this year was no different. Friday night featured the Vigilantes, who are based out of Watertown, and fronted by none other than Dropkick’s own Jeff DaRosa. They were followed by Haywire, a breakout Allston hardcore group that just released a collaboration with the Murphys titled New England Forever. Ken Casey frothed up the crowd by popping out in the middle of their set to sing with Austin Sparkman on their lead single by the same name. Young fans crowdsurfed in a constant stream, aided by patient members of security for a soft landing. Closing out the support was Showcase Showdown, a beloved punk outfit that hasn’t played since 1998. Years off the stage didn’t stop the crowd from singing along the whole time.
Once Dropkick took the stage, the room got downright emotional. They played all of their usual hits like “the State of Massachusetts” and “I’m Shipping up to Boston” but mixed in a few pro-labor and protest songs old and new, including “Which Side are You On” a track originally popularized by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and “Citizen I.C.E.”, a riff on 2005’s “Citizen C.I.A.”, also released this winter. The world feels more hopeful in the midst of this music. We are all so much stronger together. May they keep playing for 30 more years.
Check out Wendy’s photo from the Friday show below.
“It’s Friday the 13th,” Grace Givertz reminds us between songs while she tries to address some unplanned audio issues in the middle of her album release show last Friday. “Who cursed me?” She’s funny enough between songs that she could make a decent career out of stand-up comedy if she hadn’t chosen music instead. The performance, marking the release of her second album “Midnight Feature,” has four the singer thus far distracted by an issue with her banjo and the Capitol Theater’s sound system, which can’t seem to put aside their differences to give Grace her flowers. Mercury in gatorade strikes again.
This isn’t an ideal scenario for a singer releasing her first album in seven years, after medical necessity temporarily forced her out of singing. In fact, knowing that, it would probably mean a lot if their big “I’M BACK” moment could just go a little more smoothly. But one hallmark of a good performer is the ability to roll with these unexpected hiccups and keep going. At one point, Grace is ready to go fully unplugged. She’s got a strong enough voice that the Capitol’s acoustics can carry her.
But she and her band keep going. While the crowd offers laughs in response to her banter, it’s hush when she starts her songs. To wrap things up, Grace moves from the stage to the theater’s balcony, where the night’s guests of honor – Grace’s parents, who have made the trip from Florida – are sitting. They get front row seats to the final song of the night. As Grace receives a standing ovation from the audience below, her father hands her a bouquet of flowers.
And scene.
Check out all of Harry’s photos from the show below.
Cambridge folk stalwarts Phil and the Flying Leap return right on time for the change of season with “Spring Again,” their first new song in five years.
Singer-songwriter Phil Berman pairs a Bacchic vocal with a loping, fingerpicked acoustic guitar. Behind him, handheld percussion courtesy of Fabio Pirozollo gives the track a beat you can frolic around a maypole to. A string section made up of violinists Rachel Panitch and Rachel Jayson and cellist Valerie Thompson spring up behind them like a fresh crop of crocuses.
“My husband reminded me that ‘it will be spring again,’ and I was hit with this deep yearning for change. In that moment, I felt more than just a preference for sunnier weather, but a deeper need for inevitable renewal and change,” Berman said.
Cat Power AKA Chan Marshall – Photo by Inez & VinoodhRoadrunner was filled with a distinctly Gen X and Millennial crowd on the evening of March 4th. The marquee event was a special evening with Cat Power, celebrating the 20th anniversary of her acclaimed 7th studio album The Greatest.
There was no opener. Cat Power, also known as Chan Marshall, walked onto a barely-lit, minimally furnished stage with her band and got straight to the point. She began with the titular track for The Greatest and performed the entire album front to back, in order. Two decades on from the album’s release, however, Marshall opted for some changes that might have surprised anyone expecting a simple rehash show. Her soulfully husky vocals were unquestionably the highlight of the live performance, but her band elevated the experience as they played reworked versions of the classic tracks.
One particularly notable change was the new rendition of “Hate” that departed from the unembellished, melancholic album version in favor of a groovier, fleshed-out, bass-driven affair. Another obvious change was the autotuned reinterpretation of “The Moon” that started quietly and slowly built to a robust crescendo. Marshall and her band concluded their retread of The Greatest with a slightly funkier edition of closing song “Love & Communication” before continuing for several more cuts from other albums. Besides her own writing, represented by “I Don’t Blame You,“ “Manhattan,” and “Good Woman,” the final segment of the set prominently featured covers of James Brown, Kitty Wells, and Prince.
While bantering with the crowd, Marshall recalled her early gigs in Massachusetts and gave a fond shout-out to The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge and its co-owner Joseph Sater. She was visibly shocked when several members of the audience yelled out to let her know that Sater had died less than two days prior. After taking a moment to absorb the news, Marshall dedicated a heartfelt cover of “I’ll Be Seeing You” to Sater.
Cat Power’s performance of The Greatest was a testament to the enduring appeal of her landmark album, but more than that, it was a demonstration of the growth that Chan Marshall has undergone in the 20 years since its release. She seemed delighted to be on stage, locked in and performing a solid show. The refined artistry displayed at Roadrunner might have seemed unheard of in the messier days of Cat Power in 2006. Marshall herself seemed surprised, commenting “Who knew I’d be alive… who knew I’d have fun singing these songs?” Still the most concise statement was the very first one that Chan Marshall made when she walked on stage: “20 Years later and we’re still here!”
Kerrin Connolly headlines The Burren. February 21, 2026. Photo by Greg Wong
On Saturday February 21st, Boston’s own Kerrin Connolly performed at The Burren’s back room. The release show for Connolly’s brand new album Simpleton saw the live debut of the songs to a highly receptive audience.
The evening began with an opening performance from Celtic folk artist Madóc, who had attracted a sizable audience of her own to the concert. She rounded out her set with a duet cover of The Cranberries’ “Dreams” with her mother.
Madóc performs a duet with her mother at The Burren. February 21, 2026. Photo by Greg Wong
During her headline set, Kerrin Connolly noted that her last time playing The Burren’s back room stage was 6 years ago. She later added that she doesn’t perform very often at all, joking “it’s kind of like a once in a year thing because… I don’t do it for fun. I hate it!” Yet despite such claims, she delivered an incredible show that won the crowd over handily. The evening’s performance also featured a brief accompaniment from Ellis Piper, who brought the flair of her viola to the show.
Kerrin Connolly accompanied by Ellis Piper at The Burren. February 21, 2026. Photo by Greg Wong
Connolly charmed the crowd with her dry banter, and concluded the show with theatre-kid energy during the unrepentantly 80s-inspired power ballad “Simple,” a counter to her self-consciousness about being alone on stage. That song choice epitomized an admirable trend to Kerrin Connolly’s artistry: identify an insecurity and lean into it like nobody’s watching. The whoops and hollers that came in reply suggested otherwise, but in the best possible way.
March 8, 2026. Grace Givertz enjoys popcorn and Sour Patch Kids when she goes to the movies, here at the Kendall Landmark Theater. Sinners is her personal Best Picture winner. Photo by Harry Gustafson.
When I call Grace Givertz, I catch the folk singer as she’s on her way to the post office to ship out pre-ordered vinyl copies of her new album, Midnight Feature. Almost immediately, she starts explaining USPS’ Media Mail program, which discounts shipping rates on books, film, manuscripts, and recorded music. These are the things you learn after almost 10 years in the indie distribution game.
It’s an unseasonably warm March day and her spirits seem high; Midnight Feature has sold enough pre-orders that Givertz needs a wheeled cart just to lug them all to the Brookline USPS. As she passes Village Vinyl on Harvard, she notices a poster for her upcoming album release show in the window. She was planning to ask if she could leave one in the shop, but someone beat her to it. She sighs, delighted.
Midnight Feature is Givertz’s second album and first since 2019’s Year of the Horse. It’s a bitter record by the singer’s own admission, a reflection of the tumultuous period in her life when it was written.
In 2017, Givertz was hit by an MBTA bus, an accident that necessitated shoulder surgery. “Apparently when you’re in the bus/bike lane, the bus has the right of way,” she deadpanned. Shoulder surgery left her unable to play guitar or banjo but she was still able to sing undeterred.
That was until temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, stemming from both the accident and a latent case of rheumatoid arthritis, made it impossible for her to sing and forced her into a period of musical hibernation. “Singing is something that has never made me feel sick, and having that taken away from me for almost a year while my jaw deteriorated was devastating,” she said. TMJ discopexy, a minimally invasive jaw surgery, followed in 2019 and has led to a (nearly) full recovery.
Though the music on Midnight Feature carries the weight and pain of several hard-fought years, Givertz no longer identifies with the person who wrote these songs three years ago. “I know it’s my story, but a lot of it feels like I’m retelling a story that didn’t happen to me. And maybe that’s just me dissociating. But you know what? Make it healthy.” She credits her boyfriend, pets (a cat, a dog, several lizards), and a close circle of friends for her newfound positive outlook.
For the Midnight Feature recording sessions, Givertz only collaborated with musicians and technicians that were BIPOC, disabled, or queer. If you think this narrowed her talent pool considerably, she’d urge you to reconsider. “You just have to look outside of the 5 white dudes playing guitar in front of you to realize that there are other people playing the same music and playing it just as well.” In fact, the Midnight Feature band is one of the largest ensembles the folk artist has ever assembled: ten players encompassing fiddle, horns, and drums. Most of the band she used in the recording sessions will return for the album release show at Capitol Theater.
Midnight Feature also includes the first featured vocalists in the Grace Givertz canon. Closing track “America” gives Providence-based folk artist Jake Blount, someone Givertz considers a mentor and a scholar of the Black roots of folk music, a turn on the mic. In his verse, he laments the deep-rooted racism of the country and doubts its ability to ever fully accept Black people as equals. Folk songs about America are almost as old as America herself and Givertz’s take on the traditional form doesn’t pull any punches.
After leaving the post office, I asked Givertz about America. Is there any hope there? “I have hope in my community, and there’s a really cute baby dog I’m walking by and I have hope in that.” She runs down a list of ills facing the nation and the nation’s role in many of the world’s ills. Amidst it all she lists the individual struggles—breakups, bad Hinge dates—that color our world and, mid-sentence, is catcalled by a passing man as if the world itself is proving her point for her. Givertz powers through the unpleasantness. Then, to the now-passed catcaller she offers, “Unless you want to give me $5,000 you can fuck right off.”
