Photo Courtesy of Boston Calling
Boston Calling touches down in Lower Allston yet again this Memorial Day weekend for another fun-filled three days of music across the entire spectrum of genre. While we’ll have plenty to say about the attractions and brand activations, food and drink, and everything else the festival has to offer while we’re on the ground covering (seriously, go follow us on Instagram if you aren’t already to get a bird’s eye view), Allston Pudding is after all, a music publication. So with that said, here’s a handful of our picks for acts to catch throughout the three days if you’re heading out to Harvard Stadium along with us.
FRIDAY: Alisa Amador @ Red Stage (1:45-2:5)
Last year’s NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner and Boston native Alisa Amador kicks off the fest this year at the Red Stage with her brand of cozy, jazz-inflected indie pop. Amador sings in both English and Spanish and often writes from the perspective of the unique split that comes from being multi-cultural. Her 2021 EP Narratives is equally split, toggling between snappy uptempo groovers and more introspective, folkier bits of singer/songwriter exploration. Expect some expert playing and plenty of swaying early on Friday afternoon. Alisa also plays a sold out Paradise Rock Club tonight in support of Boston Calling alumni Hozier.
FRIDAY: Celisse @ Red Stage (3-3:50)
Celisse drew the unfortunate hand at Boston Calling 2022 of having her set cut short due to storms. The black cloud seemed to form directly over the stage before chasing her and her band offstage early. Luckily, she’s getting a second try, and her gorgeous voice and inspired mix of blues, R&B and patient rock are surely going to rope in new fans (just as she did with us, last year). Celisse doesn’t have much of an online presence, with few songs on streaming and little released in the past couple years, so hopefully her set on Friday afternoon will be a kickstart into a fruitful period for her.
FRIDAY: The National @ Green Stage (5:55-6:55)
After a few years away, the BC co-curators are returning to center stage on Friday. If you’re a National fan, you should know what to expect – a decades-spanning collection of metrical and melancholic indie songs with some occasional bangers thrown in. The band is celebrating the recent album First Two Pages of Frankenstein, so expect a set with at least a few new songs thrown in. But don’t surprised to hear some classic like “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness,” “Mr. November” and “Fake Empire” added in too. Regardless, it will be a welcome return for a day 1 Boston Calling group.
FRIDAY: Foo Fighters @ Green Stage (8:40-10:45)
Keen music heads may already be aware of Friday night’s headliner, a band called “The Foo Fighters.” All jokes aside, this will be an important and emotional set for the legendary rock group. After a tune-up gig in Gilford on Wednesday, this will be the Foo’s second show with Josh Freese as an official drummer. Freese takes over for the dearly departed Taylor Hawkins, and although the Foo’s will never be the same without him, the band has a newfound energy. The Foo’s were supposed to headline Calling all the way back in 2020, before two straight years of COVID and the passing of Hawkins saw them have to postpone. While the band is releasing a new album just days after the festival, we can expect a set full of rollicking classics and radio hits, with touching tributes as well.
SATURDAY: Neemz @ Red Stage (1:45-2:15)
An early afternoon set on the Red Stage from Boston rapper/singer/model/visual artist Neemz will definitely get you in the right mood for another full day of tunes. On top of recent look work with beloved local streetwear collective Bodega, Neemz has been slowly dripping out new tracks like “Expansion” and “Gazing” that blend her flair for futuristic production with incisive lyricism that takes aim at the trappings of fame and notoriety while expressing solidarity with those fighting for justice in their communities. This will be some kind of homecoming for Neemz, be there to witness something special.
SATURDAY: Actor Observer @ Orange Stage (5:20-5:50)
Local metal legends Actor Observer take the Orange stage over on Saturday afternoon, surely bringing cuts from their recent excellent album Songs For the Newly Reclusive. There is little metal representation at the festival this year, and only a moderate amount of local flavor – so we highly recommend showing up to support one of the best metal bands the city has to offer. They will be bringing one of the heaviest sets of the weekend, coupling crushing riffs and pained vocals with open and emotional lyrics. If you’re only gonna scream at one set, make it this one.
SATURDAY: Noah Kahan @ Green Stage (6:05-7:05)
Singer/songwriter Noah Kahan is a true blue New England success story. The Vermont native now calls the Greater Boston area home, making his Boston Calling debut as a local. His 2022 album Stick Season is set firmly in the Green Mountain State though, and you can practically smell the maple syrup when you put it on. His Saturday evening set on the Green Stage will be a sing-along session to tracks like “Homesick” for sure, and a nice primer for the rest of the evening.
SATURDAY: Alanis Morissette @ Red Stage (7:15-8:45)
We shouldn’t need to tell you to go see Alanis Morrissette. She’ll likely deliver a set of classics, recent tunes and some deep cuts (Jagged Little Pill or otherwise). Alanis is one of the veteran acts of the festival, and she’ll be domineering the Red stage on Saturday night, ahead of headliners The Lumineers. With the focus on Foo Fighters, it’s easy to forget that Taylor Hawkins also drummed for Alanis, and with nothing on the Foo Fighters schedule for Saturday, one has to wonder if there will be a tribute of some sort. Regardless, for those who aren’t seeing the double-booked Flaming Lips set, there will be a celebration of a storied career.
SUNDAY: The Linda Lindas @ Red Stage (3-3:50)
Things have moved pretty quickly for LA-based teenaged punks The Linda Lindas. After a fire-y performance in their local library set the internet ablaze back in 2021, the quartet set about becoming a touring and recording concern to great fanfare. With a sound indebted to feminist punk of yore, but a POV squarely in 2023, The Linda Lindas take aim at sexism, racism, and all the ills of the world with a power and fury that’s palpable to say the least. That they are young women not even out of high school is besides the point, there’s plenty to be pissed off at any age. Come to the Red Stage Saturday afternoon ready to let off some steam.
SUNDAY: 070 Shake @ Green Stage (4-4:55)
070 Shake has come a long way since the 070 collective days. 2022 saw the release of her great sophomore solo album You Can’t Kill Me, which further develops her signature hypnotic sound. She has a natural ability to blend rap and pop into a dreamy R&B mixture, one that should translate incredibly well to a festival stage. Sunday afternoon is stacked, but 070 Shake promises to be a standout when she takes the Green stage at 4. Her atmospheric tracks – from early hits like “Glitter” to the recent “Skin and Bones” – should look and sound marvelous coupled with the fading sun of a Sunday.
SUNDAY: Genesis Owusu @ Blue Stage (5:05-5:50)
The genre-defying rapper/singer/rocker Genesis Owusu will be commandeering the Blue stage on Sunday, ahead of his sophomore album Struggler (out in August). Owusu isn’t afraid to get boisterous, sultry and loud, and his intensely unique blend of hip-hop, R&B and punk is going to set the stage ablaze. This could be a true festival-stealing performance for the ages, we cannot recommend your participation more highly. Check out his recent singles “Get Inspired” and “Leaving the Light” for the full spectrum of his sound – and imagine both songs playing out on stage to a rowdy crowd.
SUNDAY: Maren Morris @ Green Stage (6:15-7:15)
While known to some as the crystalline voice on big room dance hit hooks from Zedd, Maren Morris’ solo material leans far more into her Americana roots. Having written songs with certified country legends like Tim McGraw, Morris has a very legit country resume, and an ever-growing catalogue of modernized twang to pull from when she takes the Green Stage on Sunday evening. Her smash hits like “The Bones” and “My Church” pull as much from classic Nashville as they do R&B, making for a set that could pull in any kind of music listener.
SUNDAY: King Gizzard @ Blue Stage (8:30-10)
The Aussie every-genre rockers were another casualty of the 2022 festival, with their set cancelled by the cruel one-two punch of Mother Nature and COVID tests. To make up for it, they’ve been given a primetime slot on Sunday, with a set longer than the waylaid one last year. Their performance also comes on the heels of the announcement that their upcoming 24th studio album (!) will be a thrash metal release, so expect to hear some ripping cuts from fan favorite Infest the Rat’s Nest. Then again, their sets are completely unpredictable, so maybe they’ll jam on “The Dripping Tap” for 80 minutes, who knows. Either way, this will be a set for the ages.