In order to get you jacked up for another weekend of the bi-annual hometown music festival, we’re running artist-by-artist previews for each day this week in preparation for the fifth edition of Boston Calling taking place once again this coming Memorial Day weekend at City Hall Plaza.

Day 1: Friday: SHARON, TAME & BECK

SHARON VAN ETTEN:

WHAT TIME IS/ARE HE/SHE/THEY ON:
6:30 P.M.

WHERE:
JetBlue Stage (formally known as the Blue Stage)

SIMPLIFIED GENRE:
Folk, Rock

THE FIRST THING I THINK OF WHEN I THINK OF THIS ARTIST:
Lana Del Rey and a bevy of other melancholic singers. It seems that most of her songs fall along the same thematic strand of the sad girl whose been oppressed. As much as “Taking Chances,” and “Every Time the Sun Comes Up” grabbed me when they first came out, they got tired quickly.

MOST INTERESTING ONLINE TIDBIT:
Via Wikipedia

“Van Etten saved up enough money to move to Brooklyn in 2005, where she was encouraged by Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio to pursue a career in music.”
And…
“Her third studio album Tramp was produced by The National’s Aaron Dressner”

She’s got friends in the biz and they’re here too!

THOUGHTS:
This is a coffeeshop act gone big. She can quiet barrooms, living rooms, and even grassy daytime folk festival sets with her intimate songs and broodingly delicate voice, but booking her right before Tame Impala is going to make it difficult for her to grab anyone’s attention in downtown Boston. I’m hoping she’ll surprise me. I’m praying she’ll surprise me. I’m just not that confident she will be able to contain my excitement for what the rest of the night potentially holds.

ESSENTIAL TRACK:
Her newest release “Remembering Mountains,”is  a cover track from a compilation she recently contributed to made up of lyrics written by obscure and famed folk singer Karen Dalton. Its a beautiful song I would love to hear at just about any other time except for right before a Tame Impala set. So in lieu, I hope she sticks to stuff that can hopefully gets some heads bobbing, like this live cut of “Serpent” from last years Pitchfork festival.

FESTIVAL PREDICTIONS:
A small group of diehard Van Ettenheads gathers around the stage and give anyone who tries to talk during her set dirty looks. A guest appearance by Torres, or the Nationals’ Dressner (who is a newly added festival curator). Van Etten appears to be overwhelmed by the sunset and overall setting of where she is at currently and ponders how her life has ended up here overall. She is “sincerely, so grateful for all your support.”

TAME IMPALA:

WHAT TIME IS HE/SHE/THEY ON:
7:45

WHERE:
JetBlue Stage (Only one stage used for Friday night?)

SIMPLIFIED GENRE:
Pysch-Prog Rock

THE FIRST THING I THINK OF WHEN I THINK OF THIS ARTIST(S):
Old Windows screen savers, circa 95-99. Also the ones that came up on your windows media player as you played your stolen Napster songs. I was mesmerized by these screen savers and how they seemed to fit perfectly with the all Grateful Dead and Phish jams I was listening to at the time. Tame Impala has that same “tune in, drop out” kind of vibe, only modernized.

MOST INTERESTING ONLINE TIDBIT:
Tame Impala’s leading man Kevin Parker said this about their soon to be released new record Currents; “I’m gonna try to make it a bit more minimal this time; only use what’s needed … instead of a supreme pizza, where you just throw everything on.”

Tame Impala pizza sounds good. I’m gonna eat that pizza right up.

THOUGHTS:
This is quite possibly the most exciting set of the weekend, because it is equally quite possibly the most exciting band in the world right now. If you bought a ticket for Friday night, you most likely bought it to see Tame Impala. When “Let it Happen,” was released this past winter we knew Tame Impala was headed in a new, different and very exciting direction. Four tracks later, the hype keeps growing.  These dudes are primed to be a “must see” festival headliner all summer and we’re lucky to have scored them at the beginning when the new songs are still buzzing.

ESSENTIAL TRACK:
“Eventually,” and only because “Let it happen” is a little too overplayed right now on every satellite radio station I have on my presets. Instead of the progressive electronica track, “Eventually” has a bit of a gangster rap sway that will certainly have people breaking out their fancy pens and what not.

FESTIVAL PREDICTIONS:
Tame Impala will slay. That is all.

BECK:

WHAT TIME IS/ARE HE/SHE/THEY ON:
9:15

WHERE:
Jetblue Stage (if they are indeed only using one stage for Friday night that gives you about 20-25 minutes to pee and maybe hit up a food truck)

SIMPLIFIED GENRE:
BECK, nuff sed.

THE FIRST THING I THINK OF WHEN I THINK OF THIS ARTIST:
Scientology. After seeing “Going Clear” I officially think all scientologists are complete wackos. Mr. Hansen is a devote scientologist but I’ve looked up to him as an inspiration for so many years. Now I’m just confused. Also, this great late night TV Appearance he recently was on the James Corden show. Check out the reaction of the super-fan housemate when Beck arrives. This sums up Becks fanbase, you’re either super passionate about him, or you don’t care. Chances are if you’re the super passionate kind, you own all of his material on vinyl, you’re between the ages of 28-40, and still have roommates. You’re a loser baby, but you’re not ready to be killed.

MOST INTERESTING ONLINE TIDBIT:
So many tidbits to choose from but I’ll go with this via wikipedia, “In 2014, Beck collaborated with Sia for the song “Moonquake Lake”, which is featured in the soundtrack for the 2014 Annie.

Beck and Sia? How come I haven’t heard this? Oh ya, I didn’t see Annie, and nobody else did either.

THOUGHTS:
What a treat to get to see Beck somewhat fresh off of his Grammy wins. Will he play my favorite song “Nicotine and Gravy?” Probably not. Will I yell “Nicotine and Gravy” up to but no more than three times as if he can hear me, and if he could, would think to himself, “hey great suggestion, lets completely change the prewritten set-list I wrote to accommodate this guy’s great request?” Yes.

ESSENTIAL TRACK:
Well, “Nicotine and Gravy,” one can dream right?

FESTIVAL PREDICTIONS:
Beck has that cool round brimmed hat on, but loses it halfway through the set. Heavy doses of “Morning Phase” are played and people have serious introspective faces on. Towards the end, plays a series of earlier, more funkier material like “Sexx Laws” and “E-Pro” to remind you all that Beck can get down with the best of them and he’s fun, he’s hip, he’s cool. Beck live is, and will be everything you hoped he would be.

Tickets are still available for Friday via Ticketmaster $50