Concert Review and Photos: Boston comes Calling at Memorial Day Weekend festival

The region’s biggest music festival took center stage (actually four stages) Memorial Day weekend when Boston Calling paid a visit to the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. The festival is “an event,” vibing just a bit like those giant West Coast festivals (think Coachella), with leading players rubbing shoulders with rising stars, many from the Boston/New England region. With too many highlights to write about, I’ll focus on a couple that stood out from the first two days.

An emotional set from Foo Fighters Friday, dedicated to late drummer Taylor Hawkins, was cathartic. The band was on fire, full of spirit and drive, behind the powerful vocals of Dave Grohl. Their set opened with the brand new instant classic “Rescused” and included favorites like “My Hero,” “Times Like These,” and closer “Everlong.” New drummer Josh Freese is a worthy replacement, pounding the beat in true Foo fashion.

Alanis Morissette is a tour de force on stage. Fronting a stellar band, she pushed the boundaries in a memorable set that included longtime favorites and some deep cuts. 40,000+ were singing along at the top of their lungs to hits “You Oughta Know, ” “Ironic,” and “Hand in My Pocket.” Morissette has become a cultural icon – her intensity at live shows makes that real clear. She her on tour if you get the chance!

Festival organizers are to be commended for bringing numerous Boston-area performers to the stage. Those local artists brought their A-game to the festival, performing on par with the established superstars. Tiny Desk Concert winner Alisa Amador was brilliant opening the festival on Friday with a bilingual set of singer-songwriter gems. Brooklyn, NY-based Razor Braids brought some 90s-inspired rock to the stage, and RI-based GA-20 played a classic blues set for thousands hanging by the Ferris wheel. Saturday featured fine sets from Boston-based locals Neemz, The Aces, and Allston-based Actor Observer, who thrashed through a high-energy set on the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage.

No doubt, music festivals are as popular as ever – post-pandemic, even more so. No doubt, they are also quite expensive to operate. Organizers face overwhelming challenges in putting these shows together. But, like many similar events these days, Boston Calling is too crowded. The overcrowing results in a negative fan experience for many. Even VIP ticket holders were complaining about long lines and no room to move in their section. With wait times of 1-2 hours in merch lines (order more gear, add a few more tents, make more money), the festival still has some work to do. Maybe the answer is more festivals – spread out the love a little, perhaps over two weekends. That said, if you could roll with the punches, the inconveniences didn’t overshadow a great weekend of music.

Check out some photos of the event below from Lifestyle Editor Ken Abrams: