The ever-changing Boston Calling music festival hosted its 14th concert this past weekend (5/23, 5/24, 5/25). While some of the recent adjustments (like 86ing a stage) were welcome, some new issues popped up like troublesome tech problems.
Then there was Mother Nature who poured rain on the crowd for six hours on Friday, blew wind on them on Saturday (with a little rain), and then left the kids to play in the mud on Sunday.
And yet on the stage the musicians turned in some quality performances, one of which turned out to be a tad controversial. Not looking at you, Dave Matthews.
Megan Moroney, Friday
The unofficial dress code for many at the Harvard Athletic Complex on Friday was something a bit unusual for the Ivy League youngsters: cowboy hats, cowboy boots, fringe, and denim.
Thanks to country stars Megan Moroney and Luke Combs headlining the opening day of the three-day fest, as least the concert goers had more to cover their heads from the rain than Red Sox caps.
Sadly, the rain made the stage slippery and gravity had the last laugh when Megan fell during "Am I Okay."
Not only was she ok, but smiled at the scene while donning a Sox jersey, totally living up to the line in the tune where she sings, "I don't feel like a sad song soundtrack."
Megan's Am I Okay Tour will be traveling around North America through the fall. Get tickets on her website.
Luke Combs, Friday
Some may have thought Luke was winking at the weather when he played "When It Rains It Pours" as the second song of his soggy set. But the tune is his most-performed number and it has typically followed the opener "1, 2 Many" this spring.
Combs, who in 2023 hit it big by covering Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," brought out Megan Moroney late in his set to join him on "Beer Never Broke My Heart."
Megan made a cameo for the song's video which has been seen 140 million times, so yes, she's definitely welcome on his stage any time.
Luke now heads to Bonnaroo followed by several festivals this summer. Tickets are on sale on his website.
Fall Out Boy, Saturday
Wanna feel old? Every member of FOB are now in their 40s, and bassist Pete Wentz is preparing to turn 46 next month. But all those years (which must feel like centuries by now) have yielded a roll call of hits the group blasted through Saturday night.
Presented as a type of Emo Eras Tour, FOB began with a pair of tunes from their 2003 debut Take This to Your Grave. "Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy" is not only old enough to buy a beer for itself but it live debuted back when the fellas were playing Chicago's Cabaret Metro.
The band tapped in to selections from each of the 8 LPs they've released over 20 years and even had time for singer Patrick Stump to tickle the ivories for two tunes, one being the Beantown favorite, "Sweet Caroline."
Even though they've played Boston 30 times, including five Jingle Balls, they've only played the Neil Diamond cover twice now. The first was just two years ago when they headlined Fenway Park, where the classic is sung-along in the bottom of the 8th inning. The Fenway tradition is nearly as old as Fall Out Boy.
The gents now take a breather until July where they will play two festivals in North America and then jet over to Japan for a few gigs. Tickets available on the FOB website.
Remi Wolf, Sunday
One of the changes Boston Calling made this year was they got rid of the Red Stage and made the Green Stage a rotating main stage where bands could put their gear together and when the group that was playing finished, the stage could revolve and voila: next act with few delays.
Best laid plans... the poor Green stage was riddled with technical issues that got in the way of The Maine, Sublime, and Remi Wolf. Part of the issues came down to the revolving stage only afforded the tech crew 10 minutes to get everything perfect, whereas in previous incarnations, they had 2x-3x that time.
Remi made due by doing some impromptu stand-up and sharing with the crowd that she uses ChatGPT as her therapist. Meanwhile behind the scenes her technical issues were being ironed out.
Even with the set starting off with less-than-a-bang, Remi was able to get through nine songs including the Fleetwood Mac cover, "Dreams."
Even though the tune about thunder only occurring when it's rainin' and players only loving you when they're playin', is a regular part of Remi's current set, it was extra special she played it Sunday, the day before Stevie Nicks' 77th birthday, as Stevie wrote the hit and sings lead on it.
Remi also stops at Bonnaroo next and then continues on the festival circuit. Get tix on her website.
Tom Morello, Sunday
"Welcome, brothers and sisters, to the last big event before they throw us all in jail," Tom Morello said to the crowd before breaking into "Testify,"
Like Chappell Roan and Megan Thee Stallion last year at Boston Calling, the Rage Against the Machine guitar hero was not a headliner at this year's fest, but he is getting the most headlines.
Morello, who got his BA from Harvard (class of '86), has never shied away from talking politics. Last week both his alma mater and his old Boss, Mr. Springsteen, found themselves in the crosshairs of the POTUS.
So when it got time for Morello to get on the mic, he had a few more biting things to say than usual.
“Bruce is going after Trump because Bruce, his whole life, he's been about truth, justice, democracy, equality," Morello said about Springsteen, who he played alongside in the E Street Band on-and-off from 2008 thru 2015. He first joined the legends for live performances in 2008 and then filled in for guitarist Little Steven during the 2013 Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour.
Morello told the crowd the President "is mad at [Springsteen] because Bruce draws a bigger audience." He then ripped through the stark Boss hit "The Ghost of Tom Joad."
The song has been an important one for Morello who played it often during his stint with Springsteen, including during the Rock Hall of Fame's 25th anniversary.
The rest of Rage also loved it. They re-recorded their version of it for their fourth and final studio album, Renegades.
The thing that got under the American president's skin was when Springsteen opened his 2025 tour earlier this month and told the British crowd his issues with what's happening with politics in the US.
The president retaliated by saying Springsteen should be investigated for what he said across the pond.
So Bruce did what a renegade would: last week he released an EP from that very same concert and included the intros of both times he was critical of the White House in crystal-clear cd-quality audio. It is his 8th official EP.
Morello has appeared on one of those EPs: Magic Tour Highlights (2008), where they recorded, you guessed it, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" together.
Tom is hopping the pond to play Birmingham in July. Then he hops back for a Canadian tour that starts in July. Get your tickets on Tom's website.
July 5 – Villa Park, Birmingham, UK
July 10 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
July 11 – Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC
July 12 – Calgary Stampede, Calgary, AB
July 15 – The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
July 16 – Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa, ON
July 17 – The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON
July 19 – Edmonton EXPO Centre, Edmonton, AB
August 29 – Rocklahoma Festival, Pryor, OK
August 30 – Rocklahoma Festival, Pryor, OK
October 18 – Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts, Oakville, ON
October 25 – Kingston Grand Theatre, Kingston, ON
November 1 – Théâtre Beanfield, Montreal, QC
