Top 10 Acts To See At Boston Calling

Since 2013, summer in New England involves something special. Some of the best musicians and bands on the planet take over Boston’s City Hall for the weekend while a few up and coming local acts show what they got. It’s the Boston Calling Music Festival and it takes place twice a year, kicking off the summer in style every May and closing the season out with a bang every September. The weekend of May 22 – 24 will be a blast unlike any other with an amazing lineup. To make the experience simpler for you, here are at the Top 10 acts to see at this weekend’s festival:

10.) Krill (Saturday 12:55 @ Red Stage)

Boston experimental garage punks Krill will be kicking off the second day of Boston Calling with an intense sound that’s bound to wake everyone from their morning hangover. With their latest release, A Distant Fist Unclenching, that came out last February, Krill has made quite a buzz that had them recently touring with fellow Massachusetts natives Speedy Ortiz and playing with the likes of The So So Glos & Diarrhea Planet. Get up out of bed, dust yourself off and head to Boston Calling early on Saturday and catch Krill, you absolutely won’t regret it.

9.) The Ballroom Thieves (Sunday 1:00 @ Red Stage)

Another Boston act on the rise, The Ballroom Thieves and their brand of alt-folk rock that’s reminiscent of the styles possessed by the likes of The Avett Brothers & Uncle Tupelo will be starting the final day of the festival in emphatic fashion. They recently released their debut album, A Wolf In The Doorway, that’s an absolute gem and they’ve been steadily gaining their reputation within the New England folk scene with every show they play. Arrive early on Sunday and start the day with an immensely talented trio that’ll surely impress you.

8.) Sharon Van Etten (Friday 6:30 @ JetBlue Stage)

Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten is one of those musicians who you always hear music aficionados talk about, and how can you blame them? Soulful lyrics and heartfelt songwriting makes Van Etten a treasure, and she’ll have the honor of being the first act to play Boston Calling at the opening night on Friday. I highly suggest getting there past your dinnertime and seeing her play — there’s a reason why her music is held in such high regard in many circles around the entire industry.

7.) Run The Jewels (Saturday 2:55 @ JetBlue Stage)

When the grand hip-hop duo of Definitive Jux CEO and New York City based rapper El-P and Atlanta fire spitter Killer Mike put out Run The Jewels’ second self-titled release last year, they instantly became the latest saviors for a genre that has become increasingly divided over the years. It’ll be interesting to see what they’re like live, but you should be sure that’ll it’ll be an awesome time with a crowd that’ll be bouncing to the beats. Plan accordingly so you can enjoy your Saturday afternoon with some genuinely good hip-hop.

6.) My Morning Jacket (Saturday 9:20 @ JetBlue Stage)

Showcasing a return to form with their adventurous release The Waterfall that came out only a couple weeks ago, My Morning Jacket are back and reinvigorated a buzz that made them one of the biggest rock acts in the planet over 10 years ago. I’ve seen My Morning Jacket ages ago and frontman Jim James solo at the Newport Folk Fest back in 2013 and both times it was amazing, so don’t expect anything less when the boys from Louisville conclude a spectacular Saturday.

5.) Tame Impala (Friday 7:45 @ JetBlue Stage)

The psychedelic brainchild of one Kevin Parker, this Perth, Australia, fuzz rock act has had me and countless others hooked like a fish on a line ever since their self-titled EP that came out in 2008. You’ll hear a bunch of new material from their upcoming album, Currents, that’s due out in July, but hopefully they’ll bust out some jams like “Lucidity,” “Elephant,” “Island Walking” and “Mind Mischief.” Regardless, it’s going to be an experience unlike any other.

4.) TV On The Radio (Sunday 7:00 @ JetBlue Stage)

TV On The Radio are willing to push musical boundaries with anything they do, so when it comes to them playing live they can be unpredictable. You might hear a purely acoustic version of “Blues From Down Here” or a synthpop version of “Red Dress,” but it’s what makes them an even more exciting act to catch on stage. Riding high off of their latest magnum opus Seeds, TV On The Radio will bring an unforgettable performance as the festival comes to its conclusion on Sunday.

3.) Beck (Friday 9:15 @ JetBlue Stage)

Last time I saw Beck was at the Newport Folk Festival in 2013 where he concluded the festivities in fantastic fashion as he brought a mostly acoustic performance but still bumped out hits “Loser, “Where It’s At” and “Modern Guilt” to a crowd that didn’t want it to end. Expect much more of the same this time around with the only difference being Beck doing his best James Brown impersonation while bringing a lot of soul and swagger to an electrifying set. Beck always knows to have some fun, and you will do the same on opening night.

2.) St. Vincent (Saturday 6:50 @ JetBlue Stage)

One of the best shows I’ve seen so far in 2015 and in my life so far had to be St. Vincent at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence last March. Annie Clark’s guitar skills are impeccable and the way she can captivate an audience is rivaled by few. Needless to say, it’s a must that you see Clark and her band for what will be one of the top performances of Boston Calling. I guarantee you’ll be spellbound while picking your jaw off the floor.

1.) Pixies (Sunday 9:20 @ JetBlue Stage)

One knock a few people have given Boston Calling over the years is that it doesn’t have enough of the local acts in the city’s burgeoning scene performing. Well, say and think what you want about that but for local acts in Boston it doesn’t get much better than the Pixies who’ll be closing out this May’s Boston Calling Sunday night. It’ll be a performance mixed between timeless alternative rock classics like “Debaser” and “Where Is My Mind” along with a few songs off of the band’s latest release Indie Cindy. It’s the Pixies rocking their hometown and it’ll be a time you won’t forget.

Click on the link for more info and tickets (while they still last). Let’s hope that September’s edition of Boston Calling will be as exciting as this weekend’s: bostoncalling.com/