Top 10 Acts To See At Boston Calling

It has rocked Boston four times since its inception in May of last year, and has quickly become one of my favorite music festivals. Boston Calling is invading City Hall once again from September 5 – 7 with a lineup of acts that very well could be the best edition yet. Once in a lifetime experiences, bands playing Beantown for the first time in decades, and a whole lot of fun is guaranteed to ensue. If you plan to attend, here are my suggestions for the top acts to see at the 4^th Boston Calling Music Festival:

10.) Lake Street Dive (Sunday 3:55 @ Capital One 360 Red Stage)

This jazzy soul band started out in Boston and is currently based in Brooklyn. I’ve been a fan of Lake Street Dive ever since I saw them perform at The Newport Folk Fest. They’ll be performing during the last day of the festival with an electrifying sound that you don’t want to miss out on. For a sneak preview, pick up their brand new album, Bad Self Portraits, that was released this past February.

9.) Girl Talk ( Saturday 7:10 @ JetBlue Stage)

There are mashup artist and then there’s Girl Talk. The Dance King Of Pittsburgh, also known as Gregg Gillis, has the uncanny ability to combine snippets of nearly every musician and rapper on your iPod and make them into a song that will make you go absolutely insane. The courtyard at Boston City Hall will become a raging dance party when Girl Talk hits the stage on Saturday, so act accordingly and dance like an absolute fool.

8.) The War On Drugs (Sunday 3:05 @ JetBlue Stage)

An experimental rock band from Philadelphia that dabbles in shoegaze, psychedelic rock and good old-fashioned Americana, The War On Drugs are one of those acts that at least one of your friends loves to talk about but hasn’t reached the mainstream. With a very cool sound and great lyrical quality, get ready for a unique rock ‘n’ roll experience once these guys start to play. One of many acts playing Boston Calling this year that have put out new material, give The War On Drugs’ new album Lost in the Dream a listen and dive in.

7.) White Denim (Sunday 2:15 @ Capital One 360 Red Stage)

With their combo of old-school blues and psychedelic rock, White Denim from Austin, Tex., are, in my opinion, one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands out there right now. Their songs hit you like a ton of bricks and they’re not afraid to get crazy with the rhythms. Right before The War On Drugs take things over, White Denim will be up and you’re gonna love it. If you need any more justification, their last album, Corisicana Lemonade, was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy.

6.) The Hold Steady (Saturday 5:00 @ JetBlue Stage)

One of the many heavy hitters on the bill this time around, The Hold Steady will be bringing the positive jam to Boston Calling on Saturday. Frontman Craig Finn will be getting everyone amped up while the rest of the band will be lighting the stage on fire with their heartfelt alternative rock sound. The boys from Brooklyn also have a new album called Teeth Dreams that came out this past March, which you should get your hands on if you haven’t already.

5.) The National (Friday 9:30 @ JetBlue Stage)

Last year they headlined the first edition of Boston Calling, and Brooklyn via Cincinnati post-punk alternative rock act The National is back to kick off the first night of the festival on Friday. Lead by the unique baritone vocals of Matt Berninger, I first got into the band after I saw their performance at the inaugural inception of the festival and they’re definitely the real deal. It’s going to be a treat to see The National once more and I highly suggest you don’t leave early on Friday so you can catch them live.

4.) Spoon (Sunday 7:10 @ JetBlue Stage)

One of the best independent rock acts of the past 20 years who still put out quality music with every new release, Spoon will bring their catchy tunes to the forefront on Sunday. Britt Daniel is an incredible lyricist and the rest of the band are simply amazing  to see live. If you know me well, you know how much I love Spoon. When they play Boston Calling I guarantee you’ll get to see why. They also have a brand new album out titled They Want My Soul, which is fantastic, so go and pick that up before you head to the festival.

3.) Lorde (Saturday 8:15 @ Capital One 360 Red Stage)

I might get flack from people for putting Lorde so high on this list, but then again I never really cared much for the haters. The New Zealander is only 17 and in my opinion is the best pop artist alive today. Better than Lady Gaga, better than Katy Perry, better than Britney Spears and better than Rhianna. Actually, she’s stratospheres above all of them. She’ll be performing on Saturday, go and see why she’s held to such high acclaim.

2.) The Replacements (Sunday 8:15 @ Capital One 360 Red Stage)

It’s hard to believe I’m not putting a band I’ve been listening to since my teens at the #1 spot, but The Replacements are absolutely worthy of being on the list. When they got back together in 2012 they made a buzz, but when the alternative rock legends got announced as being part of Boston Calling they created a frenzy. It’s going to be their first time playing in Boston in over 20 years. I can’t wait to see Paul Westerberg and the rest of the band perform classics like “Can’t Hardly Wait” and “Alex Chilton” Sunday night.

1.)    Nas & The Roots (Sunday 9:20 @ JetBlue Stage)

Put who I believe is one of the best rappers alive on the same stage with the quintessential hip-hop band and there’s no wonder why Nas & The Roots are #1 on the list. It could very well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see two hip-hop giants perform together and it’ll be an excellent way to conclude the 4^th Boston Calling Music Festival. I could tell you why you shouldn’t miss Nas & The Roots, but both names should tell you why already.

Head up to The Hub via The T or I-95 for Boston Calling and it’ll be very well worth the trip. Get ready to have some fun and I’ll see you there.