Boston Calling is just around the corner! The festival begins Friday, May 27 and continues through Sunday, May 29. Featured headliners are Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes, and Metallica. Each day of the festival will be brimming with talent, including some of our favorite local artists. Sound of Boston’s staff writers have created a list of some of the acts we’re most excited about. Check them out below and make sure to stay hydrated!
Friday, May 27
Miranda Rae at 4:10 PM on the Orange Stage – Selected by Alexis
Cambridge-born R&B singer-songwriter Miranda Rae will play the Orange Stage at Boston Calling. The harmonic musician’s discography is filled with soulful tracks infused with R&B, funk, and blues, including “Thinkin’ About You,” “Mama Says,” and “Sure.” Rae’s setlist will also feature the smooth tones of fervent, hypnotic tracks like “Moonlight” and “Invitation for Love.” With her powerful vocals and smooth instrumentation, Rae is a major highlight of Friday’s lineup.
Born Without Bones at 6:55 PM on the Orange Stage – Selected by Sadye
If there is one band that embodies the versatility of the Boston Calling festival, it’s Born Without Bones. Hailing from Milford, Massachusetts, their sound carries both the rusticity of New England and the novelty of musical pioneership. Their most recent EP Pictures of the Sun, released in 2021, features four of the trio’s earlier tracks re-recorded with their new record label, Pure Noise Records, along with a new song. The re-envisioned production still leans on their alt-rock foundation, with a more mature sonic execution of the loss, heartbreak, and resilience their songs address. Combined with their three older records from the 2010’s, Born Without Bones’ musical catalog features relentless punk energy, 90’s era singer-songwriter guitar riffing, emo-pop lyricism, and some good ole rock n’ roll. After over a decade of establishing themselves in the Boston music scene, they are ready to stamp their memorable local label on this year’s Orange Stage lineup.
Saturday, May 28
Frances Forever at 3:25 PM on the Blue Stage – Selected by Meg
Boston-area singer Frances Garrett, who performs under the persona Frances Forever, brings lighthearted whimsy and thought-provoking lyrics free of pretension to every track they release. Their song “Space Girl,” which was an unabashed celebration of queer relationships, went viral on TikTok in 2020, elevating Garrett to the top of many artist to watch lists. Their bouncy blend of indie-pop evokes fellow Bostonian Sidney Gish, as Frances seamlessly blends cutesy charm with humorous hot takes and whimsical, stream-of-consciousness moments of reflection. Only an artist whose stage name is an homage to the vaunted Mitski could write songs that so effortlessly exude such heartfelt charm. Fans of bedroom and indie-pop, be sure to get to this set!
Coral Moons at 4:05 PM on the Orange Stage – Selected by Eleanor
Boston band Coral Moons will make their Boston Calling debut on the Orange Stage Saturday afternoon, bringing their retro-indie rock sound to the festival. The four piece band dropped their first album Fieldcrest in 2021, which features their hit single “Winnebago.” Coral Moons traverses a multitude of styles with more rock based tracks like “I Feel Alive” to soft, lyrically complex songs like “For You” and “Fieldcrest.” Coral Moons shows a resounding skill for telling stories through song and raising a wave of nostalgia for their listeners. They will be a rocking send off for the later night performances.
Ali McGuirk at 5:20 PM on The Orange Stage – Selected by Tristan
Hoping to “melt faces” (WGBH) at this year’s Boston Calling Festival, Ali McGuirk’s voice is beyond buttery, and you might even find your whole self melting into the grass at the Tivoli Audio Orange Stage on Saturday. Her vocals and soul, jazz, R&B, and country infused songs pair nicely with sweltering heat, perfect for summer festival swaying, and will balance the lineup of bands nicely with a more laidback act. McGuirk released her debut album Slow Burn in 2017, showing off her smoldering voice which is both slow and burning. Her single release in 2021 “That’s The Way I Feel About You” couldn’t be any more relaxed, in the pocket, and soulful. The barebones instrumentation, always tasteful and restrained, lifts her opulent voice into the stratosphere. It will give you chills.
Orville Peck at 5:50 PM on the Blue Stage – Selected by Sally
Orville Peck is somehow elusive and emotionally open at the same time behind his signature fringed mask. The man of mystery makes his way to Boston Calling riding the high of his sophomore LP, Bronco, released in early April. Peck is bold, theatrical, and a powerhouse baritone with a distinct psychedelic-rockabilly sound that lingers. His songs are stories, told with the kind of melodrama and heart that can only come from someone who cites the great Dolly Parton as his larger-than-life influence. From crooning homoerotic ballad “C’mon Baby Cry” to the marching drums and rumbling bass vocals of “Daytona Sand,” Peck is sure to deliver a one-of-a-kind show.
Sunday, May 29
Oompa at 1:45 PM on the Red Stage – Selected by Jared
To be in the audience and feel the heat against your skin from Oompa’s lyrical flamethrowing is a sensation every hip hop fan should get to experience. One of the cornerstones of Boston’s recent hip hop renaissance, Roxbury-born rapper and slam poetry champion, Oompa, has been driving local rap culture forward since the release of her 2018 local classic, November 3rd. Now on the release of her third studio album, Unbothered, Oompa has expanded her pop sensibilities while maintaining her 90’s-era classic hip hop soul. Now garnering the attention of industry kingmakers, her work is getting plugs by Snoop Dogg, Def Jam, and EARTHGANG. A warm late May day is the ideal time to enjoy her tracks like “Go” – an airy cook-out park-jam infused with Oompa’s fresh R&B vocals that will surely leave their mark on Boston Calling.
Cliff Notez at 2:15 PM on the Blue Stage – Selected by Knar
Last time this festival took place, Cliff Notez and the HipStory crew produced their own additional hyper-local fest that focused on highlighting the talent from the city it was named for: Boston Answering. Now, HipStory talent and two of Boston’s best hip hop acts, Oompa and Cliff Notez, will take the main stage(s) at Boston Calling for back-to-back sets. Notez’s songs tackle the devastating effects of police brutality, the weight of grief and struggles of anxiety, but also: hope. If Cliff Notez’s festival organizing efforts and frequent collaborations with local talent are any indication, we might also be treated to a few surprise guest appearances.
Paper Tigers at 2:50 PM on the Orange Stage – Selected by Eric
Paper Tigers are like your rebellious teenage cousin wearing a nice suit at your family get-together. They have raw-energy from early 2000’s pop-punk coursing through their veins, but that sound is elevated due to it being so refined, focused, and mature. This group has unlocked the secret of delivering smart, innovative songwriting without losing any of the ferocity attributed to the influences of their roots. This is even more evident with the lead single, “Portrait of a Scene” from their upcoming EP, which drops the weekend right before they hit the stage. The Foo Fighters may have had to drop out of the lineup, but Paper Tigers will surely be delivering the same high-octane rock’n’roll on a local level.