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Honestly, BC probably needs to retool and/or move to a different part of the year.
They're nothing special or different from a Govs Ball or Firefly, except those two are drawing from bigger populations. So there's no real reason for people outside New England to come here. At least not with how they booked this year and the one before.
If they went (back) to September, say a week or two before ACL - they'd at least look different than the rest of the major East coast fests.
the 2017 lineup was 100% worth traveling for. I think moving later would do a lot of good, but what's the weather like in September?
Honestly, BC probably needs to retool and/or move to a different part of the year.
They're nothing special or different from a Govs Ball or Firefly, except those two are drawing from bigger populations. So there's no real reason for people outside New England to come here. At least not with how they booked this year and the one before.
If they went (back) to September, say a week or two before ACL - they'd at least look different than the rest of the major East coast fests.
the 2017 lineup was 100% worth traveling for. I think moving later would do a lot of good, but what's the weather like in September?
Chilly, but the sun goes down earlier so more sets are in darkness.
Forget the weather and lineups. September would easily be better because of the "r" rule with shellfish. The clam chowder would taste so much fresher in September than it does in May.
I arrived in time for King Princess. The songs were solid and I liked the way she and her band mix rock guitar into the pop sound, but the mix wasn't doing her any favors, at least listening in the bleachers, and her band will probably be a more formidable unit after they've been on the road for another couple of years.
BTW, around a third of her crowd left en masse right before .Paak's set began.
Hozier's set was everything I had hoped for and more. I was right on the rail, underneath the video screen on the right side, when facing the stage. They now have some additional PA speakers on cases below the screen at the Blue stage, so the sound was great. I saw him twice after his first album was released, and back then his live performances were definitely "sounds just like the record." He's grown to become a more engaging front man, and the live band has now become that formidable unit forged after five years on the road. He performed my favorite song of his -- hell, my favorite song of the millennium, to date -- one which hasn't been in his 2019 setlists much, so that was a wonderful surprise, especially since the previous song set an emotional tone which put me in the perfect space for the next song.
The only downside was that some Madison Square Garden executive or businessman with ties to the festival arrived with his wife/girlfriend midway through the set and parked themselves right in front of me between the rail and the stage. While the paying festival-goers around me were attentive and focused on the music, this guy was a real Chatty Cathy, at least during some of the songs. Hey, dude, there's a reason bands don't hire play-by-play commentators. Talking isn't appropriate while the band's playing, especially down in front where the most dedicated fans of the performer tend to congregate.
I can't say how big the crowd was at the Blue stage, since I was right in front, but I have to admit that the bleachers definitely weren't filled. I may have overestimated his crowd, compared to what was going on at the other end of the grounds.
After making my way through the mass of humanity exiting the area, I stopped into the arena to use a bathroom free of blue goop. Snakehips had just started his (their?) set and I was surprised to find myself liking what I heard. Perhaps I'm overly dismissive of music which isn't really meant to be listened to with headphones. In that setting, with booming PA, big room, and bright lights, it was kind of cool.
I headed to the food vendor area to get a bite to eat, with the intention of coming back to the arena and catching more of Snakehips, but things didn't work out that way.
Once I heard Tame Impala coming from the Green stage, I had to stay there and catch the rest of the set. Having just seen one of my favorite currently recording and touring artists, and having heard songs which touch me profoundly to the core of my being, the ambient cool of Tame Impala was the perfect music for that moment. I had just had my big emotional catharsis, tears were shed, I got what I needed and I really didn't need that level of emotional connection from the very next act I saw. Tame Impala's sound and visual spectacle was the perfect thing at that moment and, after missing the first 20 minutes making my way across the grounds, I stayed for the rest of their set, encores included.
I'd definitely go see them again, and I'd definitely eat a cannabis edible around 45 min. before their set begins. (Yes, I'd call them a rock band. I got a "Modern day version of Pink Floyd" vibe from them.)
I'm looking forward to Sunday, but I'm undecided as to whether I want to do the comedy lineup after Snail Mail, or catch Guster and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Either way, I'll then see Brandi Carlile and I'm then going to see what the Chromeo DJ set is all about. If it impresses me as much as five minutes of Snakehips did, I'll stay for it.
I can now see how I've been wrong to be dismissive of certain genres, just because they don't do what my favorite artists do for me, which is to write and perform songs to which I strongly relate. In a live setting, the EDM/DJ thing fits in a way that it may not for many listening on headphones. Heck, I might have even liked Odesza (but Hozier was the priority for me today.)
As disappointed as I was with the lineup before the festival, I found my only real disappointment today was choosing between multiple interesting options.
Last Edit: May 26, 2019 0:19:22 GMT -5 by tw12 - Back to Top
Post by jorgeandthekraken on May 26, 2019 0:24:29 GMT -5
Great day. BC. Thanks for having us!
Ranking the sets I saw today:
1) Tame Impala 2) Anderson .Paak 3) Mitski 4) ODESZA 5) Big Red Machine 6) Superorganism 7) Shame
We didn’t make it in for Betty Who. Alas. I just had a blast. The bathroom situation is rough, but other than that, I’d come back with the right lineup.
Officially, vaping is not allowed on the grounds, but vape giant Pax has a booth at the festival where they will personally engrave your Pax vaporizer.
(With all of their rules and regulations, there's no way I'm bringing my $150+ Pax vaporizer to Boston Calling. It's not something I'd like to have confiscated at the gate.)
Forget the weather and lineups. September would easily be better because of the "r" rule with shellfish. The clam chowder would taste so much fresher in September than it does in May.
Then again, New England scallops are at their best in early winter, so they could move the festival to January and book Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Ice Cube, and Ice-T.
I believe that both Johnny and Edgar Winter have passed, so they're out of the question.
I arrived in time for King Princess. The songs were solid and I liked the way she and her band mix rock guitar into the pop sound, but the mix wasn't doing her any favors, at least listening in the bleachers, and her band will probably be a more formidable unit after they've been on the road for another couple of years.
BTW, around a third of her crowd left en masse right before .Paak's set began.
Hozier's set was everything I had hoped for and more. I was right on the rail, underneath the video screen on the right side, when facing the stage. They now have some additional PA speakers on cases below the screen at the Blue stage, so the sound was great. I saw him twice after his first album was released, and back then his live performances were definitely "sounds just like the record." He's grown to become a more engaging front man, and the live band has now become that formidable unit forged after five years on the road. He performed my favorite song of his -- hell, my favorite song of the millennium, to date -- one which hasn't been in his 2019 setlists much, so that was a wonderful surprise, especially since the previous song set an emotional tone which put me in the perfect space for the next song.
The only downside was that some Madison Square Garden executive or businessman with ties to the festival arrived with his wife/girlfriend midway through the set and parked themselves right in front of me between the rail and the stage. While the paying festival-goers around me were attentive and focused on the music, this guy was a real Chatty Cathy, at least during some of the songs. Hey, dude, there's a reason bands don't hire play-by-play commentators. Talking isn't appropriate while the band's playing, especially down in front where the most dedicated fans of the performer tend to congregate.
I can't say how big the crowd was at the Blue stage, since I was right in front, but I have to admit that the bleachers definitely weren't filled. I may have overestimated his crowd, compared to what was going on at the other end of the grounds.
After making my way through the mass of humanity exiting the area, I stopped into the arena to use a bathroom free of blue goop. Snakehips had just started his (their?) set and I was surprised to find myself liking what I heard. Perhaps I'm overly dismissive of music which isn't really meant to be listened to with headphones. In that setting, with booming PA, big room, and bright lights, it was kind of cool.
I headed to the food vendor area to get a bite to eat, with the intention of coming back to the arena and catching more of Snakehips, but things didn't work out that way.
Once I heard Tame Impala coming from the Green stage, I had to stay there and catch the rest of the set. Having just seen one of my favorite currently recording and touring artists, and having heard songs which touch me profoundly to the core of my being, the ambient cool of Tame Impala was the perfect music for that moment. I had just had my big emotional catharsis, tears were shed, I got what I needed and I really didn't need that level of emotional connection from the very next act I saw. Tame Impala's sound and visual spectacle was the perfect thing at that moment and, after missing the first 20 minutes making my way across the grounds, I stayed for the rest of their set, encores included.
I'd definitely go see them again, and I'd definitely eat a cannabis edible around 45 min. before their set begins. (Yes, I'd call them a rock band. I got a "Modern day version of Pink Floyd" vibe from them.)
I'm looking forward to Sunday, but I'm undecided as to whether I want to do the comedy lineup after Snail Mail, or catch Guster and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Either way, I'll then see Brandi Carlile and I'm then going to see what the Chromeo DJ set is all about. If it impresses me as much as five minutes of Snakehips did, I'll stay for it.
I can now see how I've been wrong to be dismissive of certain genres, just because they don't do what my favorite artists do for me, which is to write and perform songs to which I strongly relate. In a live setting, the EDM/DJ thing fits in a way that it may not for many listening on headphones. Heck, I might have even liked Odesza (but Hozier was the priority for me today.)
As disappointed as I was with the lineup before the festival, I found my only real disappointment today was choosing between multiple interesting options.
Thanks for sharing! And I hope you called out the dude who wouldn't STFU.
Forget the weather and lineups. September would easily be better because of the "r" rule with shellfish. The clam chowder would taste so much fresher in September than it does in May.
Then again, New England scallops are at their best in early winter, so they could move the festival to January and book Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Ice Cube, and Ice-T.
I believe that both Johnny and Edgar Winter have passed, so they're out of the question.
I arrived in time for King Princess. The songs were solid and I liked the way she and her band mix rock guitar into the pop sound, but the mix wasn't doing her any favors, at least listening in the bleachers, and her band will probably be a more formidable unit after they've been on the road for another couple of years.
BTW, around a third of her crowd left en masse right before .Paak's set began.
Hozier's set was everything I had hoped for and more. I was right on the rail, underneath the video screen on the right side, when facing the stage. They now have some additional PA speakers on cases below the screen at the Blue stage, so the sound was great. I saw him twice after his first album was released, and back then his live performances were definitely "sounds just like the record." He's grown to become a more engaging front man, and the live band has now become that formidable unit forged after five years on the road. He performed my favorite song of his -- hell, my favorite song of the millennium, to date -- one which hasn't been in his 2019 setlists much, so that was a wonderful surprise, especially since the previous song set an emotional tone which put me in the perfect space for the next song.
The only downside was that some Madison Square Garden executive or businessman with ties to the festival arrived with his wife/girlfriend midway through the set and parked themselves right in front of me between the rail and the stage. While the paying festival-goers around me were attentive and focused on the music, this guy was a real Chatty Cathy, at least during some of the songs. Hey, dude, there's a reason bands don't hire play-by-play commentators. Talking isn't appropriate while the band's playing, especially down in front where the most dedicated fans of the performer tend to congregate.
I can't say how big the crowd was at the Blue stage, since I was right in front, but I have to admit that the bleachers definitely weren't filled. I may have overestimated his crowd, compared to what was going on at the other end of the grounds.
After making my way through the mass of humanity exiting the area, I stopped into the arena to use a bathroom free of blue goop. Snakehips had just started his (their?) set and I was surprised to find myself liking what I heard. Perhaps I'm overly dismissive of music which isn't really meant to be listened to with headphones. In that setting, with booming PA, big room, and bright lights, it was kind of cool.
I headed to the food vendor area to get a bite to eat, with the intention of coming back to the arena and catching more of Snakehips, but things didn't work out that way.
Once I heard Tame Impala coming from the Green stage, I had to stay there and catch the rest of the set. Having just seen one of my favorite currently recording and touring artists, and having heard songs which touch me profoundly to the core of my being, the ambient cool of Tame Impala was the perfect music for that moment. I had just had my big emotional catharsis, tears were shed, I got what I needed and I really didn't need that level of emotional connection from the very next act I saw. Tame Impala's sound and visual spectacle was the perfect thing at that moment and, after missing the first 20 minutes making my way across the grounds, I stayed for the rest of their set, encores included.
I'd definitely go see them again, and I'd definitely eat a cannabis edible around 45 min. before their set begins. (Yes, I'd call them a rock band. I got a "Modern day version of Pink Floyd" vibe from them.)
I'm looking forward to Sunday, but I'm undecided as to whether I want to do the comedy lineup after Snail Mail, or catch Guster and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Either way, I'll then see Brandi Carlile and I'm then going to see what the Chromeo DJ set is all about. If it impresses me as much as five minutes of Snakehips did, I'll stay for it.
I can now see how I've been wrong to be dismissive of certain genres, just because they don't do what my favorite artists do for me, which is to write and perform songs to which I strongly relate. In a live setting, the EDM/DJ thing fits in a way that it may not for many listening on headphones. Heck, I might have even liked Odesza (but Hozier was the priority for me today.)
As disappointed as I was with the lineup before the festival, I found my only real disappointment today was choosing between multiple interesting options.
I was in the bleachers area for Hozier. There was a good crowd there, but the blue area wasn't crammed full. Thin areas on the sides and in the back.
Not sure what to do about today. Do I want to go early for Rolling Blackouts CF or do I just skip the heat of the day and come in the evening for Brandi and all the rap.
I arrived in time for King Princess. The songs were solid and I liked the way she and her band mix rock guitar into the pop sound, but the mix wasn't doing her any favors, at least listening in the bleachers, and her band will probably be a more formidable unit after they've been on the road for another couple of years.
BTW, around a third of her crowd left en masse right before .Paak's set began.
Hozier's set was everything I had hoped for and more. I was right on the rail, underneath the video screen on the right side, when facing the stage. They now have some additional PA speakers on cases below the screen at the Blue stage, so the sound was great. I saw him twice after his first album was released, and back then his live performances were definitely "sounds just like the record." He's grown to become a more engaging front man, and the live band has now become that formidable unit forged after five years on the road. He performed my favorite song of his -- hell, my favorite song of the millennium, to date -- one which hasn't been in his 2019 setlists much, so that was a wonderful surprise, especially since the previous song set an emotional tone which put me in the perfect space for the next song.
The only downside was that some Madison Square Garden executive or businessman with ties to the festival arrived with his wife/girlfriend midway through the set and parked themselves right in front of me between the rail and the stage. While the paying festival-goers around me were attentive and focused on the music, this guy was a real Chatty Cathy, at least during some of the songs. Hey, dude, there's a reason bands don't hire play-by-play commentators. Talking isn't appropriate while the band's playing, especially down in front where the most dedicated fans of the performer tend to congregate.
I can't say how big the crowd was at the Blue stage, since I was right in front, but I have to admit that the bleachers definitely weren't filled. I may have overestimated his crowd, compared to what was going on at the other end of the grounds.
After making my way through the mass of humanity exiting the area, I stopped into the arena to use a bathroom free of blue goop. Snakehips had just started his (their?) set and I was surprised to find myself liking what I heard. Perhaps I'm overly dismissive of music which isn't really meant to be listened to with headphones. In that setting, with booming PA, big room, and bright lights, it was kind of cool.
I headed to the food vendor area to get a bite to eat, with the intention of coming back to the arena and catching more of Snakehips, but things didn't work out that way.
Once I heard Tame Impala coming from the Green stage, I had to stay there and catch the rest of the set. Having just seen one of my favorite currently recording and touring artists, and having heard songs which touch me profoundly to the core of my being, the ambient cool of Tame Impala was the perfect music for that moment. I had just had my big emotional catharsis, tears were shed, I got what I needed and I really didn't need that level of emotional connection from the very next act I saw. Tame Impala's sound and visual spectacle was the perfect thing at that moment and, after missing the first 20 minutes making my way across the grounds, I stayed for the rest of their set, encores included.
I'd definitely go see them again, and I'd definitely eat a cannabis edible around 45 min. before their set begins. (Yes, I'd call them a rock band. I got a "Modern day version of Pink Floyd" vibe from them.)
I'm looking forward to Sunday, but I'm undecided as to whether I want to do the comedy lineup after Snail Mail, or catch Guster and Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Either way, I'll then see Brandi Carlile and I'm then going to see what the Chromeo DJ set is all about. If it impresses me as much as five minutes of Snakehips did, I'll stay for it.
I can now see how I've been wrong to be dismissive of certain genres, just because they don't do what my favorite artists do for me, which is to write and perform songs to which I strongly relate. In a live setting, the EDM/DJ thing fits in a way that it may not for many listening on headphones. Heck, I might have even liked Odesza (but Hozier was the priority for me today.)
As disappointed as I was with the lineup before the festival, I found my only real disappointment today was choosing between multiple interesting options.
wait a second
this dude is a hozier fan???
holy shit
He's got a lot of 70's DNA in his music, from Van Morrison Celtic soul/folk to an Elvis Costello-like jaundiced and cynical take on love and desire in his lyrics. At Hozier shows, like Dawes concerts, you tend to see a lot of over 50 people for whom Hozier reminds them of what they listened to when they were young. You also see a lot of teens and twenty-somethings, too. He may not yet be an arena level act, but he does attract fans from across the age spectrum. I was surprised to see a fair number of under 18 kids in the crowd for him last night.
Post by Fitter Happier on May 26, 2019 10:21:19 GMT -5
This was an awesome festival day. Glad to make it back and still love the Harvard grounds, especially with all the food options and the big screens (last year's lineup just didn't get me back).
1. Tame Impala 2. Mitski 3. Big Red Machine (Set 2) 4. Big Red Machine (Set 1) 5. Anderson .Paak 6. Clairo
.Paak was awesome, but I just saw him up front in Cleveland. Was in the 2nd row for Mitski. The Odesza crowd waiting during Big Red Machine kind of killed it for me, but I think I would have liked that set a lot more up close. The "DJ Set" after was wild and a lot of fun to watch right up close. Tame absolutely killed it, and it rivaled their Panorama set I saw in 2017. I fucking love those lazers.
Post by thevagabond on May 26, 2019 10:21:57 GMT -5
awesome fucking day. probably the 2nd most crowded day since the move from city hall, behind the mumford day.
anderson paak took the crown. tame impalas production is off the charts but they've basically been playing the same set for 4 years now. always near perfect though. big red machine lived up to expectations except for all of the odezza campers talking through thr whole set. Justin Vernon just cannot catch a break at this festival from people talking/drunkenly screaming through his sets. shame was really good but my friends weren't into the screaming.
liked the new arena setup but i couldn't hear a word imogen heap said so i left after the first song.
liked the new arena setup but i couldn't hear a word imogen heap said so i left after the first song.
She only played one song (Hide and Seek). Then she talked about her gloves which let her record and layer sounds. Then she talked about getting data about how artists get royalties, but the screen kept cutting out. Finished with Hide and Seek again in the crowd. Probably the most boring 45 minutes I've had at a festival but it was nice and cool inside. I also could barely hear her speaking since the arena crowd was talking over her.
Post by sigurrosfan on May 26, 2019 22:16:46 GMT -5
Today was the lightest day for me, but I met and got a signed vinyl from Snail Mail and saw Brandi Carlile bring 110% as the blue stage closer. Fun weekend!
Got there in time for Snail Mail. The video backdrop for her first song was a snail eating a flower. Wouldn't it have been more accurate to show a video of a letter carrier eating a flower?
Anyway, I got bored 20 minutes in and headed to the arena. Caught the last 10 minutes of whatever Imogen Heap was doing. It seemed like 15% musical performance, 15% performance art, and 70% TED Talk. I have no idea what was going on, but it didn't capture my attention, whatever it was.
A couple of singers/guitarists then did short segments with the Boston Ballet.
Lamont Price and Melissa Villasenor were entertaining, but then it readily became apparent that Michael Che was stuck in traffic. Villasenor ran longer than scheduled, and then a DJ came out, doing a stand-up/DJ'ing mashup, not unlike what Tim & Eric's usual opening act DJ Douggpound does. At one point, he said something along the lines of "There are a lot of white people out there, I better play this." Cue an oh-so-familiar strummed acoustic guitar and hundreds of people singing along to "Wonderwall." Oasis may not have reunited and played Boston Calling, but Oasis was played at Boston Calling.
I may have missed an announcement while in the bathroom after the DJ, but I came out and there was a female comedian onstage, with whom I was unfamiliar. I was hoping to catch at least some of Michael Che's set, but after two hours in the arena, I remembered that I was at a music festival and figured I'd check out Rainbow Kitten Surprise. It was now 5:40 and Che was late enough that I knew I'd miss at least most of RKS if I stayed for him, so I split.
What I cannot figure out is how Boston Calling lined up the NYC-based DJ and another comedian on super short notice when Che was running late. There's more to the story than meets the eye. The next time I run into Price at an open mic, I'll ask him about it.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise was definitely OK, but didn't do much for me. What I respect about their musical approach is that it defies categorization and description. I can see the jam band crowd digging them, but nothing sounded improvised. They sound like only themselves, which is rare these days.
I was definitely ready for dinner, so I headed to the food vendor area and caught Marina's last two songs and Sheck Wes' first three or four raps. I then caught 10 min. of DJ Joshua Carl in the arena. A little bit of buffet style sampling, then it was time for the entree.
I headed to the Blue stage for Brandi Carlile and wasn't particularly into her first few songs, but then she took a page from Bruce Springsteen's book and told these wonderful between song stories which set up the following song perfectly. I usually only emotionally engage with songs when I personally relate to the lyrical content, but Carlile reeled me in with her heartfelt performance, as she told stories and sang stories with such feeling and gravitas that I couldn't help but be captivated by the set. I caught only her last couple of songs at Boston Calling in 2017; tonight I learned that she's a master at constructing a set which takes you on a journey that's more than the sum of its parts, which is a big part of what makes concerts special for me. I just had to stay through the final note.
I was kind of burned out at this point and didn't really feel like hearing more DJ music (or auto-tuned rap), so I headed out.
While I remain unimpressed with the lineup as a whole, Hozier, Brandi Carlile, and Tame Impala made it all worthwhile.
Brandi was easily the set of the night, and arguably weekend.
Did everything on Blue. I intended to see all of Travis Scott, but instead went to the Chromeo DJ set in the Arena. Then saw the last half hour of TS.
I know most of you aren't fans of Sheck Wes, but that was a fun set to just go ham at. My only complaint is it only was a half hour. (In comparison, Guster playing an extra half a song to use the full timeslot was cool.)
Last Edit: May 27, 2019 0:16:44 GMT -5 by LD - Back to Top
So, what's your take on the really low Friday attendance compared to the other two days? Poor choices in booking on Friday*, or peoples schedules just interfering too much to show up?
* I'm fully aware most of us here don't like GVF or 21P, but you'd think they would have drawn better in other demographics
So, what's your take on the really low Friday attendance compared to the other two days? Poor choices in booking on Friday*, or peoples schedules just interfering too much to show up?
* I'm fully aware most of us here don't like GVF or 21P, but you'd think they would have drawn better in other demographics
I think the Black star/Janelle Monae combo would have done a world of wonders for Friday.
BC has the best food and most dickhead security of any fest i’ve ever been to
I think security was real hit and miss on the dickishness front. My friends and I chatted up some guards on Saturday after Tame Impala, and they were super chill - one offered to sell us weed...which, you know, we were good, but gotta respect the hustle.
ranking who i saw I'd say: 1. Tame Impala 2. Anderson .Paak 3. Denzel Curry 4. Yaeji 5. Mura Masa 6. Shame 7. Chvrches 8. Christine and the Queens 9. Skegss 10. Big Red Machine(too far to enjoy it properly) 11. Odesza (too far to enjoy it properly) 12. Lord Huron 13. White Reaper 14. Ravyn Lenae 15. Chromeo Dj Set 16. Turnstile 17. Princess Nokia 18. Pale Waves 19. Logic 20. Sheck Wes
Mura Masa really surprised me with how much I liked them.
Last Edit: May 27, 2019 11:08:01 GMT -5 by Deleted - Back to Top
Post by Jeremy Fragrance on May 27, 2019 20:20:22 GMT -5
Hello! Just made an account to say that this ended up being a great festival! All 3 days ended up being better than I expected, and I hope y’all had a great time! (Side note, if anyone saw an inflatable monkey/inflatable tree that was what me and my brother used to find each other in the crowd, worked incredibly well)
Hello! Just made an account to say that this ended up being a great festival! All 3 days ended up being better than I expected, and I hope y’all had a great time! (Side note, if anyone saw an inflatable monkey/inflatable tree that was what me and my brother used to find each other in the crowd, worked incredibly well)
This inflatable monkey, how big was it and what did you do with it during shows?
