Boston Calling Spring 2014 Preview

For a long time, while the Northeast has batted above it’s weight in music, it’s batted below in terms of music festivals. The weather is too cold, the cities are too densely packed for festivals there, and the countryside too precious (somehow the legacy of Woodstock still worries people…). Yet the last few years have seen an upswing, like Governors Ball in New York (QRO ’13 recap) and especially Boston Calling in one of the best music cities in the world. Last year it came downtown, way downtown, to Government Center in front of city hall for not one, but two editions, in May and September.

Now Boston Calling returns for its first go-round in its second year, expanding to three days (and can drink beer anywhere at the festival), Friday-Sunday, May 23rd to 27th:

Click here for QRO’s recap of 2013 Boston Calling Spring

FRIDAY, MAY 23rd

Jack Johnson, Blue Stage – 9:30 PM Of course Jack Johnson (QRO photos) is headlining Boston Calling – the man is a festival regular to nth degree. His ultra-relaxed surf-jam has won the Hawaii native fans around the world, and usually headlining at least a few festivals every year. He (QRO photos) was even impersonated by Andy Samberg on Saturday Night Live as host of ‘The Mellow Show’ with Jason Mraz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) & Dave Matthews (Bill Hader)…

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Blue Stage – 8:00 PM Alex Ebert, former singer of Ima Robot (QRO interview), got a ton of buzz right after forming Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (QRO live review) – is it justified, or just PR hype (QRO spotlight on)? Judge for yourself (QRO photos at a festival) – but watch out for him jumping into the crowd (QRO live review), like at so many festivals (QRO photos at a festival)!

Cass McCombs, Blue Stage – 6:45 PM Alt-musician Cass McCombs (QRO photos outdoors) defies easy categorization.

SATURDAY, MAY 24th

Death Cab for Cutie, Blue Stage – 9:30 PM When Pacific Northwest alternative favorite Death Cab for Cutie (QRO photos at a festival) left long-time indie imprint Barsuk for major Label Atlantic in 2005 with Plans, fans thought the sky might be falling. But instead, Death Cab (QRO photos) has released not one, but two of their best records to-date, following up Plans in 2010 with the excellent Narrow Stairs (QRO review) – and their latest, 2011’s Codes and Keys (QRO review). Singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard may have gone from dork to looking like a Cascadian beefcake (QRO photos at a festival) – he was married to Zooey Deschanel of She & Him (QRO live review)/The New Girl (meanwhile, his side project, The Postal Service, went on a reunion tour last year – QRO photos – behind the tenth anniversary deluxe edition of the one-and-only album, Give Up – QRO deluxe edition review), but guitarist Chris Walla is still an indie producer extraordinaire (and kept his alt-cred with his own solo record la few years ago on Barsuk, Field Manual – QRO review). And with over a decade’s worth of strong material (QRO photos), their well is deep for a wide performance (QRO photos at a festival).

The Decemberists, Red Stage – 8:10 PM Portland, Oregon’s The Decemberists (QRO photos at a festival) have been booming in recent years, from their showdown with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report (QRO Music on Late Night TV) to 2009’s excellent magnum opus, The Hazards of Love (QRO review) and 2011’s The King Is Dead (QRO review), which earned them a Grammy nom. Oh, and they taught the children of Springfield Elementary on The Simpsons, plus appeared on the season finale of Parks & Recreation!

The Head and The Heart, Blue Stage – 7:05 PM Fairly recently, things have been seriously booming for The Head and The Heart (QRO live review). The Seattle alt-folk/pop band (QRO photos outdoors) was signed by Sub Pop (QRO photos outdoors), named their city’s best new band (QRO live review) by Seattle Weekly, opened for everybody from Dave Matthews (QRO live review) to Death Cab for Cutie (see above). They’ve since graduated to headlining status (QRO live review) behind last year’s sweet Let’s Be Still (QRO review) – though their crowds won’t (QRO photos at a festival).

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Red Stage – 6:00 PM While Frank Turner (QRO photos) began his life in music as singer for the post-hardcore act Million Dead, since that band’s break-up in 2005, the Bahrain-born, Britain-raised artists has turned to political indie-folk. He’s not a stranger to big stages, however (QRO photos at a festival), having opened up for Green Day (QRO album review) at stadium shows in the U.K.

Jenny Lewis, Blue Stage – 4:55 PM If you like alternative music in the twenty-first century, chances are you already know Jenny Lewis (QRO photos). The former child star came to the music scene co-fronting Los Angeles’ Rilo Kiley (QRO album review) in the prior decade (QRO photos), before going solo with Rabbit Fur Coat and 2008’s Acid Tongue (QRO review). In 2010 she teamed up with boyfriend Jonathan Rice as Jenny & Johnny (QRO photos at a festival) for I’m Having Fun Now (QRO review). Last year, she reprised one of her many guest vocalist roles (others have included with Elvis Costello & Conor Oberst – QRO live review together) on the reunion tour of indietronica all-stars Postal Service (QRO photos – with Benjamin Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie – see above) behind the tenth anniversary edition of the ultra-acclaimed Give Up (QRO review). For Boston Calling, however, she comes to shine all on her own.

The Neighbourhood, Red Stage – 3:50 PM Cali electro indie-pop outfit The Neighbourhood (QRO live review) debuted already on the majors after hit YouTube single “Sweater Weather” (QRO review), with last year’s I Love You on Columbia, and have been winning fans (QRO photos at a festival) outside (QRO photos outdoors) and even outside of their ‘hood (QRO photos where they spell it with an ‘ou’).

Warpaint, Blue Stage – 3:00 PM The experimental, even psychedelic rock of the four ladies that make up Warpaint (QRO photos) has taken a while to take hold, but is really starting to by now (QRO photos), and they come to Boston Calling (QRO photos) behind this year’s self-titled full-length.

Walk Off the Earth, Red Stage – 2:10 PM Burlington, Ontario’s Walk Off the Earth (QRO photos) got round-the-world notice thanks to their low-budget videos of covers and originals, long before having management, booking, or a label. Of course, by now they’ve got all of that for last year’s third release, R.E.V.O. LP, and now come to Boston Calling.

Maxïmo Park, Blue Stage – 1:35 PM There are some bands that make the top ten in Britain, and Americans only wish their national audience was as cool in their taste – case in point, Maxïmo Park (QRO photos at a festival). The English act (QRO live review) has charted in Blighty with all five of their records (most recently with this year’s Too Much Information – QRO review – and 2012’s The National Health – QRO review), earning their status as a festival headliner in their native country (QRO photos at a U.K. festival), though they play earlier on this side of the pond (QRO live review in United States).

Also: Magic Man – Red Stage, 1:00 PM – QRO photos at a festival

SUNDAY, MAY 25th

Modest Mouse, Blue Stage – 9:20 PM Washington State’s Modest Mouse (QRO photos) broke through to mainstream success in 2004 with Good News For People Who Like Bad News, and followed that up by adding Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr for 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (QRO review) – unfortunately, Marr has since left to join the even younger Cribs (QRO live review) and then solo (QRO live review). But they’re still big enough to even headline (QRO photos headlining a festival), are great outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), and word is they’re finally working on a new album (QRO photos at a more recent festival).

Brand New, Red Stage – 8:15 PM Long Island’s Brand New (QRO photos) were getting bigger & bigger, like with 2009’s Top Ten release, Daisy, but have since announced a sonic shift for the long-awaited follow-up, so who knows what to expect at Boston Calling?

B∆stille, Blue Stage – 7:10 PM Dan Smith expanded his solo project into a full band, B∆stille, who have become the second British synth ∆ct to find overnight success in recent years (after alt-J, a.k.a. ∆ – QRO live review).

Tegan & Sara, Red Stage – 6:05 PM Identical twin sisters Tegan and Sara (QRO interview) Quinn emerged out of Calgary at a young age over a decade ago (QRO spotlight on), and are coming to Boston Calling (QRO photos at a festival) behind their seventh record, Heartthrob (QRO review) after a hiatus following the end of their touring behind 2009’s Sainthood (QRO review). The duo manages to combine both the mature songstress(es) style and today’s indie-rock (QRO live review) – along with some great between song banter (QRO live review). They arrive in Boston after touring the world last year & this (QRO photos at a festival on the other side of the world) – from French-speaking Montreal (QRO photos) to Major League Baseball’s ‘Fan Cave’ (QRO photos), from Amnesty International’s ‘Bring Human Rights Home’ event (QRO photos) to Middle of America (QRO photos).

Phosphorescent, Blue Stage – 5:00 PM Alt-country/indie-folk has been booming, especially on the festival circuit, so there’s gonna be a slot for Athens, Georgia-by-way-of-Brooklyn, NY (QRO photos outdoors at a festival in Brooklyn) Phosphorescent (QRO photos outdoors). After playing Europe (QRO European tour review) & America last year behind the Muchacho, they’re less jam & more touch than their contemporaries, and love to play outdoors (QRO photos outdoors).

Built To Spill, Red Stage – 3:55 PM Yes, the ‘biggest indie-rock band outta Boise, Idaho (QRO photos at a festival) is still around, still on Warner Bros., and still putting out new music (QRO live review), though the most recent was 2009’s There Is No Enemy. They’ve gained a second life on the festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival) – and have been moving up the festival food chain (QRO photos headlining a festival).

Kurt Vile & The Violators, Blue Stage – 3:05 PM Even amongst all the lo-fi guitar-punks out there, Kurt Vile (QRO photos at a festival) has made a name for himself. The former member of The War On Drugs (QRO live review), Kurt Vile has since formed his own ensemble with his Violators, and contributed to/opened for alt-punk guitar god J Mascis (of Dinosaur Jr. – QRO live review) on his solo record, Several Shades of Why (QRO review), and subsequent tour (plus Dinosaur Jr.’s You’re Living All Over Me show in NYC). However, he’s since evolved into a frontman of his own (QRO live review) with last year’s Wakin On a Pretty Daze, including at festivals (QRO photos at a festival).

Also: The Districts – Red Stage, 2:15 PM – QRO photos at a festival Tigermanwoah! – Blue Stage, 1:40 PM The Box Tiger – Red Stage, 1:05 PM