Boston Calling Wrap-Up Report

Boston Calling Music Festival
City Hall Plaza; Boston, Massachusetts
Friday, September 25^th – Sunday, September 27^th, 2015
Written by Eric Riley

Pre-show Grade:
For their sixth installment, Boston Calling brought one of its broadest lineups to-date. Headliners alt-J and Alabama Shakes each are unique in their own regard, but still stood out set against most of the other acts performing. Of the five past weekends that I have attended, this lineup contained the fewest acts that excited me (though, if you read further, I’ll explain how that worked in my benefit). MisterWives and CHVRCHES were instant draws, and I was interested to see what Nate Ruess’ solo return to Boston Calling would be like. Meanwhile, the radio successes of Hozier and WALK THE MOON made them sure to bring in huge audiences. For me, the larger pieces were in place, it was just a matter of seeing who could fill out the rest of the days. C+

Post-show Grade:
Like I mentioned, when the lineup was revealed in May, I wasn’t totally sold on the majority of artists playing. Each headliner held the role because of their large fanbases, but I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of either’s music. That’s not to say they didn’t perform extraordinarily – Alabama Shakes called in a favor from the universe, closing out the weekend under a blood red moon. While I’m not a huge fan of the music, I’m still a person with working ears and [unfortunately] human emotions, and the power of the performance was undeniable. Where Alabama Shakes closed things out with crowd-shaking soul, Sunday openers Dirty Bangs delivered arguably the best performance that the yearly local acts have yet. Early Saturday, Minnesotan rap collective DOOMTREE set the standard for how bands should perform – energetic and passionate, while bringing
something new to the stage. A good live set is crucial to making new fans, and they surely made plenty; I’ve had their latest record on repeat. B

Highlight & lowlights:
As they always seem to do, each Boston band opened their respective days to decent-sized crowds. Sunday grew at a steady rate, in size, diversity, and intensity, starting with the raw sharpness of Bully and Fidlar before reaching critical mass during Hozier and Alabama Shakes. Saturday, however, saw some signs of faltering. DOOMTREE had the blooming audience rushing closer to the stage with each passing song, while back-to-back sets from Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks and lone bluegrass artist Sturgill Simpson (seemingly filling the role Jason Isbell held in May) saw some attendees taking bathroom breaks and heading to the merchandise and food stands. Father John Misty’s dark, brooding indie-pop instantly picked things back up, and from then on out, the remaining artists really brought it home.

Grounds:
Much like I reported last time around, the festival makes brilliant usage of City Hall Plaza. The setup stayed the same, with the stages, vendors, restrooms, etc. in their usual locations, and this familiarity comforted any returning concertgoers while simultaneously being easily learnable for anyone new in attendance. Being set in the center of a major city is a bit of a double-edged sword – the Government Center T-stop is
still unfinished, which is more of an annoyance than a hassle, but I can understand how those who are unfamiliar with the city or the public transit system could get a little confused. The construction site was a bit of an eyesore, but the stop is scheduled to be
finished by Spring 2016, so this could be the last time that that’s an issue. Also, with the wear-and-tear of daily commutes being evident with, as one site had reported, “loose bricks are as common as flower crowns and tie-dye shirts.” That’s a bit picky, if you ask me. Also an easy fix if it comes down to it. A

Weather:
Almost as perfect as you could ask for – mid-60’s and sunny during the day, with a bit of a chill rolling in as the sky darkened. Then again, compared to the monsoon that happened Day Two last September, any bit of sun is favorable. (Even a year later, I still couldn’t be more impressed with the staff enough for how well they handled that entire situation.) A

Amenities:
Sponsors have always been a major part of Boston Calling, and this year was no different. With the usual suspects, such as Wicked Wines, Polar, Sam Adams, and Blue Stage sponsor JetBlue, coming back once more, the sense of familiarity reached further than
just the grounds’ setup. The free sunscreen and water refill stations were taken full advantage of, especially on the cloudless Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Restrooms, either in the General Admission area or the VIP section, were clean and stocked, and trash bins were emptied regularly (though attendees were encouraged to recycle whatever they could). Oh, and I had my first Tasty Burger experience. That is a very
accurately-named business. A

Overall:
This was my fifth time going to Boston Calling, and given the chance, I plan on attending every one until either it stops happening or I can’t physically go. However, this year’s may be the most honest, accurate review I can give. Each previous lineup contained a handful of artists that I am crazy for – Marina and the Diamonds, St. Vincent, and HALSEY back in May, Lorde, Childish Gambino, and twenty one pilots last September, and don’t even get me started on how packed May 2014 was. This time through, I’ll say I considered myself a fan of three, maybe four of the artists heading in. Also, on my last visits, I had always been on-site as a pit photographer rather than attending as press. So, here’s me, working a job that is not my forte, for a roster of bands that was (key-word: comparably) on the weaker side. Yet, here I am now, in the same spot I always am after Boston Calling comes to a close: sitting at my laptop, with a handful of bands that I can now call myself a fan of, writing about how incredible this young festival somehow manages to be each and every time. I can only imagine what they’ve got in store for us when May rolls back around. But,
you can bet I’ll be there to find out. A-

5 Questions With:: Gregory Alan Isakov [Bumbershoot Edition]

Interview conducted by Kristen Schell.

Gregory Alan Isakov is both humble and hilarious; this is a rare find and indeed a treat to speak with. He is a creative visionary combining both his experiences and craft of story telling into his music. There is a richness that cannot be mimicked in his vocals and the fluid harmonies that guide you through the story often places you somewhere unexpected. 

The day after his performance at Bumbershoot, I was able to chat with him about his his sound, how his performance went, and what we can expect next from him!  

How was bumbershoot?

 

“I never know what to expect with festivals, it was really exciting”

I like to start interviews with a brief origins type story, can you tell me how you began making music and when you decided it was a career?

“I’ve always played music for myself and it became like eating dinner just a part of my day. I went to school for horticulture and played for myself mostly. I began booking random shows and it started having a mind of its own”

“Second Chances”, is my favorite from your last album Weatherman, could you tell me a little bit about that track and how it came to be?

“That song totally was going to ruin my life we had like sixteen versions. I wrote that song with my little brother. That’s so nice to hear… you could have like two records of versions of that song.”

Do you feel your sound has changed since the start of your music career? I’m noticing a newfound richness in your vocals?

“For me everything feels so different. It’s kind of hard to get away from yourself. We did a lot of it on tape, which we haven’t really done before.”

What’re your plans for the future, more albums, any plans for collaborations in the future?

“Yeah, I have friends all over we try to hangout and work on things together. It’s one of my favorite things.”

If you have some free time on your hands, please, please, please take the time to listen to him and his newest album “The Weatherman.“ It is by far his most powerful and moving album. His talent will carry him through far beyond three albums and we cannot wait to see what else he has in store.

Festival Review:: Bumbershoot

It was phenomenal weather for the always-raining Seattle, WA and Bumbershoot 2014 was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I was able to enjoy the luxuries of a three-day pass to scope out both old and new artists. The experience as a whole can be best described as breathtaking – I say this because between all of the walking, my breath was literally gone (not to mention how many “wooo’s” and “you’re amazing’s” were screamed out after each outstanding performance). I ended the weekend with no voice, sore legs, and a giant grin. 

For those who may not be familiar, Bumbershoot is a festival hosted around the Seattle Center in Washington, which highlights a variety of different artists, comedians, and other performers. It is a HUGE deal over on the west coast and people all over come to be swept up in the action. (Fun fact – bumbershoot actually means umbrella…does anyone else see the connection here? no? …okay, moving on.) Here at Lucy Out Loud, we had the chance to cover the festival for the first time(!!!) and this was not only an opportunity for us to get some west coast coverage, but it was also a way to check out even more artists we’ve never heard of or posted about before!

Though the festival also included some great comedic performances, we focused more on the musical side of the festival and took some time enjoying awesome live acts! Our musical favorites from the festival included The Lonely Forest, Hook ‘N Sling, and Young Karin. Their performances were phenomenal and their crowds were screaming for an encore – what more could you ask for?

In between the chaos that is a music festival, we also had the chance to sit down and chat for a bit with a handful of bands and artists who were scheduled to perform. All of who were ecstatic to sit down and talk to us about their future goals, beginnings, and share their enthusiasm for being at Bumbershoot!

This experience left us with some new musical favorites as well as some exclusive interview teasers. And to continue with the festival coverage we’ve been posting lately, starting tomorrow we’ll be giving you guys a daily dose of Bumbershoot interviews with artists including Gregory Alan Isakov, Kins, Young Blood Hawke, Campfire OK, and La Luz! 

Keep your eyes peeled and let us know if you attended the festival – if so, what were your thoughts and experiences?!

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Written by Kristen Schell