The 2014 Boston Calling kicked off last Friday night with headliner Jack Johnson.
One uninvited guest lurked over the festival but thankfully never showed up Friday night; the rain, and that alone attributed to making the night a success.
Cass McCombs led off the festival with his acoustic tunes, which were a great prelude to Jack Johnson’s own powerhouse acoustic jamming. Before the headliner came out, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros took the stage for an hour-long set jingling their way through songs such as “Man on Fire” and “40 Day Dream.” The band picked up the festival’s energy, though vocalist Jade Castrinos was notably missing.
Her absence was strikingly apparent when the band closed out their set with their most popular song, “Home.” The crowd was asked to sing Jane’s usual part which was unsuccessful and a bit awkward but when lead man Alex Ebert handed the mic over to someone in the front row who passionately declared their love of music has inspired them to become a musician, all was good again.
When the sun’s light was completely gone from the sky, Jack Johnson took the stage. The crowd swayed to every song and Johnson played the hits, “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” and “Breakdown.” He even pulled a crowd member on stage to strum guitar on a song. Johnson’s encore brought out the Magnetic Zeros members and together they all played the Beatles’ “Rocky Raccoon” and Bob Dylan’s “I Shall be Released.” The encore begged for second one but the audience would have to wait a whole 14 hours for music in City Hall Plaza.
Boston Calling May 2014: Night one recap
May 30, 2014