The semi-annual Boston Calling Music Festival is being held next weekend from September 5-7. The two-stage festival will be held at City Hall Plaza and is bringing some of the biggest acts in music to Boston. The lineup includes popular artists like Lorde, Childish Gambino, and Twenty One Pilots. It also features several local acts like Gentlemen Hall and CliffLight.
Another standout band hitting the stage is Bleachers, an up-and-coming indie-pop group that is riding the success of their smash-hit single “I Wanna Get Better.” We recently had the chance to catch up with frontman Jack Antonoff and ask him about their upcoming set at Boston Calling, as well as Bleachers’ debut album.
The album, “Strange Desire,” has received a positive response from fans, despite the fact that Antonoff wasn’t focused on critiques while creating the album.
“You really don’t know. Every time I’ve ever made an album, I’ve really concentrated on not thinking about what’s going to happen when people hear it,” said the frontman, who achieved fame as the lead guitarist of fun., a band that headlined the first Boston Calling.
On the writing process, Antonoff said it was an entirely different experience than past records.
“Typically, I can’t write on tour. I go home and I write and write, and then book a month in the studio. This was the exact opposite.”
Antonoff wrote and produced everywhere; hotels, buses, and even sang ideas for songs into his phone. “Everything was done in the moment. The way it feels is bigger than the quality of how it’s recorded.”
Already having performed with fun. at last year’s festival, Antonoff is excited to come back to the upcoming Boston Calling with Bleachers. “It’s an amazing festival. There’s so many cool elements about it. I love a city festival, and there are so few of them. I just think the energy is so crazy.”
Boston fans seem to contribute to the hype of the festival. “Boston fans are extremely unique. Anytime I look and see we’re playing in Boston, I’m like, ‘Oh, shit!’” Antonoff said.
And if you can’t make it their set at Boston Calling, Bleachers is heading back to Boston for a headlining show that “will be announced very shortly after the festival.”
Antonoff also hinted that a second album is in the works. When asked about a second Bleachers record, he admitted that it’s a little too early to begin writing, but it will definitely happen.
“I do have a lot of ideas,” Antonoff admitted. About Bleachers and their debut album being a temporary project, Antonoff mentioned that “it was never meant to be just a random one.”
Catch Bleachers at the Boston Calling Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 3:55 p.m. on the JetBlue stage. For more information about Boston Calling, visit fall.bostoncalling.com.