I’ve always been fairly open to the idea of hearing new music. I strongly believe that there is no reason to favor one genre over another because they all have so much to offer. With that being said, I find myself from time to time becoming consumed by one genre. When I heard our newspaper was going to cover Boston Calling, I figured I’d use that as a chance to broaden my horizons.
Boston Calling is a yearly, three day concert where alternative bands from all around the world come to play at City Hall Plaza. I went to the second day of this concert and it was definitely an experience I’ll never forget.
To begin, I have listened to alternative bands before, just none of the bands that went to the concert. Arriving around 6 p.m., Walk the Moon was the first performance I saw. Known for their popular song, “Shut Up and Dance,” this was one of the few alternative bands I’ve heard before. Having never seen what they looked like, it was definitely a surprise seeing that they looked nothing like I expected, but they knew how to put on a show.
Up next was Chromeo, an electro-funk band from Canada. They were without a doubt one of my favorite performances. Their chill yet upbeat songs reflected on the atmosphere of the crowd. Their entering base alone was enough to vibrate every chest in the plaza, making it almost impossible to not enjoy them. It was definitely one of my favorite performances.
Following them was Chvrches, a scottish electronic band, where I took the time to explore the many things that Boston Calling had to offer.
The venue itself was perfectly constructed for this concert. There were two stages, making it easier to switch between performances. One other thing I found really interesting was the activities they had for the people who weren’t drunkenly moshing with the music. They had a hut with a fireplace for people looking to warm up, a lot of tailgating games, and various “spin the wheel and win” game tents.
This is where my night takes a bit of a turn. While the final band was beginning, I wanted to make my way to the center of the crowd to get the best experience possible. When I got there, the band was just starting, but the crowd was antsy. Here, I had beer spilled all over me, was shoved, kicked, and even had to break up a fight between a drunk man and woman. I quickly realized the center of the crowd wasn’t the best place to be and went back to the sides for the concert.
Overall, the greatest part about this concert was the venue itself. The music echoed amazingly off the buildings, giving it the feel of an amphitheatre. The base echoed through every area of the plaza and everyone genuinely seemed to be having a good time – well, the ones who weren’t fighting or black-out drunk. This was definitely one of the greater concert experiences I’ve had and I hope to go back next year. It really opened my eyes to some great new bands.
