The Boston Calling 2024 lineup has been announced. The Music Festival returns to Harvard Athletic Complex on Memorial Day Weekend.
Let's break down the headliners first. On Friday, May 24, pop master Ed Sheeran will lead a lineup that features neo-soulster Leon Bridges on the undercard. Country-folk sensation Tyler Childers headlines the Saturday, May 25 slate, with Trey Anastasio of Phish in direct support. The Killers return to close down the festival on Sunday, May 26, with Hozier leading into their set.
That Sunday night Killers set will likely be the highlight for fans of rock and rock-related genres. If that's you, you'll be stoked to know that California alt-rockers Young The Giant will feature on the Friday lineup. And on Saturday, folk punk Frank Turner returns to the Boston Calling stage with his backing band, The Sleeping Souls.
Here's the Boston Calling 2024 Lineup
As has been the trend in recent years, Boston Calling is going heavy on the local acts as well. Boston indie rockers Divine Sweater will perform on Friday. On Saturday, acts like Bad Rabbits and Lowell sensation Senseless Optimism have joined the lineup. And on Sunday, you can catch Tysk Tysk Task, who were a standout last spring in the 2023 Rock & Roll Rumble.
Keep scrolling for the full lineup of acts to see who else is playing each day of the three-day festival. The presale for all ticket levels gets underway on Thursday, January 11 at 10 a.m. over at BostonCalling.com. Hit that website now to sign up for updates. And if you want to try your luck at winning a pair, we'll have them on our contest page soon. Or, listen to Adam 12's 3-Way @ 3 on Tuesday for your first chance to win.
As always, ROCK 92.9 will be on hand for the entire festival, broadcasting live and bringing you all the sights and sounds. Here's a review of the 2023 Festival to get you fired up.
Boston Calling Past Lineups: 2013-2023
Boston Calling Music Festival has been a mainstay for a decade. Let's revisit Boston Calling past lineups leading up to this year's festival.
Boston Calling launched in May of 2013, so the 2023 edition marked the ten year anniversary of the festival. But, as I've noted before, there have been more than ten Boston Calling Music Festivals. Because there were two per year for the first three years.
From 2013 through 2015, there was a festival in the spring and another in the fall. This was also when it all took place in Boston proper at City Hall Plaza. Two stages, right next to each other, with staggered set times. Right in the heart of the city. I loved those early years.
Boston Calling Past Lineups: Moving From Boston to Allston
In 2016, Boston Calling beefed up the lineup and went to the once-a-year model that we're used to today: a three-day festival taking place on the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. 2016 also marked Boston Calling's final year on City Hall Plaza.
For me, it was bittersweet. I had worked at and attended all but the very first Boston Calling Music Festival and had some amazing musical memories of the festival in that space. All told, we ended up with seven Boston Callings at City Hall Plaza. Quite the run.
Boston Calling Past Lineups: 2013-2023
2017 marked the first festival to take place at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston. Bigger space, bigger lineup, bigger stages (with a third one added, then a fourth in 2022). With the two-year hiatus due to COVID, there have now been five festivals in Allston.
So even though we're past the ten year anniversary mark, there have been a baker's dozen of Boston Calling Music Festivals. Next best thing to 12. Let's take a look back at some of those Boston Calling past lineups.
Boston Calling Spring 2013
The very first Boston Calling, and the only one I've missed: I was away for Memorial Day Weekend!
Boston Calling Fall 2013
Remember when Boston Calling would split the festival between spring and fall dates? I do. Local Natives were a standout this year, and interviewing Lucius was luscious.
Boston Calling Spring 2014
Death Cab and Modest Mouse were standouts, but Frank Turner stole the show(s).
Boston Calling Fall 2014
I got to see The Replacements live on City Hall Plaza on a late summer night and that's a performance I'll never, ever forget.
Boston Calling Spring 2015
To this day, my all-time favorite Boston Calling lineup. Beck, Pixies, My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper, Tenacious D, Tame Impala, St. Vincent, Run The Jewels, Sharon Van Etten, and Boston's own Krill. Just stupendous.
Boston Calling Fall 2015
The final of the spring/fall split festivals. Memorable because it was the very first music festival my kids attended. The 10-yr-old dug Alt-J and the 7-yr-old was all about CHVRCHES.
Boston Calling 2016
The final festival on City Hall Plaza. I miss that location; there was something singular about having Boston Calling in the heart of the city. Charles Bradley, quite literally, stole the show. At the beginning of his set, there were but a handful of people in front of his stage. By the end, the entire festival field hand congregated. A magical moment from a magic man.
Boston Calling 2017
2017: the year Boston Calling moved to Harvard. Tool was the big draw, of course, but my favorite sets came from Nathaniel Rateliff, Sylvan Esso, Piebald, Frightened Rabbit, Converge, Buffalo Tom, and The Hotelier.
Boston Calling 2018
More stacked sets by the Charles River. Fleet Foxes, St. Vincent, Thundercat, Belly, Pussy Riot, Alvvays, and Weakened Friends were my faves.
Boston Calling 2019
The tenth Boston Calling Music Festival. Lots of alums from past festivals returned to join the celebration.
Boston Calling 2020
The Boston Calling that never happened. It was supposed to be Foo Fighters, Rage Against The Machine, and Red Hot Chili Peppers headlining, remember?
Boston Calling 2022
Nine Inch Nails, The Strokes*, and Metallica headlining? With bands like Cheap Trick and Weezer on the undercard? I'll take it. *The Strokes tapped out due to COVID, so it was back-to-back nights of NIN. Perfection.
Boston Calling 2023
Foo Fighters, finally. And sets from Queens of the Stone Age and Paramore. But Yeah Yeah Yeahs were a late scratch, replaced by Dropkick Murphys. Quite the lineup to mark 10 years of Boston Calling Music Festival.
