2024 Rumble Prelims Showcase Top Rock in Big Band Battle

Another harbinger of springtime in Boston: the return of the Rock & Roll Rumble. The 2024 Rumble Prelims are set, so let's see who's playing.

Since 1979, the Rumble has stood as Boston's preeminent Battle of the Bands. Over the years, the multi-night showcase has launched local acts onto the national scene, while also acting as a living history of the local scene. Head over here for a quick Rumble history lesson, along with a handful standout moments from over the years.

The 2024 Rumble Prelims take place over six nights at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge. The action gets underway on Thursday, April 4 with Shotgun Waltz, The Magic City, Sunshine Riot, and Twig.

The Friday, April 5 lineup is Jatk, Gut Health, Trailer Swift, and Type 66. On Saturday, April 6, the first week wraps up with Prelim Night 3, featuring Condition Baker, Other Brother Darryl, Wire Lines, and Lovina Falls.

They're back at it again on Thursday, April 11 with Shiverlane, Ruby Grove, Looking Glass War, and Bikethrasher. Night 5 goes down on Friday, April 12 with sets from The Roland High Life, Cold Expectations, The Ghouls, and Never Gonna Make It.

The final Prelim night takes place on Saturday, April 13, with rock from Robotic Hawks, Roser, CE Skidmore & the Damn Fine Band, and Mammothor. Again, all six nights of shows are at the Middle East Upstairs.

That's a lot of rock. And Rumble runner Anngelle Wood showcased all 24 acts on her weekly program Boston Emissions. You can listen to that here and dig into bios on each of the bands.

Doors at 8, rock starts at 9, all-ages. Tickets are $15 in advance and can be purchased here. I'm planning on taking in as many 2024 Rumble Prelims nights as I can, so I'll see you at the Middle East. Keep scrolling for some Rumble history.

The Rock & Roll Rumble returned to the Boston music scene in 2023. Here's a partial primer on Rock & Roll Rumble history.

As I wrote here recently, the Rumble traces its roots all the way back to 1979. In that year and in 1980, it was billed “The Rumble at the Rat,” as the multiple-night battle of the bands took place at The Rathskeller in Kenmore Square. The event was co-sponsored and supported by the legendary Boston rock station WBCN. For decades, it was the showcase in the city for up-and-coming local acts. And some of those up-and-comers became household names in the Boston area, thanks in part to the Rumble.

For more than a decade, Boston DJ and Boston Emissions host Anngelle Wood has produced the Rumble. Anngelle is a friend and a colleague and has done an outstanding job over the years of curating all of it, striking the perfect balance of honoring Rock & Roll Rumble history while also moving things forward in new and exciting ways. Together we've witnessed some historic moments over the years. I'm going to share some of my favorites and the lore that goes along with them.

But before I do, a look back at the 2023 Rock & Roll Rumble Finals. Last year's field was stacked. I was able to attend five of the six preliminary nights, which I recapped here and here. And while I missed the semifinals, there's a recap of those over here.

The 2024 Rock & Roll Rumble Prelims take place at the Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge Thursday, April 4 through Saturday, April 6, then Thursday April 11 through Saturday, April 13. Doors at 8, rock starts at 9. Get your tickets here. And keep scrolling to get your Boston rock scene history lesson, as viewed through the lens of the Rock & Roll Rumble. I think there'll be a few bands you remember.

The Neighborhoods edge out La Peste, who had won in '78. Two other legendary Boston bands--Mission of Burma and Lyres--competed that year.

Arguably the biggest-ever Rumble winner, 'Til Tuesday (and Aimee Mann) would go on to great success after their big win. They beat Sex Execs in the Finals and The Del Fuegos in the Semis!

It's always a cause for celebration when a punk band wins it all. Even though, by '86, Gang Green had moved along from their classic sound and lineup from '80-'83.

A veritable who's-who of the late '80s Boston rock scene took part in the '88 contest: Think Tree, The Lemonheads, Bullet LaVolta, Bim Skala Bim, Tribe. Heretix won it all.

The fertile '90s Boston alternative rock scene was on display at the '92 Rumble. Competitors included Powerman 5000, Morphine, Letters to Cleo, Stomp Box, and Sam Black Church. And none of them even made the finals! That honor went to Big Catholic Guilt.

Metalcore gods Cave In competed in the '99 Rumble. They didn't make it past the prelims. Lowell legends The Shods did, though. But they lost in the finals to The Sheila Devine, who got signed and are still making records today. Damn good records, too.

Going into the Y2K Rumble, Waltham was everyone's darling, from fans to critics. It was almost a forgone conclusion that they'd win. But they didn't An upstart punk rock band from the South Shore called Darkbuster came in and ruined everyone's fun. My favorite story in all of Rumble lore.

As a WBCN DJ, I helped promote and even judged at the "WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble" each year. My job was made difficult that first year when the band that won it all wasn't a rock & roll band at all. Punk cabaret act The Dresden Dolls, y'all.

From the first time we BCNers saw Robby Roadsteamer, we thought we had a winner. We thought we had our savior. It wasn't meant to be, as he lost in the finals to Reverend Glasseye. But Robby did win in the end, as he ended up on the air at BCN.

We didn't know it at the time, but the '09 Rumble would be WBCN's last, as the station would leave the Boston airwaves that August. So the final winner of the "WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble?" The Luxury.

Some years "rock" harder than others at the Rumble. Finalists Goddamn Draculas, Petty Morals, and Await Rescue all made the finals in '14 and were all rock-solid rock bands. Goddamn Draculas took the crown.