My MTF Experience at Boston Calling 2023 (Day 1)

      When I wrote about my meditation on Jeff Beck's music, I explained how I was watching a video of Taylor Hawkins, Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones, and Jimmy Page just before I heard of Jeff Beck's passing. That reminder of fleeting opportunities spurred me to make a decision when soon after, I found out that Boston Calling 2023 would be one of the Foo Fighters' first shows without their beloved drummer.  I was so in.  Sweetening the deal were acts like Alanis Morissette, Paramore, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  I wasn't familiar with other names on the billing, but I saw it as one of those times where those opening acts and small shows open your mind and connect you with lesser known acts.  Through February, March, and April, the anticipation kept building, and I was so excited as May culminated with Memorial Day Weekend.  I was charging portable battery packs for my phone and getting my outfits ready when I heard that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had to cancel for medical reasons.  Reminded of when they had to pull out of a Saturday Night Live appearance last winter under circumstances, I'm hoping that everything's okay for them.  Local punk icons the Dropkick Murphys were going to play as a substitution.  It's like when the 2020 New England Patriots turned to ex-quarterback Julian Edelman to bring effectiveness to their passing game (via a trick play).

      Aware of the weather and amount of UVR exposure, I was trying to be careful with my fair skinned risk of sunburn.  In addition to Neutrogena sunscreen with a 100+ SPF level, another weekend staple was going to be a great hoodie that I got from Aviator Nation during last year's Memorial Day sale.  I imagine that Paige Mycoskie designed her company's sweats with thoughts of nights after the sun sets into the Pacific and Venice, CA gets relatively cold.  For me, the vip-up with hand-sewn horizontal stripes provided nice coverage while also being light enough for temperatures in the mid to high 70's.  I wore it with some Gap cargos (for my phone charging gear), navy Vans Old Skool high tops, a Syracuse University scrum tee from '47 Brand, Uniqlo sunglasses with light tortoise frames, and a sporty black crossbag from Becksöndergaard.  The shows were mainly starting around 1:45 each afternoon, and the (color coded) Red Stage was getting the most direct sunlight, so I drew my hood over my head during Alisa Amador's set.

      Amador is one of the local talents who was getting exposure and a promotional boost from Boston Calling.  Her down to earth casual open rapport with the audience had me seeing in her a Latinx Sara Bareilles in the making. Yes, especially with these less known artists, I'm describing them with comparison's to more recognizable names.  I learned about Sloane Crosley's essay writing through her books being suggested to those who enjoyed Harriet the Spy, and I'm hoping that I can help these other creatives through the outlet of my writing.  Digressing, my Bareilles reference comes from Alisa's genre an electric folk pop.  Some of her songs are about universal subjects like positive forms of self love (which I don't think that many musicians wrote about until the time of Jewel's "Pieces of You".  A song with a mores specifically relevant subject is "Extraño" (Spanish for "Strange") about a friend's refugee experiences through a different culture.  In that way, the title at least can be a reference to views of the world around them, and the external views of those around.

      I made to short trip over to the Green Stage to watch the Razor Braids perform.  They're a rock band from Brooklyn with a stage chemistry that reminds me of Veruca Salt (the band) and ethereal rock vibe.  Think of No Doubt's "Return of Saturn" album, and turn the dial further on the amount of rock.  In "Return of Saturn, there's a distinct sound to the album, but also a style in songs like "Too Late", "Dark Blue", and "Magic's in the Makeup" where, quiet contemplation steadily leads into heavier rock.  The vocal harmonies remind me of me of Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson of the Waifs.  There were many LGBTQ+ artists at the festival, but the Razor Braids waved their figurative Pride flag so broadly that when a  friend asked me the name of the queer band, she just had to say "really queer", and I was like "Oh, the Razor Braids".

    

      Next on my docket was another Boston act.  In the hours leading up to their taking the Blue Stage (on the other side of the festival grounds), there was so much talk about how the band (GA-20) would blow people away.  In the simplest of ways, one could say that they are a blues band.  In that blueness, I was hearing many influences.  Take a moment and imagine a "French Dip" sandwich.  The Black Crowes' blues rock.   is the roast beef and Swiss.  It's held together by a baguette of  Eagles twang.  then you dunk that mix of flavors in an gravy-like au jus of a less psychedelic version of Cream (where Eric Clapton, Ginger baker, and Jack Bruce were all heavily inspired by blues musicians).

      I trekked back to the Green Stage to see the Beaches play.  Especially with the particular infusion of funk in the early songs of their set, I was getting some serious Red Hot Chili Peppers.  You know, with the Anthony Kiedis's rap stylings stripped from the comparison, fortify the energy of these Toronto ladies with Thundermother's attitude.  Leandra Earl is the Beaches' counterpart to Flea as a multi-instrumentalist who wildly dances along while playing, and even visited the front row while playing a tambourine into the performance.  The RCHP comparison stops at the band's chemistry on stage. it could be in Kiedis's roles being the vocals and working the crowd, but there are points in the Chili Peppers live gigs where Chad Smith, Flea, and John Frusciante (and the previous guitarists, more or less) meld together on a similar wavelength.  With the Beaches,  those interconnections in the teamwork are much closer and reciprocated.  

      I tried sitting in on some of Chelsea Cutler's set, but just couldn't vibe on that save wavelength.  My internal dinner bell was ringing, and there was a veggie burger from Tasty Burger calling my name. I was sitting by the onramp for the Jack Daniel's viewing platform, having dinner and struggling to get a signal on Pokémon Go.  I heard a woman next to me also trying to get signal, and as her son went off to get ice cream, I mentioned that could be all the AV equipment in our proximity.  I compared it to a calamity for Niantic programming when they tried to facilitate a Pokémon Go Community Day during a Boston Pride Parade and Verizon wifi was stalling out on so many Pokémon Go trainers.  She had Verizon too, and our conversation went on into creating an itinerary to best experoience a festival on Boston Calling's scale, and she explained what it was like to see the ABBA hologram show at London's O2 arena.  Looking at my itinerary, this woman asked me what the Razor Braids were like, and trying to find the best way to communicate first impression of their act.  I say that they have "a harmony similar to that in Veruca Salt", (right away realizing that it could be misinterpreted as meaning more directly a vocal vocal harmony compared to that older band).  "Like Veruca Salt?" she asks, and I'm retracting my statement a little, not thinking of the word "chemistry" but spit out that they have a vocal harmony that I'd compare to the Waifs.  I explained the I write a blog, and I'd still need more time to digest and metabolize everything that I'm taking in before I can better describe it.  She was there with her son primarily to see the Foo Fighters, and I mentioned how important it is to see live acts while we can.  Her son came back, and we wished each other a great weekend as the two went off to see the next show.  I finished my meal, and while throwing away my trash, I saw a guy come by with a shirt that said "Seether".  Though it was referring to the South African rock band and not a certain 1994 alt. rock single,  I realized "Shit! That woman looked a lot like Veruca Salt member and "Seether" songwriter Nina Gordon. *excuse my abbreviated and figurative French* when I say 'OMFG'!!!!!!".  After the show, I listened to a Nina Gordon interview, and I'm 85% percent sure it was her. Nina, if you're reading this, and that was you telling me about Hologram ABBA, I meant a "Veruca Salt like onstage chemistry"

      The next band was the Dropkick Murphys (appropriately enough at the Green Stage).  Though the band is very Boston themed, they are technically from the South Shore city of Quincy.  Not unlike the late surf rock king Dick Dale.  I've had friends who've attended Dropkick Murphys shows since the high school days, but had never attended one myself.  While I enjoyed the exuberance and connected with adding Celtic cultural heritage into rock, the rowdiness and moshing of hard core punk is just not something that I involve myself with.  Usually, I enjoy my punk cut with some pop elements, instead of drinking it in straight.  

      I then directed my attention to the Red Stage, situating myself so that I'd also get a good view for the Foos.  The National is another band that I'm not too familiar with.  Forgive me when I say this, but most local radio stations don't play that many rock bands anymore (at least not around Boston), I usually listen to streaming radio programs, and you have to know to look for these artists in order to listen to them more regularly.  The National puts on quite a show, and the Matt Berninger gives so much of himself into this hyper-dramatic expression of the songs.  Just like with stage actors and professional wrestlers (vs the subtleties of film and television), embellishing his emotions and movements during the song as a powerful tool for Berninger to communicate with audience members even in the farthest back spaces.  You often can see this to some degree (think of how operatic Rob Halford gets), but it's in examples like the National where you see such a fine example of the technique.  The singer was so locked in that he made a deflating example of one beach ball that distracted him.  Lending himself even more to the performance and the fans, Berninger ventured out to sing among the audience, and then walked along the top of a crowd control barrier (assisted by fans and the security team).  It's impressive to see a 52 year old put that much of themselves into a performance.  

      The grand finale for Friday's festivities was a Foo Fighters concert.  Earlier in the week, the band had embarked on their first tour without co-founder Taylor Hawkins.  Taking on a new full time drummer for the first time in 29 years, everything that Dave Grohl, Pat Smear, and the rest of the band wrote with Taylor takes on new meanings at that point where you're simultaneously looking back, looking forward, and consciously being present in the now.  Grohl was talking about these changing interpretations of their music, and an immense grief that we as fans empathize with as extended family of the band.  They performed all the hits and favorites going back to 1995's "This is a Call".  The set got even more intimate when Violet Grohl joined her father for two songs, and when Shane Hawkins subbed in Josh Freese.  After a performance of "Aurora" (specially dedicated to their fallen bandmate), I started making my way back to Harvard Square as "Everlong" played on in the background.

There was so little time to get some rest and prepare for the next day that I'm writing these blog posts a few days after the fact.  Come back next time, for "Saturday" if it's not already updated.  In that case, a hyperlink will be established to help connect you.