Boston Calling
May 23-25, 2025
Will you heed the call of Boston Calling in 2025?
Each May our fair city rolls out the turf carpet at the Harvard Athletic Complex to host some of the biggest names in music, past, present, and future. Feels like a big year for “past,” with a slew of mega stars from the 90s, 00s, and 10s. But Boston Calling has always been a festival that meets the fat part of the bell curve where it’s at.
Which midlevel act will be this year’s Chapell Roan, ascending to the top of the pops right in front of your eyes? Read on below for the latest on lineups, local artists hitting the Orange Stage, and out-of-towners not to be missed.
TICKETS
LINEUPS
FRIDAY, MAY 23
Luke Combs / Megan Moroney
Sheryl Crow / T-Pain / TLC / MIKE.
Thee Sacred Souls / Max McNown / Wilderado / Infinity Song / Kyle Dion / Bebe Stockwell / Holy Roller / Latrell James / Megan From Work / Future Teens / Battlemode
Day One is Nouveau Nashville, aimed at Gen Z. The old country headz don’t know or care who the top-billed Luke Combs or Megan Moroney are. But they’ll recognize Sheryl Crow, and they’ll figure out that there’s plenty of twang here to wet their whistle. Adding T-Pain, TLC, Mike., Thee Sacred Souls, and Latrell James, etc., feels like an effort to balance out the day with a little hip-hop, R&B and soul. T-Pain’s a hoot — but does anyone need that schtick at the quarter mark of the 21st century?
SATURDAY, MAY 24
Fall Out Boy / Avril Lavigne
Cage The Elephant / The Black Crowes / All Time Low
James Bay / The Maine / Lucius / Valley / Mon Rovîa / Amble / Sofia Isella / Timmy Skelly / Simon Robert French / Rebuilder / Sidebody / Pinklids
Day Two is Pop-sploitation, aimed at millennials. The top-billed Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne were so damn good at wringing rock and punk dry of every last dewy drop of subversion. Their fans don’t care, and neither do you. Just enjoy the aughtsy vibes and, pretty please, can we revive the Avril Lavigne Replacement Conspiracy discourse one more time?
SUNDAY, MAY 25
Dave Matthews Band / Vampire Weekend
Sublime / Public Enemy / Remi Wolf / Goth Babe
Tom Morello / The 502s / Spin Doctors / IDK How But They Found Me / Mo Lowda & the Humble / Sam Austins / Snacktime / Layzi / Copilot / Vivid Bloom / Nate Perry & Ragged Company
Day Three is Lollapalooza Calling, aimed at Gen X. Ignore the Vampire Weekend feint. Perry Farrell’s personal assistant would have happily signed off on this bill in the ’90s. Dave Matthews Band, Sublime, Public Enemy, Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine) and the Spin Doctors? You’re going to feel like you’ve died and gone to Dot Com Boom heaven. Don’t go alone – bring your kids, they’ll enjoy pop newcomers such as Remi Wolf, Goth Babe and Sam Austins.
SCHEDULE
LOCAL ARTISTS
Orange Stage
Each year the festival curates an impressive list of area artists and bands to bring a little New England flavor to the proceedings. And ground zero for locals, the Dunkin’ Donuts kiosk notwithstanding, is the Orange Stage.
Cakeswagg at the Orange Stage (2024)
Hip hop artist Latrell James, TikTok phenom and acoustic guitarist Simon Robert French, and pop rocker Layzi headline Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, respectively. An eclectic blend for an eclectic festival.
The remaining Orange Stage performers include chiptuners Battlemode, alt rockers Future Teens, pride of Manchester Megan From Work, garage psych Pinklids, printing press collective Sidebody, pop punk vets Rebuilder, Americana sweethearts Nate Perry & Ragged Co., gazer blazers Vivid Bloom, and live, laugh, lovers Copilot.
To be clear, it’s not a rule that local artists can only perform at the Orange Stage. You will find Harvard grad and bassist Devon Gates (& Friends) performing at the Arena Stage on Friday, for example. But the Orange Stage remains the focal point for local representation at the festival, constituting a welcome gesture of support for our music scene.
Roll up to the locals stage at Boston Calling! It’s located right through the gates, hang a left at the food court, take a right at the Narcan kiosk, run the gauntlet of Porta Potties, walk down a dirt road, crawl under a rusty fence, sprint past the junkyard dog… Ah well, you’ll figure it out.
OUT OF TOWNERS
Here are a few new faces to watch for at the festival from outside our neck of the woods.
Kyle Dion (Friday, May 23)
A very intentional reappropriation of 80s soul, pop, and RnB, squashed together into a package that, at times, feels like a put on. But if he’s having fun, we’re having fun. Shades of Bruno Mars meets The Weeknd.
Mon Rovîa (Saturday, May 24)
The PR copy describes this singer-songwriter as “delicate.” Really gunning for that “delicate” market share, which is definitely out there. A folk singer with emotional worldbuilding skills in the tradition of James Taylor and Bon Iver.
Mo Lowda & The Humble (Sunday, May 25)
These Philly indie rockers pack a depth of soul into their rock n roll, helped along by powerful lead vocals. And they sound like real tour dawgs, so expect the live performance to be on point.
Watch for recap coverage of Boston Calling 2025, and relive 2024 below…
From TikTok to a stage near you.