2022 Top Live Shows

Live Show Puppy

A great live show reminds you that the magic of music is all in the moment. Here’s some of Hump Day News’ greatest moments in 2022. We’ve sorted it with some vibe clouds and little descriptions of what the hell the vibe clouds mean. Might not help.

Don’t miss the rest of 2022 Year In Review.

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Sucker Punch Surprise Hit

Rock your world out of nowhere. Maybe you never heard of the band before. Maybe you heard of the band, but never heard the band. Maybe you heard the band, but never HEARD the band. Get what we’re saying? Just nod yes. Shout out: The Dreamtoday, Living Hour, Space Camp, DJ Whysham, Red Shaydez, and the Finally Reloaded Crew.

Dreamtoday, Gone Tomorrow

Who was this raging 4-piece from New Hampshire that just about burnt down the backroom at the Silhouette Lounge?

New Hampshire’s The Dreamtoday visit the Sil on a sleepy Monday. The Endorphins opened, Hunting Accidents closed.

Living Hour On Fire

While Allston burned, Living Hour set the stage on fire at O’Brien’s Pub.

Sour Widows and fellow HDN 2022 Top Albums listee Pet Fox opened. A strong bill, top to bottom.

Finally Reloaded in Somerville

With a bill was stacked higher than the Prudential Center, you’re bound to hit some winners at the Boston Got Next x ONCE x SparkFM production.

DJ WhySham, SeeFour, Mayestar, Cakeswagg, and Red Shaydez made the day/night-long fest one to remember.

Space Camp at Nice, A Fest: Day 1

Space Camp was a last minute add to the bill.

Sometimes the last minute is the best minute. The glitch-core duo raged on the synth & skins. Infinity Ring, Leopard Print Taser, and Cerce joined the party.

Cagey Veteran Cruise

These artists have it locked down. They’re rock n roll lifers, or lifers-in-training. You’re in good hands. Shout out: Dinosaur Jr., SIEGE, Manchester Orchestra, Colleen Green.

A Dinosaur, an Ohioan, and a Comic Walk into a Bar…

Dinosaur Jr. headlined a short bill with fellow 90s alt-rock heavy hitters Guided By Voices.

The reunited Dinosaur Jr. line-up sound fresher than ever at Boston’s House of Blues. Comedian Eugene Mirman opened for some reason?

Midway Cafe Under SIEGE

A rare performance by influential hardcore punk band SIEGE was the highlight of a hump day show at the Midway Cafe.

Jim Hobbs’ Fully Celebrated Orchestra and The Blues Dream Box joined the fray.

Manchester Orchestra at In Between Days

The long-running Atlanta-based band closed out the inaugural edition of In Between Days in style.

It was the cherry on top of a strong bill, including upstarts Catbite, Tennis, Kevin Devine, Hippo Campus, and more.

Colleen Green at Nice, A Fest: Day 2

The stoner pop all-star packed the house at Crystal Ballroom.

Her band shared the bill on Day 2 of Nice, A Fest with a strong line-up, including Future Teens, Pet Fox, Maneka, Evolfo, Kitner, and more.

On Top Of Their Game

Musicians need practice to maintain top form. Otherwise they’re going to get knocked out onstage like Buster Douglas did Mike Tyson in Tokyo. These shows caught bands at peak performance. Shout out: Mamalarky, Dear Nora, NNAMDÏ, Black Beach.

Mamalarky? Thanks, Biden!

Los Angeles’ Mamalarky toured through O’Brien’s Pub on the night before the 2022 midterm elections. The 4-piece was truly in sync.

Raavi and Park National opened in support.

Dear Nora Gets Epic

The Lilypad greeted west coasters Dear Nora as the band toured its new LP human futures (2022). It was a tight set and a Pacific breezy delight.

Local Bay Staters “up-and-comers” going222jail and Bong Wish opened in support.

NNAMDÏ: Good Karma, Great Caramel

NNAMDÏ has the look of a breakout artist, riding the wave of his new album Please Have A Seat. Extra points for the muppet head stage prop at Crystal Ballroom.

Local Pink Navel and rap wzrd Joshua Virtue opened in support.

Black Beach at Nice, A Fest: Day 4

Through a pickle-infused haze, art-rockers Black Beach closed out Nice, A Fest as the final act on the final bill at the Rockwell. Sound the trumpet!

Anna Fox Rochinksi, Doll Spirit Vessel, and Gut Health played in support.

Phreak Phaktor

Live music can take both artist and audience by surprise. That’s its power. These shows challenged our expectations about what, where, how a live show happens. Shout out: Ghösh, Travels With Brindle, Sons Lunaris, Clamb.

Ghösh Point Blank

The frontwoman walked around the venue all night in a hot dog costume. What more is there to say?

The “no-frills bar” in the bowels of Allston turned into a pop-up rave shop. Triff, Homeworld, and FEARDOTCOM played in support.

Afternoon at the Wenham St. Cinema

A concert/film series sets up camp in a local garage during the pandemic. It’s the Wenham St. Cinema!

Beautiful Headquarters, Travels With Brindle, and Hilken Mancini & Chris Colbourn entertained an unlikely crowd.

Sons Lunaris: A Gong Supreme

Absurd or awesome? We say both! The Sons Lunaris wowed the crowd with a human-sized gong at the Midway Cafe.

Boston’s Lurid Purple Flowers rock n rolled in support.

Clamb Comes Alive

Clamb, Boston’s own earthmagik peacelords, for a night of mind-bottling krautjazz. An overserved fan rushed the stage, but the band played on.

City of Four and Lon opened with a pair of proggy, fusion-forward sets.

Good Vibes

Above all, live shows are about bringing people together and building a community through the power of music. These shows fit the bill. Shout out: Thalia Zedek, Junius, Stray Bullets and all the ska punks, and Hallelujah The Hills.

JP Music Festival Celebrates Ten Years

The JP Music Festival makes it a decade!

The twin-staged fest featured local talents, including the Thalia Zedek Band, Hallelujah The Hills, Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys, Double Star, and many more.

Somergloom and Doom

Titans of postmetal Junius headlined a daylong bill of doom at Somergloom x ONCE.

The aesthetic may have been dark, dank, and brooding, but this is an inclusive music subculture that cares about its community and knows how to have a good time. Wholesome even?

Ska Punk Night at Midway Cafe

New Orlean’s Joystick rolled through the Midway Cafe and reminded everyone what a tight brass band sounds like.

If you’ve never seen a Ska Punk Conga Circle, you would have seen one at this show. Brunt of It, Stray Bullets, and Jerry's Got Jokes bookended the bill.

Hallelujah The Hills at Nice, A Fest: Day 3

Hallelujah The Hills brought their own props and lit up their anthemic indie rock as the sun set outside Crystal Ballroom. Extra points for the Keytar Bear discourse.

It was a strong Day 3 at Nice, A Fest, including Speedy Ortiz, Twen, Raavi, Kal Marks, Children of the Flaming Wheel, and more.

Thanks to all the artists for being awesome. Catch more of HDN’s 2022 Year In Review. See you in 2023 with more Live Reviews from Hump Day News…

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