Concert Review: Boston Calling Music Festival Ends With A 'Bang'

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Nas perfoming at the Boston Calling Music Festival on September 7th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Though the ugly weather has come and gone, the Boston Calling Music Festival marches on for one more day!

The day got rolling with great band after great band.  Gentleman Hall, San Fermin, and White Denim all gave startlingly terrific live performances, all with slightly different niches at that.

San Fermin put on amazing show.  This band had a lot of unique characteristics; echo-y horns and violin and two lead singers (one male, one female) were featured in this performance.  White Denim had a uniquely Rock'n'Roll attitude, making them stand out strikingly from the crowd.  They ended their set with a bang or, in the lead singer's case, three broken strings violently ripped from his guitar.

The War on Drugs and Lake Street Drive were more low-key, having more of a feel-good attitude compared to the acts before and after.

Twenty One Pilots performing at Boston Calling Music Festival on September 7th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Next came a definite crowd-favorite: Twenty-One Pilots.  Cheers arose as the duo took the stage donning their iconic balaclava masks for the first few songs.  This act was as loud, reckless, and abundantly energetic as it gets, with both members working every inch of the stage.  Highlights included a drumming platform held by the audience, ukelele renditions of Ace Hood's "Bugatti" and Beyonce's "Drunk in Love", and the duo's own hits "Car Radio" and "House of Gold".

The 1975 was up next, bringing some modern british-rock to the Boston Calling scene.  A hit with the younger festival fans, lead singer Matt Healy even invited one lucky teenager to sit on stage with the band while they performed.  The festival erupted for their big hit "Chocolate".

A huge fan-favorite at the festival this year was Spoon.  Spoon performed songs from all over their repertoire, including "Got Nuffin", "The Underdog", "Don't You Evah", "Who Makes Your Money", and "Knock Knock Knock".  Spoon's special brand of psychedelic rock was well complimented by the festival setting, and it was a performance that few will forget any time soon.

The Replacements kept the rock trend going, playing loud enough for all of Boston to hear.  Still, the anticipation was palpable for the final act of the night...

Nas took the stage, earning the loudest cheer at the Boston Calling Music Festival to date.  The crowd erupted as Nas went through his half of the set.  Nearly every audience member joined in for chants of "I know I can/Be what I wanna be/If i work hard at it/I'll be where I wanna be."  Soon, The Roots joined in for one perfect marriage of sound.  It was the best end to the best weekend of music in Boston. 

See more photos from day 3 of Boston Calling Music Festival in the gallery below:

Concert Review: Lorde & Childish Gambino Take Boston Calling Day 2

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Lorde performing at Boston Calling Music Festival on September 6th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

The energy has risen with the temperature: it's time for day two of Boston Calling Music Festival!

The day kicked off with three incredible acts:  St. Nothing, Clifflight, and S. Carey.  These bands brought completely different energies, giving a taste of what was to come later in the afternoon.

Sky Ferreira performing at Boston Calling Music Festival on September 6th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Next came Sky Ferreira.  Ferreira walked on stage with a calm, cool confidence, kicking the concert off with "24 Hours".  Her sound had a big synth pop vibe, with a borderline-punk hint.  She rattled song after song, such as "Ain't Your Right", "Boys" and "Everything is Embarrassing".  The bass synths were bone-shakingly loud, complimented with Sky's strong, fluttery vocals.  

Bleachers was a huge hit at the festival.  "Fun." member Jack Antonoff's new project was a huge success.  The audience went crazy for their hit "I Wanna Get Better", as well as their cover of "Dreams" by the Cranberries.

With The Hold Steady came an unfortunate storm, causing both Volcano Choir's and Girl Talk's sets to be skipped over.  Nevertheless, the Boston Calling staff handled the hiccup with grace, getting everything back in shape for Lorde and Childish Gambino.  Those who witnessed the storm understand how impressive this was for them to have recovered, especially since the only visible damage was the red stage's banners and the stand for one of the video screens.

Now for the final acts of the night:

Lorde performing at Boston Calling Music Festival on September 6th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Lorde took the stage around nine o'clock to loud cheers from all.  Despite her being one of the most pop-oriented acts of the night, Lorde brought a sound, an energy, and an image that was uniquely her own. Performing her hits "Royals", "Team" and "Tennis Courts", Lorde put her fans in a frenzy.  Her recordings simply don't portray how earth-shatteringly heavy her sound is.  Her black and white imagery had a nice contrast in comparison to what was to follow. 

Enter Childish Gambino, the final act of the night.  The setting was surreal: his floral print clothing set in front of a bright screen portraying a room of arches and columns.  He performed stunningly, with an almost possessed look in his eyes.  While many musicians tend to have a performing persona, few fully immerse themselves in that character as well as Childish Gambino does in concert.

See more photos from Day 2 of Boston Calling Music Festival in the gallery below:


Concert Review: Boston Calling Day 1

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Boston Calling Music Festival (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

The Commuter Rail is packed, Faneuil Hall is a buzz & great music is resonating through the streets surrounding Government Center, meaning only one thing... it must be time for another Boston Calling Music Festival!

Little has changed in the setup from last fall to now, with both stages relatively close together opposite Boston City Hall.  Most of the setup was familiar: the beer garden, lemonade stands, food trucks-turned tents, even a small convenience store.  There's nothing revolutionary this year, but Boston Calling has refused to lose its charm in its fourth rendition.

Future Islands performing at Boston Calling Music Festival on September 5th, 2014 (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Now to the acts:  The night was kicked off by a passionate performance by Future Islands.  This performance had the quintessential festival sound: loud, ringing synths, echo-y guitars, etc.  However, up their sleeve were unique, deep, growly vocals which added a bit of texture to that familiar concert vibe.

Up next was the long awaited Neutral Milk Hotel.  The crowd erupted in cheers as lead singer Jeff Mangum opened the performance with nothing more than his voice and a guitar.  Shortly after, the band ran on stage to join in for "Holland in 1945", and the night was off.  The clear crowd favorite was the collective three-part of "King of Carrot Flowers", especially with the heavy rock tempo of part 3.  Their setup was simple, nothing more than a lit stage with instruments and microphones.  Nevertheless, this is a band that needs nothing more than their music to captivate the audience.  Mangum performed solo again for "Two-Headed Boy", marking a lull before the final few songs.  In a clever attempt to start a singalong, Mangum claimed to have a virus making it conveniently hard to sing the hugely popular "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea".  It was an honor to see the elusive Neutral Milk Hotel in concert, and words can only do a poor job to explain how amazing a performance they put on.  If you have the chance to see them live, don't even hesitate.  Just see them.

The night ended with an old friend to Boston Calling: The National.  A mellower performance, this performance was a great end to a great night.  Highlights included calls from the audience of "Everything I love is on the table/Everything I love is out to see" during "Don't Swallow the Cap" and their hit "Bloodbuzz Ohio".  The National released viewers back into the night in a trance-like haze, making it the perfect ending for this surreal first night at Boston Calling.

See photos from the first day of Boston Calling below:

PHOTOS: Drake & Lil Wayne Bring Rap Battles To Boston

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Lil Wayne performing in Mansfield, MA on August 25th, 2014 as part of his "Drake Vs. Lil Wayne" tour (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Drake and Lil Wayne brought their rap-battle themed "Drake Vs. Lil Wayne" tour to the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA earlier this week. Check out the gallery below for photos from the big night:

Drake also made an acceptance speech for the VMA he won for "Best Hip Hop Video" at the 2014 VMAs. See the hilarious footage below:

Concert Review: Brad Paisley Brings 'Southern Charm' to Mansfield

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Brad Paisley performs at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on August 23rd as part of his "Country Nation" tour (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Tailgating, beer, and plenty of country music: Brad Paisley, along with Charlie Worsham, Leah Turner, and Randy Houser, brought a warm & friendly slice of the South to Mansfield, MA.

The night kicked off with a very energetic rock and roll performance by Charlie Worsham.  Charlie made a point of getting up close and personal with his fans, even playing guitar through the aisles.

Leah Turner performs at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on August 23rd as part of Brad Paisley's "Country Nation" tour (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Next came Leah Turner.  Turner and her band burst onto the stage with a smash, blasting Fall Out Boy's "Light Em' Up".  Early on came Turner's hit single "Take the Keys", where she shined as bright as her glittery microphone.  You could tell she enjoyed every moment on stage.  Leah was very playful with the audience, singling out fans to "Be my Steve McQueen".  She began each song with a short monologue from the coming song, such as, "This song goes out to all those with tobacco running through their veins, lord knows I do, and bless my heart."  The following song, "Bless my Heart", then included a singalong with the audience.  Other highlights from the show included her performance of the Dixie Chicks' "Cowboy Take Me Away" and a spirited performance of Turner's own "My Finger".  

The night was moved along by DeeJay Silver, who played bass-heavy remixes of popular country and rock songs.

Randy Houser performs at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on August 23rd as part of Brad Paisley's "Country Nation" tour (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Randy Houser performs at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA on August 23rd as part of Brad Paisley's "Country Nation" tour (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up).

Next came Randy Houser and his band in a cloud of smoke—some of from their own cigars and pipes.  Houser's performance consisted of quintessential party-country music, exemplified by Houser's genuine twang.  Houser brought the most energetic performance of the night, getting the audience on their feet with his "Boots On."  All the country elements were at play here, from song themes such as never-ending summer in his "Growin' Younger" to the traditional country organ and pedal steel guitar.  After a few songs, the band drifted back into the smoky green backdrop, allowing Randy to take center stage.  Randy performed his more sensitive "Goodbye Kiss", where he featured a singalong.  He even wore one lucky audience member's Coors Light cowboy hat!  Other highlights from the set included a performance of Garth Brooks "Friends in Low Places" and Houser's own hit "Like a Cowboy."  Houser's set was easily the most crowd-rousing of the night, getting everyone on their feet and primed for Paisley's closing act.

Paisley's set was huge, covered in more lights and LED screens than one can imagine.  The visuals were dominating, included a NASA space launch, a '69 Camaro, and a personalized satellite zoom-in on the Xfinity Center itself.  Paisley's performance featured a few instruments unique to the night, including a fiddle, a weird mandolin/baby guitar, and (of course) a paisley guitar.  Paisley got the audience going with his cleverly lyrical "Ticks."  He got huge cheers for his "Waitin' on a Woman" in honor of the late Andy Griffith.  His hit "Celebrity" was augmented by a hilarious montage of Paisley doing illicit things in a mascot head, including riding a wrecking ball like Miley Cyrus.  Another highlight was "This is Country Music", paying homage to country legends such as John Denver and Johnny Cash.

Paisley's brand of country was the more steady paced, storytelling brand, which served as a great cool-down for a night full of country from all walks.  If you love country music, and you want to have a good time, you know just where to go.

See more photos from the show below: