Jack White, Tyler The Creator Dominate Boston Calling 2018: Night Two
Music junkies gathered once again for the second night of Boston Calling in Harvard’s Athletic Complex, prepping for a day filled with an eclectic group of musicians.
Westside Gunn kicked-off the show, along with TAUK, Lillie Mae and Leikeli47. The Mezingers, Oh sees, and Mount Kimbie followed on the Red, Green, and Delta Blue Stage while Finest, Trans94, and Cherrie took over the IKEA Music Lab. The Rhode Island-based alternative rock band Belly performed late afternoon, who have returned to the music scene after more than 20 years with the 2018 record Dove.
Royal Blood and Queens of the Stone Age were among the notable acts of the night, along with St. Vincent, the powerful indie-rock act with a twist. St. Vincent, who goes by Annie Clark, released MASSEDUCATION last year, which features singles “Los Angeles” and “New York.” Her soft, soulful vocals echoed through the crowd as the Berklee grad intimately played some of her best hits.
Tyler, The Creator was one of the – if not most – highly anticipated act of the night. He took the stage with no back-up dancers, no other musicians, and no props. The emptiness helped his music resonate more with the crowd as he performed songs “911/Mr. Lonely” and “Boredom” alongside a digital backdrop. Throughout his set, he performed in front of a starry night sky, a grass field, and other minimalistic images. He made sure to perform his latest release, “OKRA,” along with “See You Again” and “Who Dat Boy” off of his 2017 LP, Flower Boy.
As the night neared a close, the sun started to go down, and a breeze filled the air, festival-goers made their way to the Green Stage. Fans crowded the area, sprawled out among the grass, and waited all the way from the opening gates to see Jack White hit the stage. The five-minute countdown began and after the final seconds, drums boomed through the audience and an electrifying guitar solo came to life. White entered the stage rocking out alongside his bandmates, and the crowd went crazy to “Over and Over,” his latest hit tune off of Boarding House Rock.
His most popular solo song, “Lazaretto,” followed, as a psychedelic backdrop outlined his dance moves across the stage. Boarding House Rock, which was just released this past March, includes “Connected By Love,” “Why Walk A Dog?,” and “Corporation” – all which he played during his 23-song set. Fans of The White Stripes certainly enjoyed his mixture between his solo tunes and classic hits of The Stripes. The crowd sang along to “Hotel Yorba,” “Hello Operator” and “Black Math,” along with The Dead Weather song “I Cut Like a Buffalo” and “Steady As She Goes” by The Raconteurs.
White’s guitar riffs boomed through the dark night with a shocking 10-song encore. While I looked around the crowd, I was wondering what he might’ve thought of the phones that lit the sky – since he is the first artist to ban cell phones during his tour with the system Yondr. Many fans recorded songs and took pictures throughout the night, but he didn’t comment on it. I also noticed that even though a number of people in the crowd clenched their phones in the air, everyone still felt connected. When the beginning guitar strums of “Seven Nation Army” began, the crowd went nuts, connecting over the 2003 rock classic. It didn’t seem to matter who had their phones out, because everyone sang amongst one another, uniting as one.
Tonight will mark the final performances of the festival. The crowd can expect to see acts like Dirty Projectors, Julien Baker, Thunder Cat, and Khalid. Eminem is set to close out the show at 9:10. Want to snag a last-minute pass to see the artists tonight? Visit Ticket Club to grab a single-day pass.
