Paramore, The Killers Rock Boston Calling Night One 2018
Among the hustle and bustle within Boston yesterday, music sounded all around Harvard Square as the first night of Boston Calling commenced.
Three different stages lined the grounds of Harvard’s Athletic Complex, along with the IKEA Music Lab and Arena stage. Lines crowded around a Ferris Wheel – which lit up at night – and dozens of food stations’ scents wafted through the air. It surely was a magical place, filled with equal-minded individuals sprawled out across the grass, enjoying music among one another.
The day kicked-off with indie bands like Charlie Bliss and Big Thief, with performances from Sammy & Johnny Bennett in IKEA’s Music Lab. Rock band Citizen kept the energy going with their set late afternoon, where the group played hits like “Summer” and “Sleep” off of their 2013 record, Youth. Alex G and Maggie Rogers followed along with hip-hop artist Noname, who brought good vibes to concertgoers with songs from her two records Real Recognize Real and Telefone.
As the night continued on, concertgoers filled the crowd around the Delta Blue Stage to hear from the highly anticipated act: Paramore. The group, fronted by Hayley Williams, has been a staple in rock music since their Riot days. After their self-titled album however, the band took a step back from the music scene. Four years later, they emerged with After Laughter, offering an entire new take on their established sound. I was interested to see how the crowd would react to their new music, but when Williams hit the stage, I was pleasantly surprised.
Just as the sun was setting and bubbles filled the air, Paramore opened with their hit single from After Laughter, “Hard Times.” Williams danced around the stage, belting out lyrics – and the crowd happily sung along. She continued with “Ignorance,” the 2009 classic from Brand New Eyes. The entire audience started freaking out, excitedly shouting to one another, “I haven’t heard this in years!” She smiled to fans, welcoming the new ones to “the family,” and said “this one’s for Paramore,” before playing “Still Into You.”
Paramore’s set continued with a mixture of both old and new songs, including “Fake Happy” from After Laughter and oldies like “Caught Myself” and “Hate To See Your Heart Break.” At one point, she faced the crowd and got a little intimate.
“The last four years have been kinda weird and kinda rough,” she said. “But also kind of cool sometimes, because we’re all here right now.”
“It’s okay to feel by yourself,” she continued. “It’s easy to isolate yourself. But I want you to look around right now. You may not know those people, but you are alive at the same time and enjoying music at the same time. [Sometimes] it’s hard to be present, but tonight, we get to. Thank you for being here for us.”
Right after Paramore, The Killers followed, on the other side of the festival. Fans ran across the site to see the rock band, who came out singing their No. 1 hit, “Mr. Brightside.” Fans gushed as Brandon Flowers sang “Somebody Told Me” and “Smile Like You Mean It.” The band dropped Wonderful, Wonderful last year, which features the hit song “Run For Cover,” along with “The Man.”
Toward the end of the set, Flowers took a moment to cover Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “American Girl,” paying tribute to the late rock legend. After a few more tunes, the band walked off the stage only to come back for an epic encore of “The Calling” followed by the Sam’s Town masterpiece “When You Were Young.”
Day one might seem hard to beat, but today’s lineup features Belly, Daniel Ceasar, Royal Blood, along with St. Vincent and Queens of the Stone Age. Tyler, The Creator and Jack White will close out the show.
Still need a ticket to tonight’s or tomorrow’s show? Visit Ticket Club to snag your spot at the festival everyone’s talking about.
