From Boston Calling 2023: Friday Sound Bites

Zolita

Fans from far and wide traversed the Eliot Bridge on Friday to attend the three-day Boston Calling Music Festival. Kicking off performances on Boston Calling’s Blue Stage was indie-pop artist Zolita. The singer is best known for her sapphic love stories told through songs such as the acoustic ballad “Ashley.” The singer shared that while growing up, music and identity were always intertwined in her life. Before performing a cover of Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats,” Zolita noted the excitement she would feel when listening to a female singer cover love songs without changing the female pronouns — opting to swap out “he” for “she” throughout the cover. She also teased festival-goers with a performance of her upcoming single “Brave.”

Dropkick Murphys perform for a hometown crowd. By Courtesy of Boston Calling / Alive Coverage

Dropkick Murphys

After the indie rock band Yeah Yeah Yeahs were forced to pull out of the festival at the last minute due to illness, Dropkick Murphys — Boston’s own celtic punk band — stepped up to the plate to fill in. The band’s discography, which is flooded with references to Boston and Massachusetts, was well-known among the Boston locals in the crowd who cheered and sang along to hometown favorites including “Two 6’s Upside Down” and “The State of Massachusetts.” While singing “Rose Tattoo,” the band changed the song’s lyrics from a Boston Bruins reference to a Boston Celtics reference, winning rousing cheers from the audience amid the basketball team’s ongoing playoff run. The band rounded out the set with their perennial crowd-pleaser “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” as shots of Boston landmarks were shown onstage.

TALK won the admiration of many with a high energy performance By Courtesy of Jen A. Hughes

TALK

Perhaps the buzziest musician to emerge from Day 1 of the Boston Calling Music Festival was Canadian singer-songwriter TALK. While a handful of hardcore fans dotted the audience from the start of TALK’s set, by the conclusion TALK had won the hearts of many with his commanding stage presence and powerful vocals. In a set that can only be described as controlled chaos, TALK’s performance spanned genres including a selection of his own music which featured the stripped back ballad “Hollywood” and his biggest hit to date “Run Away to Mars.” He also brought his country-rock sound to covers of Bon Jovi’s “Dead or Alive” and “You’re in the Band” from “School of Rock the Musical.” Between songs TALK wasted no time in getting comfortable asking “Can I take my shoes off?” before promptly kicking his white crocs across the stage.

Teddy Swims performs for a packed crowd. By Courtesy of Boston Calling / Alive Coverage

Teddy Swims

After a brief delay amid technical difficulties, Teddy Swims took to the stage, attracting one of the night's largest crowds. Clad in head-to-toe camo, Swims was armed with a basket of liquor shots before performing a selection of his best tracks including “Devil in a Dress” and “Bed on Fire.” The Georgia native showed off his distinct sound, blending country, R&B, and rock influences to cultivate a genre that is entirely his own. Swims also shared some life lessons with the Boston Calling audience, telling them not to save pictures to the cloud before playing his song “What More Can I Say,” which retells a fight Swims had after his girlfriend discovered pictures of an ex on his iCloud account.

— Staff writer Jen A. Hughes can be reached at jen.hughes@thecrimson.com. You can find her on twitter @JenHughes_.