Summertime and the living is live, loud, and (often) outdoors. From Fenway Park to small rock clubs, a killer summer of concerts is at our door. The ballpark has new names — thankfully. The rock clubs have a steady stream of talent coming in. Whether you want to see something with 35,000 friends or discover your next new fave in a room with 200, our summer lineup is stacked.
Chinouriri’s 2024 single “All I Ever Asked” has the breezy beats and blooming melody of a summer classic. After you fall for the song, dig deep into the Brit’s singer-songwriter twist on pop and indie rock.
The Pops pulled off a great Pride Night last year with Thorgy Thor. No disrespect to Thorgy, but Orville Peck is an inspired choice. Besides being the best thing in contemporary country music, he has a new cover of the wonderful “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other” (this one a duet with Willie Nelson), which is perfect for the Pops celebration.
Lots of people complain there are no new rock stars in our age of pop, hip hop, and country dominance. You gotta think Hozier is like, “Hello? I’m right here!” In a refreshingly diverse Fenway season that runs from Shakira to My Chemical Romance, Hozier is the ace modern rock standout.
J-pop and screamo metal, together at last! In some ways the oddest, in others the most obvious, Japanese export, Babymetal is equal parts Spice Girls, Slipknot, and Nintendo 64 soundtrack.
Jessie Reyez seems to make every corner of modern and retro pop work on her new LP “Paid in Memories.” There’s groove-heavy r&b, hooky hip hop, indie rock twists, silky quiet storm, Latin beats, and a choice Smashing Pumpkins sample on “Psilocybin & Daisies.” Let it all flow over you at this pair of HoB dates.
Eddie Japan has been doing a tremendous job backing Greg Hawkes at their Cars shows. But let’s not forget EJ has its own impressive catalog. Sure, we love “Just What I Needed,” but we also love Eddie Japan’s “Summer Hair.”
The fastest way to get to New Orleans is to take the Green line to this Trombone Shorty show. That’s it. That’s the pitch to get you to go.
Sure, we want to see “Timber” live as much as the next person. But the real draw is the Scissor Sisters reunion. For those of you who don’t know, the Scissor Sisters are the world’s greatest disco glam band, something akin to Abba on acid or Culture Club on codeine. Have fun!
Kuti’s dad, Fela, is often called the James Brown of Africa (which manages to still sell Fela short, maybe the Brown, George Clinton, and Miles Davis). His son Femi has been carrying his dad’s unique hybrid of funk and jazz forward with righteous fury and grace for decades.
Say goodbye to the season by singing along with your favorite song from the ’80s or ’90s by your favorite crush from the ’80s or ’90s. Charlie Wilson, Babyface, K-Ci Hailey, and El DeBarge all do sets! #
