Boston Calling festival ’25 line-up: A little bit country, a little bit emo, a little bitter stoner music
The three-day Boston Calling festival line-up has been released, giving music fans something to look forward to just five months away on Memorial Day weekend.
The event, which takes place in Allston at the Harvard University athletic complex, features headliners Luke Combs, Megan Moroney, Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, the Dave Matthew Band, and Vampire Weekend. Like last year’s festival, the 2025 edition features a country-heavy day that the Grand Ole Opry would be proud of, but swings more to emo, hip hop, indie, and jam bands as the weekend goes along. Some, like Lavigne and Vampire Weekend, are returnees, while others will be make their Boston Calling debuts.
A ticket presale is set for Jan. 8, and Boston Calling is touting lower prices for those that buy early.
Beyond the headliners, many familiar names are on the line-up, including legends like Public Enemy and Sheryl Crow, plus the likes of The Black Crowes, Cage the Elephant, Spin Doctors, TLC, T-Pain, Sublime, and Tom Morello. As has been the case in recent years, Boston Calling also works in newcomers that have hit it big on TikTok, such as Simon Robert French.
As always, Boston Calling showcases lots of local talent, and the 2025 lineup includes Megan from Work, Latrell James, Rebuilder, Sidebody, and more. The Orange Stage always attracts friends and family, and exudes energy.
(While Boston Calling isn’t in Wellesley, we typically venture to the venue for some “beyond Swellesley” coverage (see “Boston Calling Musical Festival ’24: A celebratory mix of pop, country, hip-hop, indie rock & you name it” and always look for Wellesley angles. If you know of any, let us know: theswellesleyreport@gmail.com)
Whether this year’s event might include any breakouts, as last year’s did by catching Chappell Roan’s rising star, remains to be seen. But organizers have announced that this year’s event will include lots of changes, including those focused on safety in light of attendee feedback from last year’s festival—the big green and red stages will be merged into a rotating stage, and more water stations will be made available. Boston Calling will add access to indoor programming to give attendees a break from whatever the weather brings (in the past, podcasters and comedians have performed indoors).
Meanwhile, we await lineups from other local festivals, including Levitate, Newport Folk and Jazz, and FreshGrass in North Adams.
Other Massachusetts festival lineups have begun rolling out. The Green River Festival in Greenfield has Mt. Joy. Courtney Barnett, and Waxahatchee among performers.
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