Hallelujah the Hills played the USS Constitution – 7/24

Yes you read that right.

Boston’s indefatigable Hallelujah the Hills made their live return in characteristically unconventional fashion last month, performing a sunset show in front of “the world’s oldest ship of any type still afloat” in Charlestown. The gig was already a strange one on paper, but even that doesn’t prepare you for the fact that the Constitution’s home base is still technically a military facility, and that admittance is preceded by a wand-down from a cheery soldier. I’ve been to a lot of shows, but I still encounter some firsts.

Weirdness of all that aside, the setting was a fun one for Ryan Walsh and company to end their pandemic hiatus. The group delivered a spirited set on a beautiful evening, dwarfed by a ship that is, indeed, very big and old and impressive. At least some portion of the audience appeared to be families on the lookout for a low-key evening outing, regardless of the music, but plenty of fans were on hand too. Even the park rangers and military folks seemed to enjoy the spectacle.

Check out a gallery of the evening (shot during a break from ONCE Somerville’s Nice fest across town) below.