Boston Calling 2017 – Friday

The Boston Calling Music Festival returned for its eighth edition last weekend, relocated to Allston’s Harvard Athletic Fields. Friday’s lineup featured the likes of Chance the Rapper, Sigur Ros and Bon Iver. 

It’s been well-documented elsewhere at this point, but Boston Calling’s big move wasn’t without its challenges. The festival’s logistical grip on the new space wasn’t quite there, and the comically extensive lines for food, beer and everything else that stuck out on Friday were a fixture for the weekend. Musically, however, things did start off on the right foot.

I arrived a bit later than I wanted on Friday afternoon, but still caught a portion of the always enigmatic and lovably inscrutable Deerhoof and a characteristically excellent set from Car Seat Headrest. Two-thirds of Migos served as a so-so stand-in for a last-minute Solange cancellation, but Bon Iver followed up with a gorgeous set heavy on last year’s 22, A Million. Even if you take issue with the group’s electronic direction on that last record, I challenge you to not be moved by Justin Vernon belting out “715 – CR∑∑KS.”

Sigur Ros headlined the festival’s newly-added third stage in all their ethereal glory, highlighted by an atmospheric downpour that was less than ideally timed from a photographer’s perspective. A hotly anticipated set by Chance closed out the evening on the main stage, pyrotechnics and all. Check out photos from every set I managed to catch below, with more on Saturday and Sunday to come.