10 standout moments from Boston Calling

ITEM PHOTO BY SPENSER HASAK
Weezer performs at Boston Calling.

By LEAH DEARBORN

BOSTON — Thousands of music lovers flocked to the Boston Calling Music Festival’s new Allston location over the weekend for three days of concerts, comedy and more.

Friday kicked off an impressive array of more 40 musical acts at the Harvard Athletic Complex, with three separate stages. Here are just a few standout moments from this year’s Boston Calling.

1. Although cloudy and cool, the weather remained tolerable throughout most of the weekend. The exception was during the final hours of Friday, when Icelandic band Sigur Ros took the stage and the sky opened up. The post-rock trio continued to perform in the rain, which only added atmosphere to the already melodic, ethereal music and dazzling backgrounds.
2. The comedy tent was a solid hit, particularly headliners Hannibal Buress and Tig Notaro. Local talent Eugene Mirman of “Bob’s Burgers” fame took the stage, bringing along a collection of fake calendars he’s been leaving in tourist shops across Cape Cod. They included quotes like, “Not to brag, but Mitt Romney has showered on my boat twice.”
3. Mac DeMarco played a smooth selection of songs from his albums “This Old Dog” and “Salad Days.” DeMarco smoked cigarettes that audience members threw on stage and invited one young man up from the crowd who skipped his prom to attend the show.
4. Rap and hip-hop fans had a lot to look forward to over the course of the three days. Friday headliner Chance the Rapper, as well as Danny Brown, Migos, the Flatbush Zombies, and Run the Jewels offered some variation beyond typical indie-folk and rock festival offerings.
5. Saturday saw shorter lines than Friday as the festival moved into full swing, but larger crowds made it difficult to get too close to the major acts. A dreamy set by The 1975 offered a welcome reprieve from the chaos with lots of synth, saxophone and neon pastel lights.
6. Mumford & Sons capped off Saturday with a lengthy set that drew the largest audience of the weekend, filling the venue to the very back. The popular folk band started off with some of their bigger numbers and ended on a cover of “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
7. Standing poised and in all black, up-and-coming artist Mitski performed early on Sunday, taking complete command of the stage with shades of Alanis Morissette and Kim Deal, formerly of Pixies.
8. Boston Calling’s diverse selection of food proved to be a pleasant surprise. Local favorites like Roxy’s Grilled Cheese were present, as well as FoMu ice cream, Arancini Bros, Bon Me and Zinneken’s Waffles, among others.
9. Love or loathe festival fashion, there’s no denying that it’s a presence. Many festival-goers seemed out of sync with the cool, drab weather. Hawaiian shirts, crop tops, crushed velvet tank tops and a few men’s rompers ruled the weekend.
10. Heavyweights Weezer, Major Lazer and Tool signaled the festival’s end on Sunday night. Weezer played a mixture of old and new favorites, ending with “Buddy Holly.” With their strange, vivid background displays, Tool put on a memorable show for their first stop in Boston in years.