It’s festival season again and Boston Calling is back and this time with their stacked 2025 lineup featuring Fall Out Boy, Luke Combs, Dave Mathews Band, as the headliners along with other standouts like Avril Lavigne, T-Pain, and Vampire Weekend. The acclaimed annual three-day music festival is taking place Memorial Day Weekend, May 23 – 25, 2025 in Allston, MA. Boston Calling always proves to be an exceptional experience, from its iconic mix of musical performances to its commitment to new forms of entertainment and extensive food and drink offerings, and the overall electric vibes from the crowd and their devotion to the festival. It’s why it’s one of the best (if not the best) festival held on the east coast. We rounded up some of the best artists on the rise at the 2025 festival, you surely don’t want to miss out on these!
#1: Valley
Listen: ‘When You Know Someone’, ‘Champagne’ , Like 1999
Similar Artists: The Beaches, Joan, The Band Camino
When they’re playing: Saturday 5/24 2:50-3:35 Green stage
Since forming in 2016 in Toronto, Valley have become known for their high-energy live shows, which have been brought to renowned festivals like Life Is Beautiful, Governors Ball, Slow Life and Wunderstruck as well as their debut US TV performance as part of Stephen Colbert’s #LiveAtHome session. Now Playing Boston Calling they will surely have a show to remember. Having opened for artists like Lennon Stella, Dermot Kennedy, COIN and the Band CAMINO, Valley also nearly sold out their first-ever North American headlining tour. Their latest album Water the Flowers, Pray for a Garden captures the raw emotions of Valley’s journey through pain and joy, symbolizing their growth and new beginnings as they turn over new stones in their artistic garden.
#2: Megan From Work
Listen: ‘Girl Suit’, ‘Saturn Return’ , ‘Life into a Movie’
Similar Artists: Letters to Cleo, Charly Bliss, The Breeders
When they’re playing: Friday 5/23 5:20-6:00pm Orange Stage
Megan From Work are a Manchester NH based indie rock/ power pop band whose songs are tight, hooky, and fun, but underneath that catchy surface there’s powerful emotion at play. Be careful, their music is truly addictive. They released their debut album Girl Suit just last year and it is a work of art. The band will be making their Boston Calling debut and we can’t wait to see what they have in store.
#3: Sam Austins
Listen: ‘Seasons’, ‘Hot Like You’, ‘Say What You Mean’
Similar Artists: Blood Orange, The American Dawn, Notion
When they’re playing: Sunday 5/25 2:15-2:45pm Blue Stage
Hailing from Detroit, Austins wears his influences and love for his city on sleeve. 2021’s HOMELESS STAR mixtape chronicled reckless days of survival, sleeping in cars and searching for belonging as he pursued his dream of becoming a working musician. Meanwhile, his 2023 BOY TOY EP fired off countless styles, reflecting larger-than-life personas and blog-era discovery. His latest singles, however, make it clear that he’s moving closer to his roots, tapping into the history of Detroit’s vibrant dance scene. Sam just released his latest single ‘Hot Like You’ and is planning on releasing his next album The Woods, vol.1 on June 20th.
#4: Bebe Stockwell
Listen: ‘Want Me’, ‘Call Me By Your Name’ , ‘Ruined’
Similar Artists: Caamp, Grace Enger, Chance Emerson
When they’re playing: Friday 5/23 1:30-2:00 pm
Opening up the festival on Friday, Bebe Stockwell hails from Boston, and blends folk, indie, and pop into her music. Her music is known for its sentimental lyrics, catchy hooks, and energetic vibe. Stockwell started playing piano and guitar and writing songs at age six, inspired by bluegrass and folk music. Her style has evolved to incorporate pop and indie elements, and she cites artists like Regina Spektor and The Lumineers as influences. Rising singer-songwriter She released her debut EP, Driving Backwards, May 9th. A deeply personal and emotionally resonant 8-track project, the EP captures the complexity of coming-of-age through themes of love, loss, heartbreak, healing, and growth. Coming from Boston this will surely be a memorable set from Bebe and one you surely can’t miss!
#5: sidebody
Listen: ‘up/down’, ‘not no’, ‘Fingerprints’
Similar Artists: Sleater Kinney, Bikini Kill
When they’re playing: Saturday 5/24 4:10-4:40pm Orange stage
Side Body is a band of friends hailing from Somerville, MA who experiment with music, performance, and zine publishing. The band has grown rapidly from a garage rock gag into a major festival act that will play Boston Calling’s hometown artists Orange stage. Former high school classmates Hava Horowitz, Martha Schnee, and Lena Warnke formed Sidebody in 2020. Lead guitar player, Cara Giaimo, joined shortly before the band’s first show after the pandemic. The band’s creative process and live shows center experimentation, humor, and curiosity. Members sometimes write songs on stage, switch instruments in an exercise they call “beginner’s mind” to avoid muscle memory limiting creative exploration, and sing or find alternative noises when instruments can’t quite translate their ideas. Their 2024 album full time job provides a range of tunes and textures and it is a work of art.
Boston Calling already has such an exciting lineup but with these top five artists to watch it is surely to be a stellar weekend! Be sure to stay updated on all things Boston Calling here.
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