The Neighbourhood
tour: The Wourld Tour
rec-rated: 8/10
comments: I went into this show genuinely excited, especially since the last time I saw them was in 2018 at Terminal 5 in NYC, which was electric. Jesse crowd-surfed and fully embraced the rockstar energy then. Eight years later, they definitely did not disappoint: the visuals, sound, and vocals were all great, though it felt like it was missing a bit of the carefree spark I remembered. Still, the vibe was strong, and I was singing my heart out to almost every song. I wish I had gotten the photo pass (one day). I was a bit annoyed that they reposted a story on their Instagram with the Boston set times and then came on 15 minutes early; I barely made it in after waiting in a long line just to have my canned beer poured into a plastic cup by one person doing the whole job. It was also my first time at TD Garden, and the venue felt oddly confining for a rock show, so I hope not to be back. Overall: great show, questionable venue, would absolutely see them again.
Thievery Corporation
tour: 30th Anniversary Tour
rec-rated: 8/10
comments: Thievery Corporation is such a unique band; effortlessly blending electronic, bossa nova, psychedelic, jazz, reggae, hip-hop, and more into smooth, addictive grooves, while keeping a sound entirely their own. I knew a fair amount of songs going in (“The Time We Lost Our Way” is my favorite, and I wish they performed it live, but sadly, they did not). The only song I recognized live was “Lebanese Blonde,” which was a total vibe and got the whole place moving. The highlight for me was “The Heart’s a Lonely Hunter.” Super groovy, and the performer flinging a light around while singing, “Welcome to my spaceship,” made it unforgettable. The band also came together for a stripped-down acoustic moment, which was a cute and refreshing change. The only downside was the lighting and set design, which felt underwhelming and could have taken the show to another level. Overall, Thievery Corporation put on a fantastic performance, and with Boston being their last stop on tour, you could tell they wanted to make it special.
Subtronics
tour: Fibonacci
rec-rated: 9/10
comments: Electric energy! The crowd was completely into it, and the lights and overall vibe stayed high all night. The openers were perfect picks; they really matched his style and got everyone ready for Subtronics. The lyrics definitely threw me off a bit. They are quite something. For example, “I just blew my dick clean off,” and then a beat drop made me question things. Not really what I am used to, but the show as a whole was insane. Great experience, and I would go again. At one point, I honestly felt like I was on something just from the visuals, the energy of the crowd, and the music hitting so hard. I wasn’t, but maybe the IPA was hitting. One of the best parts was what he said toward the end of his set. He talked about getting home safe, looking out for each other, and wanting his crowd to be known as kind-hearted people. You could actually feel that too. I talked to at least four different people there, and every single one of them was super kind, letting me through to get my shot. Great experience!
Goldie Boutilier
tour: The King of Possibilities
rec-rated: 10/10
comments: Incredible show! Goldie is such a great performer. The venue was packed, and her stage presence was amazing the whole time. She is so good live and honestly deserves bigger venues. The whole performance felt very artistic with a distinct brand and style, and she used a bunch of props that made it very entertaining. She also talked to the crowd for the perfect amount of time between songs. Not too much, but enough to really connect. You could tell she was genuinely thankful for the audience.
Mobb Deep
tour:The Infamous (30th Anniversary)
rec-rated: 7/10
comments: Great vibes and a solid performance of their hits. Even with one less member, it was a strong Mobb Deep performance, especially with Raekwon joining the stage. Minimal stage presence, but they sounded great, and the crowd was enjoying them. Really wished they performed “Hey Luv” though. It was good to see them live. The performance was low-key, but it was a vibe.
Jai Wolf
tour: Club Babu
rec-rated: 7/10
comments: Jai Wolf is a solid DJ. He played a full set, and it was good. For the ticket price, it was worth the money ($14). The venue, though, was not it. The Grand is always a rough experience. Having to wait in a line just to get to the dance floor after already waiting to get into the venue is wild. That said, the staff working that night were really nice, and we even got free drinks, which boosted the overall experience lol.
Chris Lake
tour: Chemistry
rec-rated: 9/10
comments: I had been wanting to see Chris Lake for a while, so when I saw he was coming to Boston, I knew I did not want to miss it. I went solo, which I do not usually do for EDM shows, but it ended up being a fantastic experience. The venue was perfect, the lights were insane, and the tracks were a vibe all night. Chris Lake absolutely killed it. The set times were a bit unclear, possibly because Roadrunner does not usually host DJ events all the time, so I was not sure when to show up. I ended up arriving over two hours early, thinking the show would start at the usual 8pm time (a bit annoying). Chris Lake went on closer to 11pm and played a nearly two-hour set, making it completely worth it. He even came down to chat with a few fans who stayed after the show, which was really cool of him.
Mac DeMarco
tour: Here Comes The Cowboy
rec-rated: 10/10
comments: Absolutely loved this show! It was so weird and chaotic, which made it all so exciting. Felt like a fever dream. Mac DeMarco had random characters on stage (e.g., shirtless guitarist, a guy in a cowboy hat and undies doing stretches, lmao). Solid set; he played mostly songs from his new album, Here Comes the Cowboy. Mosh pit and crowd surfing were in effect. The highlight was him climbing up the venue walls and jumping off the balcony onto the crowd. I do not know how he climbed up there, but it was probably not his first rodeo. He truly was having the time of his life, and the audience was too!
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
tour: Sparkle Hard
rec-rated: 8/10
comments: Great show! I was getting into Pavement at the time, and since Stephen Malkmus is a member, my friend and I decided to see him with the Jicks. Sparkle Hard is a fantastic album, and I especially enjoyed their performance of the song “Shiggy.” The vibes were excellent, and they delivered a fantastic show. The crowd skewed older (we stood out a bit as 16-year-olds), but we were there for the music, so we did not really care.
The Neighbourhood
tour: Hard To Imagine The Neighbourhood Ever Changing
rec-rated: 9/10
comments: Insane show! The crowd was definitely intense, but in the best way. Jesse crowd-surfed and seemed to be having the time of his life. He even made it all the way to my friend and me in the middle of the venue. The space was a bit small for them. When they came on, the crowd merged like a wave all the way to the front. Overall, it was an amazing show with incredible vibes, though it was definitely a bit tight in the venue.
The xx
tour: I See You
rec-rated: 9/10
comments: Amazing concert! One of the most special shows I have ever attended, especially because I went with my mom. It was my first official concert that I really wanted to see, and it sparked my passion for concerts and live music. We got there early and waited for The xx for a bit. They did not perform for very long, but the vibes were amazing. My mom even bought me my first piece of band merch, a tee I still wear eight years later! Sampha opened and was incredible. It was a special experience, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing The xx again.