Boston Calling Shares New Details About the Festival’s Arena Stage


ALL-STAR COMEDY, BOSTON BALLET, AND EVENING PERFORMANCES BY FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTISTS AND DJs ALL UNDER ONE ROOF

BOSTON CALLING TO TAKE PLACE MAY 24 – 26, 2019
www.bostoncalling.com

BOSTON, March 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Boston Calling, celebrating its 10th edition this year on Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 – 26, and headlined by Twenty One Pilots (Friday), Tame Impala (Saturday), and Travis Scott (Sunday), reveals more exciting details about the bevy of artists set to take over the festival’s Arena stage. Fans will be treated to one-of-a-kind performances from Boston Ballet, one of the most iconic dance companies in the world. In addition, all-star comedians Fred Armisen, Jenny Slate, and Michael Che will headline the Arena stage. At night, fans can enjoy performances from hip-hop artists and DJs including electronic artist and rising star Yaeji; female rappers Princess Nokia and Dessa; and DJ sets from internationally known electro-funk duo Chromeo, and hip-hop electro sensation Naeem. Please find further details below.

FRIDAY
Friday at the Arena will see comedic sets from Fred Armisen and Boston hometown standup favorites Sam Jay and Lamont Price. As the sun goes down, fans can retreat to the Arena for an electro-beat filled performance from Yaeji and sets from Naeem and DJ Frank White.

SATURDAY
Saturday shines with the debut of Boston Ballet at Boston Calling. Attendees will be treated to an excerpt from legendary choreographer William Forsythe’s Playlist (EP) set to R&B star Khalid’s “Location.” Boston Ballet premiered Playlist (EP) as part of the Full on Forsythe program in March, starring powerhouse dancers and set to a soundtrack with hits from pop, dance, and R&B charts. Additionally, attendees will experience an original work for two Boston Ballet dancers by Yury Yanowsky, choreographer, former principal dancer of Boston Ballet, and faculty member at Harvard University, set to Wilsen’s “Final.”

Hometown local Jenny Slate will deliver a headlining set of comedy while Imogen Heap will return to Boston for the first time in nine years to present a special spoken word performance featuring her groundbreaking Mi.Mu gloves, a revolutionary technology that produces sound by capturing movement and hand gestures. Standup sensation Marina Franklin will also bring her act to the Arena, and Lamont Price will return to the stage to keep the laughs going. Following the stellar dance and comedy, Princess Nokia and Dessa will perform pop culture rhymes while Naeem will return for a DJ set.

SUNDAY
SNL’s Michael Che and Melissa Villaseñor will both take to the mic on Sunday while the day’s Boston Ballet performances in the Arena will feature the return of Yanowsky’s Final and a new work choreographed by Boston Ballet artist, Sage Humphries, set to an original score by Michael Humphries, the artist behind Future Self, and brother of Sage. Imogen Heap also returns on Sunday to perform.

On Sunday night, Chromeo will spin their funky beats in a DJ set. The full-on Sunday evening dance party will also star hip-hop electro phenom Kilo Kish and DJ Joshua Carl.

In addition to performances on the Arena stage, fans will be able to enjoy Boston Ballet performances on the festival’s Green stage on Saturday and Sunday.

Boston Calling’s 2019 day-to-day lineup, including the expanded Arena performances is as follows (lineup and artists are subject to change). Performance times are to be announced.

Friday May 24, 2019
Twenty One Pilots
Greta Van Fleet
Janelle Monáe
Lord Huron
Christine and The Queens
Tank and The Bangas
Mura Masa
Gang of Youths
Turnstile
Pale Waves
Adia Victoria

Arena:
Fred Armisen
Yaeji
Sam Jay
Naeem
Lamont Price
DJ Frank White

Saturday May 25, 2019
Tame Impala
ODESZA
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals
Hozier
Big Red Machine
King Princess
Mitski
Clairo
Denzel Curry
Young Fathers
Superorganism
Shame
Pile
White Reaper
Sasha Sloan
Sidney Gish
Boston Ballet

Arena:
Jenny Slate
Princess Nokia
Imogen Heap
Boston Ballet
Dessa
Marina Franklin
Lamont Price
Naeem (DJ Set)

Sunday May 26, 2019
Travis Scott
Logic
Brandi Carlile
Sheck Wes
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
Marina
Guster
Snakehips
Snail Mail
SOB x RBE
Ravyn Lenae
Cautious Clay
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
SKEGSS
Easy Life
Boston Ballet

Arena:
Michael Che
Chromeo (DJ Set)
Imogen Heap
Boston Ballet
Kilo Kish
Melissa Villaseñor
Lamont Price
DJ Joshua Carl

Images of 2019 Boston Calling artists and highlight images from the previous nine festivals can be found here.

Further details on Boston Calling’s visual art, as well as more information about the festival’s food and drink components, will be shared in the coming months.

Boston Calling is proud to have Delta Air Lines, Samuel Adams, Miller Lite, JBL, Barefoot Wine, 47 Brand, and Vans as sponsors for this year’s festival.

Tickets:  A limited number of Single Day and Three-Day General Admission, VIP and Platinum VIP Passes are on sale now at www.bostoncalling.com.

Getting There: Boston Calling is best accessed by the T on the Red Line’s Harvard Square stop; from there, it is a short walk to the festival’s main entrance.  Boston Calling will also be coordinating with taxi and rideshare programs for safe and easy pickup and drop off points. There will also be bike racks available onsite.  Onsite parking is available only to Platinum VIP package purchasers.

Boston Calling is produced by Boston Calling Events LLC (BCE) which is owned by Crash Line Productions and The Madison Square Garden Company.

Crash Line Productions is a Boston-based entertainment production company that owns and produces dozens of events each year.  Formed in 2012 by Brian Appel and Mike Snow, Boston Calling Events continues to build its event platform around Boston Calling Music Festival.

Boston Calling Events is part of The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG), a world leader in live sports and entertainment experiences. The company presents or hosts a broad array of premier events in its diverse collection of iconic venues: New York’s Madison Square Garden, Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and Beacon Theatre; the Forum in Inglewood, CA; The Chicago Theatre; and the Wang Theatre in Boston.  Other MSG properties include legendary sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL) and the New York Liberty (WNBA); two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL); and esports teams through Counter Logic Gaming, a leading North American esports organization, and Knicks Gaming, MSG’s NBA 2K League franchise.  In addition, the Company features the popular original production – the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes – and through Boston Calling Events, produces New England’s preeminent Boston Calling Music Festival.  Also under the MSG umbrella is TAO Group, a world-class hospitality group with globally-recognized entertainment dining and nightlife brands: Tao, Marquee, Lavo, Avenue, Beauty & Essex and Vandal.  More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com

About Boston Ballet
Since 1963, Boston Ballet’s internationally acclaimed performances of classical, neo-classical, and contemporary ballets, combined with a dedication to world-class dance education and community initiatives, have made the institution a leader in its field, with a 55-year history of promoting excellence and access to dance.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Executive Director Meredith (Max) Hodges, the Company maintains a diverse repertoire, ranging from full-length ballets to new works by some of today's finest choreographers. Boston Ballet's second company, Boston Ballet II, is comprised of dancers who gain experience by performing with the Company and independently, presenting special programs to audiences throughout the Northeast. 

Boston Ballet School, the official school of Boston Ballet, has a long-standing dedication to providing exceptional dance education and ballet training to students across three studios in Boston, Newton, and the North Shore. Led by Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen and Director Margaret Tracey, the School reaches more than 5,000 students (toddler to adult) each year through its five core programs: Pre-Professional Program, Classical Ballet Program, Children’s Program, Adaptive Dance Program, and Adult Dance Program.

Boston Ballet’s Education and Community Initiatives provide programming, events, and activities that connect the community to dance. Community programs reach more than 4,000 individuals in Boston and the surrounding communities each year through Citydance, ECI on Location, workshops, and trainings.

For more information, please visit bostonballet.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Chris Langley & Alexandra Sullivan 
617-501-4293; 617-872-8991
chris@44-communications.com; alexandra@44-communications.com
@44Comm

 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3a087b12-f24d-4314-aefd-851f87b80dce

Boston Calling Arena Lineup