From Boston Calling 2023: Sunday Sound Bites

Mint Green

With the Harvard Athletic Complex abuzz in anticipation of Paramore’s headlining set, the band’s fans weren’t just in the audience but also on stage. The Boston-based indie rock band Mint Green opened the day at the Boston Calling blue stage, sharing their own excitement and love of Paramore with the audience by teasing a cover of “Ain’t It Fun.” The duo — composed of front woman Ronnica and drummer Daniel Huang — was joined on stage by former band member and bassist Brandon Geeslin, as well as new guitarist Rachel Moon. The set included several tracks from the band’s debut studio album “All Girls Go To Heaven” such as angst-filled “Whatever Happens,” while their performance of 2022’s “Body Language” earned a shout out on Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s Instagram story.

Maren Morris brought her unique country-rock sound to the Boston Calling main stage. By Courtesy of Boston Calling / Alive Coverage

Maren Morris

As the setting sun provided festival goers much needed relief from the sweltering heat, country star Marren Morris emerged for the penultimate set on the festival’s mainstage. At a festival like Boston Calling — which caters to rock enthusiasts — it would have been easy for a country singer to feel out of place. Yet armed with a handful of chart-topping hits and her unique ability to blend pop, rock, and country sounds, Morris won over even the most ardent skeptics in the crowd. The Nashville-based singer used her set to flex the range of her discography. While her pop crossover hits “The Middle” and “The Bones” were the biggest crowd pleasers, festival goers swayed and clapped along to country hits including “I Could Use a Love Song” and “My Church.”

Queens of the Stone Age perform for a packed crowd at Boston Calling. By Courtesy of Boston Calling / Alive Coverage

Queens of the Stone Age

With the June 16th release of their upcoming studio album — “In Times New Roman…” — on the horizon, Queens of the Stone Age took to the Boston Calling red stage for a 90-minute set featuring both old staples and new tracks. The band played two tracks from the upcoming album “Emotion Sickness,” as well as the unreleased “Negative Space.” While fans roared continuously throughout the set, the crowd's energy peaked as Queens of the Stone Age finished out their set with “No One Knows” and “Song for the Dead.”

— Staff writer Jen A. Hughes can be reached at jen.hughes@thecrimson.com. You can find her on twitter @JenHughes_.