The 2024 edition of the annual Boston Calling festival may be remembered more for reports of overcrowding and unsafe conditions for fans—particular during sweltering temperatures on Sunday, when The Killers, Megan Thee Stallion, and Hozier topped the lineup—than the numerous stellar performances throughout the three-day festival at Harvard Athletic Complex. Many fans are saying they won’t return to the festival unless organizers improve safety conditions, as Boston EMS reported nearly 800 medical encounters during the weekend, including 23 in which attendees were hospitalized.
“We deeply appreciate the audience, staff, and performers who make Boston Calling possible, and want to acknowledge feedback from Sunday,” the festival responded in an official statement on socials. “While attendee count was several thousand below the official capacity rating of the site, we never want anyone to feel uncomfortable or unsafe at the show. The safety and well-being of our fans, artists, guests and staff is paramount. We will continue to work with public officials and our operations team to improve the experience, layout, and ultimately create a better environment for everyone.”
Photographer Skylar Watkins was there on Sunday to capture live shots and artist portraits for FLOOD, and noted that battling through the crowds to get to the photo pit for Hozier was a particular “nightmare” and that the turnout for Chappell Roan’s late-afternoon set was beyond packed. But for the most part she was able to navigate from backstage to the pits for her coverage of Alvvays, The Revivalists, The Heavy Heavy, Blondshell, Royel Otis, and more artists featured below.
Alvvays
Alvvays
Alvvays
Alvvays
Alvvays
Blondshel
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
The Revivalists
David Shaw of The Revivalists
Rob Ingraham of The Revivalists
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan at Boston Calling / photo by Skylar Watkins
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappel Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan
Royel Otis
Royel Otis
Royel Otis
Royel Otis
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
The Heavy Heavy
Hozier
Hozier
Hozier
Hozier
The Thing
The Thing
The Thing
The Thing
The Thing
Fleshwater
Fleshwater
Fleshwater
Fleshwater
Fleshwater
