Boston Calling’s on-site indoor arena, which returns to the music festival this year after several years, will serve as a chill space for attendees to get a break from the outdoors.
The music festival’s indoor arena — that’s historically been used for everything from comedic sets to movie screenings — will return after eight years to give festival goers a new space to hear more live music, grab a drink and cool off.
Jazz musicians from Berklee College of Music will perform in the air-conditioned space every afternoon and early evening of the three-day music festival. This marks a first-of-its-kind partnership between Boston Calling and Berklee and further’s the festival’s tradition of showcasing local music acts.
“Boston Calling is an iconic music festival that shares Berklee’s desire to create more stages for musicians here in the city,” Berklee President Jim Lucchese said in a press release. “Boston Calling also provides a fantastic opportunity for these students to experience and learn about the workings of a large scale festival from the inside.”
A full list of performances is below:
Friday, May 23 at 2 p.m.: Tiril JacksonFriday, May 23 at 4:10 p.m.: Devon Gates & Friends Friday, May 23 at 6:20 p.m.: Su Yavuz Saturday, May 24 at 2 p.m.: SrisleySaturday, May 24 at 4:10 p.m.: Su YavuzSaturday, May 24 at 6:20 p.m.: Solaya + The EffectSunday, May 25 at 2 p.m.: Manuela Sánchez GoubertSunday, May 25 at 4:10 p.m.: AniyéSunday, May 25 at 6:20 p.m.: Su Yavuz
All Boston Calling attendees — regardless of their ticket status — can enter and exit the arena as often as they like. Beverages will also be available for purchase.
The indoor arena is located to the left of the main entrance, adjacent to the merchandise tables and just before the Blue Stage.
The new map for Boston Calling Music Festival unveiled Jan. 2, 2025. Image by Boston Calling Music FestivalBoston Calling Music Festival
When Boston Calling was first moved to the Harvard Athletic Complex from City Hall Plaza in 2017, there was an indoor area of the venue called the “Comedy Club arena,” according to a video from Boston.com.
“To your left, when you first come in [to Boston Calling], we have the ‘Comedy Club’ or the ‘Comedy Arena,’ which is a swank little indoor spot that has a bunch of tables and a bit of a nightclub vibe,” said a Boston.com reporter in the 2017 Facebook video.
In 2018, the arena was used for a film festival curated by Natalie Portman. It was last used in 2019 for a comedy special. This year will be the first time the arena will host live music.
The return of the indoor arena was among several improvements the Boston Calling made after receiving backlash in 2024 over unsafe conditions, crowd control and capacity issues. Other improvements are more water stations, a reorganization of stages and lower ticket prices.
Boston Calling will be held at the Harvard Athletic Complex in Allston Memorial Day weekend, Friday, May 23 through Sunday, May 25.
More information about tickets can be found here.
