Regina Alongi
Connector Editor

What do Lorde, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nas, The Replacements, Childish Gambino and The National have in common? They’re all going to be sleeping in our backyards for the weekend.

In it’s second year, the bi-annual Boston Calling has only been getting bigger and better. Located right in the middle of City Hall Plaza, the three-day, two-stage festival showcases some of the best and hottest acts in the business. In May, the weekend drew more than 60,000 spectators and is expecting just as many, if not more.

Band to check out:

My inner 80s girl comes out on this one – how could I not adore a band that sounds like a combination of Dire Straits, Don Henley and Bruce Springsteen? If this intrigues you at all, then you need to check out The War on Drugs – believe me when I say you won’t regret it.

The band was started in 2003 by vocalist/guitarist Adam Granduciel and his close friend Kurt Vile; Vile left the band to pursue a successful-and-rising solo career while Granduciel remains the front man of the band. So far, The War on Drugs have released three solo albums: “Wagonwheel Blues” in 2008, “Slave Ambient” in 2011 and “Lost in the Dream” in 2014. New tracks to check out from “Lost in the Dream”: the first three in order: “Under the Pressure,” “Red Eyes,” and “Suffering.” This most recent release has gotten me hooked on the band, and I’m very excited to see what Granduciel and his crew will give us next. Fun fact: the band has ties to Massachusetts – Granduciel is from Dover, a small town on the banks of the Charles about 15 minutes south of Boston.