Here's your complete guide to Boston Calling 2017

BOSTON — Boston Calling, the city’s signature music festival, is setting up shop in Allston and promising a jam-packed weekend for concert festival fanatics.

This year’s festival, which will be held at the Harvard University Athletic Complex for the first time (in years past it popped up at City Hall Plaza) and boasts a wide-ranging list of headliners. While the headliners will draw in the casual fans, the lineup is filled out with the usual suspects that will lure the festival fans.

The heralded “film experience curated by Natalie Portman” that adorned many of the ad posters around town was axed earlier this year and replaced with a buffet of comedians. The “comedy experience” will feature a host of talented stand-up characters from local standout Eugene Mirmam (Bob’s Burgers), to the increasingly popular Hannibal Buress (Broad City) and the darkly humorous Tig Notaro (Inside Amy Schumer).

Meanwhile, the festival is filled with diner’s delights and drinks galore, but its new location and lavish layout will mark the turning point for Beantown’s biggest festival and could poise it to make a splash on the national stage.

Here, you’ll find a guide to your weekend of music mayhem, whether you’re heading out for an afternoon or the whole shebang. We’ve got directions, parking tips (don’t drive), maps, schedules, food rundowns and our ‘don’t miss’ shows for each night.

If you're heading out to the festival, don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with the latest. Tag your Instagram photos with #IGersBoston25Calling for a chance to be featured on our page.

The Music

The Layout

Vermont-native Russ Bennett designed the layout of the festival. He's most famous for laying out the massively popular Bonnaroo festival in Tennessee.

Bennett, who describes himself as an activist who often experiments with “architecture, metal, music, fire and other off materials,” burst onto the music festival scene designing layouts for Phish festivals in 1996.

The Lineup

Don't Miss Picks

Whether you're going for one day or the whole weekend. Here are the shows you don't want to miss on each day.

Friday - Chance The Rapper took home the 2017 Grammy Award for best new artist, which, as usual, is a stretch of the word "new." But Chance has been selling out shows across the country and packing in large crowds at a number of festivals. Mr. The Rapper has been one of the hottest hip-hop artists of recent years lately and the number of rave reviews for his shows are staggering. He's one of the biggest names in the lineup for a reason and he's our 'don't miss' pick for Friday night.

Saturday - Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats took over the radio in 2015 with their debut single "S.O.B." The husky-voiced, big band sound is backed by an infectious energy that comes out on stage. Rateliff's solo background in folk music (think Nate Ruess's The Format) gives the Night Sweats' debut record a sophisticated level of song-writing that makes the band's Americana swing that much stronger. These guys promise to deliver a rollicking good time filled with boot stompin' and "howling at the moon."

Sunday - Cage the Elephant got their start at Western Kentucky University in 2006 and have steadily built a reputation as a powerhouse of eclectic rock. The band now headlines festivals and brings a wild energy to shows all over the world. If you haven't seen Cage the Elephant live, this is the reason you should go to Boston Calling on Sunday. These guys bring the noise.

Getting there

Harvard's Athletic Complex isn't a far walk from the Harvard Square T Stop on the Red Line -- and that's probably the best way to get there. You can also access the fields from the 66 and 86 bus lines.

There will also be bicycle parking on site, but there won't be any car parking. So the best way is really to take the T or the bus -- unless you really want to get out of a taxi or Lyft on Soldier's Field Road.

Knowing Allston is decidedly less convenient for most people than City Hall Plaza, the organizers put together a short video to help you out with getting to the festival.

The Food

A staple of every festival is the local food and drink choices offered for much needed refueling throughout the weekend. With an expanded setting and larger overall festival this year, Boston Calling has added a few more vendors to offer all kinds of tastes.

You can find a complete food and drink list -- with menus -- for the weekend here.

What should I bring?

• Sunscreen Hats
• Sunglasses
• Non-professional film and digital cameras
• 1 Factory-sealed bottle of water (non-glass container)
• A small clear plastic bag (no backpacks are allowed inside the festival)
• Valid Driver's License for will-call and/or to purchase alcohol
• Comfortable footwear

Stay up to date

We'll have updates on the festival throughout the weekend on social media and online. Follow @Dalton_Main and @Boston25 on Instagram for pictures from the shows.

Don't forget about our apps to get the latest news while you're on the go or at the show.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bostoncalling
Twitter: @Boston_Calling
Instagram: @Boston_Calling

​#BostonCalling #BostonCalling2017​ #IGersBoston25Calling

More

You can find even more information, transportation guides and frequently asked questions here.

Cox Media Group