So far this season, breakout outfielder Jarren Duran is entrenched atop the Boston Red Sox batting order. But the Fenway Park Concert Series brought in a new leadoff hitter recently with the news that Lana Del Rey is set to perform live at the greatest ballpark in the world. That got us thinking about the rest of the summer’s starting lineup, so we pulled together all the live shows set to happen over the next few months under the shadow of the Green Monster. Here’s what’s coming up to bat at Fenway this season, all part of the Nucar Fenway Concert Series by Wasabi Technologies. And score all the event information and advance ticket details over at the series’ MLB homepage.
June 20: Lana Del Rey
“Summertime Sadness” may be a recent theme at Fenway over the past few seasons, but it should sound lovely when Lana Del Rey brings her own version to the ballpark. Dubbed “One Special Night, One Special Show,” Del Rey’s swaps out tunnels under Ocean Boulevard for the scoreboard operator’s space inside the Green Monster, and should transform the field into a cinematic spectacle. With 2014 album Ultraviolence turning 10 this year, we’re hoping for an especially spirited setlist from the artist’s creative peak.
June 21: Hootie and the Blowfish
There’s a ’90s party happening at Fenway, and it has nothing to do with Mo Vaughn and John Valentin. Hootie and the Blowfish lead the charge on a particularly hits-heavy lineup that welcomes Barenaked Ladies, Collective Soul, and Edwin McCain as support. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the band’s Cracked Rear View album, a two-time Diamond-certified debut record, which still sits pretty among the best-selling albums in music history. “Sometimes you’re crazy and you wonder why,” Darius Rucker will likely sing to us, “I’m such a baby ’cause the Red Sox make me cry.” That moment alone should have some healing capabilities as we gaze at the AL East standings.
July 18 and 19: Noah Kahan
The elevation of Noah Kahan has been remarkable, and now the Vermont-born, Watertown-based folk-pop songsmith delivers “Stick Season” to the baseball season. In spring of last year Kahan was set to hold court at Boston Calling while selling out pretty much every venue he played, and now takes over Fenway for two — two!!! — nights at the height of summer. Bonus points for the inspired openers, as special guests Mt. Joy and James Bay make this one of the most solid Fenway lineups since the 2018 championship Red Sox. Even the Noah Kahan bobblehead agrees.
July 20: Kane Brown
Kane Brown brings his In The Air Tour to Fenway, which is oddly one of the few country-leaning concerts set to play the ballpark this summer. But the Tennessee artist earned his invite back, as last year he reportedly became the first Black artist to sell out a headlining appearance at Fenway in the venue’s storied history. Now, the five-time American Music Awards-winning artist runs it back on the field, and he does so with dedicated company: Joining Brown on the bill are Jon Pardi, LOCASH, and RaeLynn.
July 21: Foo Fighters
At what point do we start considering Foo Fighters a Boston band? Dave Grohl and the boys have made the Hub a second home over the past decade or so, rocking out every big stage across the city a few times over. Foo Fighters now make their third appearance at Fenway this summer, following shows in 2015 and 2018 (check out Scott Murry’s incredible photo gallery) and after headlining Boston Calling last spring. The band’s Everything or Nothing At All Tour is part of a 10-city stadium run, and while the openers vary by show, Boston gets a killer guitar-focused lineup, with Swedish garage rock dynamo The Hives and Australian pub rock wildcats Amyl and the Sniffers loading the bases early.
July 23: blink-182
Fenway goes pop-punk and former Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker could not be happier (we assume), as blink-182 bring their prankster punk to the ballpark a little more than a year after headlining TD Garden. The reunified trio of Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus dropped a new album called “One More Time…” last fall, their first in more than a decade, and the whole neighborhood should be one big party for this show — get ready to hear cover bands playing all the familiar hits up and down Lansdowne. Pierce the Veil and Ekkstacy are on tap as openers.
August 5: Def Leppard and Journey
We must be holding the sugar jar because Def Leppard just can’t stay away. After playing Fenway — excuse us, rocking Fenway — two years ago, the British ’80s rock icons return for a new summer swing, proving everything about “Rock of Ages,” and this time they bring Journey and Heart along for the ride. We always talk about the amount of hits we’ll hear at any given show, and this trio delivers a Papi, Manny, and Damon-era level to the ballpark. We may have to post up just to sing “Don’t Stop Believing” as we look at the standings and see the Orioles and Yankees above us in the division.
August 7: Green Day
People of a certain age will reminisce about a time when we ripped open the local alt-weekly and pored over the upcoming summer concert listings and the sensation we felt when we saw packed lineups that felt like mini festivals (we’re thinking about you, Great Woods). That’s the feeling we got when Green Day unveiled its Fenway lineup featuring The Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid, and The Linda Lindas. Hot dang. Not to be outdone, the enduring California punk trio will perform Dookie and American Idiot in their entirely, making this one of the city’s true live music highlights of the season.
September 15 and 17: Pearl Jam
Can’t find a better band… to close out the season at Fenway Park. Any Pearl Jam show in Boston is a special one — from the Priviet Vodka series at Citi in 1991 with Buffalo Tom and The Lemonheads to countless gigs at the Garden, Great Woods, and everywhere else. Now Eddie Vedder and the gang are back at Fenway for the first time in six years, showing off aggressive new album Dark Matter and proving once again why they’re one of our country’s greatest rock and roll bands. Glen Hansard opens both shows.