When local Dutch Tulips found out they would perform at the festival, they said “it just didn’t seem like a real thing,” and that the reality is “still sinking in” with “nothing to compare it to.”

Boston Calling returns to the Harvard Athletic Complex starting May 27. The three-day music festival has been hosted annually over the Memorial Day holiday weekend since 2013, but was put on pause the last two years due to the pandemic. The festival is known for bringing nationally and internationally touring acts to Boston alongside up-and-coming names.

This year’s lineup features big names like HAIM, Run the Jewels and Glass Animals, as well as a number of artists from right here in Greater Boston.

Before the festival kicks off, we’re featuring interviews with some of the local artists, for whom the festival is an opportunity to fulfill dreams and jumpstart their careers.

Dutch Tulips, comprised of Matthew Freake, Justin Mantell, and brothers Michael and John Holland, describe their music, as featured on their 2021 full-length album Double Visions, as everything from “hearkening towards classic rock” to “hyper distortion that sounds like Velcro ripping off the inside of your brain” to even “creep pop.”

Their set, on Saturday, May 28, is definitely “going to be a rock set. It’s going to be loud.” But above all, the band is looking forward to engaging with audiences and just having fun on-stage. Check out our entire interview with Dutch Tulips ahead of Boston Calling, and be sure to stay tuned for more coverage leading up to and during the festival with GBH!

GBH will be at the festival from Friday, May 27, through Sunday, May 29, providing updates and coverage on the GBH News social media accounts. Follow along on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for updates!

Check out our Boston Calling local Spotify playlist: