After the conclusion of the messy festivities of Mudstock—BC’s annual mud volleyball tournament—many Boston College students ended their last day of classes with the highly anticipated Modstock concert featuring Dominic Fike as the headliner.
The Mod Parking Lot transformed into an outdoor venue for the stage performances hosted by the Campus Activities Board (CAB). As indie rock band Photo Negative—Fike’s first opener—adjusted its instruments, students trickled in wearing colorful shorts and tank tops and quickly pushed their way toward the front stage barriers.
CAB announced Fike as the headliner of Modstock, which hasn’t happened since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on April 21. Modstock began with Photo Negative, which won BC’s Best during the 24th Annual Arts Festival and earned the opportunity to perform as an opener. EDM artist EVAN GIIA came on as a second opener and warmed up the crowd even more before Fike took the stage.
Photo Negative began its set with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “American Girl.” The band alternated between original tracks and well-known music covers, including “Shut Up and Dance” by WALK THE MOON and Photo Negative’s original track “Ant Song.” After showcasing new releases from its latest EP Punting the Sweet Fantastic, Photo Negative concluded its performance with saxophonist Stephen Ventura, CSOM ’22, throwing his panama hat out to the rowdy audience.
Up next, EVAN GIIA ran out onstage and her heavy electronic beats stirred up the crowd. GIIA skipped around the stage and encouraged BC students to dance along to the booming EDM. Excitement spread across the audience when the music built up toward beat drops, such as in her tracks “Blow the Roof” and “WESTWORLD.” Halfway through her set, Giia requested that the crowd make a TikTok with her in an effort to show her online haters the enthusiasm of the BC crowd, she said.
As the main act of Modstock, Fike appeared on stage to boisterous screams and cheers. He sported a leather jacket and brown hoodie along with his signature bleached buzz cut. Fike initially played around with his white electric guitar, garnering cheers from the crowd, before beginning “Come Here.” The blend between hip hop and rock in Fike’s performance explored the singer’s lesser known tracks and highlighted Fike’s guitar talents.
During one of Fike’s first few songs, a crowd member threw a bra at the singer, which landed on the stage. Fike brushed it off and continued to sing.
Fike’s tracks often included instrumental breaks that displayed his musical technique through winding guitar solos, including on “Politics & Violence” and “Westcoast Collective.” Students sang along to “Batshit,” ending with a catchy riff that Fike performed on the electric guitar.
“You know how fortunate you are / And I hope you don’t hesitate / To tell me your feelings,” Fike sang.
Following “Westcoast Collective,” Fike’s supporting band stopped, and the singer pointed the microphone stand toward the crowd. Many audience members began to chant the title of his hit song “3 Nights,” predicting the track that Fike played next.
“I know y’all know this f—king song, and so I’ll need you to help me sing this song,” Fike said as the instrumental backing to “3 Nights” began.
The rowdy audience chanted the lyrics to “3 Nights” throughout the entirety of the performance, almost overpowering the band’s instrumentals. Fike concluded with the song “Vampire” with a striking solo portion from the band. Bringing Modstock to a close, Fike thanked the crowd for having him and students’ prolonged cheers and applause rang out across campus.
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