Mixfest 2016 started in the afternoon on Saturday at the DCR Hatch Memorial Shell in Boston, with the opener being a Rhode Island duo, Tyler and Ryan. They won the annual contest called ‘15 Seconds of Fame’, and sang two songs, one being a cover and the other an original. They had a good attitude and presence keeping the audience intrigued with their unique sound. (You can check them out at their website, www.tylerandryan.com.)
The majority of attendees waited hours to see Ingrid Michaelson perform her well-known covers and most popular songs. Her brilliant personality and humor really showed while on stage making the atmosphere welcoming and comfortable. Beginning her set with “Be Ok” from her album of the same name, she set a relaxing tone and kept the audience enjoying her unbelievable high notes and her enthusiasm or as she would say, her “sexual energy.” Her set list went from relaxing to upbeat with every note she sang. Everyone in the crowd loved her hits “Girls Chase Boys” and “Hell No,” but what seemed to be the crowd’s favorite was her cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” in which she sang in a slightly more upbeat tone.
As Michaelson set the mood for a more easygoing night, singer Shaggy had something else in mind as he opened his set with loud and excitable music to get the crowd going. Everyone sang and danced enthusiastically to the beat of his music. He interacted with the crowd to make his set fun and enjoyable. While the majority of the crowd came for Ingrid and OneRepublic, Shaggy made an impression on everyone.
The biggest performance of the night was OneRepublic. Their set began unexpectedly to catch the attention of the concertgoers lounging in the grassy field. It started out slow, almost like a sound check, but turned upbeat within seconds with one of their well-known songs, “Love Runs Out.” Lead singer Ryan Tedder ran onto the stage and hyping up the crowd instantly. Tedder introduced the band, cracking jokes and telling personal stories to the audience before starting a new song. The band performed their best-known older songs with the crowd singing along the whole time. Starting a song slow before a beat dropped was repeated throughout their set. Tedder never stopped moving onstage and constantly interacted with the crowd. The show became emotional as it ended with songs such as “I Lived” and “If I Lose Myself,” as Tedder spoke about his youth, his kids and his friends.
As the concert ended, everyone dispersed in happy spirits. For a free concert, there were amazing acts and perfect performances, and concertgoers left with moments to relive forever.
Photos taken by: Avalon DiBernard