Music

The Violent Femmes at MGM Music Hall, Boston – 40 Years of Raw Energy

Friday the 13th, the Violent Femmes came to Boston’s MGM Music Hall to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut self titled album.

Friday the 13th, the Violent Femmes came to Boston’s MGM Music Hall to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut self-titled album. The date felt both auspicious and perfectly suited to the band’s irreverent, off-kilter spirit. The air inside the venue was charged with anticipation, as fans spanning generations gathered to witness a musical milestone.

From the opening strums of “Blister in the Sun,” the crowd was instantly transported to 1983, yet the energy in the room was anything but nostalgic lethargy. The Femmes—Gordon Gano, Brian Ritchie, and their full touring ensemble—played with a rawness and joy that felt immediate and utterly alive. Every note was crisp, every lyric delivered with the sly, sardonic bite Gano’s voice is known for.

The setlist honored the debut album in its entirety, and the audience reacted with delight to each familiar chord. The raucous singalong to “Kiss Off” was a particular highlight, voices echoing off the stately walls of MGM Music Hall, as if Boston itself was joining in the refrain. The interplay between the core trio and their supporting musicians added a fullness to the sound, but never at the expense of that signature Femmes minimalism—every song retained its stripped-bare, folk-punk heart.

Perhaps the most moving moment came during “Good Feeling,” its plaintive melody ringing clear and bittersweet. Time seemed suspended as Gano’s vocals hovered above the crowd, a reminder that even four decades later, the angst and yearning of youth can still ripple through a room like a secret shared.

Celebratory without ever veering into self-congratulation, the concert was a testament to what makes the Violent Femmes so enduring: their ability to make the familiar feel electric, the old songs brimming with new urgency. The band’s rapport was playful, their musicianship as tight as ever, and the evening was peppered with charming asides and wry banter.

By the encore, the audience was on their feet, dancing, shouting, lost in the ecstatic catharsis that only a truly great live show can deliver. As the final notes faded, it was clear that the Violent Femmes had done more than revisit an album—they had rekindled the restless spirit that made it legendary. Boston was lucky to play host on this Friday the 13th, a night where old songs became new again, and history was not only remembered, but lived.