Live music is a fantastic experience, no matter your age! Who doesn’t remember the excitement of seeing a band perform live on stage for the first time? Taking your kids to a concert can be a bit tricky, though. There is only so much Kidz Bop a parent can take. But is a “real” concert going to be family friendly? If you’re a music-loving, concert-going Boston parent, try one of these bands with your family — they put on great shows that will be loved by both parents and kids alike!
Boston Calling
May 23-25, 2025
Harvard Athletic Complex :: Boston
The Boston Calling music festival is a three-day, multi-stage, outdoor festival featuring the biggest and best acts in live music. In addition to amazing bands, you’ll find visual arts, a 100-foot ferris wheel, and 30+ local food vendors — there’s something for everyone!
Shakira
May 29, 2025
Fenway Park :: Boston
Shakira is heading to Boston as part of the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour — her seventh world stadium tour! The Colombian singer and songwriter has been an icon for more than 20 years and keeps her fans singing and dancing with timeless classics like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Whenever, Wherever.”
“Weird Al” Yankovic
July 15, 2025
Wang Theatre :: Boston
The Bigger & Weirder 2025 tour is coming to Boston! Look forward to a giant video wall, multiple costume changes, and an amazing eight-piece ensemble featuring Al’s original band. It’s a legendary show with plenty of “weird!”
Coldplay
July 15-16, 2025
Gilette Stadium :: Foxborough
Music of the Spheres is the eighth tour by this British rock band — and their first return to live performances since 2017. It recently became the most attended tour of all time (even edging out the Eras tour!), so you know it’s a good show! We especially love that Coldplay used a team of sustainability experts to investigate their carbon footprint and study how to reduce it during their performances and travel.
Goo Goo Dolls with Dashboard Confessional
July 29, 2025
Leader Bank Pavilion :: Boston
You loved ’em in your teens, and now you can introduce your own children to the magic! Look forward to all the classics plus songs from the newer albums as well. The outdoor amphitheater is the perfect place to be on a summer night!
A Few of Our Other Favorite Kid-Friendly Bands
These bands may not be currently touring near Boston, but they are definitely ones to put on your must-see list for future concerts with your kids!
Taylor Swift
Olivia Rodrigo
Admit it — you had “Drivers License” stuck in your head on an endless loop for ages. The “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” star puts on a great show — it’s an awesome opportunity to rock out to some girl-power anthems with your kids. (Keep in mind that there will be some language — there are swears in the non-radio edits of her songs).
Pentatonix
Since their time on “The Sing-Off,” this five-person acapella group has skyrocketed to fame, for good reason! Their amazing harmonies and vocal orchestrations will leave you wondering where they hid the band! (Hint — it is nowhere; everything you hear comes from the mouths of five insanely talented singers!).
They Might Be Giants
OK, so this one may be a blast from the past for the parents — don’t be ashamed, we are all currently bopping our heads to the tune of “Istanbul (not Constantinople).” Who knew that in our adulthood, we would still be listening to this band every single day? Don’t believe me? Rock out to their biggest hit song with me. (Hint: It’s the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song.)
Imagine Dragons
You know their songs from the radio, and your kids probably found them on the soundtracks of the Paw Patrol movie, “The Croods,” the Transformers movie, or a host of other places where the catchy tunes have popped up! Parents across the board have reviewed their concerts as fun, upbeat, and family friendly, with little to no swearing. You’ll definitely leave this show feeling On Top of the World!
Walk off the Earth
You (along with 186 million of your closest friends) know them from their viral “5 Peeps, 1 Guitar” cover of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know. Their fun YouTube videos are a hit with the kids, and the energy in their live show is amazing. Get ready for flying ukeleles, confetti, giant balloons, and popular songs played on household items you didn’t even realize could be played like musical instruments. And don’t worry — if the power goes out, they can probably play the whole show for you on take-out containers leftover from their dinner.
