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Reserved front of stage access with plenty of room to dance on your own with Renee Rapp or freestyle with Megan Thee Stallion? Check. All-day noshes prepared by Boston’s top chefs—think grilled swordfish belly, ginger-lime crab cakes, and Wagyu Beef Sliders? Check. An open bar featuring specialty cocktails, beer and wine? Check. Boston Calling, the city’s annual music festival, just keeps getting better – especially if you’re a Platinum ticket holder.
That red viewing platform across the way allows VIPs to avoid the crush of concertgoers at Boston … [+]
This year’s upgraded ticket experience for the festival, held May 24 through May 26, offers all the perks of previous years, with a couple of brand-new add-ons, as well as a spectacular roster of chefs in the Platinum area. Friday night will feature the culinary prowess of Chef Ken Oringer, of Uni, Toro, and Little Donkey, while Saturday, Chef Will Gilson of Puritan & Co., and The Lexington, is behind the grill. Sunday, Chef Joanne Chang of Myers + Chang and Flour Bakery + Café brings the festival to a sweet finish.
“Our theme is always creating dishes that you crave and that you can’t stop eating,” Chang told me via email. “I can’t wait to share our menu with the attendees at Boston Calling!”
Chef Joanne Chang will be bringing savory and sweet offerings to the Platinum tent.
That menu includes Ginger Lime Crab Cakes, Coca-Cola Pork Belly, and Mama Chang’s Pork & Chive Dumplings, among other delightful bites. While the logistical challenges of serving food at the festival are many, Chang says she is looking forward to it. “We signed on because it sounds like a blast!” she says. “The challenge of cooking for hundreds of people out of a tent where we get to show off our food? Sign us up!”
Gilson, who is headlining the Platinum tent on Saturday, will be bringing the Lexington’s famous Steak Frites, as well as burgers and vegan artichoke tortellini. “I love the energy and ability to be part of such an exciting event,” the chef says. “I am going to go with foods that are easy to execute and also have some elements of fun and whimsy to them. I want to make sure I leave a lasting impression on the guests.”
Chef Will Gilson is headlining the Platinum tent on Saturday night
Planning ahead for many possible unexpected problems, from weather to crowds, is a tall order, but Chang says her team is ready. “We worked hard to develop dishes that can mostly be prepped ahead of time and finished on site with a flash in the oven or grill.”
In addition to unlimited eats, Platinum guests have a new perk this year – exclusive access to the front of the Green Stage (complete with a satellite lounge with complimentary cocktails), where headliners include Ed Sheeran on Friday, Tyler Childers on Saturday and the Killers on Sunday. That’s on top of the on-site parking (there is no parking for any other concert attendees), dedicated entry lines and merch lines.
Chang is no stranger to the crowds and vibes — Flour Bakery sold food in the General Admission area last year and will be filling that spot again this year (that’s were you’ll find me, in line for whatever they are dishing up).
“I was blown away by the energy and excitement,” Chang says. “Concert goers were having such a great time rocking to all the bands and everyone was relaxing in the sun and trying out all the different food options.”
Boston Calling runs May 24 through May 26. Platinum tickets are $2,899 all in, with no additional hidden fees or service charges.
The group stage games in Foxborough will feature Group C (June 13 and 19), Group I (June 16 and 26) and Group L (June 23). The winner of Group E will play its Round of 32 elimination stage game at Foxborough on June 29 against the third-place finisher in group A, B, C, D, or F.
Group C, which has two games at Gillette, is headlined by Brazil and also includes Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.
Group I will also stage two games at Gillette, with 2018 champion France joined by Senegal, Norway, and one team yet to be determined by a qualifying playoff (either Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname).
The other group-stage match in Foxborough will involved Group L, which features England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
While the groups for the Gillette Stadium games are set, the specific matchups won’t be released until Saturday.
The only matchups set are the opening games among the groups including the host nations: Mexico in Group A, Canada in Group B, and the United States in Group D.
Mexico will host South Africa at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11. Canada will play Toronto’s BMO Field on the June 12 against one of the remaining qualifiers from the European playoffs, which could be either Northern Ireland, Italy, Wales, or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The United States will kick off Group D on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Of the 48 spots, 42 nations have punched their tickets leaving six spots up for grabs. Twenty-two countries have paths to qualify, with competitions to determine the spots set for March.
The tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, kicks off June 11.
Gillette Stadium, which FIFA will call “Boston Stadium” for the World Cup, will host seven matches. Five will be group stage games, taking place from June 13-26. Foxborough will then host two knockout stage games: A Round of 32 match on June 29 and a quarterfinal on July 9.
Here are all the groups for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Group A: Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, Winner of Playoff D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Ireland, or Czechia)
Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Winner of Playoff A (Northern Ireland, Italy, Wales, or Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D: United States, Australia, Paraguay, Winner of Playoff C (Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo)
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Winner of Playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania)
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Winner of Playoff 2 (Iraq, Bolivia, or Suriname)
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, Winner of Playoff 1 (Congo DR, Jamaica, or New Caledonia)
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Emma Healy can be reached at emma.healy@globe.com or on X @ByEmmaHealy. Hayden Bird can be reached at hayden.bird@globe.com. Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com.
Commuting in Boston can be a nightmare. Sometimes you find yourself stuck in hours-long traffic wishing you’d taken the T. Other times you’re waiting for an elusive train that never shows up, wondering why you even gave the T a chance.
But here’s the thing: It doesn’t have to be this bad. Just take a look at New York’s promising attempt to fix its own traffic woes. In January, New York City launched its congestion pricing program, which charges drivers a steep toll to enter Manhattan’s busiest streets. It’s $9 during peak hours, which are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekends, and $2.25 during off-peak hours.
The program is the first of its kind in the United States, though there are versions of it in cities like Stockholm, London, and Singapore. And it has two primary objectives: First, the cost is meant to discourage people from commuting by car. Second, the revenue it raises is meant to fund public transit improvements that would make the region less car-dependent in the long run.
So far, the program has been largely successful. It has reduced the number of cars on the roads, improved commute times, and even contributed to a drop in traffic-related deaths. The streets in the congestion zone are also receiving fewer traffic noise complaints.
Some lawmakers across the country are taking notice. Here in Massachusetts, Democratic state Senator Brendan Crighton from Lynn, who serves as cochair of the Legislature’s transportation committee, says that schemes like congestion pricing should remain on the table when it comes to addressing the MBTA’s long-term fiscal concerns. (Evidently, the millionaires’ tax that voters passed in 2022 is not enough.)
As lawmakers consider whether this is a good idea for Boston, here are three takeaways from New York’s nearly year-long experiment:
1) There’s still a lot of traffic, but it’s getting better
There’s no way around it: New York will always have traffic jams. The city is home to more than 8 million residents, and the metropolitan area has a population of some 20 million. But since the city launched congestion pricing, the number of cars on the road has dropped.
This past summer, 67,000 fewer cars were entering Lower Manhattan every day compared with historical averages, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Other analyses earlier this year also showed a reduction in traffic, with average car speeds increasing by as much as 20 percent during rush hour within the congestion relief zone.
As a result, public transit has also improved. Buses have become more efficient, reliably moving faster. The average bus speed increase doesn’t seem too impressive — about 3.5 percent — but some buses are moving nearly 30 percent faster, and virtually all bus routes that interact with the congestion zone have seen an improvement in speed.
2) Congestion pricing is a great source of revenue
New York officials say that the new toll is on track to raise the projected $500 million in its first year — money that in the long run will go toward a multibillion-dollar plan to improve subways, buses, and commuter rail lines and make those modes of transportation more appealing.
Even though there is something to be said about how deeply driving is embedded in American culture, at the end of the day commuters are rational consumers. And if getting from point A to point B is both faster and cheaper on public transit, then a lot of people will go for that option, even if they would otherwise prefer driving.

3) At first, people hate it. Then they learn to love it.
New York’s plan ran into roadblocks before it officially launched. Just before it was meant to go into effect in June 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul postponed its launch indefinitely. Seven months later, she launched the program, but with a lower toll — $9 instead of the originally planned $15.
Part of the reason for that back and forth was public opposition to congestion pricing. In December 2024, for example, less than a third of New York City voters supported it. But just as was the case with other cities around the world that have tried congestion pricing, the program got more popular after residents got a taste of its benefits. According to a YouGov poll in August, public support and opposition for congestion pricing have almost entirely flipped, with 59 percent of New York City voters supporting keeping the toll in place.
Now, just because something works in New York doesn’t necessarily mean it will work in Boston or elsewhere. New York is America’s largest city — more than 10 times the size of Boston — and its subway system is by far the most expansive in the country. Implementing a costly toll to enter downtown Boston might not be as successful in pushing drivers to use other modes of transportation, because their options are ultimately more limited than the ones available to commuters in and around New York City. (More than that, the Trump administration has openly opposed New York’s congestion pricing and has attempted but so far failed to block it in court, and other cities could face similar scrutiny from the federal government.)

But that doesn’t mean that congestion pricing is not worth trying, even if it takes years to get it done. After all, if Boston wants fewer cars on the road, the first step is to improve public transit. And what’s a better way to do that in the long run than to create a steady daily revenue stream from commuters, whether they’re riding the T or driving their cars? It might be a political risk at first, but the potential reward is too appealing to ignore.
Abdallah Fayyad can be reached at abdallah.fayyad@globe.com. Follow him @abdallah_fayyad.
Crime
A Connecticut man is facing charges as Boston police allege he was part of a crowd responsible for igniting a police cruiser with fireworks during an Oct. 5 street takeover in the South End.
David Antonio Moran, 19, of Norwalk, was arrested early Thursday morning, a Boston Police Department spokesperson told reporters. Moran — also known as David Moran-Chavez — was apprehended “as a result of a painstaking investigation,” the spokesperson said.
He is charged with conspiracy, burning a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of fireworks, and disturbing the peace in connection with the early morning takeover at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Tremont Street.
The Boston Police Department is expected to address local media and share further details at 2:30 p.m.
The chaotic incident was one of several street takeovers in Eastern Massachusetts that morning, with large crowds shutting down streets in multiple communities as drivers performed high-speed stunts and spectators looked on. Gov. Maura Healey responded with the announcement of a $14 million safety grant, expressing “zero tolerance” for the meetups.
“It poses a real significant threat to public safety and certainly harms quality of life in our neighborhoods and communities,” she said in October.
Moran will appear in a Connecticut courthouse, where he will be charged as a fugitive from justice. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
Boston police previously arrested two Rhode Island teens in connection with the South End street takeover; one of them was allegedly seen throwing objects at police officers, while the other was purportedly spotted striking a cruiser with a pole.
“Boston Police officers and detectives methodically identified and followed evidence related to this street takeover,” the department spokesperson said Thursday. “BPD worked with several law enforcement partners in the Bay State, and received tremendous support from private citizens and businesses via video and information sharing and we thank them all.”
The department encouraged anyone with information, photos, or videos to contact Boston police detectives at 617-343-5619 or provide an anonymous tip at BPDnews.com/CrimeStoppers.
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