The Xfinity Center has had a fantastic year of great music and events! There is a reason why it’s called the Xfinity Center – because, for decades, it has been the center for Massachusette’s most exciting entertainment. The venue holds up to 19,900 attendees on a sold-out date and has hosted shows for the biggest names in rock, country, pop, R&B, and more! Fans were thrilled to see some of their favorite performers on stage! Imagine basking in Massachusetts’ incredible summer weather with great music and kindred spirits! Attending a show at the Xfinity Center is an experience of a lifetime, and it’s best shared with close friends and family! For this review, we check out many of the shows that made the year 2023 an amazing one for fans who flocked to the Xinifty Center. The spring and summer seasons were plentiful, and massive touring groups made the venue their home for their stop in Mansfield, Massachusetts! So here’s the list of the most amazing shows that happened at the Xfinity Center!
The venue’s spring season opened with one of the biggest names in pop music. Janet Jackson returned to the limelight for her Together Again Tour. The outing was one of the biggest comebacks in the circuit. And having award-winning rapper Ludacris as her special guest just made the show at the Xfinity Center on Friday, 19th May, even more amazing. The Boston Guide described the show as “All hits, no misses.” This was a pretty accurate headline for the remarkable show. The pop songstress covered her career-spanning hits, such as “Together Again,” “Rhythm Nation,” and “Miss You Much.” She also performed a sensation cover of Michael Jackson’s “Scream.” Ultimately, the pop icon performed a total of 40 songs! She’s 57 years old, but she still sings and dances like it’s 1985!
Before spring season came to a close, country rock powerhouse Chris Stapleton brought his All-American Road Show to the Xfinity Center. On Friday, 9th June, it was a full house as Stapleton, along with his special guests Charley Crockett and The War and Treaty, lit up the stage with their iconic country music staples. Fresh from his performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, Stapleton went straight to the road to promote his latest album, Higher. The show on 9th June was sold out months in advance. That’s why Stapleton quickly added another date, on 10th June, due to public demand – that, too, was a full house!
Summer Concert Season
After the phenomenal two-night country music extravaganza, TLC and Shaggy brought their co-headlining show the next day on Sunday, June 11th. Titled the Hot Summer Nights, the highly-awaited concert featured fantastic special guests, such as En Vogue and Sean Kingston. Several days later, the venue was buzzing with life again with the arrival of EDM icons Two Friends, NOTD, and singer-rapper Bryce Vine. This incredibly unique event attracted all the colorful ravers from Massachusettes and beyond. Friday, 16th June, was a great night of dance-worthy beats, epic drops, and sensational remixes! The night ended on a high note, but the venue had to quickly turn over the production to accommodate the massive touring giant, Dave Matthews Band.
The band has been recorded as among the highest-grossing touring bands in history, and with over 100 million concert tickets sold across three decades, we can’t believe that Dave Matthews Band only performed a single night at the Xfinity Center! Nevertheless, the venue was packed to the brim! Fans who went to the show provided positive reviews on how Xfinity Center hosted the massive concert. One attendee in particular commented, “The grounds were kept well with man workers picking up trash.” Moreover, the attendees also complimented the show for providing large screens for audiences on the lawn.
The very next day, gothic rock legend The Cure moved in with their special guest, Twilight Sad. The concert garnered rave reviews from attendees. Adam, who traveled all the way from Maine to see The Cure’s sold-out show, mentioned, “Really cool concert venue about 30 miles south of Boston.”
If you think Xfinity Center’s June schedule was packed, wait ‘till you learn about its July 2023 schedule! The month was brimming with big names in music – from Shania Twain to Mark McGrath, Post Malone, Jason Aldean, and Matchbox Twenty. The Culture Club also came in at the end of July to deliver their outstanding classics like “Karma Chameleon,” “Angel of Mercy,” “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” and many more. The month also welcomes a myriad of rock heavy metal bands, such as Avenged Sevenfold, Alexisonfire, Godsmack, and Staind. The month ended with the massive mini festival featuring headliner Mudvayne, who’s in town for the Psychotherapy Sessions Tour.
August came out with a bang as the Xfinity Center welcomed Grammy Award-winning rapper 50 Cent on Thursday, 3rd August. The rapper and producer came in for his Final Lap Tour and brought along his high-profile friends Busta Rhymes and Jeremih. The very next day, another bad boy icon, Jelly Roll, came in with his supporting acts, Struggle Jennings, Elle King, and Josh Adam Meyers. After a country music extravaganza, the venue then shifted to accommodating classic rock music by Foreigner and their supporting act, Loverboy.
Ghost Rocked The Stage!
One of the most highly unexpected successes of a show at the Xfinity Center was the concert by Swedish metal band Ghost. The Grammy Award-winning band turned the night into a sinister fellowship of sorts. Fans from far and wide traveled all the way to Mansfield for the opportunity to see Papa Emeritus on stage. A concertgoer from Maine traveled to Xfinity Center for the chance to Ghost rock out on stage. “Recently saw Ghost here and had such a blast! Yes, the traffic was crazy, but thankfully, I came prepared and was in traffic right before the 495 exit by 5 pm. Yes, we got here early, but we joined all the other people in tailgating and had a great time waiting for the doors to open. Entering the place was a slow process, but it seemed like everything was orderly.”
Before the summer season ended, Xfinity Center had to make sure it went out with some of the most exhilarating concerts of the season. The venue hosted fantastic live shows by The Offspring, Noah Kahan, The String Cheese Incident, Shinedown, and more. Highly acclaimed musician Bobby Weir originally from the legendary rock band Grateful Dead also came to town with Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros.
Yes, spring and summer have been eventful at the Xfinity Center, and it’s high time that you partake in experiencing this venue for yourself! Many concert attendees can attest to the venue’s ability to host massive productions and high-powered performances. Glenn from New York stated, “It was a great show by the performers. The crowd and staff were friendly and awesome, and the venue was set up well! The only thing I would like to see more of are some healthier choices for food. But…we would easily visit again!”
Another attendee also described how much of a great time they had when they went to see Foreigner. “Great experience, a very good system for getting cars in and out. Plenty of vendor stands and bathrooms. Clean grounds. Polite workers. VIP Lounge cost extra, but it was great for our Foreiner concert experience. Great sound environment.”
Seeing concerts at the Xfinity Center has been a time-honored tradition for music lovers in Massachusetts. The venue, which opened in 1986, has had a long history of hosting some of the most high-profile concerts in history, including The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over Tour. Big-name bands have also recorded their DVD concerts here, such as Korn’s Family Values DVD and The Who: Live in Boston.
Experience the most exhilarating live outdoor concert at this venue by selecting your tickets now! The venue has confirmed a pleasing amount of shows for the year 2024. So hurry and see your favorite bands and artists at the Xfinity Center!