Review: The Elovaters @ MGM Music Hall 1/31

Photo Credit: Laura Jerele

Review by Anna Gohman

On Saturday, the Boston-based American progressive roots band, The Elovaters, brought their signature warmth and energy to MGM Music Hall. Emerging from humble beginnings, playing bars on Union Street and Faneuil Hall, to Saturday’s electrifying performance at one of Boston’s most popular venues, the band showcased how far they’ve come in a night of musical experimentation and reminiscing. Currently touring their latest 2023 full-length album “Endless Summer,” their performance, a warm blend of reggae, rock, and funk, curated the perfect escape from a brutal Boston winter, a pocket of warmth in a snow-covered city.

The Elovaters’ set began with the title track, “Endless Summer.” Just as the title promises, it encapsulated a chill, reggae sound, lyrically painting a picture of a “perfect summer,” no sunscreen required. As concert goers packed closer to the stage, nostalgic for summertime and entranced by the band’s lively stage presence, Shwayze, an American rapper known for hits like “Buzzin’” and “Corona and Lime,” made a special guest appearance on their second song of the night, “People Go.” 

Shwayze is a long-time friend of The Elovaters after their song together, “Gone with the Wind,” from the rapper’s 2022 album “Shay SZN.” Now, on The Elovaters’ 2026 Sunburn Tour, that artistic friendship is only deepening as Shwayze features in select cities such as Boston. Together, their sun-drenched hip-hop and reggae sounds blend seamlessly into one, unique listening experience. Gracing Boston with their powerful, creative collaboration.

Alongside Shwayze’s magnetic presence, The Elovaters are joined on tour by a rotating lineup of special guests Collie Buddz, JARV, The Quins, and SixFoxWhiskey. The wide range of talent brings together a diverse group of fans from traditional reggae, modern rock, and progressive roots, setting the vibes high for enthusiastic concertgoers. 

On Saturday, the opening lineup consisted of The Quins, Shwayze, and Collie Buddz. Each artist added their own distinctive style, from the similarly Boston-based alternative rock sounds of the Quins, Shwayze’s signature California-esque vibes, to Collie Buddz Bermudian reggae energy. The artists left nothing on the table, energizing the crowd and altogether curating the ultimate hodgepodge of warmth and vibrancy.

The infectious, sun-drenched energy, leading into The Elovaters’ performance, perfectly captured the spirit of The Sunburn Tour’s mission to escape the cold with warmth, love, and high-energy musical connection. From festival grounds to intimate venues like MGM Music Hall, The Elevator’s vivacious energy is spreading coast-to-coast, performing a diverse setlist of old and unreleased songs. In addition to established, popular songs, such as “Gardenia,” and a personal favorite, “M.I.A,” performed early on in the concert, frontman Jackson Wetherbee announced their new album, releasing May 15. Following the announcement, the band, consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Jackson Wetherbee, drummer Nicholas Asta, lead guitarist John Alves, bassist Matt Link, keyboardist Greg Nectow, and percussionist Derrick Cabral, teased this release, giving their listeners a taste of the coastal-feeling, laid-back acoustic songs to come. During this teaser, Wetherbee thanked the sold-out, packed room for their support, citing Boston as the one spot in the country home to “so many number 1 fans.” Fans responded with a toast, holding up peace signs in the air and cheering loudly in appreciation.

In many ways, The Elovaters is a testament to how far a band can go with deep, sustained support from their hometown. Originally formed in 2014 under the name “The Cornerstone,” The Elovaters have since built a foundation of success through a “hometown hero” approach, evolving from local favorites in Boston, MA, to a nationally touring act. Their success has been marked by awards in 2022 such as Artist of the Year and Live Act of the Year at the New England Music Awards, and Reggae/Ska Artist of the Year at the Boston Music Awards shortly after.

Regardless of how far the band has come, they continue to hold a special appreciation for where they started.

Capping off the night, frontman Jackson Wetherbee proudly announced, “Boston, we’re going to the Super Bowl,” referring to the New England Patriots’ upcoming face-off this Sunday with the Seattle Seahawks. As confetti rained down from above and sudden blasts of white, fog-like air shot up from the stage, The Elovaters began to play “Boston” from their 2018 album “Defy Gravity.” The song was written as a tribute to their hometown and was famously echoed through the streets when the Boston Red Sox won the 2018 World Series. Needless to say, the crowd was ecstatic. Even when the music faded and the stage lights dimmed, their enthusiasm hardly wavered.

As a final display of love to their fans, The Elovaters returned to the stage to take a group picture, posing in front of hundreds of excited fans all clamoring for a better spot in the frame – forever preserving the night’s infectious energy and pure joy.