Words & Deeds

Taylor Swift ‘loves’ this band. It’s performing an outdoor Boise Greenbelt concert

Bombargo, a band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, performs during the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia, South Carolina, last year.
Bombargo, a band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, performs during the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia, South Carolina, last year. Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

A new outdoor “social club” will debut along the Boise Greenbelt in June.

And a high-energy touring band familiar to many Boise music fans will help kick it off.

Canadian group Bombargo will headline a concert at Bluebird Social, 1401 W. Shoreline Drive, on Friday, June 12. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 8, at bluebirdsocial.com for $23 plus fees.

Located at 14th Street and Shoreline Drive, Bluebird Social will aim to be a riverside gathering destination that includes a “professional stage with a top-quality in-house sound and lights system,” according to a press release.

“Bluebird Social is more than a venue,” it says. “Think boutique festival grounds, operating six days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with live music, arts, food, bars and activities all season long.”

Bombargo, a band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, performs during the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia, South Carolina, last year.
Bombargo, a band from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, performs during the St. Pat’s in Five Points festival in Columbia, South Carolina, last year. Joshua Boucher jboucher@thestate.com

Most days at Bluebird will feature free live music and other entertainment events. But a handful, such as Bombargo, will be ticketed.

Bombargo has played in Boise before at places such as Shrine Social Club and Treefort Music Fest. The group, which has amassed more than 10 million streams, “drops a vibrant splash of soul over a distinctive vintage pop sound,” the release says. “Known for bringing unrivaled energy to the stage — singalong anthems, double-brother harmonies and a powerful message — they deliver one of the most captivating live shows.”

Swifties know Bombargo from back in 2018, when Taylor Swift helped the then-unsigned act gain attention by including its song “Mr. No Good” on her first “Songs Taylor Loves” Spotify playlist.

Bluebird Social is expected to have a soft opening the weekend prior to the Bombargo concert. And there might be a learning curve for some Boiseans. After all, it has taken over the spot at 14th Street and Shoreline Drive formerly occupied by Green Acres Food Truck Park for years.

Looking for Green Acres? It opened May 1 in a new location. It’s about a 5-minute walk east down the Greenbelt from its former home.

Michael Deeds
Idaho Statesman
Michael Deeds is a long-serving entertainment reporter and opinion columnist at the Idaho Statesman, where he chronicles the Boise good life: restaurants, concerts, culture, cool stuff. He started as a summer intern after graduating from the University of Nebraska with a news-editorial journalism degree. Deeds’ prior Statesman roles have included sportswriter, music critic and features editor. His other writing has ranged from freelancing album reviews for The Washington Post to bragging about Boise in that inflight magazine you left on the plane. 
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