A Huge Moment For One Of Country Music’s Biggest Bands Will Happen in Boston in February
As February continues to sneak up on us, country music fans in Boston are going to be able to experience a huge moment for one of the genre’s biggest groups. Parmalee is hitting the House of Blues for their first-ever headlining show in the city itself. Sure, they’ve played venues around the area, and even played in Boston as openers, but this will be an incredible moment for the band, and their excitement was radiant when I talked to Matt Thomas, the band’s lead singer.
“Boston is one of our major markets, and the fans there are awesome,” he told me during an interview to discuss the upcoming show. “You guys look out for us, and we’re just excited to come back and do this headlining tour. It’s going to be so much fun.” Matt was having a difficult time hiding his enthusiasm.
The show on February 28 is not just any concert – it marks a milestone for the band, which is releasing a new album in the coming weeks, and just dropped a new single to kick off 2025 entitled ‘Cowgirl.’ They are bringing rising country music star Avery Anna on tour with them, completing a full circle moment as Matt discovered her on TikTok in 2020 and signed her to Parmalee’s management company. “It’s exciting to see her rocking ever since,” Matt said, highlighting how this tour lineup adds a personal element to these shows.
The Citizens House of Blues, which of course is located across from the iconic Fenway Park, is the perfect venue for the band’s Boston headlining debut. With the energy of the city overflowing, especially in that area of town, Matt reminisces about his past visits to Boston, especially recalling a trip inside the ballpark. “I walked [all] around Fenway, got me a ‘Fenway Dog,’ and just took it all in.” Don’t worry, I taught him the actual terminology of the famous hot dog.
Despite many visits to Boston over the years, Matt feels like he’s just scratched the surface of the city’s rich culture and history. “I need to dig in and go hard in Boston,” he said, clearly excited for more exploring before the band’s show.
As for the concert itself, Parmalee promises an engaging and dynamic setlist that will keep fans on their feet. “We’re going to be doing a lot of songs from the new album,” Matt told me. The band is known for their creativity and their approach to reimagining their songs in a different way each and every night. They love to throw in some fun elements like cover songs and surprise moments during the set. “We always try to throw some fun things in there that you would never expect,” says Matt.
While Parmalee’s headlining show in Boston is a big moment, Matt enjoyed looking back at their journey. I asked him what the most pivotal moment in the band’s career was, and he quickly replied: “getting signed.” They were a band for almost nine years before getting a record deal. “We were beating the pavement, playing hometown shows, and we just couldn’t get anyone to sign us.” The band finally carved out their own space in the country music world, discovered their true sound, and got signed. “When we finally got a record deal, it was a big deal,” Matt said. “We could just focus completely on music 24/7.”
I asked Matt if he could name one song that he’d want those who may not be familiar with the band to check out as a way to convince them to come to their concert. “Just The Way,” he told me. It’s their duet with Blanco Brown that really shows off the band’s fun vibe.
“If you want to come have a good time in February, you better be at the House of Blues,” Matt said.
Tickets for the show are on sale now, but you can win them from Country 102.5 here. Parmalee promises to make their first headlining gig in Boston and unforgettable night.
Check out the full interview with Matt Thomas below.