Greg Mendez and American Football kick off the weekend with a sold-out Free at Noon doubleheader

The summer weekend kicked off with a sold-out Free at Noon doubleheader featuring the melodic vocals of Greg Mendez and the Midwest Emo riffs of American Football. Mendez, a Philadelphia singer-songwriter, opened the show. Armed with just his soft voice and an acoustic guitar, he played old favorites alongside a few new songs. Mendez released his latest album, Beauty Land, earlier this summer and plays First Unitarian Church tonight.

American Football, the veteran group from Urbana, Illinois, eased into their set with a quiet opening of trumpet and keys trading melodies before the full band kicked in with their signature Midwestern sound. Touring behind this year’s LP4, they filled the midday set with new material including “Blood On My Blood,” then closed with a pair of classics from LP1, “Never Meant” and “Honestly.” American Football plays Franklin Music Hall July 10.