A little rain couldn't stop Boston Calling from launching with a country-fied opening night
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Dalton and the Sheriffs perform at Boston Calling.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Curly-voiced singer/songwriter Bebe Stockwell kicked things off with a fair amount of indie drama, with Holy Rollers following with churning and triumphant roots-rock. Two hours after receiving the call to fill in the hole in the schedule left by TLC's unplanned absence, Dalton & The Sheriffs showed up with two acoustic guitars and one burly voice, and they were were exactly what Combs means when he sings that he's still be doing this if he wasn't doing this.
Megan From Work performs at Boston Calling.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Battlemode, on the other hand, represented local music on the Orange stage with the most screw-around performance Boston Calling may have ever seen, fueling its chaotic chiptunes by twisting dials, throwing in violin, and just generally seeing what they could get away with. Earnest but cutting, Future Teens were sprung and power-pop-adjacent, with a questioning, urgent undertow. Megan From Work, on the other hand, elevated nondescript punk-lite bash with the pleading wide-eyed enthusiasm of singer Megan Simon, who transformed it into a charming blast. Latrell James closed the local stage out with crisp, jazzy groove-rap.
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Latrell James performs at Boston Calling.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Dressed like he was about to challenge someone to a breakdance battle to save the community center, Kyle Dion was loose, flirty, and fired up as he opened the Blue stage with '80s-style funk-R&B. The vaguely cosmically-minded indie rock of Infinity Song and the watery Curtis Mayfield throwback soul of Thee Sacred Souls followed. With a genial, laid-back flow, rapper Mike. came off like a discount Jack Harlow, and T-Pain largely spun his wheels before kicking into 'Buy You A Drank (Shawty Snappin')' and 'All I Do Is Win' to lock the crowd back in fully.
Sheryl Crow performs at Boston Calling.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Back on the country side of the complex, Wilderado built up a springy, warm churn, while Max McNown's easygoing road-trip country was a little too casual and green. Sheryl Crow, on the other hand, performed with the absolute confidence and skill of an old pro, with the advantage of a dozen surefire crowd pleasers like 'Every Day Is A Winding Road' and a by-then ironic 'Soak Up The Sun.'
With the self-contained confidence and glammed-up production touches of Maren Morris, if just a little more wide-eyed, Megan Moroney nailed the sassy kissoff of 'Man On The Moon' and the wit and disappointment of 'Sleep On My Side.' But she also used the bottom of her range in a way that women country singers usually don't, and she hit it for heartbreak and vulnerability in 'Girl In The Mirror.'
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Luke Combs performs at Boston Calling.
Ben Stas for The Boston Globe/The Boston Globe
Having already performed in the rain the last time he played Massachusetts in 2023, Luke Combs took the stage to the charging zip on '1, 2 Many' (and, naturally, 'When It Rains It Pours') and didn't let up for an hour and a half. Unlike Moroney's glittery double staircase, Combs didn't have much in the way of a stage set, though the phalanx of lights and lasers beaming off the rain created little aurorae above the audience. Songs like 'Houston, We Got A Problem' were earnest and heartfelt without being cloyingly sentimental, and with the Moroney-assisted spirited grind of 'Beer Never Broke My Heart' and metallic riff of 'Ain't No Oklahoma,' Combs showed that maybe there's not much distance between country and the standard Boston Calling headliner after all.
Marc Hirsh can be reached at officialmarc@gmail.com or on Bluesky @spacecitymarc.bsky.social.
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New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Fleetwood Mac's ups and downs: Inside Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham's split — and more
Thunder happened even when it wasn't raining — and few bands went their own way quite like Fleetwood Mac. Formed in London in 1967 by drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John McVie and guitarists and vocalists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer, the group cycled through numerous lineups before achieving widespread popularity in 1974 with the additions of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. By the time 'Rumours' dropped in 1977 — created amid troubled romances and crippling addiction — Fleetwood Mac had been catapulted into superstardom and etched itself into history. Having sold over 40 million copies worldwide, 'Rumours' is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Advertisement 28 John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham in 1975. Michael Ochs Archives Now, nearly 50 years later, Nicks and Buckingham are reissuing their 1973 joint album, 'Buckingham Nicks,' a rare moment of unity from the duo whose rocky relationship defined the band's most iconic era. For more, scroll to read Fleetwood Mac's official timeline. July 1967: Fleetwood Mac forms in London, England Advertisement The original Fleetwood Mac — Fleetwood, McVie, Green and Spencer — was only the beginning. The band underwent several shifts in its roster over the years. In 1968, just a year after its founding, Danny Kirwan, who died in 2018, joined as the group's third guitarist. Two years later, founding member Peter Green, who passed away in 2020 at age 73, departed the band. 28 John McVie, Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer performing in 1969. Getty Images Green played a central role in forming Fleetwood Mac — he even named the band, telling 'Peter Green: Founder of Fleetwood Mac' author Martin Celmins he chose 'Fleetwood' because he thought it sounded 'like an express train.' Advertisement In the documentary 'Peter Green: 'Man of the World,' Spencer recalled Green saying early on that he didn't expect to stay in the band forever. 'They're my friends, what are they going to have? I'm going to leave them with the name,' Green once said. 28 Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood performing at the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Festival. WireImage 'That's a perfect example of his lack of self,' Fleetwood said in the documentary. 'When we actually formed Fleetwood Mac, he chose that name, and believe me, anyone and everyone around us [was] saying, 'It's got to be Peter Green 'cause you're the dude.' He said, 'No, I want to be in a band.'' February 1968: Fleetwood Mac releases their self-titled debut album Advertisement The band released its debut studio album shortly after forming. Despite Green's refusal to be recognized in the group's name, the album was originally titled 'Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac' — much to his protest — though it's also known simply as 'Fleetwood Mac.' It climbed to the No. 4 slot in the Official UK Album Charts, despite never producing a hit single. August 1970: Christine McVie joins Fleetwood Mac Christine McVie, formerly of the band Chicken Shack, joined Fleetwood Mac as a keyboardist and vocalist two years after marrying the band's bassist, John McVie. 28 Christine McVie performing on stage in 1979. Getty Images While answering fan questions for The Guardian in June 2022, Christine recalled the day she was invited to sit in on a Fleetwood Mac rehearsal, paving the way for her to officially join the band. 'They were rehearsing at Kiln House, and I was down there with all the wives,' she explained. 'They came out of the rehearsal room and said: 'Hey Chris, do you want to join?' I couldn't believe my luck. I said: 'Are you serious?! I'm just a girl who plays piano.'' Because she was a keyboard player, Christine said, 'The style had to change.' 28 Bob Welch, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood and Christine McVie in 1973. Michael Ochs Archives Advertisement 'It developed a more commercial bent,' she added. 'It was thrilling, and I have to say, to this day, it still kind of is, knowing that I did that. Then it just got better.' Shortly after joining the band, Christine was featured on Fleetwood Mac's fourth album, 'Kiln House,' and also illustrated its cover art. 1972: Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham begin dating Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham met in San Francisco in 1966, when Nicks was a high school senior and Buckingham a junior. 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in 1980. Getty Images Advertisement They later attended San José State University, where Buckingham invited Nicks to join his first band, Fritz. 'I think there was always something between me and Lindsey, but nobody in that band really wanted me as their girlfriend because I was just too ambitious for them,' Nicks told Cameron Crowe in 1977 for Rolling Stone. 'If anybody in the band started spending any time with me, the other three would literally pick that person apart. To the death.' Fritz stayed together until the early 1970s, after which Nicks and Buckingham eventually became romantically involved. 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham at a Fleetwood Mac press conference in 1979. Redferns Advertisement 'I'm not sure we would have even become a couple if it wasn't for us leaving that band,' she once said, according to Stephen Davis' biography of her, 'Gold Dust Woman.' 'It kind of pushed us together.' September 1973: Nicks and Buckingham release their first — and only — joint album, 'Buckingham Nicks' Performing as a duo, Nicks and Buckingham signed with Polydor Records in 1973 and released their only joint album, 'Buckingham Nicks.' Though it included standout songs like 'Crying in the Night' and 'Frozen Love' — and even featured a cover photo of the pair posing nude — the album was a commercial failure, and Polydor dropped them soon after. 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham performing together. Redferns Advertisement 'That album holds up pretty well,' Buckingham told AXS TV's Dan Rather in 2015. 'It did not do well commercially, but it certainly was noticed. And more importantly, it was noticed by Mick Fleetwood.' December 1974: Nicks and Buckingham join Fleetwood Mac In 1974, Mick Fleetwood visited Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, California, where producer and sound engineer Keith Olsen played him 'Frozen Love' from 'Buckingham Nicks.' The track alone was enough to prompt Fleetwood to ask Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac following the departure of guitarist and vocalist Bob Welch, who had previously replaced Jeremy Spencer. 28 Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie and John McVie in 1975. Redferns Buckingham, for his part, made it clear he wouldn't join without Nicks. '[I] didn't think about Stevie one way or the other, 'cause I was looking for a guitar player,' Fleetwood said in a 2009 BBC documentary about the band. 'And very quickly, we realized they were totally joined at the hip.' But according to Nicks, she and Buckingham were already breaking up when the invitation from Fleetwood Mac came. 'When we joined Fleetwood Mac, I said, 'OK, this is what we've been working for since 1968,'' she told Billboard in 2014. ''Lindsey, you and I have to sew this relationship back up. We have too much to lose here. We need to put our problems behind us.'' 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham performing with Fleetwood Mac at Madison Square Garden in 1978. Getty Images And they did, Nicks added. The couple moved into an apartment on Hollywood Boulevard and began patching things up. 'We weren't fighting about money, we had a really nice place, and we were going to work with these hysterically funny English people every day, making great music,' she recalled. The band's second self-titled album, often referred to as 'The White Album,' was released in 1975 and marked the first time Nicks and Buckingham were featured on a Fleetwood Mac record. It included two standout tracks written by Nicks: 'Landslide' and 'Rhiannon.' 1976: Nicks and Buckingham break up Just a year and a half into their tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Nicks and Buckingham called it quits. 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham performing in 1998. Newsday RM via Getty Images 'I broke up with Lindsey in 1976,' Nicks told The New Yorker in 2022. 'Something happened that was, you know, 'We're done.' And he knew it. It was time. And the band was solid, by that time, so I could walk away knowing that he was safe. And that the band was safe. And that we could work it out.' The then-power couple was nearing a breakup when they joined Fleetwood Mac, Nicks added, but they tried to hold things together. 'I was smart enough to know that if we had broken up the second month of being in Fleetwood Mac, it would have blown the whole thing,' she said. 'I just bided my time and tried to make everything as easy as possible, tried to be as sweet and as nice to Lindsey as I could be. He wasn't happy either.' 28 John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood in the mid-1970s. Their tumultuous relationship — and its eventual end — became the subject of many Fleetwood Mac songs. In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, Nicks said, 'I dealt with Lindsey for as long as I could. 'You could not say that I did not give him more than 300 million chances.' February 1977: Fleetwood Mac releases 'Rumours' Nicks and Buckingham's split unfolded during the recording of 'Rumours,' the album that would go on to become Fleetwood Mac's most successful release. Released in 1977, it topped the Billboard 200 chart for 31 non-consecutive weeks and earned the band a Grammy for Album of the Year the following year. 28 Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' album cover. The emotional turmoil behind the scenes, including John and Christine McVie's divorce, fueled the album's production. 'We had to go through this elaborate exercise of denial,' Buckingham told Blender in 2005, reflecting on his and Nicks' relationship during the recording. 'Keeping our personal feelings in one corner of the room while trying to be professional in the other.' The ex-couple didn't hold back in their songwriting, though. Buckingham's 'Go Your Own Way' and Nicks' 'Dreams' took subtle shots at their breakup — with the latter ultimately becoming Fleetwood Mac's only No. 1 song in the US, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 28 Fleetwood Mac won Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1978 for 'Rumours.' Michael Ochs Archives Speaking to The New Yorker in 2022, Nicks said the two singles felt 'like counter songs to each other.' 'I'm like, 'When the rain washes you clean, you'll know.' And he's like, 'Packing up, shacking up's all you want to do,'' she told the outlet. 'He's looking at it from a very unpleasant, angry way, and I'm saying, in my more airy-fairy way, 'We're going to be all right. We'll get through this.'' 1980: Nicks and Buckingham clash onstage during the band's 'Tusk' tour Though Nicks and Buckingham had been broken up for some time, the tension between them remained palpable — and eventually exploded both onstage and off. During a Fleetwood Mac concert in New Zealand on the band's 'Tusk' tour, Buckingham allegedly kicked Nicks mid-performance, she told Rolling Stone in 1997. 28 Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham at the Grammy Awards in 1998. WireImage 'We stopped the show,' Nicks recalled. 'He went off, and we all ran at breakneck speed back to the dressing room to see who could kill him first. 'Christine [McVie] got to him first.' McVie, for her part, told Rolling Stone that Buckingham might have been 'the only person [she] ever, ever slapped.' 'I actually might have chucked a glass of wine, too,' she added. 'I just didn't think it was the way to treat a paying audience. I mean, aside from making a mockery of Stevie like that. Really unprofessional, over the top.' July 1981: Nicks launches her solo career while remaining a member of Fleetwood Mac In 1981, Nicks released her debut solo album, 'Bella Donna,' featuring the soon-to-be hit single 'Edge of Seventeen.' She continued performing with Fleetwood Mac despite branching out on her own. 28 Stevie Nicks performing in Rosemont, Illinois, in 1980. Getty Images The album, which included collaborations with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Don Henley, went No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. 'Edge of Seventeen,' she told Billboard in 2014, was inspired not only by the murder of John Lennon but also by the late Tom Petty, who died in 2017. 'I asked Tom's wife, Jane [Benyo], when she met him,' Nicks recalled. 'She said, 'I met him at some point during the age of 17.' But I thought she said, 'The edge of 17.' I said, 'Jane, can I use that?'' 28 Stevie Nicks performing at a concert in 1990. MediaPunch via Getty Images She explained that the lyric 'Well, he seemed broken-hearted / Somethin' within him' was Benyo talking about Petty. 'I bet a lot of people thought I was talking about me, but I was chronicling their relationship as she told it to me,' Nicks concluded. September 1987: Buckingham quits Fleetwood Mac Just before Fleetwood Mac's 'Tango in the Night' tour — named after the album Buckingham co-produced — he left the band. His departure came after he refused to join the group on the tour during a meeting at Christine McVie's house to discuss the upcoming concerts. 28 Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie at Mick Fleetwood's wedding in 1988. Getty Images 'When Lindsey said, 'I'm not going,' I think I got up and ran across the room and tried to strangle him,' Nicks said in a 2009 BBC documentary about the band. 'And then, he chased me out of the house through Christine's driveway, and we had a huge fight. That was that. He was done.' Buckingham, for his part, told Rolling Stone in 1987 that he had always planned to shift his focus to his solo career once the album was complete. 'Back in 1985, I was working on my third solo album when the band came to me and asked me to produce the next Fleetwood Mac project,' he recalled to the outlet. 'At that point, I put aside my solo work — which was half finished — and committed myself for the next seventeen months to producing 'Tango in the Night.'' 28 Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham performing at Radio City Music Hall in 2018. Getty Images Buckingham concluded, 'It was always our understanding that upon completion, I would return to my solo work in progress.' September 1990: Nicks leaves Fleetwood Mac Nicks' exit from Fleetwood Mac was reportedly tied to her fan-favorite 'Silver Springs.' Originally recorded for 'Rumours,' the track was scrapped and instead buried as the B-side to 'Go Your Own Way' — Buckingham's own breakup anthem. Years later, following Buckingham's departure from the band, Fleetwood Mac released 'Behind the Mask' and launched a world tour. Nicks, for her part, worked on a solo greatest hits project, 'Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks,' and fought to include 'Silver Springs' on the track list. 28 Stevie Nicks performing at Madison Square Garden in 2019. Getty Images Mick Fleetwood objected, insisting the song be reserved for the group's upcoming box set, '25 Years – The Chain.' 'I told [Fleetwood's manager] that I want 'Silver Springs' because it belongs to my mother,' Nicks told the BBC in 1991. 'It didn't occur to me that they wouldn't let me have it back. I said to his manager, 'You find Mick, and you tell him that if I don't have those tapes by Monday, I am no longer a member of Fleetwood Mac.'' When Fleetwood wouldn't budge, Nicks made good on her warning and quit the band. May 1997: Fleetwood Mac famously performs 'Silver Springs' at Warner Bros. Studios Fleetwood Mac's classic lineup — Fleetwood, the McVies, Nicks and Buckingham — reunited in 1997 for 'The Dance,' a tour commemorating the 20th anniversary of 'Rumours.' 28 Fleetwood Mac performing at Warner Bros. Studio in Burbank, California. WireImage The tour spawned a No. 1 live album on the Billboard 200 chart and earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Album in 1998. It was also filmed for a concert special. During the band's shows in Burbank, California, Nicks and Buckingham delivered their now-iconic performance of 'Silver Springs,' in which Nicks turned from the crowd, locked eyes with Buckingham and belted the song's vengeful chorus: 'Was I just a fool? / I'll follow you down / 'Til the sound of my voice will haunt you / Give me just a chance / You'll never get away from the sound / Of the woman that loved you.' For Nicks, the moment was calculated. Her delivery, she told Rolling Stone at the time, was meant 'for posterity.' 'I wanted people to stand back and really watch and understand what [the relationship with Lindsey] was,' she later told The Arizona Republic. The scene remains one of the most talked-about moments in Fleetwood Mac's history. 1998: Christine McVie departs Fleetwood Mac A member of Fleetwood Mac for 28 years, Christine McVie officially left the band in 1998, though she returned 16 years later in 2014. 'I think that I was probably just burned out when I left, and I was frightened to fly,' she told People at the time of her return. 28 Christine McVie performing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in 2018. Getty Images for iHeartMedia During her time away, McVie released her second and final solo studio album, 'In the Meantime,' in 2004 and told the outlet she had no plans to rejoin the band, spending most of her years quietly in England. But ultimately, she said, 'The truth of the matter is the only people I wanted to play with were the people I had played with all my life — these guys — Fleetwood Mac.' April 2018: Buckingham is fired from Fleetwood Mac Though Buckingham rejoined Fleetwood Mac in 1997, his tenure ended once again in 2018 — only this time, he didn't leave by choice. 28 Lindsey Buckingham with John McVie, Christine McVie and Mick Fleetwood in 1993. Getty Images Ousted from the band, Buckingham pointed the finger at his former flame, telling People in 2021 that Stevie Nicks was to blame. 'It was all Stevie's doing,' he told the outlet. 'Stevie basically gave the band an ultimatum that either I had to go, or she would go. It would be like [Mick] Jagger saying, 'Well, either Keith [Richards] has to go, or I'm going to go.'' Nicks, however, rejected Buckingham's version of events, pointing instead to a disagreement over tour plans as the cause of his removal from the band. 28 Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood at the 10th Annual American Music Awards. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 'I did not demand he be fired,' she wrote in a statement. 'Frankly, I fired myself. I proactively removed myself from the band and a situation I considered to be toxic to my well-being. I was done. If the band went on without me, so be it.' Fleetwood, for his part, told The Post in 2019, 'We weren't happy — [happy] sounds almost like too light of a word to use. It just wasn't a happy situation anymore, really, for everyone.' November 2022: Christine McVie dies at the age of 79 Christine McVie, longtime Fleetwood Mac vocalist and keyboardist, died on Nov. 30, 2022, at the age of 79. 28 Christine McVie performing in Bloomington, Minnesota, in 1990. Getty Images Her family announced the news on her Instagram, sharing that she passed away at a hospital following a 'short illness.' 'She was in the company of her family,' the statement read. 'We kindly ask that you respect the family's privacy at this extremely painful time, and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being and revered musician who was loved universally.' Fleetwood Mac also confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter), writing that there were 'no words to describe [their] sadness' over McVie's passing. 28 Christine McVie with Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, John McVie and Lindsey Buckingham in 1998. WireImage 'She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure,' the statement continued. 'She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her.' It concluded, 'Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.' Nicks, for her part, posted a handwritten note on Instagram, calling McVie her 'best friend in the whole world since the first day of 1975.' The tribute included lyrics from Haim's 2020 song 'Hallelujah': 'I had a best friend but she has come to pass / One I wish I could see now / You always remind me that memories will last / These arms reach out / You were there to protect me like a shield.' 'See you on the other side, my love,' Nicks concluded. 'Don't forget me — Always, Stevie.' Speaking to Vulture in 2023, Nicks said, 'There [was] no reason' for Fleetwood Mac to continue following McVie's death. 28 Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks performing in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1977. Getty Images 'When Christine died, I felt like you can't replace her. You just can't. Without her, what is it?' she told the outlet. 'Who am I going to look over to on the right and have them not be there behind that Hammond organ? When she died, I figured we really can't go any further with this.' July 2025: Nicks and Buckingham announce the reissue of 'Buckingham Nicks' On July 17, Nicks and Buckingham sparked reunion rumors with coordinated Instagram posts quoting a lyric from 'Frozen Love,' a track off their one and only joint album, 'Buckingham Nicks.' Nicks, 77, shared a handwritten note that read, 'And if you go forward…' Buckingham, 75, followed suit with his own handwritten message: 'I'll meet you there.' 28 A billboard advertising the reissue of 1973's 'Buckingham Nicks.' AP A week later, the former couple clarified their posts' meanings, revealing they were teasing a long-awaited reissue of their 1973 album, announced in a joint Instagram video. 'Buckingham Nicks is available for pre-order now, out September 19th ✨ 'Crying in the Night' is yours now. Listen at the link in bio,' they wrote in the caption, which accompanied a video of a billboard promoting the record on Los Angeles' Sunset Strip. The reissue marks the album's first official release on CD and digital platforms.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Boston Globe
He almost left comedy altogether. Now, Liam McGurk is sharing a more personal side onstage
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- Business Upturn
House of the Dragon Season 3: Latest updates on release date, cast and plot details
By Aman Shukla Published on August 11, 2025, 18:30 IST Last updated August 11, 2025, 11:40 IST Fans of Westeros are seriously hyped for House of the Dragon Season 3. After all the crazy dragon fights and political drama in Season 2, everyone's itching to see what happens next in the Targaryen saga. The show's got that perfect mix of fire-breathing action and backstabbing family drama that keeps us glued to the screen. When's House of the Dragon Season 3 Hitting Screens? So, when can we expect it? HBO hasn't dropped a solid date yet, but filming started in March 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios, with some scenes being shot in Wales and the Canary Islands. Since there's going to be a ton of dragon battles and big war scenes, post-production is gonna take a while — probably about a year. Season 2 filmed from April to September 2023 and premiered in June 2024, so if history repeats itself, Season 3 could show up around summer 2026. Who's Starring in House of the Dragon Season 3? The main players are back, ready to clash in the escalating Targaryen feud. The returning cast includes: Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, fiercely chasing the Iron Throne. Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, the wild card stirring up trouble. Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, caught in the Green faction's web. Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen, wrestling with his crown and grief. Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen, the sharp-eyed dragonrider with big ambitions. Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, plotting with cunning. Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, steering Team Black's ships. Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen, carrying her heartbreaking story forward. Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, the Kingsguard leader fans love to hate. Fresh faces are shaking things up, too. Newcomers include: James Norton as Ormund Hightower, a lord rallying for the Greens. Tommy Flanagan as Ser Roderick Dustin, nicknamed Roddy the Ruin, leading the Winter Wolves. Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly, a northern supporter of Team Black. Tom Cullen as Ser Luthor Largent, a key figure from the books. Joplin Sibtain as Ser 'Bold' Jon Roxton, bringing more knightly grit. Barry Sloane as Ser Adrian Redfort, joining the battle. Annie Shapero as Alysanne Blackwood, or Black Aly, a fierce archer slated for five episodes and maybe sparking a quiet romance with Lady Sabitha Frey. Word on the street is that Prince Daeron Targaryen, a major book character teased in Season 2, will finally show up. Showrunner Ryan Condal has dropped hints that Daeron's moment is coming, which has book readers buzzing. What's the Story in House of the Dragon Season 3? Season 3 jumps straight into the chaos following Season 2's finale, with the Targaryen civil war hitting fever pitch. Team Black, led by Rhaenyra, and Team Green, backing Aegon II, are ready to tear Westeros apart. Ryan Condal has called this season a 'very hot' war, promising buckets of bloodshed to answer fans who wanted more action after Season 2's slower burn. The big draw? The Battle of the Gullet, a massive showdown on sea and in the air. It's one of the bloodiest moments in Fire & Blood , with Corlys Velaryon's fleet facing off against Tyland Lannister and Sharako Lohar's Triarchy navy. Dragons will clash, stakes will soar, and losses will hit hard. Condal says it's the 'biggest thing yet' for the show, so expect a visual feast. Away from the battlefield, the story digs into the characters' hearts. Rhaenyra's set to get tougher, leaning into her claim with fierce resolve. Aegon II's dealing with his own demons, questioning his role as king. The shaky truce between Rhaenyra and Alicent from Season 2's end will face serious strain as their rivalry fuels the drama. There's also talk of a unique episode showing the war through a commoner's eyes, giving a fresh twist to the tale. Drawing from Fire & Blood , the season will stick to the book's bones but add its own flavor, like Season 2's visions for Daemon or Rhaena's hunt for Sheepstealer. The Fall of King's Landing, where Rhaenyra and Daemon make a bold play for the throne, is likely to be a major moment. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aman Shukla is a post-graduate in mass communication . A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication ,content writing and copy writing. Aman is currently working as journalist at
