One of the (few) great things about New York in the summer is the overwhelming number of free concerts. No matter the humidity percentage, the subway cars overcrowded with clueless tourists, the city-wide scramble for the Shake Shack line, a free concert with good music feels better than the best air-conditioned bedroom. As with everything else about this city, the sheer number of free shows can be overwhelming. Here I thought I would recommend a few shows that you should not miss if you’re around. Think: Janelle Monáe, Andrew Bird, Thee Oh Sees, Snarky Puppy, and St. Vincent.
Even if you don’t know these artists, go anyway. It’s a FREE show! One of the coolest feelings is when you go to a show with zero expectations, and the band blows you away. This happened for me last summer when I saw Thao & the Get Down Stay Down open for Foxygen, and more recently when I saw Xenia Rubinos open for Man Man. It’s a pretty special experience. Here are my shows of choice –
Ty Dolla $ign – June 3, 7 p.m., Red Hook Park
Janelle Monae – June 4, 8 p.m., Prospect Park
Thee Oh Sees – June 14, 6 p.m., McCarren Park (Northside Festival)
CHVRCHES – June 15, 3 p.m., McCarren Park (Northside Festival)
Dum Dum Girls, Hospitality, TEEN – June 21, 7 p.m. Prospect Park
Warpaint, Yellowbirds – June 26, 7:30 p.m. Prospect Park
Shovels & Rope, Valerie June, Shakey Graves – June 27, 7 p.m., Prospect Park
Robert Glasper Experiment feat. Talib Kweli, Glenn Kotche, Aja Money – July 5, 7 p.m., Prospect Park
Andrew Bird & the Hands of Glory, Luke Temple – July 8, 7 p.m., Central Park
Bonobo, Cibo Matto – July 13, 6 p.m., Central Park
Snarky Puppy – July 31, 12 p.m., BAM’s R&B Festival at MetroTech Center
St. Vincent, San Fermin – August 9, 7:30 p.m., Prospect Park
For a full listing of all the free concerts this summer, hit up The Village Voice’s “The Ultimate List of Free Summer Concerts in NYC, 2014.”
Acts I’m dying to see include Janelle Monáe, Valerie June, Andrew Bird, Snarky Puppy, and St. Vincent. Get there early though!!! These venues WILL fill up. Especially on a Saturday, people will camp out all day long.
Here’s a Spotify playlist to highlight my favorite tracks from these artists.
Music and Amy 