Nicole Atkins Kicks Off Free Madison Square Music Concerts Tonight

Jersey Shore native Nicole Atkins plays the first show of Madison Square Music's annual series of free oval lawn shows tonight at 7 p.m. in Madison Square Park. She's coming off this year's great new album, "Slow Phaser," which was funded partly through Pledge Music crowdfunding and features the infectious tune (and video), "Girl You Look Amazing" (below).

Her vocals can be smoky and sultry, with rock and pop songs that can show blues, country, and torch-song influences, among others. Atkins first made a mark with her song "Neptune City," written about her shore neighborhood, and has since been praised critics ranging from Paste, Rolling, Stone, and American Songwriter. This should be a great show. Oh, and there's a Shake Shack in the park, too, so you can cool off with one of their zillion-calorie milkshakes.



See the rest of Madison Square Park's 2014 oval lawn shows here.

We've written about some of the summer's other free concert series, including SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn, in a previous post, so check that out for more free music.

Your Guide to the Best Free Summer Concerts in New York City

Learn about some of the best free summer concert series in NYC (including Hudson Square, above).

Who says going out in New New York City has to cost a lot? There are countless free concerts in the summer, and here's a guide to some of the best series going. We'll add additional events here or in future posts.

And see the Oh My Rockness guide to free summer shows for even more no-cost gigs, including McCarren Park shows and the House of Vans concerts. And if you're an early riser, there are the free concerts put on by the "Today" show and "Good Morning America."

SummerStage - The grandaddy of NYC free summer concerts includes free performances in parks in all five boroughs, with spoken word, dance, and film as well as music. Most shows are free, but several paid, ticketed concerts help pay for the free ones. Highlights include Sisqó, John Butler Trio, Bonobo and Cibo Matta, and Dr. John.

Celebrate Brooklyn! - This long-running Prospect Park attraction has become more and more popular (and has snagged increasingly well-known entertainment). Like SummerStage, most shows are free, but a number of big-name benefit concerts help subsidize the freebees. Among this summer's lineup: Janelle Monae, St. Vincent, Dum Dum Girls, and Flea, Laurie Anderson, David Murray, and Patti Smith (that last one is one show, folks!)

Madison Square Music - Skip the big crowds and long lines with this low-key series. Simply walk into the park & sit yourself down on the lawn. Madison Square Music remains one of the undiscovered free-music gems of summer in the City, offering quality acts in a no-frills atmosphere. (Note: you will probably find a long line at the Shake Shack in the park.) Acts this summer include Nicole Atkins and Forro in the Dark and Debo Band. 

Hudson Square Music Festival - Here's a great idea: a series of right-after-work shows that gives you plenty of time for dinner or another concert later on. These downtown gigs start early (around 5:30pm), so you can see some live music and have plenty of time for other plans (or getting home). The venue is a parking lot outside of City Winery (the series' sponsor). Shows include Commander Cody, former X member John Doe, and Drivin' n' Cryin'.

It's free concerts galore in New York in the summer. Get out there and enjoy!

Free Concerts: Madison Square Park and RiverRocks (Pier 84)

Here's information on two very different free-music series going on in NYC this summer, the Mad. Sq. Music series and the RiverRocks concerts at Pier 84.


Bettye LaVette plays Madison Square Park on Aug. 8th.

* Mad. Sq. Music features roots music on the lawn on Wednesday nights (usually), from June 20th to August 8th (oops, I'm writing this too late for the first show).

• June 27th, 6:30 p.m.: Gretchen Parlato and Gregory Porter (jazz vocalists)
• July 4th, 3 p.m.: Noam Pikelny and Friends, The Sweetback Sisters, and Spuyten Duyvil (folk/roots music)
• July 11th, 7 p.m.: Nellie McKay (pop)
• July 18th, 7 p.m.: Jeff "Tain" Watts Quartet (jazz)
• July 25th, 7 p.m.: Regina Carter’s “Reverse Thread” (jazz)
• Aug. 1st, 6:30 p.m.: An evening with Suzzy and Maggie Roche, Sloan Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche (folk)
• Aug. 8th, 7 p.m.: Bettye LaVette (blues)

* RiverRocks, whose concerts skew towards indie artists, is once again limited to a small number of shows (three), but it has a good lineup of popular, in-demand acts. Shows take place Thursday nights at Pier 84 (Hudson River at 44th Street).

• July 12th, 6 p.m.: Dan Deacon and John Maus
• July 26th, 6 p.m.: Oberhofer and The Soft Pack
• Aug. 9th, 6 p.m.: Wild Nothing, Grimes, and DIIV (formerly Dive)

Free Summer 2009 Concerts in New York City

With the economic meltdown in full effect, New York's wide range of free summer concerts couldn't have come at a better time. The grandaddy of the free shows is Central Park Summerstage, but there are also good series elsewhere, including Celebrate Brooklyn and the Madison Square Music series. See the links below for dates and performers.

Central Park Summerstage - mid-Park at around 72nd St.
Performers include Josh Ritter and The New York Pops, Juana Molina, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, the Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital, Bettye Lavette, M. Ward, and Ginuwine, as well as spoken word and comedy

Celebrate Brooklyn - Prospect Park bandshell
Performers including David Byrne, Femi Kuti and Positive Force, Dr. Dog, Robert Cray, and Los Amigos Invisibles

Madison Square Music - Madison Square Park, between 23rd and 26th Streets and between Fifth and Madison Avenues
Performers include Loudon Wainwright III, The Duhks, Jonatha Brooke, Don Byron, and The John Scofield Trio

Hudson River Park's Riverrocks series - Pier 54, Hudson River and 14th St. Only three free concerts in the Riverrocks series this summer, but they're good ones: Matt & Kim on July 9th; Ted Leo & the Pharmacists on July 23rd; and Yeasayer on August 13th.

Hudson River Park also offers free jazz and classical music concerts, and free movie nights (for adults and for kids); see the link for event dates and times.

The Brooklyn Summer Seaside Concerts in historic Coney Island feature a number of big-name acts in Asser Levy park. Coming up in August: Blondie, Pat Benatar, and The Donnas on August 13th, "Salsa by the Sea" on August 20th, and Donna Summer on August 27th.

The City Parks Foundation presents other concerts in all five boroughs throughout the summer, see the schedule at this link. There are also dance performances, theater, familiy events, and more; check the Web site of the City Parks Foundation for details and listings.

(Another source of information for free concerts: the NYC Free Concerts Web site.)