Plenty of Great Free Americana Shows in NYC This Week, Plus St. Vincent

If you're a fan of folk, country, or any of the other genres lumped into the Americana category, this is your time to overindulge in free concerts in New York. This week is the annual Lincoln Center Out of Doors Americanafest NYC, the last week of the LCOOD series that features a blowout of great shows.

See the schedule below for Lincoln Center's big Americanafest.

The 2014 Americanafest is no exception, with a week of shows packed with artists like Rosanne Cash, The Lone Bellow, Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Cassandra Wilson, and Charles Bradley. Most shows take place at the Damrosch Park Bandshell, but see the Americanafest page for links to specific show pages, where you'll find locations as well as information on the artists (including videos).

• Wed., 8/6 - Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell, Robert Ellis, 7:30 p.m.
• Thurs., 8/7 - Tift Merritt, 7:30 p.m.
• Fri., 8/8 - Cassandra Wilson, The Campbell Brothers: "A Sacred Steel Love Supreme" (a film honoring John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme"), 7:30 p.m.
• Sat., 8/9 - The Devil Makes Three, Old 97s, and John Fullbright, 1:30 p.m.
• Sat., 8/9 - "Heroes of American Roots: From the Historic Films Archives," 1 and 4 p.m. (a rare film montage of musical performances by artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Elvis Presley, and Woody Guthrie)
• Sat., 8/9 - Rosanne Cash, The Lone Bellow, Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale, 6 p.m.
• Sun., 8/10 - Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Bobby Patterson, and the Music Maker Blues Revue, 5 p.m.
• Sun., 8/10 - Roots Symposium, 1 p.m., including "Heroes of Americana: From the Historic Films Archives," introduced by Joe Lauro; "Talkin’ Blues:" Music Maker Relief Foundation’s Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, Ironing Board Sam, Dom Flemons, and Tim Duffy in conversation with Coleman “Spike” Barkin; and SiriusXM’s “Buddy & Jim Show” with Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale

If adventurous contemporary rock is more your style, you've got another free option for Saturday night: St. Vincent and San Fermin play a free show at Celebrate Brooklyn at 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy!

Music Notes: Allman Bros. Announce Beacon Dates; The Living Room is Moving (and You Can Help); More

We're getting a late start to the new year, but here's a smattering of music news to kick off 2013:

* The Allman Brothers Band has announced the dates for its 2013 run at the Beacon Theatre, and tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, Jan. 11th at 10 a.m. (Get tickets for the Allman Brothers at the Beacon here.)

 The Allman Brothers Band has announced its 2013 slate of shows at the Beacon Theatre.

* The Living Room, a staple of the downtown music scene for a decade and a half, is moving from its Ludlow Street location, and is having a fan-funded campaign (what else?) to finance the relocation.

As you'd expect, the Pledge Music campaign is offering some tasty goodies for funders, including albums featuring some of the many artists who've played the venue (including Jesse Malin, Norah Jones, and Joseph Arthur). The Living Room hopes to be in its new, unnamed location in the Spring.

* Another fundraising effort with some top-notch musical talent is "The Storm is Passing Over," a new Hurricane Sandy benefit album. The CD, from Brooklyn's Mason Jar Music, features a collection of songs with storm or aquatic themes, performed by Americana singer-songwriters including Rosanne Cash, Tift Merritt, Dawn Landes, Aoife O’Donovan, and Abigail Washburn and Béla Fleck.

* Speaking of singer-songwriters, Irish transplant Susan McKeown got a nice write-up in today's Wall Street Journal. I mentioned her a couple of months ago when her latest album, "Belong," was streaming online. She's playing the 92nd St. Y Tribeca Saturday night, Jan. 5th; you can learn more and get tickets here.

Concert News: Jeff Mangum, Matthew Sweet, Throwing Muses, & More

Jeff Mangum singing at the Occupy Wall Street protest last week.Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

There are a lot of great live shows coming up in the NYC area this fall, and you'll want to act soon to get tickets for some of them. (I'll add more shows as I find out about them and ticket info becomes available.)

Matthew Sweet is playing multiple shows at City Winery, and all are sold out except for an 11 p.m. show on Nov. 2nd. Tickets start at $35. Sweet is touring to promote his new release "Modern Art" and to mark the 20th anniversary of his classic album "Girlfriend."

Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel is playing a second show at the Landmark Loew's Theatre in Jersey City on Nov. 5th. His show there on Nov. 6th has been sold out for months, but if you missed out on that gig you've now got a second chance. You can get Nov. 5th Jeff Mangum tickets here; they went on sale Oct. 7th. Tickets are $35. (Read about Mangum playing at the Occupy Wall Street protest last week.)

The Jeff Mangum shows seem to have been booked by or in conjunction with Maxwell's, since the gigs appear on the club's website, and there are plenty of good gigs in the near future at the famed Hoboken nightspot. Wild Flag on Sunday is sold out, but here are some of the Maxwell's gigs for which tickets are still available. All tickets available through the Maxwell's website.

• Thurs., Oct. 13th (tonight):  Jon Spencer Blues Explosion/The Baxx SiSi'
  
• Fri., Oct. 21st:  Freedy Johnston/The Health & Happiness Show
  
• Sat., Oct. 22nd:  Pat McGee/special guest
  
• Mon., Oct. 24th: The Dum Dum Girls/Crocodiles/Royal Baths
  
• Sat., Oct. 29th: Dead Meadow/Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs

Above: Throwing Muses playing "Bea" in Barcelona, 2009. 

Indie rock pioneers Throwing Muses are playing Bowery Ballroom this Sunday, Oct. 16th, and amazingly, tickets are still available here. Kristin Hersh and band are legends who have been making music on their own terms for more than 20 years, and they don't tour often. So go see them now. (See all Throwing Muses tour dates here.)

The hMag Music Festival in Hoboken also takes place on Sunday, from 12 Noon to 10 p.m. in Pier A Park. The Walkmen and School of Seven Bells are the top draws, with Wormburner, the Kickdrums, and other bands on the bill. Get free hMag Festival tickets here.

Acclaimed Irish singer Lisa Hannigan is at Hiro Ballroom on Saturday, Oct. 21st. Gavin Glass is also on the bill. 

The Jayhawks and Rosanne Cash play the Beacon Theatre next Saturday, Oct. 21st, and some tickets are still available here.

Gillian Welch plays the Beacon the next night, Oct. 22nd; you can find tickets here (if there are any still available).

If you're looking for a concert by big-name rock star (but taking place in a non-arena venue), Sting is playing Roseland for two shows in what he's calling his "Back to Bass" tour. The shows take place Tuesday and Wednesday Nov. 8th and 9th; tickets go on sale tomorrow, Oct. 14th.

Free Shows in NYC Tonight: the Bottom Line's New York, Tift Merritt, Ozomatli

Willie Nile is one of the many NYC artists playing the "New York on My Mind" show at Rockefeller Park tonight.

In one of those abundance-of-riches situations you often see in the summer in NYC, there are three great free concerts in the City Wednesday night. The one I'll be at is the The Bottom Line Presents: New York on My Mind at Rockefeller Park [UPDATE: the World Financial Center's Winter Garden] in Lower Manhattan. This show features many of the local New York artists (often in the singer-songwriter vein) who often played at The Bottom Line, the much-loved Greenwich Village club that gave many acts their start or a welcome place to come back to (and that closed down several years ago).

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band had a multi-night stand their early in their career, and the artists I've seen there range from The Waitresses (in the early '80s) to Suzanne Vega and Patty Griffin and former Cream bassist Jack Bruce.

Appearing at Wednesday's "New York on My Mind" show are Rosanne Cash, Marshall Crenshaw, Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, Martin Rivas, Suzzy and Lucy Wainwright Roche, Catherine Russell, longtime NYC DJ Vin Scelsa, Loudon Wainwright III, Dar Williams, and more guests. Producer and guitarist John Leventhal (who is also Cash's husband) serves as music director for the show, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Rockefeller Park, north end of Battery Park City, at the corner of River Terrace and Warren Street.


Tift Merritt performs "Broken" at SXSW in 2008.

Over at at Madison Square Park, Americana singer-songwriter-guitarist Tift Merritt and band will play the 2011 Mad. Sq. Music series. Merritt's albums and performances have attracted praise from many quarters, and she'll no doubt be playing a number of tunes from her latest album, "See You On the Moon." (See an NPR story on Tift Merritt here.) The show is scheduled to run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. 23rd Street & 5th Avenue.

Out in Brooklyn, the Los Angeles-based Latino band Ozomatli, which mixes salsa, funk, hip-hop, and more, will play Red Hook Park as part of Summerstage. The band's diversity of influences and styles was no doubt part of the reason Ozomatli was chosen to serve as official U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors. Ozomatli is known for its energetic shows, and they'll be performing at 7 p.m. Red Hook Park, Otsego, Bay, Hicks, Lorraine, Court, Halleck Streets. (See Google Maps directions here.)

NOTE: Rain is predicted for Wednesday afternoon and evening, which may affect these shows. The Twitter accounts for each series should be a good source of up-to-date information: @R2RFestival, @MadSqParkNYC, and @Summerstage. [The River to River show has been moved indoors; the Madison Square and Summerstage shows are rain or shine.]

Free Summer 2011 Concerts: River to River Festival

The River to River Festival in lower Manhattan has become a favorite for its diverse lineup of musicians and variety of venues. Although it's been around for only a decade (compared to a quarter-century for SummerStage), the series offers a good mix of up-and-coming artists, established names, and quirky performers in outdoor locations ranging from Battery Park and South Street Seaport to Castle Clinton and the World Financial Center among many others.

You'll find the complete 2011 River to River music lineup here, but below are some of the interesting highlights:

The Bottom Line Presents New York on My Mind
June 22, Rockefeller Park - 7 p.m.
A celebration of the much-loved departed Greenwich Village club, with performances by a stellar line-up of NYC-area artists including Rosanne Cash, Marshall Crenshaw, Garland Jeffreys, Willie Nile, and Dar Williams, among others.

The Ghost Of a Saber-Toothed Tiger
June 24, South Street Seaport - 7 p.m.
Musical and romantic partners Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl bring their new electric band to New York, following up on the success of their first album, "Acoustic Sessions."

Lower Dens/Dirty Beaches
July 1, South Street Seaport - 7 p.m.
Baltimore’s Lower Dens feature the vocals of singer-songwriter Jana Hunter, who has played with bands including Jracula, Castanets, and Matty & Mossy.

My Brightest Diamond with yMusic
July 7, Castle Clinton - 7 p.m.
Opera-trained Shara Worden, who has worked with musicians including David Byrne and The Decemberists, plays River to River with her band and with the musicians known as yMusic.

The Holmes Brothers
July 5, City Winery - 5:30 p.m.
These old-timers can still kick up a powerful set of blues and R&B music, and you can see them live in this indoor River to River show.

All in Good Time: A Celebration for Jonathan Schwartz; hosted by and starring John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey
July 13, Rockefeller Park - 7 p.m.
Pizzarelli and other singers and musicians pay tribute to Jonathan Schwartz, the longtime WNYC deejay and promoter of the American popular song.

Patti Smith and Her Band
July 14, Castle Clinton - 7 p.m.
The punk-poet legend, who has long performed New Year's Eve shows in NYC, takes the stage in prime time with her band, which puts on a powerful show.

The Radio Dept. with Asobi Seksu
July 15, South Street Seaport - 7 p.m.
Swedish band The Radio Dept. takes the stage on a bill with dream pop group Asobi Seksu, which came out with "Fluorescence" earlier this year.

Other River to River concerts include '80s indie pop group The Wake (July 8), Laurie Anderson and Bill Laswell (June 30), and the "Sound Bites" series (various dates), which features bands including My Teenage Stride, The Hairs, Pow Wow!, and Hospitality.

Free Fourth of July Concerts in NYC: Rosanne Cash, She & Him on Governors Island

Above: Rosanne Cash plays New York's Governors Island in a free Fourth of July concert. Here she and bandmate (and husband) John Leventhal are seen playing a Fourth of July show last year in Minnesota. Photo: Jonathunder

New York is famous for the free Macy's Fourth of July fireworks, but there's a lot more going on for the nation's birthday, including free music. Two excellent choices are the free pop-rock concerts that happen to be taking place on the same island--no, not Manhattan, but Governors Island. And both take place in the afternoon, giving you plenty of time to catch the fireworks.

In one show, singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash plays and sings her blend of pop, folk, country, and rock music. A daughter of Johnny Cash, she has more than 10 albums under her belt, the most recent of which is "The List," covers of classic tunes she learned from her father.

The free Rosanne Cash concert runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Colonels Row section of Governors Island.

Also on Governors Island is the latest free show in the Water Taxi Beach series, featuring She and Him. If you're not familiar with this band, "she" is multitalented actress/singer Zooey Deschanel, and the "him" is indie singer-songwriter Matt Ward, who has recorded a number of albums under the name M. Ward. They play bright, catchy tunes--as their website says, "They occupy an alternate universe where the saddest of songs feel as warm as sun showers."

Their latest album is the imaginatively titled "She and Him: Volume Two."

The free She and Him show runs from 4 to 6 p.m., and though it's free only the first 3,500 customers will be admitted, so get there early.

See the Governors Island blog for details on both shows, including links for directions and ferry schedule to Governors Island.