Free NYC Shows Honor Pete Seeger

A variety of performers will celebrate the long life and career of folk-music legend Pete Seeger in a pair of free upcoming NYC shows. These events are part of the five-day "Seeger Fest," which has so far featured performances in the Bronx and in the neighborhood of the Seegers' Beacon, New York home.

Free Pete Seeger Memorial Concert at Lincoln Center Today

This afternoon, Lincoln Center Out of Doors presents a memorial concert for Seeger and his wife Toshi at 4 p.m. that will include a bevvy of musical heavy hitters. Judy Collins, Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary), Holly Near, Tom Chapin and the Chapin Sisters, Dar Williams, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, and many more will be performing at the Damrosch Bandshell concert. Speakers will include Harry Belafonte, Fred Hellerman of The Weavers, and George Wein, founder of the Newport Folk Festival.

Can't make it to Lincoln Center? The event will be streamed live at watch.LincolnCenter.org.

Monday: "New Songs of Justice: An Evening Honoring Pete Seeger"

On Monday SummerStage hosts its own celebration of Pete Seeger, but with a much more diverse cast of performers. Reflecting Seeger's impact on a variety of musical genres, and on the world of activism, "New Songs of Justice: An Evening Honoring Pete Seeger" features acoustic performances by Amanda Palmer (solo) and Anti-Flag, as well as Steve Earle, Elizabeth Mitchell, Aurora Barnes, and some of the artists who appeared at Lincoln Center, including Guthrie and Irion and the Chapin Sisters. And there will be DJ sets by hip-hop pioneer Kool Herc.

"New Songs of Justice" is free and takes place Monday night at 7 p.m. at the main SummerStage location in Central Park.

The weather should be great both days, so if you're interested in folk history get out there for these two unique, multigenerational celebrations of this legend in music and activism.

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!

Great FREE NYC Concerts This Week (including B.B. King & DJ Kool Herc Tonight)

This is a big week for great free shows in New York (and you may, in fact, have to make some tough choices when shows conflict). Tonight is such an occasion, when the legendary B.B. King plays the first night of the Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival at Brookfield Place Waterfront Plaza (formerly the plaza at the World Financial Center). The show starts at 6 p.m. with the James Hunter Six.

B.B. King plays free in Lower Manhattan tonight; see other free shows below.

But B.B. King isn't the only legend playing a free show tonight: DJ Kool Herc, considered the "founder of hip-hop culture," is playing a SummerStage concert in Crotona Park in Queens, also at 6 p.m. And there are three great free gigs to choose from Thursday night.

There are also free SummerStage gigs as part of the annual Latin Alternative Music Conference, as well other free shows. Here's what's going on this week; check the links to shows for concert locations and directions:

Wed., July 10th:
* B.B. King and the James Hunter Six, Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival, Brookfield Place, 6 p.m.

* DJ Kool Herc, SummerStage (Crotona Park), 6 p.m.

Thurs., July 11th:
* Waxahatchee, Generationals with Sallie Ford, and the Sound Outside, RiverRocks, Hudson River Park (Pier 84), 6 p.m.

* Lila Downs, Natalia Clavier, Pamela Rodriguez, and Raul Campos, SummerStage (Central Park) in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference, 6 p.m.

* Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos, and Alejandro Escovedo, Lowdown Hudson Blues Festival, Brookfield Place, 6 p.m.

Fri., July 12th: 
* Cheap Trick and The Cringe, Seaside Summer Concert Series (Coney Island), 7:30 p.m.

* War and DJ set by DJ Afro, SummerStage (Crotona Park), 7 p.m.

Sat., July 13th: 
* Julieta Venegas, Carla Morrison, and Alex Anwandter, SummerStage (Central Park) in association with the Latin Alternative Music Conference, 3 p.m.

Free NYC Concerts this Weekend: Canada Day at SummerStage, 4 Knots, & More

June is going out with a loud musical bang this weekend, and for some people (including me) it'll be tough to choose between two favorite one-day festivals. That's because Saturday, June 29th features both the 4 Knots Music Festival at South Street Seaport and the return to SummerStage of the Canada Day concert.

The 4 Knots festival is one of several great free summer shows this weekend.

This third year of the 4 Knots Music Festival features another strong lineup (on two stages again), headlined by Philadelphia's Kurt Vile and the Violators (see lineup below). The festival runs from 1 to 8 p.m. near Pier 17 at the Seaport.

SummerStage used to have a Canada Day concert the weekend before the actual holiday (which is July 1st), but there hasn't been one for a number of years. This year it's back with a vengeance, as a whole-day event as part of Canada Day International (which includes a Great Canadian Picnic taking place for several hours before the concert).

The 2013 Canada Day concert is headlined by electro-pop musician Lights, and also features rocker Joel Plaskett and folk rock band Spirit of the West. Showtime is 6 p.m.

Young fan rocking out at last year's 4 Knots Festival.

SummerStage will host what sounds like another great show on Sunday: a live performance of the classic Big Star album "Third," featuring an all-star lineup of musicians including Mike Mills (of R.E.M.), Jody Stephens, Sharon Van Etten, Kurt Vile, Marshall Crenshaw, Pete Yorn, Mitch Easter, and Reeve Carney. Oh, and a chamber orchestra. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Here's the 4 Knots lineup, as listed on the poster. Set times have not yet been provided, but I'll insert them as soon as they're announced. [UPDATE: 4 Knots set times were posted earlier this morning here; I've entered the info below.] You can also see the 4 Knots Twitter page for updates.

Pier 17 Stage

• Steve Gunn, 1 p.m.
• Hunters, 2 p.m.
• White Lung, 3 p.m.
• Parquet Courts, 4 p.m.
• The Men, 5 p.m.
• Reigning Sound, 6 p.m.
• Kurt Vile & the Violators, 7 p.m.

Pier 16 Stage

• Heliotropes, 1:30 p.m.
• Fat Tony, 2:30 p.m.
• The Babies, 3:30 p.m.
• Marnie Stern, 4:30 p.m.

All of these shows are outdoors, of course, so let's hope for good weather. Enjoy!

2013 Today Show, GMA Concert Series Kick Off May 24th (Schedules)

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, it's time for the free morning TV-show concerts to get underway, and you'll find the schedules for "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America" series below.

See Today Show and GMA summer concert schedules below.

"Today" show summer concerts are held outside NBC studios in Rockefeller Center, with one exception: tomorrow's kickoff show, featuring indie-pop band Fun, will take place at the Jersey Shore. The GMA summer concerts take place at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. See the links for each series' show times, entry procedures, etc.
Enjoy!

(Editor's note: We'll be posting articles in the new future on SummerStage, Celebrate Brooklyn, and other free concert series. And we'll be posting on a regular basis again.)

"The Today Show" Concert Series:
May 24 - Fun (at the Jersey Shore)
May 31 - New Kids on the Bock, 98 Degrees, & Boyz II Men
June 7 - Lionel Richie
June 14 - Maroon 5
June 21 - Hunter Hayes
June 28 - Phillip Phillips
July 5 - John Mayer
July 12 - Ed Sheeran
July 19 - Fall Out Boy
July 26 - Train
August 2 - The Band Perry
August 9 - Michael Buble
August 16 - Luke Bryan
August 23 - One Direction
August 20 - Chris Brown

"Good Morning America" Concert Series:
May 24 -  Mariah Carey
May 31 -  Pitbull
June 7 - Little Mix and Emblem3
June 14 - Carly Rae Jepsen
June 21 - John Legend
June 28 -  Demi Lovato
July 5 - Imagine Dragons
July 12 - OneRepublic
July 19 - Jennifer Lopez
July 26 - Selena Gomez
August 2 - Ne-Yo
August 9 - Kenny Chesney
August 16 - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
August 23 - The Wanted
August 30 - Alicia Keys

Concert Notes: Schedules for SummerStage, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Other Free Concerts Are Out

Summer means lots of great free concerts in NYC, and several outdoor music festivals announced their line-ups for the season. These range from the sprawling SummerStage festival, the Lincoln Center Out of Doors series, and the intimate, low-key Hudson Square shows sponsored by (and held in back of) City Winery.

SummerStage once again stretches its wings far beyond Central Park with music, dance, poetry, and film in city parks in all five boroughs, from June through September. Among some of the highlights in Central Park on the first month (see the schedule here):

• rock and soul legend Bobby Womack in Central Park on June 7th; 
• the New York Pops with Ozomatli (also Central Park) on June 12th;  
• Dawes with Kurt Vile and the Violators (Central Park) on June 16th; 
• Alabama Shakes, Diamond Rugs, and Robert Ellis in Central Park on June 24th

 The outer boroughs feature some good shows, too, including Deer Tick with Jonny Corndog in Red Hook Park on June 21st.

Lincoln Center Out of Doors runs from July 25th to August 12th. The artists include: Nile Rodgers & The CHIC Organization on July 25th; a full day (and night) of Irish music and dancing on July 29th; events showcasing music around the world, from Central American to Finland.

There's also the popular Roots of American Music festival on August 11th and 12th, this year including:

• a revue "Celebrating The Music of Laura Nyro" featuring Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash, Desmond Child & Rouge, and other guests
• Otis Clay & The Platinum Band
• singer-songwriters Tom Paxton and Erin McKeown
• an "An All-Star Gathering for Gil Scott-Heron" performed by Black Rock Coalition Orchestra & Guests
• the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls All-Stars Band

City Winery's Hudson Square Music & Wine Festival heads into its fourth year with early (5:30) Tuesday night performances that leave you plenty of time to go out afterwards. Some of the artists on this year's slate:

• Portland Cello Project on June 26th
• Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave) on July 17th
• Ollabelle on Juy 31st
• Marshall Crenshaw on August 14th
• Poundcake (featuring Teddy Thompson, Jeff Hill, and Ethan Eubanks) on August 28th

There are other free outdoors concerts in New York (such as those in Madison Square Park, the Lower Hudson Blues Festival, and others), and I'll give information on these in forthcoming posts. For now, look through these listings and start marking your calendars!

Tonight: Gary U.S. Bonds FREE Show (Photos) in Weehawken to Open Series

Gary U.S. Bonds kicks off Weehawken's free summer concerts tonight.

I know this is late notice, but if you're in the Weehawken/Hoboken area tonight, you might want to check out the free concert by the legendary Gary U.S. Bonds at 7 p.m. on the Hudson River waterfront. (The band Finish This opens the show at 6 p.m.) (UPDATE: See photos from the Gary U.S. Bonds show below.)

This is the first show of the annual Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center series, with most shows held on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. The shows are held in Lincoln Harbor Park (directions), which is just a few blocks from the Lincoln Tunnel. (If you look east you'll see the stage, and the Hudson; look to the west and you'll see the underside of the Lincoln Tunnel helix.)

I'm definitely heading out to this show.

The rest of the HRPAC summer concert series in Weehawken:

• Wed., July 20, 7 p.m.: Paquito and Friends (Latin jazz great Paquito D'Rivera)
  
• Wed., Aug. 10, 7 p.m.: Fusion Tango (musicians and dancers from Argentina)
  
• Mon., Aug. 29, 7 p.m.: Broadway on the Hudson (performing the hits of the golden age of Broadway)
  
• Sun., Sept. 18, 2 p.m.: Hudson River West Folk Festival (established and emerging singer-songwriters)

There are fewer shows this summer than I recall from past years, but considering how the economy has pummeled government budgets, it's good to see this series is still happening.

Photos from the Gary U.S. Bonds Weehawken show:

Gary U.S. Bonds with guitarist Mark Leimbach.

All in the family: Bonds with (most of) his band, including the backup singers Laurie Anderson (his daughter) and Laurie Anderson (his wife).

Bonds and Leimbach, assisted by a couple of young fans.

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.]

More Summer Music Festivals: Mountain Jam, Clearwater Revival

Pete Seeger, Josh Ritter, and the Indigo Girls are just a few of the performers at this year's Clearwater festival.

A couple more summer music festivals in the New York vicinity are coming up in the next couple weeks: the seventh annual Mountain Jam in the Catskills and the latest in the long-running Clearwater Hudson River Revival in Croton-on-Hudson.

I've never been to the Mountain Jam (June 2nd to 5th), but if you like jam-band music and beautiful mountain scenery, this is the place to be. Musicians including Gov't Mule, the Warren Haynes Band, My Morning Jacket, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Dawes, Nicole Atkins, Soulive, and more will perform at the site of the Hunter Mountain ski area in Hunter, New York. (See the complete Mountain Jam schedule here.)

Friday night headliners are Bela Fleck and the Original Flecktones and the Warren Haynes Band. On Saturday night Gov't Mule and Michael Franti and Spearhead are the headliners, and on Sunday My Morning Jacket anchors the night and wraps up the festival.

Attendance at Mountain Jame is limited to 15,000 people, with camping limited to less than 5,000.

The Clearwater festival (officially Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival) takes place June 18th and 19th in Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson. As always it combines music with environmental awareness and activism, with vendors and exhibits promoting everything from solar power to organic food (and the power for all stages is said to come from sustainable sources).

Saturday's performers include:
Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Billy Bragg, Dar Williams, David Bromberg, Janis Ian, Josh Ritter, and the Felice Brothers, among many others.

Sunday's lineup features:
Pete Seeger, Buskin & Batteau, Chris Smither, Drive-By Truckers, Indigo Girls, Jen Chapin, Joel Plaskett, John Sebastian, Jorma Kaukonen, Justin Townes Earle, Sara Hickman, and more.

Free Summer 2011 Concerts: SummerStage, Central Park & Beyond

SummerStage has long been the grandaddy of free concert series in NYC, and this year is no exception. As with last year, SummerStage 2011 is expanding far beyond its Central Park base to offer free, live performances of music, dance, spoken word, and more throughout the five boroughs.

Below is a (very abbreviated) look at some of the shows I'm looking forward to. To see all the shows, head for the SummerStage music home page and select Main Stage (Central Park), Manhattan, or the other boroughs. Or see a chronological list of all the SummerStage and City Parks Foundation shows (and other free events) throughout the city.

SummerStage has fewer rock concerts this year, which has been a trend for several years. Maybe they've decided to spend more money on having concerts throughout the City than booking big-name rock acts for the Central Park Main Stage.

Unfortunately, the SummerStage website doesn't seem to allow an easy way to link to specific shows. The best way to find out more information about a show or artist is to head to the SummerStage website, scroll through the calendar on the left to the appropriate month, and click on the day for the show you're interested in.

Tues., June 7th, 6:30 p.m.: "Night at the Caravanserai: Tales of Wonder" featuring Yo-Yo Ma / The Silk Road Ensemble / The Silk Road Connect Students and Friends
Central Park/Mainstage

Tues., June 7, 7:00 p.m.: "Salute to Hip-Hop" featuring EPMD / Funkmaster Flex
Betsy Head Memorial Playground

Thurs., June 9, 7:00 p.m.: B.T. Express / Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez
Betsy Head Memorial Playground

Fri. and Sat., June 17 and 18, 8:00 p.m.: "Indomitable: James Brown" featuring Burnt Sugar / The Arkestra Chamber / Brandon Victor Dixon
Herbert Von King Park

Wed., June 22, 7:00 p.m.: Ozomatli
Red Hook Park

Thurs., June 23, 7:00 p.m.: We Are Scientists / Milagres
Red Hook Park

Sat., June 25, 4:00 p.m.: Lee Fields & The Expressions / Fitz & The Tantrums / Andreya Triana / Rich Medina
Central Park/Mainstage

Wed., June 29, 8:00 p.m. "Comedy Central Park" starring Jim Gaffigan with special guest John Pinette
Central Park/Mainstage

Mon, July 11, 8:00 p.m.: The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series (other dates scheduled in other parks)
Central Park/Mainstage

Sun., July 17, 7:00 p.m.: Pink Martini
Central Park/Mainstage

Sun., July 17, 7:00 p.m.: The Manhattans / Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez
Crotona Park

Wed., July 20, 7:00 p.m.: Harold Melvin's Blue Notes / Rhythm Revue with Felix Hernandez
Queensbridge Park

Wed., July 27, 7:00 p.m.: Wanda Jackson / Imelda May
Central Park/Mainstage

Sun., Aug. 7, 3:00 p.m.: Friendly Fires / The Naked and Famous / Cults
Central Park/Mainstage

Thurs., Aug. 25, 7:00 p.m.: Wavves
East River Park

Sat., Aug 27, 3:00 p.m.: The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring Toots Thielmans / James Carter / Tia Fuller / Cecile McLorin Salvant
Marcus Garvey Park

In posts to come I'll look at some of the other free summer concert series coming up in New York and nearby areas.

Summer Concerts On Sale: Dave Matthews Band, Death from Above 1979, Governor's Ball, TV on the Radio, More

Tickets for the Aug. 22 show by Deerhunter (shown at River Rocks last summer) go on sale May 20 at 12 Noon.

It's still only May, but some of the summer concerts continue to be announced, and tickets are going on sale in the next day or two for some of the in-demand shows. This includes the Dave Matthews Band "Caravan" festival, the Foo Fighters two area appearances, and a show by the Canadian band Death from Above 1979. Here's a look at some of them, with other assorted summer concert information. (I'll have details on more free summer concerts in upcoming posts.)

The DMB show is already on sale; many of the others go on sale Friday, May 20th at 10 a.m. or Noon.

Dave Matthews Band Caravan - Fri. - Sun, Aug. 26 - 28 - Governors Island (full set by DMB each day; Dispatch, The Roots, Moe, Gogol Bordello, Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, The Head and the Heart, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, more)

(The DMB Caravan has another tri-state area show, in Atlantic City June 24 - 26.)

Governors Ball Music Festival - Sat., June 18 - Governors Island (Girl Talk, Pretty Lights, Empire of the Sun, Neon Indian, Big Boi (of Outkast), DJ set from Passion Pit)

Death From Above 1979 "with special guests" - Fri., July 22 - Williamsburg Waterfront

M. Ward with Kurt Vile & The Violators - Thurs., Aug. 11 - Wellmont Theatre (Montclair, NJ)

TV On The Radio with Broken Social Scene - Thurs., Sept. 8 - Williamsburg Waterfront

Roger Daltrey Performs The Who's Tommy, "plus Who classics and more" - Sun., Sept. 18 at Prudential Center and Fri., Sept. 23 at Nassau Coliseum

Deerhunter - Mon., Aug. 22 - Webster Hall

Foo Fighters - Mon., Sept. 26 - Izod Center

Free Summer 2011 Concerts: Celebrate Brooklyn

The free summer concert season is almost here, and I'll be posting info on the schedules for them as they become available. Celebrate Brooklyn recently posted its full schedule for the summer of 2011 on its website (it was previously only in a PDF of a press release). As usual, there's a strong and varied slate of musicians (I've posted some highlights below), as well as a few money-raising paid shows. (Most of the benefit shows have already sold out, although there are still tickets available for Sufjan Stevens on Aug. 2nd and for Cut Copy with Foster the People and Midnight Magic on Aug. 11th.)

The sad news is that Brooklyn is losing two fun, free events. The one-day Village Voice Siren Festival on Coney Island is no more; the Voice has announced that in its place is it starting up a similar all-day event called 4Knots, to be held in the South Street Seaport area.

Also in Coney Island, the Seaside Summer Concerts series is no more. It had been the focus of noise complaints by a nearby synagogue, and apparently it lost its right to use the park it had used. Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz has vowed to relocate the series elsewhere in the borough, though I'm not sure that will mean any free shows for this summer.

But to keep things focused on the positive, here's a listing of some of the rock/pop highlights from the 2011 Celebrate Brooklyn schedule. Some of the ones I'm most interested in seeing are the Freedom Rides Project with Rosanne Cash and others; Court Yard Hounds (Marty Maguire and Emily Robison, two of the Dixie Chicks); the Latin bill of Los Lobos, Hello Seahorse!, and Zigmat; the show featuring New Jersey bands The Feelies and Real Estate as well as Times New Viking; and Ra Ra Riot.

• Fri., June 10 - Andrew Bird (Opening Night Gala)
  
• Thurs., June 16 - Hal Willner’s Freedom Rides Project featuring Rosanne Cash, Toshi Reagon, Steven Bernstein & many more
  
• Fri., June 17 - The Books, Junip, and Doveman
  
• Sat., June 25 - The Heavy, The London Souls, and Superhuman Happiness
  
• Thurs., June 30 - Justin Townes Earle, the Punch Brothers, and the Hackensaw Boys
  
• Thurs., July 7 - Court Yard Hounds and the Abrams Brothers
  
• Fri., July 8 - Los Lobos, Hello Seahorse!, and Zigmat
  
• Sat., July 23 - The Feelies, Real Estate, and Times New Viking
  
• Sat., July 30 - Dr. John & the Lower 911, Chuck Brown, Red Baraat
  
• Fri., Aug. 5 - Ra Ra Riot, Delicate Steve, and Buke and Gass
  

Later on I'll have information for other free summer concerts in NYC including SummerStage, the downtown River to River Festival, and others.

Concerts in NYC Wed., June 23rd: FREE Shows by Brand Nubian, Solas, & the McCoy Tyner Quartet; Sarah Harmer at City Winery

If you're looking to hear some music on Wednesday night in New York, you're in luck: there are some very talented veteran artists in town, representing totally different genres. And three of the shows are free.

Hip-hop pioneers Brand Nubians bring their socially and politically conscious music to a free SummerStage concert in Crotona Park in the Bronx at 7 p.m. More information: info@SummerStage.org or (212) 360-2777. (Directions to Crotona Park)

Over at the SummerStage home base in Central Park, there's a concert that's long on jazz talent, as reflected in the show's name: "George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival with The McCoy Tyner Quartet featuring Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding and Francisco Mela and The Stanley Clarke Band featuring Hiromi." It's a mouthful, but that's a lot of jazz chops assembled in one show. For more info on the McCoy Tyner Quartet free show (which also starts at 7 p.m.), see the SummerStage info above.

Solas, a group that has long been influential in Celtic music, plays this week's free Madison Square Music series concert at Madison Square Park. Their Celtic roots sometimes branch out to incorporate blues, folk, country, and even jazz. Showtime is 7 p.m.

As much as I'd like to see the free Solas show, I'll be elsewhere Wednesday night. One of my favorite singer-songwriters, Canadian Sarah Harmer, came out with a new album, "Oh Little Fire," today, and will be introducing it to NYC with a record release party at the City Winery. While this isn't a free show, tickets are as little as $20 and are still available.

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.)

The Donnas Celebrating 16th Anniversary with Tour and Greatest Hits

Happy anniversary to The Donnas, who this year are celebrating their Sweet 16 as a band. The ladies aren't resting on their laurels, of course, and are gearing up for a summer tour with two pioneers of women in rock, Pat Benatar and Blondie.

The new Donnas collection, called The Donnas Greatest Hits, Vol 16, will drop July 7th and is said to include unheard B-sides from their last album, Bitchin'.

According to an e-mail from the band yesterday, the album will also include:
"... Live versions of hits "Take It Off" and "Fall Behind Me", and two previously unreleased tracks from the band’s earliest days together. The band also re-recorded five tracks, remixed one and included two alternative versions of songs from their Lookout! Records catalog (1998-2001), one of which is sung by original producer/co-writer Darin Raffaelli."

For full track listing and Donnas tour dates see this article on Alt-Sounds.

In addition, The Donnas have some songs from their early bands that can be streamed on their MySpace page. You can find more songs from those bands, Ragady Anne and The Electrocutes (their later name), at MySpace pages for those bands, where you can also buy some of the tracks.

The Donnas summer 2009 tour starts on July 16th in San Diego and ends on August 23rd in Houston. The Donnas will be headline some of the shows. You can find more information about The Donnas on their Web site (in first paragraph) or on their Twitter feed.