It’s been a special summer in New York City. But even without a Knicks championship and World Cup excitement, it’s always a special summer here, thanks in part to the bounty of free outdoor music by talented performers that takes place across the five boroughs. These concerts happen mainly in parks and frequently as part of well-established series such as
Over the next couple of months, you can catch notable acts such as Tyla, Ted Leo and De La Soul; hear Broadway tunes and Moroccan music; enjoy Afro-Peruvian folk and good old-fashioned rock; and all kinds of other genres. Find our highlighted shows below and start planning your next open-air, tune-filled good time.
Morocco: From Dakhla to Casablanca. Courtesy, Summerstage
July 15, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
Celebrate the sounds of El Maghreb at Central Park’s SummerStage with a lineup of artists presenting a fusion of musical styles from Morocco and the larger African continent. Hear Moroccan musical traditions that blend reggae, rock and the Gnawa style that originated in West Africa.
Mycelium. Photo: Apiwich
July 16, Riverside Park South, Pier 1, Manhattan
Thai Swedish artist Sirintip Phasuk brings Mycelium, a solar-powered, orchestral-pop concert inspired by fungi, plankton and the natural systems at work around us, to Riverside Park’s Pier I as part of Summer on the Hudson. The multifaceted Phasuk is a singer, songwriter and producer known not only for her ethereal voice and compositions inspired by the natural world, but for her work as a sought-after studio producer who has collaborated on over 30 releases.
Nathan Williams. Photo: Phillip Gould
July 17, Bryant Park, Midtown Manhattan
Experience the Black Creole tradition of zydeco, bringing Louisiana right to the heart of Midtown thanks to Carnegie Hall’s series of free concerts. Dance to the accordion sounds of one of the premier zydeco bands of the last 40 years, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, as they blend reggae, R&B and rock with this southern Louisiana tradition.
De La Soul. Courtesy, SummerStage
July 17, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
De La Soul, which formed not far from the City, out on Long Island, have been beloved since their breakthrough album, 3 Feet High and Rising. Head to this SummerStage show in Queens to catch the group, still plugging with positivity even after the loss of the late Trugoy the Dove. They are joined by Pete Rock, best known for his hit “T.R.O.Y.” with CL Smooth, and comedian Hannibal Buress.
July 24, Rockefeller Plaza, 35 W. 48th St., Midtown Manhattan
South African pop star Tyla joins the Today show live in NYC to promote her second studio album A*Pop, which drops that very day. If an arrival time of 5am sounds reasonable enough to see the global superstar, sign up for the chance to snag a Fan Pass for yourself and three other guests to witness Tyla perform new music.
NYC Ska Orchestra. Photo: Gary Dean Clarke
July 24, Bryant Park, Midtown West, Manhattan
If you’ve been sitting around and waiting for the opportunity to show off your skanking skills, your time has come. Carnegie Hall Citywide presents this Bryant Park Picnic Performance featuring a big band led by ska and reggae legends Kevin Batchelor, Larry McDonald and Carl Wright—musicians who have performed with the likes of Steel Pulse and Toots and the Maytals. Get on your dancing shoes.
Susana Baca. Courtesy, Summerstage
July 26, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
Headliner Susana Baca is an international star, known for her Afro-Peruvian music, her work as the minister of culture in her homeland of Peru and various collaborations with David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. Luedji Luna is a Brazilian singer-songwriter with a recent Latin Grammy to her name; other performers include Mai-Elka Prado, founder of the Afro-Latino Festival, which is a co-sponsor of this SummerStage event.
July 30, Wagner Park, Lower Manhattan
On Thursdays in July, the River & Blues Fest highlights an array of rootsy acts at a downtown green space on the Hudson. This evening of folk pop comes courtesy of Amelia Day, who at 23 has carved out a niche for her affecting lyricism and multi-instrumental talents.
Chispa. Photo: Steph S. Cortes
July 26, Riverside Park South, Pier 1, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Chispa, led by vocalist, songwriter and urban farmer Julia Rocha-Nava, puts on a sunset concert that spotlights the sounds and rhythms of Latin America and the Caribbean. Fusing styles like Cumbia and Bolero, Chispa invites the audience to join them as they pay homage to their land and roots through the healing power of music.
Broadway in Bryant Park. Photo: Steve Prue
July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, Bryant Park, Midtown West, Manhattan
The Great White Way’s hottest performers belt out popular songs from beloved Broadway—and Off-Broadway—shows. Check out the lineup to catch old favorites like Wicked, Moulin Rouge! and The Book of Mormon, plus some newer titles like Two Strangers (Carry a Cake across NYC), Titanique and Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody.
August 1, Tompkins Square Park, East Village, Manhattan
Leo has carved out a long career as an indie punk pop hero, collecting bona fides along with way through his early band Chisel, collaborations with Aimee Mann and a stint as a guitarist for a revived Gang of Four. Catch him with his longtime band, the Pharmacists, in the East Village.
August 5, The Dance Floor at Lincoln Center, Upper West Side, Manhattan
There’s a reason Bronx-born Alynda Segarra, who began recording as Hurray for the Riff Raff in New Orleans in 2007, is mentioned as one of the top songwriters around these days. Their folk rock brings in lots of influences—punk, blues and Latin music among them—and communicates a world-wise attitude.
August 14, Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park, Brooklyn
It’s been 35 years of growth from a small passion project for open-mic rapping to a big brand in the hip-hop universe. The lineup for this year’s show, part of Celebrate Brooklyn, hasn’t been announced yet, but last year Raekwon, one of Wu-Tang Clan’s founding members, was the featured performer—so check back to see what star shows up this time.
Samara Joy. Photo: AB+DM
September 2, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, Manhattan
This late-season SummerStage show marks the 70 th anniversary of Verve, a record label known mainly for its groundbreaking jazz artists. The company also introduced bossa nova to American audiences, most famously by way of Getz/Gilberto, a recording that featured the timeless “Girl from Ipanema.” Hear musician Mei Semones and a number of her collaborators perform songs from that album, as well as Samara Joy and Christian McBride play jazz tunes from the Verve catalog.
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