New York: Free Summer Music!

In New York, the only way to make the humidity of the Summer bearable is to hit up free shows on the daily. Running between McCarren Pool, Central Park, the Southstreet Seaport and every other makeshift stage can get quite confusing – here’s a list of what has been announced. MP3s reflect the artists playing. Right off the bat, I’m going to let you in that there’s another free Black Moth Super Rainbow show this Summer.

Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Feel The Drip
Here We Go Magic – Tunnelvision
Mavis Staples – On My Way

One of my favorite places to be over Summer in NYC is the South Street Seaport. From Deerhunter and Battles to Flying Lotus and Devin the Dude I’ve always left in the highest spirits…and not only are the memories priceless but the event itself is free and open to the public! Here’s the initial lineup, already looks better than Coachella if you ask me. I really need to stop saying that.

June 13 (noon) – Children’s Day
June 27 (7:00) – New York City Opera
July 03 (6:00) – Here We Go Magic & Bachelorette
July 10 (6:00) – The Pains of Being Pure at Heart & TBA
July 17 (6:00) – TBA
July 20-30 — Sitelines (see below)
July 24 (6:00) – Black Moth Super Rainbow & TBA
July 31 (6:00) – TBA
Aug 07 (6:00) – Moshi Moshi day w/ Casiokids, The Wave Pictures & Slow Club
Aug 14 (6:00) – TBA

Conor Oberst and Jenny Lewis will grace Battery Park on the fourth of July.

“The Bang on a Can Marathon returns to World Financial Center for its fourth year to kick-off the 2009 River To River Festival on May 31st. The 12-hour marathon (noon-midnight) of mind-boggling, genre-bending music will include Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tortoise, Bill Frisell, Bang on a Can All-Stars and more.”

May 31 – Tortoise
July 07 – Mountains & Scanner
July 14 – Anthony Gonzalez from M83 & Janet Biggs
July 21 – Karsh Kale and Timeline, Gamelatron & Forward Motion Theater

Central Park Summerstage is dope when free, here’s what has leaked.

04/20 – Vienna Teng
05/30 – Duran Duran (tix)
05/31 – Duran Duran (tix)
06/13 – Mavis Staples & Stephanie McKay
06/21 – kokayi, JLove Calderon, La Bruja, Lemon, Will Power
06/28 – Vieux Farka Toure
07/23 – Mark Knopfler (tix)
07/27 – The Skatalites
07/29 – Crosby, Stills & Nash (tix)
08/02 – Thollem (SmhSmh) & Germaul Barnes (BitahkizAyeli Movement & Sound)
08/03 – José James
08/06 – Sonny Rollins (tix)
08/09 – Latin Alternative Music Conference presents Scud Hero & ??

ALSO, according to the NY Times:

Crosby, Stills & Nash; Mavis Staples, the experimental Brooklyn rockers Battles and Black Dice; DanceBrazil; and the Mexican pop singer Julieta Venegas will be among the performers at Central Park SummerStage this year, the City Parks Foundation has announced. Crosby, Stills & Nash will play on July 29 in one of the six paid benefit concerts during this 23rd SummerStage season. The other performances, along with the Afro-funk scion Seun Kuti and the vintage-soul revivalists Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, are free, beginning with Ms. Staples’s concert on June 13. The complete lineup will be announced in April.

I’ve never checked out the Prospect Park Bandshell, but if Animal Collective is there then I’m finding a tree or hill and posting up for the evening. Full season to be announced May 4.

Jun 08 – David Byrne
Jul 01 – MGMT & Kuroma
Jul 21 – Jackson Browne
Jul 24 – Buckwheat Zydeco
Aug 12 – Bonnie Raitt & Taj Mahal
Aug 14 & 15 – Animal Collective

And of course there is the incredible series of Rooftop Films that just haven’t been announced yet.

I’m sure, as usual, that I’ve skipped over some sweet shows. Let us know about anything we’re missing out on! Don’t forget to keep up-to-date with what Todd P is doing around the city.