Remember all those months ago when you wished it were summer? I for one could do without this humidity, but here we are, I hope you got what you wanted. We’ve got plenty of variety this week and even some things you can do for free, so let’s get on with it.
5) Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall
The real-world seems pretty depressing given the news these days (though my favourite book of all time does help change ones mindset in that regard), so a multi-night run at Radio City by Dave Chappelle seems a pretty good way to switch your brain off. There are more than a dozen nights in total from tonight through to the 24th (at the time of writing). Thursday – Sunday 8pm
4) Nick Lowe, Los Straightjackets, Cut Worms at Damrosch Park Bandshell
This is part of Lincoln Centre’s Out of doors for the year, and There’s not a whole lot to be said about Nick Lowe, The Jesus of Cool himself, I’m sure there will plenty of singalong tunes and with two excellent openers, the Everly Brothers-esque Cut Worms and surf rock vets Los Straightjackets, you’ll want to make sure you get there early. Saturday 7:30pm
3) Melvins, Spotlights at Irving Plaza
I caught Melvins last year in D.C. with Napalm Death and Melt Banana and you can probably just imagine how great a trio that is. So I can say with confidence that band are still going strong, and they just released their first-ever double-album, A Walk With Love & Death, which is as epic as a 23-track Melvins record should be. Thursday 7pm
2) Julie Byrne, Innov Gnawa at Union Pool
Union Pool’s Summer Thunder series is in full swing now and having last gone there to see an incredibly no-frills power-trio set from Feral Ohms, I’d encourage you to go back this weekend for something on the end of the guitar scale. Julie Byrne’s Not Even Happiness record is the best one-person-and-a-guitar folk records that I’ve heard this year, and so long as the weather plays ball, should be quite a delightful scene in the beer garden. Saturday 2pm
1) Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, No Ice, Thick Union Pool
We first loved Lee Bains III & the Glory Fires back at CMJ 2014, with their southern-drenched and perfectly raw rock and roll. Fast forward three years and they’re now on the the always-excellent Don Giovanni Records label, the group have have just released Youth Detention, and while they’ve tempered much of that fire with some downright excellent songwriting; there’s still some urgency in the band’s playing but this is ultimately radio-rock at its finest and purest. Thursday 8pm
