We’re well into free-summer-shows season, and they make up three of your options below, so after you’ve finished watching some World Cup matches or eaten some nachos (why not both?), you’ve got some great options. Perhaps Germany’s players wanted to skip the rest of the tournament in favour of one of the below…
5) Las Rosas, Champagne SuperChillin, Real Young, Lazy Horse at Rippers
It’s summer and you should head to the beach at some point, so why not this weekend? It almost doesn’t matter who is playing at Rippers down at the Rockaways, grab a burger or three and some ice cold beer and just have a good time. Fortunately, however, Las Rosas will always bring good vibes with harmonies all over the place. There are bands playing from through to Sunday, details for which are on the Beach Jam 2 Facebook event page, but Sunday is my pick of the bunch. Sunday 5pm
4) Broken Social Scene, Melissa Laveaux, The East Pointers at Central Park SummerStage
It’s Canada day on Sunday, and you could do a lot worse than celebrate with three acts from North of the border. Broken Social Scene should need no introduction with their almost 20-year span career and five fine albums behind them. Not to be missed, is Melissa Laveaux, the soulful and rootsy Québécois with a penchant for percussive guitars. Rounding out the Canadian love-fest are The East Pointers, if you felt like the day needed some folk, then get there early enough to catch them. Sunday 2pm
3) B Boys, Wax Chattels, Gel Set at Rough Trade
We’ve mentioned how much we like B Boys multiple times on this site over the last few years, and this show (presented by Brooklyn Brewery) promises to be a little different, with the event page claiming to feature “tech, games, prizes, and plenty more, all surrounding some of our favorite new artists and of course, beer. We’re also recording the B Boys set during the show and pressing it on a 500 copy Rough Trade exclusive limited vinyl release.” The sound at Rough Trade is excellent, so I’d be excited if these live recordings became a regular staple. Don’t miss Wax Chattels who are over from New Zealand on a tour of the US which starts here. Hopefully they’ve had some time to get over the jet lag because even the slower, atmospheric tunes on self-titled record (out via Captured Tracks and Flying Nun) are pretty intense. Saturday 8pm
2) Slowdive, Farrows, Vorhees at House of Vans
As we mentioned last year, this will be the last series of shows at House of Vans, which will be a big loss to our options for free summer shows. As with all shows at the venue, you have to RSVP to get in, though the free show has inevitably “sold out”. For those lucky enough to get in, shoegaze legends Slowdive are still riding high on the release of their 2017 self-titled comeback album, and they may have even performed the best show I saw of 2017. Hopefully the people who get in actually want to see this great band and aren’t just there for the free beer… Saturday 7pm
1) YOB, Bell Witch, Heavy Temple at (le) poisson rouge
One might struggle to pair two better doom acts these days as YOB and Bell Witch. The former have just released Our Raw Heart via Relapse Records and it is a belter, which shouldn’t be a surprise after 2014’s magnificent release Clearing the Path to Ascend. The latter, released Mirror Reaper last October, a continuous 83-minute track which to these ears, is their best work to date. Openers Heavy Temple are no slouch either so remember your ear plugs for this great triple bill. Thursday 7pm
