August seems pretty quiet on the show-front but at least the weekends are still strong and we’re still very much in free-summer-concert season. Providing the weather can hold out there are plenty of reasons to be outside in the coming days, so switch your brain off and try to enjoy yourselves.
5) Action Bronson at Webster Hall
Webster Hall as we know it is closing down for renovations and is being taken over by AEG Presents, buying the building from the Ballinger Family, who had owned the building for almost 30 years. The “final” night sees Action Bronson and friends take to the stage, which is probably a little underwhelming, all things considered, but love or hate the venue (and I think I’d say both), it’s sad to see it go. The sound wasn’t always great, the beer was always stale, but it was one of the few venues of its size and one of the easiest for anyone to get to. Turns out my last show there was Cloud Nothings and LVL Up back in January (unless you count Oathbreaker and Sannhet in the always-underused Studio space). AEG are planning on spending around $10 million on renovations. Thursday 8pm
4) Creeper Lagoon, Holy Tunics, Wives at Mercury Lounge
No-one can hear every band, and Creeper Lagoon were one that passed me by until the always-reliable NYC Taper mentioned that this was the band’s first New York show in a decade, so it was clearly time to get acquainted; turns out if you like 90s indie-pop then Mercury Lounge is the place to be on Thursday! It’s an excellent booking from top to bottom with Holy Tunics and Wives opening. Thursday 7:30pm
3) The Jayhawks, Vernon Reid, Low Cut Connie at Damrosch Park Bandshell
Hopefully the weather holds out for The Jayhawks’ free outdoor show at Lincoln Center’s Out Of Doors performance at the Damrosch Bandshell, because the band’s lush indie-folk tunes are just about the quintessential sound for this setting. Living Color’s Vernon Reid hosts a celebration of Chuck Berry beforehand. Saturday 6pm
2) Pill, Running, Gold Dime at Union Pool
Union Pool’s free Summer Thunder series has really been killing it this year and there is no sign of letting up with one of Brooklyn’s best bands, Pill, headlining this weekend. The band’s debut record, Convenience, is a triumph of avant-garde sensibilities with punk rock execution. Saturday 2pm
1) They Might Be Giants, Bill Childs at Central Park SummerStage
This is a family-friendly TMBG show, but still promises to be a great afternoon set at Central Park Summerstage. Even if all they play are cuts from their kids albums (they won’t) it would still be a great concert; there aren’t many things that could be considered more quintessential New York than seeing one of our own (and one of the finest) bands at Central Park. Saturday 2pm
