Free NYC Concerts 2008 Print
Features
Written by QRO
Saturday, 24 May 2008

  

It may cost a pretty penny to live in the Big Apple, but it does have its side benefits, namely a whole slew of free concerts.  As the weather gets warmer and more folks head outdoors, New York becomes rife with free shows, from little in-store events to The Village Voice's massive Siren Music Festival out on Coney Island, from one-offs to the Sunday staple, McCarren Park Pool Parties, now in its final year:

 

Shows:

Regina Spektor
Saturday, April 19, 12:30 PM, Sound Fix Records
                                       
 
Mission of Burma, Revision, Tree
Union, The Amygdalois
Saturday, April 19, 1:00 PM, Stuyvesant Cover Park
  
Tokyo Police Club
Tuesday, April 22, 7:00 PM, Union Square Megastore
  
Tokyo Police Club
Wednesday, April 23, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Japanther, Awesome Color, caUSE
co-MOTION, Takka Takka,
Videohippos, The Skaters, Crystal
Stilts, Tickley Feather, MegaFaun,
Les Sans Culottes, Food Will Win The
War, Bear, Wizards of the Coast
Friday, April 25, 12:00 PM, Lehman Lawn
  
Elbow
Friday, April 25, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Santogold
Tuesday, April 29, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Acorn
Sunday, May 4, 4:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Jake Lukeman
Thursday, May 8, 7:00 PM, @Seaport
  
Jake Lukeman Friday, May 9, 7:00 PM, @Seaport
  
Jake Lukeman Friday, May 9, 9:00 PM, @Seaport
  
Duffy
Tuesday, May 13, 8:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Chin Chin, Kool DJ Kear, The
Nouvellas, Lil' Shallmar, Miss Fairchild
Sunday, May 18, 12:00 PM, Southpaw 
  
Heloise & the Savoir Faire
Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Ra Ra Riot, Finger On the Pulse, ArtBattles
Thursday, May 22, 7:00 PM, 70 Greene
  
Pwrfl Power, Smokey's Roundup
Thursday, May 22, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Flosstradamus, Tigercity, Dopplehertz
Thursday, May 22, 9:00 PM, Studio B
  
Counting Crows
Friday, May 23, 7:00 AM, Bryant Park
  
Matthew Brannon, Lucky Dragons
Friday, May 23, 7:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
Matt & Kim
Thursday, May 22, 7:00 PM, 70 Greene
  
Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow 
Quartet, Béla Fleck, Mirah and the 
Spectratone International

Thursday, May 29, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Wire, Die! Die! Die!
Friday, May 30, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
The Eskalators, The So So Gios, The
Beets

Saturday, May 31, 1:00 PM, West 4th Street Subway Station
  
Knyfe Hyts, Aa (Big A little a), Fiasco
Puttin' On The Ritz, T
hompson, Radiates
Saturday, May 31, 3:00 PM, Jamaica
Bay Experimental Marshland Restoration
Project
  
Bang On a Can Marathon
Saturday, May 31, 6:00 PM, World Financial Center
  
The Defibulators
Sunday, June 1, 12:00 PM, The Yard
  
The Defibulators
Sunday, June 1, 2:30 PM, The Yard
  
Langhorne Slim
Sunday, June 1, 7:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
The Bloodsugars, Rich Girls, April 
Smith & The Great Picture Show, 
Jared Scharff and the Royals

Wednesday, June 4, 8:00 PM, Rockwood Music Hall
  
Berg Sans Nipple, ACME
Friday, June 6, 7:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
The Subjects, Frankpollis, Drug Rug, 
Bill Bell, Meowskers

Saturday, June 7, 1:00 PM, Crest Hardware Art Show
  
Lucky Dragons, John Wiese, 
Animental, Soiled Mattress and the 
Springs, David Horvitz

Saturday, June 7, 2:00 PM, East River Park Amphitheater
  
These New Puritans
Saturday, June 7, 5:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
Wyclef Jean
Monday, June 9, 7:00 PM, Apple Store Soho
  
My Brightest Diamond
Monday, June 9, 8:00 PM, Other Music
  
Adele
Tuesday, June 10, 7:00 AM, Rockefeller Plaza
  
Gnarls Barkley
Tuesday, June 10, 7:00 PM, Apple Store Soho
  
Emmylou Harris
Thursday, June 12, 7:00 PM, Union Square Barnes & Noble
  
Isaac Hayes
Thursday, June 12, 8:00 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
A Sunny Day In Glasgow, ACME
Friday, June 13, 7:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
Cats On Fire, Tullycraft
Saturday, June 14, 2:00 PM, Cake Shop (upstairs)
  
Vampire Weekend, Kid Sister, Born
Ruffians

Saturday, June 14, 4:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Thurston Moore & Byron Coley
Saturday, June 14, 6:30 PM, Other Music
  
The Kennedys
Wednesday, June 18, 7:00 PM, Madison Square Park
  
Crystal Castles, Woodlands
Thursday, June 19, 9:00 PM, Studio B
  
Prefuse 73, ACME
Friday, June 20, 7:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
White Hinterland, Herman Dune, 
Cale Parks
Friday, June 20, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Pela, The Forms
Satuday, June 21, 6:00 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Stars Like Fleas
Sunday, June 22, 6:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Ulrich Schnauss, Dorit Chrysler, Chiaki Watanabe
Tuesday, June 24, 9:00 PM, World Financial Center
  
Talib Kweli
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 PM, Apple Store Soho
  
Raul Midon
Wednesday, June 25, 7:00 PM, Madison Square Park
  
Semi Precious Weapons, Bryan Scary 
and the Shredding Tears, Last Vegas
Wednesday, June 25, 8:00 PM, Southpaw
  
Care Bears on Fire, A-OK Collective, 
Apollo Heights, Slim Dixon & Friends
Thursday, June 26, 6:00 PM, Stuyvesant Cover Park
  
Coldplay
Friday, June 27, 7:00 AM, Rockefeller Plaza
  
Cold War Kids, Elvis Perkins In
Dearland, Sam Champion

Friday, June 27, 7:00 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
A Place To Bury Strangers, King Khan & The Shrines, Black Acid
Friday, June 27, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Times New Viking, ACME
Friday, June 27, 7:00 PM, Whitney Museum
  
Jeffery Lewis, Kate Ferencz
Archipelago, The Best Thing Ever, 
Laura Stevenson

Friday, June 27, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Titus Andronicus, Obits, Emperor X, 
Blood City

Saturday, June 28, 2:00 PM, East River Amphitheater
  
The Acorn, Ecstatic Sunshine, 
Blitz the Ambassador, Burkina
 
Electric, Shilpa Ray & Her Happy  
Hookers, Selan, No Surrender
Saturday, June 28, 3:00 PM, Stuyvesant Cover Park
  
The Hold Steady, The Loved Ones, 
J Roddy and the Business

Sunday, June 29, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Cherryholmes
Wednesday, July 2, 7:00 PM, Madison Square Park
  
Joe Whyte, Alec Gross, Kelley 
McRae, Nate Campany

Wednesday, July 2, 8:00 PM, Rockwood Music Hall
  
Sonic Youth, The Feelies
Friday, July 4, 3:30 PM, Battery Park
  
Titus Andronicus, Aleks & the 
Drummer

Friday, July 4, 8:00 PM, Stuyvesant Cove Park
  
Rachid Taha, Dengue Fever, Apollo
Heights

Saturday, July 5, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Janelle Monae, The Apes, Shawn
Hewitt, Millsted

Saturday, July 5, 6:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
Matt & Kim, The Death Set, Bear
Hands

Saturday, July 5, 9:00 PM, Hugs
  
Ronnie Spector, Roscoe Robinson, 
Ralph 'Soul' Jackson, Hermon Hitson, 
Wiley & The Checkmates

Sunday, July 6, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Sean Kuti and Egypt 80, Afrika
Bambaataa, Love Trio with U-Roy

Sunday, July 6, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
P.O.S., Jen Militia, No Surrender, The
Five One

Sunday, July 6, 4:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
Hollywood Holt, Tim Williams, Shala,
Proton, Sky Hy

Monday, July 7, 4:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
Crystal Antlers
Monday, July 7, 8:30 PM, Other Music
  
Whole Wheat Bred, Disaster Us, Like
Gravity, Irradio, McRad, Echo Jinx

Tuesday, July 8, 4:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
Helena Maria, Mattison, A Million
Years, The King Left

Tuesday, July 8, 4:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
The Defibulators
Wednesday, July 9, 12:30 PM, Zuccotti Park
  
Bone Crusher, Game Rebellion,
Bazaar Royale, Voodoo Fe, Let's Go 
To War, Planet Ubiquity

Wednesday, July 9, 4:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
The Avett Brothers
Wednesday, July 9, 7:00 PM, Rockefeller Park
  
Ollabelle
Wednesday, July 9, 7:00 PM, Madison Square Park
  
St. Vincent
Thursday, July 10, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Tony Scherr, Matt Keating, Chris 
Brown & Kate Fenner, Bruce 
Robinson, Lindsey Mae

Thursday, July 10, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
Jucifer, Moja, Suicide City, Black 
Water Rising, Mahavatar, 
Echostream, Kite Operations, Cheap 
Perfume, Noirceur

Friday, July 11, 6:00 PM, Europa
  
Brazilian Girls, Miranda, Ticklah
Friday, July 11, 7:00 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
No Age, Telepathe, Abe Vigoda
Friday, July 11, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
The Breeders
Friday, July 11, 9:00 PM, Other Music
  
The Noisettes, The Dirtbombs, Tamar
Kali, Little Jackie, Sophia Ramos,
Bermuda, Antibalas

Saturday, July 12, 4:00 PM, BAM Skate Park
  
Beth Orton, Matt Munisteri
Saturday, July 12, 7:30 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
The Breeders, Matt & Kim, The Whip
Sunday, July 13, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Mobius Band, Amazing Baby
Sunday, July 13, 6:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Fennesz/Sakamoto
Tuesday, July 15, 9:00 PM, World Financial Center
  
Stuart Bogia/Superhuman 
Happiness, Charles Gayes Trio, Colin
Stetson, Sharon Van Etten (solo)

Wednesday, July 16, 6:00 PM, Brooklyn Bridge Park
  
Steel Pulse
Wednesday, July 16, 7:00 PM, Rockefeller Park
  
Fiery Furnaces
Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM, East River Park Amphitheater
  
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
Thursday, July 17, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Brian Wilson
Thursday, July 17, 7:30 PM, Coney Island
  
DJ Spooky
Thursday, July 17, 9:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Heartsrevolution
Thursday, July 17, 10:00 PM, Hiro Ballroom
  
Mary Weiss of the Shangri-Las, 
Nouvellas, The Lost Crusaders
Friday, July 18, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Deerhoof, Metropolis Ensemble: 
Stravinsky's 'Rite of Spring'

Friday, July 18, 7:30 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, Broken
Social Scene, The Helio Sequence, 
Islands, Ra Ra Riot, Beach House,
Times New Viking, Jaguar Love, 
The Dodos, Annuals, Film School, 
Parts & Labor, Dragons of Zynth, 
These Are Powers

Saturday, July 19, 12:00 PM, Coney Island
  
Liars, Fuck Buttons, Team
Robespierre
 
Sunday, July 20, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Santogold, Diplo, Plastic Little, 
A-Trak, Kid Cudi
Sunday, July 20, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Celebration, Rain Machine Sunday, July 20, 6:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Kieren Hebden & Steve Reid, Nicolas 
Collins' "Devil's Music"

Tuesday, July 22, 9:00 PM, World Financial Center
  
The Punch Brothers feat. Chris Thile
Wednesday, July 23, 7:00 PM, Rockefeller Park
  
Phoebe Snow
Wednesday, July 23, 7:00 PM, Madison Square Park
  
Ollabelle
Thursday, July 24, 12:30 PM, World Financial Center
  
Akron/Family
Thursday, July 24, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Smokey Robinson, Russell 
Thompkins Jr. & The New Stylistics

Thursday, July 17, 7:30 PM, Coney Island
  
Feist
Friday, July 25, 7:00 AM, Bryant Park
  
Ollabelle
Friday, July 25, 12:30 PM, One New York Plaza
  
Atlas Sound, Crystal Stilts
Friday, July 25, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
John Doe, Ollabelle, Jay Farrar, Laura
Cantrell, The Persuasions, Marshall 
Crenshaw, Catherine Russell, Sway
Machinery, Hymns

Saturday, July 26, 12:30 PM, World Financial Center
  
Ghostland Observatory, The Jealous
Girlfriends, Bear Hands

Saturday, July 26, 7:00 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
Awesome Color, Viki, Kocho Bisexual
Saturday, July 26, 8:00 PM, Knitting Factory
  
MGMT, Black Moth Super Rainbow, 
The Ting Tings

Sunday, July 27, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Skatalites, Taj Majal, Los Pinguos
Sunday, July 27, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Earlimart
Tuesday, July 29, 7:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Brian Birdwell, Bradley Wik, Moon
Engineer, Sam Alber

Tuesday, July 29, 8:00 PM, Sidewalk Cafe
  
John Zorn's Cobra, Theremin Society,
Jonathan Kane's February

Wednesday, July 30, 6:00 PM, Brooklyn Bridge Park
  
Flogging Molly, O'Death
Thursday, July 31, 7:00 PM, Hudson River Park
  
The Long Winters
Thursday, July 31, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Joseph O'Neill & Aimee Mann
Thursday, June 31, 7:00 PM, Union Square Barnes & Noble
  
Sheryl Crow
Friday, August 1, 7:00 AM, Rockefeller Plaza
  
Brother Ali, The Rub
Friday, August 1, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Black Lips, Deerhunter, King Khan &
His Shrins, Tall Firs

Sunday, August 3, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Oliver Mtukudzi & Black Spirits, Habib
Koité & Bamada, Daby Touré, Yossi
Afrikan Bass, Extra Golden

Sunday, August 3, 2:00 PM, Prospect Park Bandshell
  
Jamie Lidell, Little Jackie, Jose
James, Janelle Monae

Sunday, August 3, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
French Kicks, Headlights, Tiny
Masters of Today

Wednesday, August 6, 6:00 PM, Brooklyn Bridge Park
  
Terence Blanchard
Thursday, August 7, 7:00 PM, Castle Clinton Monument
  
Tapes 'n Tapes
Thursday, August 7, 10:30 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Cass McCombs, Miles Benjamin 
Anthony Robinson
Friday, August 8, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
The Boredoms, Gang Gang Dance
Friday, August 8, 8:08 PM, Williamsburg Waterfront
  
Peelander-Z
Saturday, August 9, 4:30 PM, South Street Seaport
  
The Felice Brothers, Langhorne Slim, 
Eli 'Paperboy' Reed & The True 
Loves
Sunday, August 10, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Margot & The Nuclear So and So's, 
Dirty On Purpose, Audrye Sessions

Sunday, August 10, 6:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
The Hood Internet
Monday, August 11, 10:00 PM, Sway
  
Conor Oberst
Tuesday, August 12, 1:00 PM, Other Music
  
Theresa Anderson, Spooky Ghost,
Pamela Sue Mann

Tuesday, August 12, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
John Cruz, Theresa Anderson, Ken
Web

Wednesday, August 13, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
Los Lonely Boys, Los Lobos
Thursday, August 14, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Blonde Redhead
Thursday, August 14, 7:00 PM, Hudson River Park
  
Dirty Projectors, White Williams
Friday, August 15, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Longwave, Alberta Cross Friday, August 15, 9:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Devlin & Darko
Friday, August 15, 12:00 AM, Highline Ballroom
  
Itsnotyouitsme, Mark Dancigers,
Timberbrit, Alex Sopp, Matt Marks  
and the Li'l Death Band
Saturday, August 16, 2:00 PM, East River Park Amphitheater
  
Battles, Black Dice, Gang Gang Dance
Saturday, August 16, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Oh No! Oh My!
Saturday, August 16, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Aesop Rock, Chin Chin, Panther
Sunday, August 17, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, 
Menahan Street Band, Naomi Shelton 
& The Gospel Queens

Sunday, August 17, 3:00 PM, Central Park Summerstage
  
Chin Chin Sunday, August 17, 7:00 PM, Union Pool
  
Oxford Collapse
Sunday, August 17, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Ra Ra Riot
Tuesday, August 19, 7:00 PM, Union Square Megastore
  
Extra Golden, Mahmoud Ahmed &
Alemayehu w/ The Either/Orchestra,
Gétatchèw Mèkurya w/ The Ex

Wednesday, August 20, 6:00 PM, Lincoln Center 
  
Earl Greyhound, Smokewagon,
Changing Holes
Wednesday, August 20, 8:00 PM, Southpaw
  
Huey Lewis & The News, Paul Thorn
Thursday, August 21, 7:30 PM, Coney Island
  
Grand Archives, Violens
Friday, August 22, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Professor Murder, Free Blood Friday, August 22, 8:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
Yo La Tengo, Titus Andronicus, 
Ebony Bones
Sunday, August 24, 2:00 PM, McCarren Park Pool
  
Heloise & the Savoir Faire, Project 
Jenny, Project Jan, Boy Crisis
Sunday, August 24, 6:30 PM, Music Hall in Williamsburg
  
U.S. Royalty, Band of Thieves Thursday, August 28, 10:00 PM, Hiro Ballroom
  
Oneida, Endless Boogie
Friday, August 29, 7:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Frankpollis, Limbs
Saturday, August 30, 10:00 PM, Cake Shop
  
Dawn Kinnard, Alan Semerdjin, The
Low Anthem

Tuesday, September 2, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
The Jones Street Boys, Michael
Daves

Friday, September 5, 8:00 PM, Housing Works Used Book Café
  
Randi Russo, Emily Hope Price,
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers,
Somer, Deborah
Friday, September 5, 8:00 PM, Sidewalk Café
  
Oneida, Cassie, Katy, & Ali, Ex
Models, Golden Triangle

Saturday, September 6, 2:00 PM, Monster Island
  
Apes & Androids, Djs Bumblebeez
Saturday, September 6, 4:00 PM, Mini Rooftop
  
Boris, Ronson, Devin the Dude,
Awesome Color, Hypnotic Brass
Ensemble, Flying Lotus, Vivian Girls
High Places, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ólöf
Arnalds

Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM, South Street Seaport
  
Aa, Crystal Stilts, Bunnybrains, Hex
Message, Woods, Dan Friel

Sunday, September 7, 1:00 PM, @Seaport
  
Jim Campilongo, Cory Chisel, Sam
Bisbee, David Garza, Chris Lind

Monday, September 8, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
Rahim
Tuesday, September 9, 8:00 PM, 6th Ave. Urban Outfitters
  
Juliana Hatfield
Thursday, September 11, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Yeasayer, No Age
Saturday, September 13, 8:00 PM, Mini Rooftop
  
Semi Precious Weapons, El Jezel,
Plushgun, The Bridges, Lightyears

Sunday, September 14, 12:00 PM, Union Square
  
Apollo Sunshine
Sunday, September 14, 6:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Gospel Train, Eli "Paperboy" Reed
Sunday, September 14, 9:00 PM, Union Hall
  
Jim Campilongo, Cory Chisel, Sam
Bisbee, David Garza

Monday, September 15, 8:00 PM, Living Room
  
Sub Rosa, The Grey Race
Monday, September 15, 8:00 PM, Arlene's Grocery
  
Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn
Tuesday, September 16, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Matt & Kim, The Cool Kids,
Flossastradamus

Tuesday, September 16, 8:00 PM, (le) Poisson Rouge
  
Jonathan Lethem, The Silos
Thursday, September 18, 7:00 PM, Housing Works Used Book Café
  
Bloc Party, Amazing Baby
Thursday, September 18, 8:00 PM, Roseland Ballroom
  
Lilys, Matt Pond PA, Robbers on High
Street

Thursday, September 18, 8:00 PM, Bell House
  
Noah and the Whale, Brian Birdwell,
The Havens, Amalie Bruun

Thursday, September 18, 8:00 PM, Sidewalk Café
  
Noah and the Whale
Friday, September 19, 12:30 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Amanda Palmer (of Dresden Dolls)
Friday, September 19, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Hunter Cross & The Strays
Saturday, September 20, 8:00 PM, Bar Matchless
  
Jim Campilongo, Rene Lopez, Sam
Bisbee, David Garza, Sonya Kitchell

Monday, September 22, 7:00 PM, Living Room
  
Gemma HayesTuesday, September 23, 7:00 PM, Union Square Virgin Megastore
  
Bell
Friday, September 26, 8:00 PM, Sound Fix Records
  
Q-Tip
Monday, September 29, 8:00 PM, Knitting Factory
  


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