Upcoming Shows: Patti Smith, Company Flow + more!

Tonight!! Thursday, July 14

Patti Smith @ Castle Clinton * Financial District, Manhattan * Free!!
Patti Smith is a poetic lady who helped invent punk rock in the 70's. She's kind of weird. [video] ::details::

Superchunk, OFF!, Lemuria @ House of Vans * Greenpoint, Brooklyn * Free (with RSVP)
Over the last decade, pop punk has got a bad name. But these three bands are not to blame. Quite the opposite in fact. Lemuria, who are opening, are my personal favorites. [lemuria video] ::details & rsvp::

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts @ Seaside Concerts * Coney Island, Brooklyn * Free!!
This is another lady who invented punk. She was young and in L.A. and her band, the Runaways, were one of those bands with a Svengali sorta manager who liked to use teenagers like pop idol puppets. But Joan Jett had a mind of her own from the very beginning and regardless of her status as an icon, she's a true musician at heart. ::details::

Other Shows
Marly Marl @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [info]
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks - Pier 54 (Free!) [info]
Gary War, Pop 1280, K-Holes @ Union Hall ($8) [info]
Yvette, French Miami @ Death By Audio ($7) [info]


Tomorrow!! Friday, July 15

Radio Dept, Asobi Seksu @ South Street Seaport * Financial Distract, Manhattan * Free!!
These are two shoegaze bands with a dash of indie pop and a dash of post rock. Or, for the less nerdy, they make pop songs but have a lot of layer-y guitar and stuff. [radio video] [asobi video] ::details::

Other Shows
My Teenage Stride, Woven Bones, Easter Vomit, Teen Witch @ 285 Kent ($10) [info]
I'm Turning Into, Dinosaur Feathers, Shark? @ Monster Island Basement ($5) [info]
Heaven, Andy Rourke (of the Smiths) DJ Set @ Glasslands ($10)


Saturday, July 16

Company Flow, Juggaknots @ Santos Party House * Chinatown, Manhattan * $20
Company Flow are, without the slightly doubt, the greatest underground rap group of all time. They broke up over a decade ago but apparently, they're playing a show Saturday. It's hardcore East Coast 90's rap with extreme lyrical density. Co Flo's lyrics are smart and brutal and they deliver them with unparalleled polyrhythmic complexity. Put that in your pipe and smoke it! ::details::

Other Shows
4 Knots Festival: Titus Andronicus, Black Angels, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces), Obits + more @ South Street Seaport (free!) [info]
Pygmy Shrews @ Union Pool
Oneida @ Monster Island Basement ($10) [info]
Unstoppable Death Machines @ Saint Vitus Bar (Greenpoint, BK)


Monday, July 18

K-Holes, Hunters, Zulus @ Death By Audio * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $7
These dark noise rock / punk / postpunk bands are three of the very best in New York. Hunters have one of the best live shows I've ever seen, too. [k-video] [hunters nonvideo] ::details::


Tuesday, July 19

Kool Moe Dee @ Queensbridge * LIC, Queens * Free!!
Kool Moe Dee is one of New York's longest standing, most respected MCs. His show promises to be among the best of the NYC Parks Department's absolutely massive, jaw-dropping (and free!) hip-hop series this summer. ::details::


Wednesday, July 20

Torche @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $15
I don't usually like "stoner metal" but Torche infuse their sludge with enough pop appeal and enough energy to make them absolutely delicious. Don't let the genre put you off - if you can scrape up $15, this show is totally worth it. [video] ::details::

Other Shows
Ema, Talk Normal @ Glasslands ($10)
Fiasco, Web Dating @ Shea Stadium
Conversations With Enemies @ Death By Audio ($7)


The long view...

July
21
Funkmaster Flex, Nore(aga) @ Queensbridge (free!)
Gang Gang Dance @ Rocks Off Cruises
The Vandelles @ Union Hall ($8)

22
Death From Above 1979 @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($43)

23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge (sold out!)

24
Heartless Bastards (acoustic) @ Mercury Lounge
Swirlies, Psychedelic Horseshit @ Beekman Beer Garden (free afternoon show!)
Black Francis (Pixies) @ Le Poisson Rouge
Vaz, Mattress @ Bruar Falls

28
Walt Mink (great 90's indie band that split up over 10 years ago) @ Bell House
Shilpa Ray @ Shea Stadium

29
West Memphis Three Benefit with Dez Cadena @ Southpaw
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom


August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)
Sufjan Stevens @ Prospect Park

6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom
Crystal Antlers @ Glasslands ($10)
Total Slacker, Darlings, Beets @ Shea Stadium

7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)

8
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5

9
The Kills, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Terminal 5

12
Sonic Youth, Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney), Kurt Vile @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
*CANCELED* Streets, El-P @ Terminal 5

21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (not headlining) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($18)

22
Deerhunter, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ Webster Hall

23
Deerhunter, Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ Webster Hall

25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)


September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)

23
The Descendents @ Roseland Ballroom

27
Swans @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

30
X @ Irving Plaza


October
1
X @ Irving Plaza

4
The Horrors @ Webster Hall

15
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bell House

18
Wild Flag (ex-Sleater-Kinney) @ Bowery Ballroom

22
The Damned @ Irving Plaza

29
Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel) @ Town Hall (sold out!)

Upcoming Shows: Liturgy, Screaming Females + more!

Tonight!! Thursday, June 2

Liturgy (record release), Sightings @ Knitting Factory * Williamsburg, Brooklyn * $10
Liturgy, the world's first and only crossover black metal band, will be celebrating the release of their new record at Knitting Factory tonight.  They play leaden music with mournful shrieking which would be awful if they weren't an exceptionally talented, passionate bunch.  Even if it's not your "thing," give 'em a chance; it's not my thing either, but I love this band.  [video]  Sightings are opening.  This noise trio is not to be missed, with grinding, stuttering songs. [video] Wear earplugs.

Other shows
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Silk Flowers, R. Stevie Moore @ Irving Plaza ($34.25)
Fiasco (post hardcore/math) @ Shea Stadium
Stiff Little Fingers (original UK punk) @ Europa ($20)


Tomorrow!! Friday, June 3

Hillstock Festival: So So Glos + many more @ 285 Kent * Willliamsburg, Brooklyn * $8
A bunch of bands are playing a little minifestival thing this weekend including prole-punks So So Glos. [video]

Other shows
Liquor Store, Spider Bag @ Death By Audio ($7)


Saturday, June 4

Unstoppable Death Machines @ Silent Barn * Ridgewood, Queens
Unstoppable Death Machines are a bass and drum duo that plays loud loud loud distorted and fast music. [video]

Other shows
Hillstock Fest, Part II: Gunfight!, Quiet Loudly, Team Genius, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt + more @ 106 Emerson (free!)
School of Seven Bells @ Brooklyn Bowl ($10)
Effi Briest @ Cake Shop


Sunday, June 5

Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Music Hall of Williamsburg * Williamsburg, Brooklyn
This line-up is so rad, I don't even know what to say about it.  Against Me!, of course, is one of the best hardcore/pop-punk bands, like, ever. [video] Openers Screaming Females are even better, fronted by guitar hero Marissa Paternoster.  They aren't really a punk band but they pretend to be one.  (Think Dinosaur Jr.)  They are currently the best rock band on earth. [video]  Lemuria are a pop-punk/emo band but in the best possible way.  The female-fronted trio are punky enough to yell and though some of their songs border on sappy, they are such well-written songs that it doesn't matter. [video]

Other shows
Darlings @ Housing Works Bookstore (outdoors, noon, free!)


Monday, June 6

Not a lot worth seeing - Melvins play a sold out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg, that's about it.


Tuesday, June 7

Against Me!, Screaming Females, Lemuria @ Webster Hall * East Village, Manhattan
See above.

EPMD, Funkmaster Flex @ Betsy Head Memorial Playground * Brownsville, Brooklyn * Free!
EPMD and Funkmaster Flex are among the towering figures in the history of East Coast hip-hop.  With careers spanning back to the "golden age" of hip-hop, they changed the course of rap music.  It's free.  Don't be stupid.

Other shows
The Melvins @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out)


Wednesday, June 8

Nothin.  Just nothin.


The long view...

June
9
Total Slacker, Tony Castles @ Shea Stadium

10
Bush Tetras (original ladies of funk-punk) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($12/$15)

12
T.S.O.L. (original SoCal hardcore) @ Santos ($12)
R. Stevie Moore (invented indie before there was indie, looks like Santa, really badass dude) @ Bell House ($10)

14
Japanther, Shellshag, Heavy Cream @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Decemberists @ Prospect Park (sold out)

16
Northside Festival: Atlas Sound (Deerhunter side project), Lichens @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)
Northside Festival: Eternal Summers, Reading Rainbow, Secret History @ Bruar Falls ($10)
Swervedriver (original shoegaze) @ Irving Plaza

17
Northside Festival: Woods @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)
Northside Festival: Beirut, Sharon van Etten @ McCarren Park (sold out!)
Northside Festival: Surfer Blood, Eternal Summers, Grooms, Xray Eyeballs @ Knitting Factory ($12/$14)
Dean Wareham (plays Galaxie 500), Vacant Lots @ Bell House ($15/$20)
The Books @ Prospect Park

18
Northside Festival: Guided By Voices (original line-up), Wavves, Surfer Blood, Babies @ McCarren Park ($30/$35)
Bardo Pond, White Out (Thurston Moore) @ Le Poisson Rouge ($10)
Northside Festival: Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces) @ St. Cecilia's ($15/$17)

19
Northside Festival: Mount Eerie (Microphones) @ St. Cecilia's ($12/$15)

21
Talib Kweli @ Red Hook Park (free!)

22
The Bronx @ Concert Cruises

23
Dinosaur Jr (performing Bug), Fucked Up @ Terminal 5
Art Brut, Reptar @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Chairlift, Telepathe @ Glasslands ($10)

24
Special Guest (??!), Coathangers, Religious to Damn @ 285 Kent

25
Archers of Loaf @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out!)
Jeff the Brotherhood (one of the best 90's indie bands) @ 285 Kent

26
Archers of Loaf @ Webster Hall
My Teenage Stride @ South Street Seaport


July
8
The Wake, Weekend @ South Street Seaport

12
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (sold out!)
Cold Cave @ Knitting Factory

14
Tune-Yards @ River Rocks (free!)

15
Radio Dept., Asobu Seksu (shoegaze/ambient pop) @ South Street Seaport

19
Kool Moe Dee (one of the first and best rappers of all time) @ Queensbridge (free!)

23
The Feelies, Real Estate, Times New Viking @ Prospect Park (free!)

29
Black Lips @ Bowery Ballroom


August
2
Sugarhill Gang @ Tappan Park (free!)

6
Cold Cave @ Bowery Ballroom

7
Friendly Fires, Cults @ Central Park (free!)

12
Sonic Youth @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($40)
Streets, El-P (lyrically dense, brainy rap) @ Terminal 5

21
Rakim, EPMD @ Central Park (free!)

22
Deerhunter @ Webster Hall

25
Wavves @ East River Park (free!)


September
8
TV on the Radio @ Williamsburg Waterfront ($48)

Live: Mission of Burma + Fucked Up

When: July 12
Where: Williamsburg Waterfront

The McCarren Pool Parties are now minus the Pool. And minus the McCarren. But they've still got the party, and they kicked things off right this summer with this free show at their new location at the East River State Park.

I missed out on the first two acts - Jemina Pearl of Be Your Own Pet and Baltimore's illustrious Ponytail. I was bummed to miss Ponytail, because I know how amazing their live show is. Rumour is they were just as awesome on the big stage as they were in the tiny club where I saw them (in fact, certain people were texting me with things like "I can't believe you're missing this," which is hardly very nice!) So, though I can't offer a review, I can offer a plug - Ponytail are one of the most original and daring bands around today. And they kick serious ass live. [MySpace]

As for the bands I did see - the first was Fucked Up, a hardcore punk band that falls pretty far towards the "thrash" end of the spectrum. I'm not hugely into thrash or those ridiculous vocals that come with it. However, even fore the show, I suspected I might be a fan of the band live, and I was definitely not disappointed.

On the surface, Fucked Up sounds like a lot of ubermacho metal-ish bands, but, however inexplicably, Fucked Up's unleashed rage is not macho in the least. There is the presence of a woman on stage (Sandy Miranda on bass), and there's the fact that lead singer Damian Abraham publicly commented on his rather small wanker. (After stripping to his boxers, he realized it had been visible to some of the audience, and remarked "Trust me, it works just fine. I have a baby to prove it."). Indeed, his clear pride at being a new father, his willing vulnerability in undressing in front of hundreds of kids despite not having a body convention would describe as attractive and his obvious sense of humor all served to remind the audience what punk is really all about: the freaks and losers making rock music, finding community in one another and having a fuckload of fun.


Fucked Up (picture from MySpace)
Also, despite their flippant name, the group's lyrics are intellectual, their songs carefully crafted and their stage presence welcoming. As musicians, they are outstanding, perhaps not so much in terms of virtuous playing as in their complex, thoughtful arrangements featuring constant guitar interplay. My only complaint is the presence of three guitars on stage - it's no secret that I don't like superfluous musicians in a band, and there's no reason for any hardcore thrash band to need more than two guitarists. Still, that's small potatoes compared to the intense show the group delivered. [MySpace]

Headliners Mission of Burma are one of the great bands of the second wave of American punk, helping uproot hardcore and broaden punk's horizons before hardcore had even had a chance to see itself as a movement. The band has always kept their edge through a combination of exceptional songwriting, sonic unpredictability (thanks to an off-stage fourth member on "tape loops") and a certain darkness that came with the band's relative maturity at the time of their formation - they were in their mid-twenties in an era of high-school aged punks, and thus never gave themselves over to sheer manic energy at the expensive of musicianship.

I've seen the band once before since they reunited back in 2002 and both shows were amazing. Though most bands reunite for money or as an outlet for a midlife crisis, some do better than others at keeping the independent, edgy spirit of their music alive, and none I've seen have accomplished this as well as Mission of Burma. Recent releases by Dinosaur Jr and the Meat Puppets have been great, but represented a step towards convention for both bands, while MOB remains as edgy (if not necessarily as relevant) as they were in 1979.

The set list was a good mixture of new material and old classics. Of course, there were many songs I wanted to hear that didn't get played, but since the majority of the songs the band put out in its 1979-1983 incarnation are classics, it would be impossible for them to hit anywhere near everything. They were playing well and having even more fun that the crowd was - and that's a lot! And just seeing one of the great American punk bands playing against a sunset and the Manhattan skyline...unforgettable. [MySpace]

Live: Jay Reatard

When: 7/1
Where: Stuyvensant Oval

I've obviously fallen hopelessly behind on my live reviews, but I'm trying to catch up. Summer is not a good time for deadlines and work ethic, I hope you can excuse the delays!

Jay Reatard is a junior high dropout who makes sharp, burning garage punk, packed to capacity with bright hooks and riffs. I'd heard his live show was even more exciting than his recordings, so I was pretty eager to check it out.

My reaction was mixed however. On the one hand, the band, whose proto-grunge hair-metal look was straight out of 1988 Seattle, rocked hard. Head banging, unwashed hair flying, Flying V's wailing, this is rock music at it's rockin'est. Visually, the band reminds me of the Meat Puppets in more ways than one, and there's some parallels between their music. From Reatard and his band's fashion and their technique, it's clear they don't reject all rock traditions. Like the Meat Puppets, they are punk rock but don't throw the baby out with the bath water. There's nothing wrong with nice lead guitar work and a nice head of hair.

On the other hand, Reatard's fast and frantic delivery obscured many of the hooks in both the vocals and the guitar. If I weren't familiar with a lot of the songs, I would have been unimpressed, since without their strong tunes at the forefront, they all sounded the same.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the show, but for new listeners, I'd highly recommend checking out some of the recorded singles before showing up at a concert. Reatard may blast energetic garage noise better than most people around, but its his songwriting that makes him worthy of your attention. And you might not hear that at the show, but you can't miss it on a single released track of his recent career.

[MySpace]

Live: Woodsist Festival Recap (Day 2)

The second day of the Woodsist/Captured Tracks festival was moved outside to its originally-intended venue, a vacant lot down the block from Market Hotel, just under the train tracks. And despite the trains rumbling by overhead and the echos off the buildings, the space was great acoustically and aesthetically.

I arrived later than I'd planned to and missed Brilliant Colors, who I heard were outstanding. I'm really bummed about that, since they live way over the West Coast and there's no telling when they'll be back.

I did arrive in time for the Fresh & Onlys, a band whose name I've heard around a lot lately. I was disappointed - their music was generic and unmemorable, just your typical semi-sedated lo-fi punk with listenable but not catchy melodies and unchanging, standard guitar-drum-bass arrangements. There was a synth/sampler but it was often hard to pick out of the sound, since it often played exactly the same part as the guitar and bass. Yaaawn. [MySpace]

One thought that crossed my mind while watching the Fresh & Onlys: at least in the 90's, we let the girls play bass. Now, I understand that sometimes you want a female vocalist or find one who is good and the rest of the people in the band happen to be guys, and that's fine. But in this scene (beyond the scope of this festival) women are disproportionately relegated to backup or co-lead vocals and tambourine, and they're often not even good at that. It may not be anyone's fault, but it's still a bad sign that girls aren't encouraged to pick up instruments or aren't encouraged to join bands. Something is wrong.

Next up were Dum Dum Girls, who at first glance may appear to fall in that same troubling pattern. But there's a huge difference: in both Dum Dum Girls and the Mayfair Sect, Kristin "Dee Dee" Gundred is a phenomenal singer and a solid songwriter. And it seems she has creative control over the music in both bands, unlike many of the tambourine-shaking ladies around. Crystal Stilts' Frankie Rose also joined in on drums, but even if Gundred had been the only woman on stage, I couldn't fault the band. Strong melodies, well-delivered, with a masterful instrumental back-up from Rose, Crocodiles' Brandon Welchez (Gundred's husband, in fact) and Blank Dog/Mayfair Sect's Mike Sniper - definitely one of the highlights of the festival. [MySpace]

Sadly for all attendees, Michigan's excellent punks Tyvek were forced to cancel because (rumor has it) their bassist, Shelley Salant, landed in the hospital this weekend. The good news is that she's OK and that the band will be in New York on July 24 (@ Silent Barn) and July 25 (@ Cake Shop). [MySpace]

Both Woods and Kurt Vile played louder, more aggressive sets than I expected. Perhaps it was the acoustics, perhaps it was the spirit of the day, but both seemed to crank it up. This is really neither good nor bad - I like things loud and distorted but both these bands have such great songs that volume and distortion are irrelevant - their songwriting outshines everything else.

Woods played a thrilling set of many of their best songs, sounding, as always, like an oddly distant, distorted version of Neil Young or the Byrds. Their melodies are sweet folk pop, but their sounds are subtly unsettling. One of the best. [MySpace]

I can't get as into Kurt Vile - he has some good songs, but ultimately, I found the whole thing a little dull for my tastes. That said, if you're into folk and not looking for constant hooks and uptempos, you'll probably love him - he's doing a lot right, for sure. [MySpace]

My dislike of the Vivian Girls is no secret, despite how much I want to like them. Given my lowest of low expectations, I was pleasantly surprised. Their delivery was punkier than I'd anticipated and they have actually started moving when playing. The fast, loud, crashing drums helped immensely. However, after a couple songs, I did reach my usual state of boredom. The band's "melodies" are rarely more than three or four notes and their "solos" or "jams" or whatever they are meant to be usually consist of a single chord and go on way too long. If the Vivian Girls made songs clocking it at a minute or two instead of five, I might actually enjoy them. [MySpace]

I had high hopes for Thee Oh Sees, but my reaction was mixed. On the one hand, they followed the whole mediocre-female-singer-with-tambourine concept and there wasn't anything special about them to set them apart from the rest of the bands - they sounded kind of like a recap of the festival, but not in an interesting way.

On the other hand, their delivery was lively and engaging and their arrangements well-conceived. They put their heart into playing and it showed. They also had better vocal lines than many of the day's bands. Still, though, there wasn't enough substance to hold my attention for long. They were fun, but as far as I saw, nothing to write home about and certainly a big creative step down from Woods, Blank Dogs and even Crystal Stilts. [MySpace]

Upcoming Shows: SUMMER SHOWS!

So, after all that (i.e. this weekend's listings), I'm going to give you a quick list of the bigger shows coming up later this summer. Many are outdoors and free. I'll give more details as the dates approach.


June
16
Jonathan Richman @ Bowery Ballroom ($15)

17
Jonathan Richman @ Bowery Ballroom ($15)

18
Twee As Fuck: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cause Co-Motion!, Crystal Stilts @ Cake Shop

19
Secret Machines, A Place to Bury Strangers @ Santos ($10)

20
Crocodiles @ Mercury Lounge ($10)
Health, Kid Congo Powers (ex-Cramps, ex-Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds) @ 979 Broadway Backyard

22
The New York Dolls @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($32.50)

25
Dinosaur Jr @ Music Hall of Williamsburg (SOLD OUT)

26
Blonde Redhead @ Prospect Park (FREE)

27
Dr. Dog, Phosphorescent @ Prospect Park (FREE)


July
1
MGMT @ Prospect Park (SOLD OUT)
Jay Reatard @ Stuyvesant Oval (FREE!)

2
The Germs @ Mercury Lounge ($14)
Jay Reatard @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($15)

3
Sonic Youth @ United Palace ($38-$45)
Woodsist Festival: Crystal Stilts, Blank Dogs @ 979 Broadway Backyard

4
Woodsist Festival: Woods, Dum Dum Girls, Real Estate + more @ 979 Broadway Backyard

5
Allen Toussaint @ Joe's Pub

6
Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus) @ Highline Ballroom ($35)

7
Peter Murphy (of Bauhaus) @ Highline Ballroom ($35)

9
MC Lyte @ Von King Park (FREE)

10
River to River: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ the Seaport (FREE)
The Yardbirds, the Zombies @ Hammerstein Ballroom ($37-$73)

11
Japandroids @ Pianos

12
Parts & Labor @ 979 Broadway Backyard
Mission of Burma, Fucked Up, Ponytail @ Williamsburg Waterfront (FREE)

14
Sugar Hill Gang @ Queensbridge Park (FREE)

15
Wavves, Woods, Real Estate @ Bowery Ballroom

16
Kronos Quartet @ Prospect Park (FREE)

18
Q-Tip @ Central Park (FREE)
Siren Festival: Raveonettes, Frightened Rabbit, Japandroids, Bear Hands + more @ Coney Island

21
Jackson Browne @ Prospect Park ($45-$200)

24
Buckwheat Zydeco @ Prospect Park (FREE)

30
Method Man, Ghostface Killah @ Nokia Theater
CMA Songwriters @ Joe’s Pub

31
River to River: Polvo, Obits @ the Seaport (FREE)
All Points West: Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Fleet Foxes, National, Q-Tip, Telepathe, Heartless Bastards + more @ Liberty State Park
Mekons @ Bell House ($15)


August
1
M. Ward, Mike Watt @ Central Park (FREE)
Dean & Britta, Crystal Stilts @ Prospect Park (FREE)
All Points West: MBV, Tool, Tokyo Police Club, Kool Keith, Chairlift + more @ Liberty State Park

2
All Points West: Echo & Bunnymen, MGMT, Coldplay, Black Keys, Silversun Pickups, Lykke Li + more @ Liberty State Park
Deerhunter, No Age, Dan Deacon @ Williamsburg Waterfront (FREE)

3
Depeche Mode @ Madison Square Gardens

4
Depeche Mode @ Madison Square Gardens
Los Campesinos! @ Webster ($17)

11
TV on the Radio @ Prospect Park ($30)

12
Friendly Fires @ Le Poisson Rouge

13
Friendly Fires @ Music Hall of Williamsburg ($15)

14
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park (SOLD OUT)

15
Animal Collective @ Prospect Park ($30)

21
Antlers (album release party) @ Mercury Lounge ($10)