Summer is so close you can practically taste it, and the City Parks Foundation has just released its summer concerts at Summerstage. The concerts take place at Rumsey Playfield, a stage inside the park around 72nd street close to the East side. For popular concerts, as with popular anything, arrive early if you can.
The full schedule — which includes events at other venues in Brooklyn and elsewhere — is here. Some of the concerts are paid events, though most are free. We’ve posted a few highlights below.
May 18: Tedeschi Trucks Band
This is the first concert of the season, featuring a “modern roots” band with hotshot guitarist Derek Trucks and “dual drummers, two vocalists, a three-piece horn section, bass, and a multi-instrumentalist keyboard player.”
June 6: Blue Note Jazz Festival
The multitalented Meshell Ndegeocello teams with other jazz artists to put on a five-hour jazz fest.
June 15: The Met Opera Summer Recital Series
Opera arias featuring top Metropolitan Opera stars.
July 5: Family Day
Several bands will get your kids (and you) up and dancing.
July 15: Ask Me Another
“Ask Me Another is a rambunctious live show from NPR and WNYC that blends brainteasers and local pub trivia with comedy and music.”
July 18: Freedom Party
A massive dance party on a Friday night. What’s not to like?
July 26: Rock Steady Crew
Hip-hop legends, with Big Daddy Kane.
July 31: Smorgasburg Food Fest
They had some problems last year after failing to anticipate the big crowd, but the food fest is back with 25 vendors — hopefully they’ve learned from the mistakes!
August 1 Dr. John & the Nite Trippers
Baby boomers, clear your calendars: the legendary Dr. John is in town!
August 3: Songs from Beautiful
Listen to songs from the hit show Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
August 15: Brazilian Film FestivalLive music and a documentary on samba and jazz.
There are lots more eclectic free concerts on the calendar —Yiddish Soul? — so check out the whole thing.
There will likely be other free concerts in the park this summer, including the New York Philharmonic’s annual concerts and possibly a larger charity event, and we’ll let you know when those are announced.
