photo Mikal Cronin at Bowery Ballroom this year (more by PSquared)
You can browse our full NYC show calendar for all of tonight’s shows, but here are some highlights…
Madonna, Amy Schumer @ Madison Square Garden
Madonna’s “Rebel Heart Tour” moves the party from MSG to Brooklyn for the last of her three NYC shows, featuring 500 pairs of shoes, 20 dancers, one giant crucifix, and a whole bunch of classic pop hits. Also: Amy Schumer!
Mikal Cronin, Calvin Love, Cairo Gang @ Brooklyn Bowl
This year Mikal Cronin released his most ambitious album yet, the string-laden MCIII whose second side is a concept suite. At the core, though, is his impressive pop smarts and songwriting.
New York Night Train Soul Clap & Dance-Off @ Brooklyn Bowl
Mikal’s sticking around Brooklyn Bowl after his show to help out with Jonathan Toubin’s monthly dance party contest. Always fun.
Joyce Manor, Cheap Girls, Tracks @ Webster Hall
If you like raw, melodic indie-punk with no frills at all, just about nobody is doing it better right now than Joyce Manor. It’s a great bill all around with jangly punks Cheap Girls and Tracks, the new band of K Records alumnus Jason Anderson.
Caspian, Circle Takes the Square @ Rough Trade
Caspian offer up more of their colossal post-rock on Dust and Disquiet (which comes out next week on Triple Crown), and making this an excellent double bill is the chaotic post-hardcore band Circle Takes the Square. Sold out.
Sturgill Simpson, Billy Wayne Davis @ Beacon Theatre
With a sound closer to 1977 Grand Ole Opry (or 1969 Haight-Ashbury) than present-day Nashville, Sturgill Simpson won a lot of people over last year with his terrific take on classic twang, Metamodern Sounds In Country Music.
Alabama Shakes, Drive-By Truckers @ Forest Hills Stadium
A surprise sensation when their debut album dropped in 2012, Alabama Shakes haven’t let the momentum slow down since. Their new album, Sound & Color, was a #1 hit. They play with a band they’re frequently compared to, Drive-By Truckers, tonight.
Cold Beat, Home Blitz, MPHO, OCDPP @ Shea Stadium
With Grass Widow on hold or something, Hannah Lew started Cold Beat, drawing on a variety of early-’80s postpunk influences. With a solid, ripping lineup the band just released their awesome second album, Into the Air. This is their second of four NYC shows this weekend, and also features power-poppers Home Blitz, synthy MPHO and supergroup OCDPP (Dee Dee of DDG, Cassie Ramone, OJ from XRay Eyeballs).
Chuck Ragan, Jesse Malin @ Irving Plaza
When he’s not making raging punk as a co-frontman of Hot Water Music, Chuck Ragan strips things down and applies his gruff vocals to rootsy folk music.
Worriers, Arm Candy, Littler, Young Ladies @ Silent Barn
Worriers mix the personal with the political on their very good new album Imaginary Life (out now on Don Giovanni). They’ve been touring a lot lately, and tonight they play their hometown again with Young Ladies, who include ex-members of Discount, Latterman and more.
Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival
Started basically as a dare, the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival has grown into a much-anticipated event. Saturday has three events: a live edition of podcast “You’re the Expert” at Bell House (4:30 PM) with Scott Adsit, Jo Firestone and host Chris Duffy; then a sold-out EMCF edition of “Pretty Good Friends” (8 PM) with “special guests [singing] songs from Bob’s Burgers” and more; and over at Union Hall it’s “From the Basement of Union Hall to Network Television in the Next 2-3 years” with Jo Firestone, Chris Gethard, Kyle Ayers, Josh Sharp, and Janelle James. Even if shows are announced as “sold out” there may still be tickets at the door when they open.
The Feelies @ WFMU Monty Hall
One of Hoboken’s finest, an endlessly influential band whose sound — stemming from Velvet Underground and Modern Lovers — is timeless. Playing at WFMU’s Monty Hall might be a nice substitute for Maxwell’s. They’re certainly among friends.
Flat Duo Jets, Screamin’ Rebel Angels, The Othermen, Larry and The Babes @ Riis Park Beach Bazar
Legendary North Carolina rockabilly combo Flat Duo Jets highlight this fun, free bill at this Rockaways home to crafts, craft beer, games and the beach. It’s the last weekend of summer, you could do worse.
‘Nufonia Must Fall’ featuring Kid Koala, The Afiara Quartet @ BAM
With help from a team of puppeteers and the design team behind Her and Lost in Translation, Kid Koala adapts his own 2003 graphic novel Nufonia Must Fall as a live stage silent film. Part of BAM’s Next Wave Fest.
‘COLLAPSE w/ Timur and the Dime Museum @ BAM
Part of BAM’s Next Wave Festival, ‘COLLAPSE’ is a costume-filled “glam-rock requiem for the natural world” featuring LA band Timur and the Dime Museum.
Hellbent Hooker, Pink Mass, Prostitution @ Saint Vitus
Hellbent Hooker feature members of Ramming Speed and Mutilation Rites, and their over the top live show is quite the sight to see.
Busdriver, Elucid, Tanya Morgan, Jesucifer @ Baby’s All Right
Good lineup of indie-rap from Busdriver, Tanya Morgan and more at Baby’s tonight.
Frankie Cosmos, No One & The Somebodies, Thelma, Yours Are The Only Ears @ Palisades
Frankie Cosmos brings her blend of twee and anti-folk back to the stage tonight with this Palisades show.
Bleachers, Charli XCX, The Front Bottoms, MisterWives, Cults, How To Dress Well @ Stone Pony Summer Stage
This is a mini-festival of sorts, not far from NYC, which is also one of the only remaining dates of the Bleachers / Charli XCX tour which was mostly cancelled. Especially worth catching are R&B boundary pusher How to Dress Well, folk/pop/punk blenders The Front Bottoms, and NYC pop group Cults. Vic Mensa was initially on this lineup but appears to have dropped.
“Tree of Codes” w/ Wayne McGregor, Olafur Eliasson, Jamie xx @ Park Avenue Armory (2 shows)
Choreographer Wayne McGregor and visual artist Olafur Eliasson have a new ballet called Tree of Codes and the music for it was done by Jamie xx, who’s having an incredible year thanks to his very well-received new album In Colour. The ballet runs through September 21.
For all of tonight’s shows, and tomorrow’s, check out our NYC concert calendar.
For laughs, check out the NYC Comedy calendar too.
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