Yo La Tengo helped bring Central Park’s 2021 Summerstage Free Concert Series to a close on Friday October 1st. Despite having to reschedule this performance from one month prior due to sever weather, fans were treated to perfect weather this time around. Fans enjoyed the first night of Autumn with plenty of fleece sweaters and a great lineup of performances.
The show opened up with three short films as a part of Rooftop Films’ Summer 2021 Summer Series. Next up, Amanda Nazario played a brief but energetic DJ set just as the sun began to set over Manhattan. And then Mountain Movers pumped up the crowd with their unique blend of drone and noise rock.
As Yo La Tengo took the stage, applause and cheers became screams when they opened with a cover of Velvet Underground’s “Who Loves the Sun.”
Their 90 minute set included several fan favoritessuch as “Autumn Sweater” (a natural inclusion) and “I’ll Be Around,” which they dedicated to Yoko Ono. Frontman Ira Kaplan brought his mother onstage to close out the concert with their cover of Anita Bryant’s “My Little Corner of the World.” The crowd ate it up, and the show ended on a high note.
Ira also announced at Summerstage that Yo La Tengo would once again be playing a series of eight Hanukkah shows at Bowery Ballroom from November 28 through December 5, coinciding with the eight nights of Hanukkah, which starts on November 28 and runs through the evening of December 6. Tickets will be available October 8th. You can find out more on Yo La Tengo’s website.
Ira Kaplan shared this note with fans on the Yo La Tengo Facebook page:
Shammash-ing Time!
Hi everybody, here to tell you that Hanukkah is just around the corner. (No kidding–it’s early this year!) And that we are going to return to the Bowery Ballroom and play all eight nights, just like we did before life got in the way. Comics, opening acts, whatever other nonsense we can cobble together, and the money will be given away. I’d consider writing more, but it still feels a little unreal to be contemplating this. And yet here we are.
Hanukkah starts on Sunday, November 28 and continues through Sunday, December 5. You must be fully vaccinated to enter the Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are $50 each and will go on sale on Friday, October 8 at 12 pm (noon) EDT. OK, gotta start practicing!
SummerStage announced two free performances at the end of August of 2021. The performances will take place in Coney Island Amphitheater and will require full vaccination or negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours for entry.
The first performance will feature Go Brooklyn! Stetsasonic & Friends – 40th Anniversary Show on Saturday, August 28 2021 at 7PM EST. Brooklyn’s Stetsasonic were one of the first-ever hip-hop bands that used beat-boxing, sampling, and live performance to elevate the musicality of the nascent genre in the 1980’s. Originally known as the “Stetson Brothers”, there were three members including Daddy-O, Delite and Wise the Human Mix Machine. Soon, the group evolved to “Stetsasonic”, adding the prolific energy of DBC (Devastating Beat Creator), Bobby Simmons, Prince Paul, and Fruitkwan. Though their last album was released in 1991, Stetsasonic has continued to tour and will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their formation at Summerstage in Coney Island with friends and special guests. The performance will live streamed for one night only on summerstage anywhere’s website.
The second performance will feature INVINCIBLE: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson / DJ KS 360 on Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 7PM EST. Drawing its name from Michael Jackson’s tenth and final studio album, Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson is a performance of the King of Pop’s greatest hits—indelible anthems such as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Thriller” and more—as well as dance routines rehearsed for the HBO special One Night Only. With choreography by Jackson’s longtime choreographer and dancer, Lavelle Smith Jr., the show was created, produced and directed by the Bessie award winner Darrin Ross. The night will be led by professional impersonator, Jeffrey Perez. The performance will live streamed for one night only on summerstage anywhere’s website.
Due to increasing spread on COVID-19 due to the delta variant SummerStage has updated it’s vaccination and mask policy They will now require full vaccination or negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours for entry. SummerStage at Coney Island Amphitheater will accept proof of final Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna or WHO-approved vaccination using the CLEAR app, the NYS Excelsior Pass, NYC Covid Safe app, a physical/photo of CDC vaccination card, or EU digital pass, accompanied by a government-issued photo identification. Guests must show that their final dose of vaccine was received at least 14 days prior to the show date or show proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours. Please note all SummerStage events in Central Park follow a different entry policy and only accept full vaccination proof. For all SummerStage events, masks are required upon entry to any venue and strongly encouraged for all guests for the duration of the performance, as is physical distance. Learn more about acceptable documentation, mask guidelines, and other safety protocols here.
For more information the two shows happening in August of 2021 and upcoming event visit SummerStage’s website.
Armand Hammer and The Alchemist headlined Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage on Sunday, August 15, showcasing underground rap from their latest record Haram. The lineup for the day was rounded out by an opening DJ set from GENG PTP, followed by short sets from Moor Mother and Fielded.
Armand Hammer and The Alchemist at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
As with most SummerStage shows, the evening started off with a series of short films, including a two minute short Pumbucha in which a low-level influencer tries to push a disgusting beverage that only causes them physical and emotional pain. After the film, DJ and producer GENG PTP took to the stage to spin original songs and classic hits, including “All Caps” in tribute to the late MF DOOM (remember, all caps when you spell the man’s name). During the set, underground rapper AKAI SOLO joined inand performed “Nebula” and “True Truths” off of his records Eleventh Wind and Mad Space respectively.
GENG PTP at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photos by Buscar Photo
Next up was genre-defying poet and multi instrumentalist Moor Mother. Blending spoken word poetry with avant-garde and jazz influenced beats and soundscapes, Moor Mother delivers a powerful and thought provoking performance. Standing at the front of the stage, she fervently echoed the mantra “WE ARE STANDING ON GRAVES,” echoing a similar plea from the SummerStage public announcer before the show to honor the native lands and burial grounds our cities are built upon. Moor Mother is currently putting out and featured on some of the most cutting edge music, much of which is available on her BandCamp page.
Moor Mother at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Fielded took the stage next and delivered a short set of lighter pop tunes. The three-piece band provided a bit of change of pace for the night, but sandwiched between the high energy and cerebral performances of Moor Mother and Armand Hammer, Fielded soothed the crowd and allowed the evening to take on a different atmosphere as the sun was setting. The singer from Fielded would also later make an appearance to provide vocals on a song for Armand Hammer.
Fielded at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photos by Buscar Photo
Armand Hammer is the collaborative project of underground rappers Billy Woods and Elucid. The duo occupy a really specific sub-genre within the rap umbrella. Cerebral and relenting lyrical flow is delivered over more minimal but psychedelic beat patterns laced with horns and ambient loops. The instrumentals here serve more of a mood-setting purpose while the lyricists engage in a “stream of consciousness” rap style.
Elucid of Armand Hammer at SummerStage 8/15/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Making their LP debut in 2013 with Race Music, the group hit a major stride with 2018’s Paraffin. Hailed as an underground rap opus, this LP brought the duo’s unique style to the forefront and began inspiring a wave of new rappers in the genre. With their latest release Haram, Armand Hammer is joined by heavyweight producer The Alchemist. His inclusion is apparent right at the start of the record, delivering a dark and hypnotic beat on “Sir Benni Miles” to set the mood of the record straight away. Haram explores, in startling detail, the wounds and fear still experienced by African Americans today as a result of colonial slavery and oppression in America. This fear is embedded in the lyrics and instrumentals across the 40-minute runtime of the record.
The group love sharing the stage with their peers, allowing fellow rap duo Shrapknel on stage to perform a couple of their songs. The whole night was a showcase of the exciting artists on Backwoodz Studios, all the artists who performed tonight have releases on the label.
Billy Woods of Armand Hammer at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Concerts right now are nothing short of a spiritual experience. After 18 months of isolation and fear due to the pandemic, being at a concert today is both daring but rewarding. Getting back to the enjoyment of a concert while being safe and cognizant of what is still going on is incredibly important at this time. Artists on stage are acutely aware of this, and seeing these artists take the stage again after all this time you can’t help but feel the energy emanating from them. After a couple of songs, Elucid was so caught up in the performance he desperately pleaded to the sound engineers, “I need more volume up here man, this is a physical experience right now,” a sentiment that was on clear display amongst the audience.
The Alchemist at SummerStage, 8/15/21. Photo by Buscar Photo
Next up for Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is a very special benefit show with Common this coming Sunday, August 22nd. The show is supported by exciting hip hop artist Rapsody. We will be there – make sure to check back for a photo gallery and review of that show. All upcoming SummerStage shows will require proof of vaccination along with a government issued ID to gain entry. Make sure to check the individual requirements of any show you plan on attending as vaccine and testing requirements begin to take shape.
Update: August 20, 2021 – Due to the likelihood of severe weather expected from Tropical Storm Henri, Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage will postpone the Common / Rapsody / Pete Rock show scheduled for Sunday, August 22 at 7 PM in Central Park.
Sunday, August 22, Capital One City Parks Foundation will be presenting SummerStage with two upcoming ticketed benefit performances in Central Park. The performance on the 22nd will feature academy award, Emmy, and Grammy-winning artist, Common with support from grammy-nominated rappers Rapsody and Pete Rock. Then two days later Lake Street Dive will be performing to a sold-out crowd with Allision Russell and Zia Victoria.
With dozens of roles over the past two decades (American Gangster, John Wick 2 just to name a few.), Common is as much of a movie star as he is a rapper. The Chicago-bred MC secured his legacy as a pillar of hip-hop with classic LPs like Resurrection, Be, One Day It’ll All Make Sense and Like Water for Chocolate—few performers have balanced both worlds with such aplomb. He’s joined by Rapsody, the MC from North Carolina who’s widely acknowledged as one of the rap game’s preeminent wordsmiths who signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. The show will be opened with a DJ set by Pete Rock, one half of the critically acclaimed group Pete Rock & CL Smooth, who helped pioneer the fusion of jazz, funk, and soul with rap, and is responsible for some of the most iconic productions in New York hip-hop.
Brooklyn’s Lake Street Dive have spent the last 16 years wielding classical chops to craft a sound that’s equal parts pop, rock, jazz, folk, and funk. The group formed in 2004 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, but each of its members—lead vocalist Rachael Price, guitarist/trumpeter Mike “McDuck” Olson, bassist Bridget Kearney, and drummer Mike Calabrese, and their newest member, keyboard and vocalist Akie Bermiss—have been singing and/or playing instruments since the third grade. Now seven albums deep into their recording career, they were recently featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert series, performing tracks from their latest, Obviously.
Both shows will begin at 7 pm with doors opening at 6 pm, and unlike most shows during the concert series tickets will be needed. A full list of the concert series will be listed below. Tickets can be bought at cityparksfoundation.org for any ticketed shows.
30 for 30: Once Upon a Time in Queens World Premiere, presented by ESPN Films & Rooftop Films
Central Park
Aug-27
Friday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Jazzmobile and the City Parks Foundation Present: Bird at 100: Featuring Gary Bartz, Vincent Herring & Bobby Watson, with Dave Kikokski, Yasushi Nakamura and Carl Allen / Special Performance by Antonio Hart (quartet) with Miki Yamanaka, Alex Ayala, and Vince Ector
Marcus Garvey Park
Aug-28
Saturday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Go Brooklyn! Stetsasonic & Friends – 40th Anniversary Show
Coney Island
Aug-28
Saturday
4:00PM
6:00PM
CPJF – Charlie Parker with Strings: The Donald Harrison Quartet and The Harlem Symphony Orchestra
Marcus Garvey Park
Aug-29
Sunday
4:00PM
6:00PM
CPJF – Willie Jones III – A Charlie Parker Centennial Celebration featuring Sarah Hanahan, Godwin Louis, Justin Robinson, Erena Terakubo with Donald Vega and Endea Owens in association with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Marcus Garvey Park
Aug-29
Sunday
5:00PM
7:00PM
INVINCIBLE: A Glorious tribute to Michael Jackson / DJ KS 360
Coney Island
Sep-1
Wednesday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Yo La Tengo / Mountain Movers Rooftop Films Presents: “Date. Interrupted”& “Sousaphone”
Central Park
Sep-4
Saturday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Dom Salvador Samba Jazz Sextet / Screening: “Dom Salvador & Abolition” / DJ Nyack & Eduardo Brechó in association with 25th Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival Rooftop Films Presents: “The Orphan (O Órfão)”
Central Park
Sep-11
Saturday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Erica Campbell / The Walls Group / Lena Byrd Miles / Jason McGee and Choir Rooftop Films Presents:“A Ship from Guantanamo,”“Miss Panama,”& “Spiritual First Aid”
Central Park
Sep-12
Sunday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Valerie June / Hollywood Anderson Rooftop Films Presents: “More Happiness,” “The Criminals (Les Criminels),”& “To Know Her (母 • 緣)”
Central Park
Sep-13
Monday
6:00PM
7:00PM
Machine Gun Kelly “Tickets to My Downfall” Tour with jxdn and KennyHoopla
Central Park
Sep-15
Wednesday
TBD
TBD
Reggae Gold meets Soca Gold in association with VP Records
Coney Island
Sep-17
Friday
6:00PM
7:00PM
Dawes with special guests Bonny Light Horseman & Erin Rae
Central Park
Sep-18* *NEW DATE
Saturday
5:00PM
7:00PM
Antibalas Rooftop Films Presents: “Excuse Me,Miss, Miss, Miss”& “Red Taxi”
On Saturday, July 24th, The Sun Ra Arkestra returned to Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage for their fifth stint at the concert series. Still led by Sun Ra himself at the time, the band headlined the festival’s first ever concert back in 1986 at the old Central Park Bandshell. After Sun Ra’s death in 1993, the band continued on as The Sun Ra Arkestra, remaining quite active under the leadership of Marshall Allen who has been performing with the group since 1958. At 97 years young, Allen and The Arkestra were as tight as ever in Central Park.
The Sun Ra Arkestra at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by: Buscar Photo
Opening the night was Chicago based trio Sistazz of The Nitty Gritty. The group consists of vocalist/clarinetist Angel Bat Dawid, pianist/vocalist Anaiet and bassist Brooklynn Skye Scott. The performance was a mixture of spoken word poetry, jazz fusion, and Dadaist collages of piano, bass, vocals and clarinet. Heavily influenced by The Arkestra’s signature sounds, the trio injects their own modern edge into avant-garde jazz. The incredibly talented band is surely one to watch as they continue to explore their music.
Sistazz of The Nitty Gritty at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo
As the 23-member Arkestra began to file on stage, the once seated audience sprung to their feet to embrace the band’s return to SummerStage. A Sun Ra performance is always more than a musical experience. The band is accompanied by dancers who graced the front of the stage from the start with interpretative, meditative dance routines. This shifted off to the side of the stage and Allen took his place front and center.
Marshall Allen at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by Buscar Photo
The band played a generally continuous set, stopping every so often to reset, but with a band this size there is always music being played. Throughout the show, Allen would survey the band, and point someone out in particular to stand, and take the lead. One-by-one, everyone took their turn, either stepping up for a musical lead or interpretative dance at the center of the stage. This continued throughout the 90-minute set, creating a vividly engaging experience for the audience as there was no way to know where the music was heading. The Arkestra closed to a thunderous ovation from the audience that echoed through Central Park – a second home for the band for so many years.
The Sun Ra Arkestra at SummerStage, 7/24/2021. Photo by: Buscar Photo
The Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage festival continues, with upcoming performances from The Originals, Marc Rebillet, Antibalas, Armand Hammer & The Alchemist (featuring Moor Mother), and many more – check out the full lineup HERE.
SummerStage announced free shows for their 2021 season. There will be six shows put on between July through September and will take place at the Seaside Park Community Arts Center & the Coney Island Amphitheater.
SummerStage free outdoor festival and a seasonal outdoor venue that’s located in Central Park. It is presented by Capital One City Parks Foundation and annually presents approximately 100 performances in 15-18 parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The six free performances will take place at the Coney Island Amphitheater.
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams spoke on the return of SummerStage saying, “The return of SummerStage to the Coney Island Amphitheater and other outdoor venues throughout New York City fits the bill for exciting summer activities in Brooklyn. New Yorkers have endured much and contributed even more during one of our city’s darkest periods. Re-opening activities that reiterate what makes New York City great is a welcome addition to any summer ‘to do’ list.”
The six free shows will include GRAMMY-award-winning disco hitmaker Gloria Gaynor who is performing on July 17 with Harlem-via-East London selector DJ Stormin Norman of Disco Sequestered. On July 18 Puerto Rican via the Bronx singer/songwriter and the “Princess of Salsa” La India will take the stage on Sunday. On August 7 Multi-platinum R&B artist Ginuwine will celebrate legendary hip-hop DJ Funk Flex’s birthday with special guests who are TBA. On August 28 SummerStage will present Go Brooklyn! Stetsasonic & Friends – 40th Anniversary Show featuring beat-box, sampling and a live performance mixing R&B, jazz, dancehall and rock with these legendary hip-hop pioneers, starring Prince Paul. On August 29, INVINCIBLE: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson, the number one Michael Jackson tribute show in the world, will feature the world’s most authentic Jackson impersonators with the Bronx DJ KS 360 kicking off the evening. The Coney Island season will wrap up on September 15 with Reggae Gold meets Soca Gold in association with VP Records, a reggae and dancehall showcase presented by the Caribbean and woman-owned record label based in Queens. All performances at the Coney Island Amphitheater will be free and open to the public, no tickets required.
SummerStage also announced the additional free performances in Central Park this summer. On July 14, a Bastille Day Celebration will be presented by the French Consulate in New York, the French Institute Alliance Française and CAFUSA featuring a jazz quintet headlined by GRAMMY-nominated singer Kavita Shah, guitarist Matt Munisteri, bassist Matt Penman, drummer Ferenc Nemeth, and violinist Olivier Manchon performing a selection of beloved French classics, a get-up-and-dance set by star Joachim Garraud. On September 1, critically acclaimed indie rock band and SummerStage alums Yo La Tengo will perform a free show in Central Park with underground rock band, Mountain Movers opening the show. Originally formed 30 years ago in Hoboken, New Jersey, the band has recorded 16 studio albums with their latest release, We Have Amnesia Sometimes, recorded during the peak of the pandemic. On September 12, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and SummerStage alumna Valerie June will bring her mixture of folk, blues, gospel, soul, Americana, and bluegrass to the stage. Her latest album The Moon and The Stars: Prescriptions for Dreamers, released in March 2021, has been described by Pitchfork as her “most heavy-hearted” and “far-reaching” record.
On top of announcing it’s upcoming shows SummerStage has also announced that it will no longer require tickets for it’s free performances. All free performances will be open to the public, first come, first served, and accessible to all but will be subject to venue capacity limits and CDC recommendations for health and safety related to COVID-19 with maintaining social distance between audience members.
For the most information about the SummerStage 2021 season visit their website here.
SummerStage Anywhere will hold two virtual programs this spring, honoring Haitian Flag Day, the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and the year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd.
On Thursday May 20th, SummerStage will present Haitian Flag Day featuring Gabel and Nancy St. Leger Dance Company at 8PM ET. SummerStage is partnering with the Rhythm Foundation to live-stream a concert directly from the newly renovated North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach.
The event will feature Haitian konpa group Gabel, who has been awarded countless awards and accolades within the Haitian Music Industry. They will be joined by Nancy St Leger Dance Company, a Haitian folkloric six-member dance company dedicated to the preservation of authentic Haitian Folklore dance.
On Tuesday, May 25 at 8PM ET, SummerStage will present the national premiere of the short film They Still Want To Kill Us. The aria by composer and activist Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), performed by mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges and directed by filmmaker Yoram Savion, will mark the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
The presentation is presented in conjunction with a collective of arts organizations from around the country and speaks truth to what transpired in 1921 at the Tulsa Race Massacre, an atrocity all but deleted from history until recently. Occurring over 18 hours from May 31 to June 1, 1921, a white mob attacked residents, homes, businesses, and places of worship in the predominantly Black Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. This thriving business district and surrounding residential area, referred to as “Black Wall Street,” was burned to the ground. The tragedy remains one of the worst incidents of racial violence in U.S. history, and, for a period, remained one of the least known. Despite the fact hundreds of people were killed and thousands more left homeless, news reports were largely suppressed.
They Still Want to Kill Us also commemorates the one year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, providing a commentary on progress this last century on the issue of race and America’s treatment of Black life.The aria is a part of a larger pocket opera of the same name currently being developed by DBR and slated to premiere in the 21-22 season.
The program will include the premiere of the piece by Savion, a discussion with DBR and Bridges, moderated by Jamilla Deria and a statement by Damario Solomon-Simmons of the Justice for Greenwood Foundation.
We are honored to continue SummerStage’s legacy as a presenter of through-provoking programming that uplifts BIPOC communities and makes visible art that is reflective of histories untold. At this moment of tremendous trauma and hope for change, work like Roumain’s is critical.
Erika Elliott, SummerStage Anywhere Executive Artistic Director
They Still Want to Kill Us was filmed in May 2021 in New York City’s Sultan Room and Central Park’s historic Seneca Village site. A 19th-century settlement mostly populated by the largest number of African American landowners in New York before the Civil War, the site was torn down to help make way for Central Park. 225 residents (two-thirds Black and one-third Irish) lost 50 homes, three churches, and a school of African American children. Through archival image references and evocative visual narrative, we connect the past and the present, highlighting a pattern of hidden and historically ignored state violence and the forcible displacement of African American landowning communities across the nation.
Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) and J’Nai Bridges
DBR’s acclaimed work as a composer, performer, educator, and activist spans more than two decades, and he has been commissioned by venerable artists and institutions worldwide. “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (New York Times), DBR is perhaps the only composer whose collaborations span Philip Glass, Bill T. Jones, Savion Glover, and Lady Gaga. He most recently scored the film Ailey (d. Jamila Wignot), which premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2021.
What happened to American citizens on May 31, 1921 in Tulsa, Oklahoma was a massacre by white people perpetrated upon Black people. A toxic mix of misinformation, bigotry, ignorance, and white rage ignited a race war that left hundreds dead, a community destroyed, and a nation still struggling for its identity. It seems that some white people still want to kill us (Black people), and the murder of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and so many others is evidence of this bloodlust sown deep within the American psyche. What are the words and methods of The New Racism? Each day we bear witness to it. Violence against those who are Other in America is deeply rooted in our history, and we have a choice. We can be silent — or we can move mountains and create new spaces for our communities.
Daniel Bernard Roumain
American mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, known for her “rich, dark, exciting sound” (Opera News) is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after talents of her generation, gracing the world’s top stages in repertoire ranging from traditional favorites to world premieres to spirituals and standards.
Tune in on May 20 for Haitian Flag Day celebration. They Still Want to Kill Us will stream for free at SummerStageAnywhere.org until July 31.
SummerStage free concerts return to Central Park, bringing socially distanced live music this summer. The first benefit concert of the series of free shows begins with Dawes on Friday, April 16 at 10AM ET.
The SummerStage
With new New York City announcements on limited-capacity concerts, live performances are scheduled for Central Park and Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park/Richard Rodgers Amphitheater. Events will follow all regulations regarding large-scale outdoor events, included masks, socially distanced seating, and limited capacity. For admittance, a free ticket, proof of vaccine and/or a negative COVID test, and health screening (a questionnaire and temperature checks). All in-person performances will also be live-streamed on SummerStageAnywhere.org.
In addition to the musicial performances, ranging from hip-hop, indie rock, and jazz, there will also be outdoor, family-friendly marionette shows throughout the summer through CityParks PuppetMobile.
The City Parks Foundation will also soon launch a micro-grants program for grassroots arts organizations and individual artists to provide funding for free cultural programs in parks and neighborhood plazas in the city’s most under-resourced communities. These two organizations strive to provide free cultural programs across the city.
A Past SummerStage Show from 2019
Dawes will kick off the SummerStage free concerts season on April 16 as part of their 2021 tour to promote their new album, Good Luck With Whatever. Tickets go on sale begins at 10 AM, Friday April 16 on AXS.
The last year has been enormously difficult for our city. Live performance, with the energy that is generated by experiencing it with others, will be a balm for our collective soul. SummerStage has been an active member of the NYS Nonprofit Outdoor Performing Arts Coalition, working with fellow outdoor venues and the NYS Department of Health to ensure that we are well-prepared to provide a safe and comfortable concert-going experience that follows strict health protocols. SummerStage will help restore vibrancy to our city through free performances in parks, which have been such important public spaces for New Yorkers seeking safe respite during the pandemic.
Heather Lubov, Executive Director – City Parks Foundation
The City Parks Foundation, Summer Stage, and Capital One provide vibrant, culturally impactful, free events in New York City. Now that vaccines are rolling out at a wider, consistent pace, there is hope for more live concerts, beginning with these benefit outdoor shows.
