July 17 – July 23 • Essential Weekly Concert Guide • NYC Edition

Zack Hillman

Yo La Tengo at Central Park SummerStage | July 17
From fuzzed out jams to meditative epics, Hoboken’s own Yo La Tengo have developed one of the most beloved oeuvres in all of indie rock over the past 30 years. Still riding high of the success of their 14^th album, 2015’s “Stuff Like That There,” they’ll play this nearly-hometown show with Ultimate Painting – a supergroup featuring members of Mazes and Veronica Falls.

Common at Brookfield Place Plaza | July 18
The cerebral, smooth, and syncopated flows of Common have made him a rap luminary for decades. As the main attraction on day one of the Lowdown Hudson Music Fest, fans won’t have to pay to see him lay down the cool and politically-conscious vibes that wowed critics on his 2016 album “Black America Again.”

Rod Stewart w/ Cyndi Lauper at Jones Beach | July 18
Rod Stewart has wooed audiences since the ‘60s with his inimitable, gravelly voice and stunning showmanship on classic tracks like “Maggie Mae,” “Stay with Me” and “If You Want My Body.” He’ll take the Jones Beach stage along with ‘80s pop diva Cyndi Lauper, offering a double dose of fun for music lovers.

Planetarium at Prospect Park Bandshell | July 18
What do you get when composer Nico Muhly collaborates with indie rock royalty like Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner (The National), and James McAlister? You get the experimental and all-encompassing song cycle Planetarium, which focuses on the celestial bodies within our galaxy and beyond. It promises to be an expansive and daring musical journey for anyone bold enough to check it out.

Warpaint at Music Hall of Williamsburg | July 18
Experimental rockers Warpaint always dance on a razors edge between icy detachment and reckless abandon. Their 2016 album “Heads Up” offered flashes of groovy post-punk, spacey rock and arty pop, and this femme fatale foursome is sure to bring more of the same at Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Incubus w/ Jimmy Eat World at Jones Beach | July 19
Hits like “Drive” and “Pardon Me” made these alternative rockers a household name around the turn of the millennium, but their 2017 album “8” packs just as much punch. The group is sure to give fans a thrill when they team up with pop punk mainstays Jimmy Eat World – who themselves just released 2016’s “Integrity Blues.”

Nas w/ Young M.A., Dave East, Biz Markie at Brooklyn Steel | July 19
From his underground beginnings, Nas climbed the ranks of the New York rap game to become maybe its most well-respected proponent. He’ll be dropping his visionary rhymes and meticulous beats with the help of Young M.A., Dave East and a DJ set from golden age hip hop legend Biz Markie.

OK Go at Brookfield Place Plaza | July 19
People know OK Go for their fun and inventive one-take music videos, but they always bring serious power pop hooks and alternative rock flare that keep listeners coming back for more. You can catch them for free on night two of the Lowdown Hudson Music Fest if you want to see all their quirky antics in person.

PJ Harvey at Central Park SummerStage | July 19
With crushingly honest lyrics and a drive to push the envelope, PJ Harvey is one of the most inventive and beloved singer-songwriters to emerge from the ‘90s. She’s still at the top of her game after releasing “The Hope Six Demolition Project” last year, so fans should be ready when she brings her fiery energy to the Central Park SummerStage.

Ages and Ages at Mercury Lounge | July 20
Ages and Ages aren’t trying to look cool; they’re trying to have as much fun as possible and get you into the swing of things as well. While their most recent album “Divisionary” had no shortage of literate ruminations on serious existential themes, audiences still can’t help but be swept up by the sheer joy that this band brings to their pastoral, mind-expanding, smile-inducing folk.

Conor Oberst at Prospect Park Bandshell | July 20
This confessional singer-songwriter won our hearts for his quivering-voiced brilliance in Bright Eyes, but fans have been every bit as impressed with his solo output as well. He’s sure to bring fresh material from his recently released “Salutations” to the Prospect Park Bandshell, where he’ll meet up with two rising female-fronted indie rock groups in Big Thief and Hop Along. As a bonus, $1 from every ticket sale goes to support Planned Parenthood.

Guns N’ Roses at Apollo Theater | July 20
Welcome to the concrete jungle! For this SiriusXM invite-only show, Guns N’ Roses will take the illustrious stage of the Apollo Theater for the first time in their storied careers. Even if you aren’t on the list this time around, you can catch Axl, Duff, Slash, and the rest of the group when they come back through the Big Apple in October for the second leg of their “Not in This Lifetime” Tour.

Preservation Hall Jazz Band at MetroTech Commons | July 20
There’s no venue that looms larger over New Orleans’ exquisite jazz scene than Preservation Hall, and nobody plays the city’s traditional style better than the joint’s house band. They’re sure to get listeners swinging at the open air MetroTech Commons starting at noon as part of the BAM R&B Festival.

Ride w/ Froth at Brooklyn Steel | July 20
Along with contemporaries My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, Ride helped to define the late-‘80s England shoegazing scene, especially with their 1990 debut “Nowhere.” The band has been bringing their loud amps and lush orchestrations back to venues since their 2014 reunion, and fans of their wall of sound won’t want to miss this Brooklyn Steel set.

Kendrick Lamar w/ Travis Scott, D.R.A.M. at Barclays Center | July 20 + 23
“DAMN.” might be the most banging record to come out in 2017 so far, so it’s only fair that K-Dot added a second night at the Barclays Center to flaunt his motor-mouthed skills. Hot MCs Travis Scott and D.R.A.M. will also be on hand to lay it down on what promises to be a night of killer flows and sick beats.

Amadou and Mariam at Prospect Park Bandshell | July 21
The Malian husband and wife duo Amadou and Mariam first met at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where the two instantly connected over their love of music. Fans can catch their unique “afro-blues,” a blend of Malian traditional music with rock guitars, as part of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn Festival at the Prospect Park Bandshell.

DNCE at Rockefeller Center (Today Show) | July 21
Joe Jonas leads this far-out pop group, who’ve already got asses everywhere shaking along to their exuberant hit “Cake by the Ocean.” Part of the Citi Concert Series on the Today Show, all you have to do to get tickets is request them from the link above – which goes for other artists in the series as well, like Fitz & The Tantrums and Jason Aldean.

The Kills at Brooklyn Steel | July 21
With a minimalist bent and a permanent sneer, The Kills’ duo of Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince has been delivering smoldering rock for the past decade and a half. After noise rockers Algiers get things weird right off the bat, the New York duo is set to bring their stripped down and sexy sound to drive Brooklyn Steel fans wild.

Thurston Moore Group at Bowery Ballroom | July 21
One of underground music’s most towering figures, Thurston Moore turned feedback into a weapon of mass destruction during his 40 years as the de facto leader of Sonic Youth. If new album “Rock N Roll Consciousness” is any indicator, he’ll be splitting his time between spaced-out instrumentals, introspective poetry, and fuzz freak-outs when he takes the stage.

Iron Maiden at Barclays Center | July 21 + 22
For their “Book of Souls Tour,” Iron Maiden is planning to do what they do best: rock audience members’ faces off with hard-driving classics like “Run to the Hills” and “The Number of the Beast.” Gruesome metal outfit Ghost will also be on hand to make sure that the evening is as savage as possible.

Burger Records Beach Bash 2 ft. Sunflower Bean, Nobunny, The Zeros, Daddy Long Legs, Babibi at Coney Art Walls | July 22
Tucked away in Orange County, Calif., Burger Records has slowly built up a reputation as a premier landing spot for local garage bands, but they’ve also begun organizing some of the best festivals that you’ve probably never heard of. If you want to hear some of the best up-and-comers on the indie scene, this Coney Island festival has all the street cred you could want and more.

Frank Iero and The Patience at White Eagle Hall | July 22
After making his name with rockers My Chemical Romance, Frank Iero decided to go in a more punk and emo direction with his backing group The Patience. Fans are eager to see the group pour their hearts out on stage following their celebrated, cathartic sophomore release “Parachutes.”

Muse w/ Thirty Seconds to Mars at Jones Beach | July 22
Touring the U.S. for the first time since their album “Drones” in 2015, this epic trio is ready to meld prog, experimental, and pop in the deft way that only they can. With Thirty Seconds to Mars there to get things started with a bang, fans should be sure to rock out and sing along when Muse takes over Jones Beach.

Roni Size, Evian Christ, and Laurel Halo at MoMA PS1 | July 22
Mercury prize-winning Roni Size is notorious for bringing soulful, jazzy sounds into the hyperactive world of drum’n’bass. Audiences looking for someone who can push the tempo and maintain a cool, highbrow edge shouldn’t miss this bill, which also features industrial hip hop producer Evian Christ and electronic composer Laurel Halo.

Sad13 at Union Pool | July 22
The lead singer of indie darlings Speedy Ortiz, Sadie Dupuis has branched out on her own with the solo project Sad13. She’s kept the grungy guitars and poetic lyrics, but added synths and samplers to her attack with her debut “Slugger” – and fans can hear her new sound at Union Pool with openers Prima and Zenizen on hand for good measure.

Fat Joe w/ Remy Ma, M.O.P., Naughty By Nature, Big Daddy Kane at Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk | July 23
East Coast gangster rapper Fat Joe helped Puerto Rican MCs break into the mainstream when he hit the scene repping the Bronx in the late-‘90s. He’ll have some world class support from the other rappers on the bill, promising a show and sound big enough to fill the Ford Amphitheater for the Windy Williams All White Mixtape Beach Party: Volume 1.

GZA at Corporal Thompson Park | July 23
Known for bringing a philosophical slant to the Wu-Tang Clan as well as his solo work, GZA (aka The Genius) has been dropping knowledge over tasty beats since 1995’s “Liquid Swords.” This free show at Corporal Thompson Park gives audiences a chance to see him lay it down in Staten Island, the home of the Killa Bees – who could pass that up?

Toad the Wet Sprocket at City Winery | July 23 
Toad the Wet Sprocket hit it big with jangly ‘90s hits like “All I Want,” “Walk on the Ocean,” and “Something’s Always Wrong.” Their sincere sentiments and enduring hooks are also present on the group’s recent material, which should pair perfectly with a nice red at the City Winery during both the early and late shows.