May 1 – May 7 • Essential Weekly Concert Guide • NYC Edition

Jeff Nau

“National Concert Day” ft. Jason Aldean, Foreigner, Daughtry at Irving Plaza | May 1
Jason Aldean plays a kind of semi garden variety pseudo-country rock; Foreigner was behind the magic that is “I Want to Know What Love Is”; and Daughtry is the reigning king of Nickelback-esque yarling. Should make for a good show.

MONO at Music Hall of Williamsburg | May 1
The quartet hails from Japan and plays a strange variety of shoegaze, post-punk, and instrumental rock, all melded together into a brilliantly talented Frankenstein’s monster. They’ll be bringing their bizarre variety of tunes and instruments to the Music Hall of Williamsburg again Monday. Glockenspiels, anyone?

Two Door Cinema Club at Brooklyn Steel  | May 1
The Irish trio is comprised of Sam Halliday, Alex Trimble, and Kevin Laird, and plays a unique brand of dance-y indie rock. You’ve probably heard “What You Know” if you’ve so much as been to a health club; ditto with “Undercover Martyn,” which sounds almost exactly like the same song.

Smino at The Bowery Ballroom | May 1
The St. Louis-based rapper Smino has been making heads turn for his variety of rapid-fire lyrical rhythms overtop funky keyboard melodies on songs like “Anita” and “Oxygen.” He tours in support of his latest, “blkswn.”

JoJo at Irving Plaza | May 2
From her early days on “America’s Most Talented Kids” to her foray into pop superstardom with the release of “Leave (Get Out)” and a few other Billboard mega-hits, Jojo is one of the most popular and active former child stars out there. She brings “Baby It’s You” and “Not That Kind of Girl” and about a bajillion other hits to Irving Plaza on Tuesday.

The Black Angels at Brooklyn Steel | May 2
The Black Angels play a mean, grimy kind of rock n’ roll. Most of their photos feature the band in a swamp-like setting, which seems appropriate given the sound of their music: it’s as if CCR and Jimmy Page had a baby with Hawkwind and some classic garage rock bands. Psychedelic, yes, but still good stuff.

The Wild Reeds at Rough Trade | May 2
The Wild Reeds have a fantastically eclectic repertoire at their disposal, complete with a ton of instruments – banjo, ukulele, accordion, you name it. Their folk/country/Americana brand of music has also earned them stints everywhere from NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert to L.A.’s own famed Teragram Ballroom.

Ryan Adams at Beacon Theatre | May 2-3
While Adams is known for hits like “New York, New York” and about a hundred others, the wonderfully talented singer-songwriter is playing the Beacon to celebrate the release of some rare B-sides. He also does the occasional “Somewhere in Time” – era Iron Maiden cover song, so that alone should be reason enough to go.

Talib Kweli at Brooklyn Bowl | May 2-3
The Brooklyn-born-and-raised MC still remains as important and relevant as ever, as his recent collaborations with Kendrick Lamar and Curren$y. Expect “Gutter Rainbows,” “Get By,” and a ton of others.

Ab-Soul at Highline Ballroom | May 3
If there’s two things Ab-Soul loves, it’s his mother and weed. Just listen to his single “D.R.U.G.S.,” in which he proclaims undying reverence for both momma (“Lord knows I does”) and a relatively well-proportioned spliff. Expect copious amounts one of these at the Highline this Wednesday.

“A Celebration of the Music” of Jimmy Webb ft. Art Garfunkel, Ashley Campbell, Billy Davis Jr., Dwight Yoakam, Toby Keith at Carnegie Hall | May 3
Some of country and rock’s most revered assemble to pay tribute to the great Jimmy Webb, who wrote “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston” and a ton of others for country greats like Glen Campbell and Art Garfunkel. Considering the lineup and location alone, this could be country music’s can’t-miss show of the month.

Marsha Ambrosius at B.B. King Blues Club | May 3
Marsha Ambrosius is a sensational singer, capable of handling pretty much all the hardest genres – blues, jazz, and soul. She also sings about everything from tried-and-true topics like unrequited love on “Late Nights and Early Mornings”, all the way to LGBTQ rights-sensitive issues on tracks like “Far Away.”

Rostam at Bowery Ballroom | May 3
A prodigy of Columbia’s classical music program, Rostam Batmanglij is also an alum of Vampire Weekend, not to mention plays a ton of different musical instruments – a diverse set of musical abilities that earned him a Grammy. He plays the Bowery after a recent stint opening for Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

Sonder at Rough Trade Brooklyn | May 3
Sonder, also known as Sonder Lecher, hails from New York City but calls Norway his home. Sonder also plays an airy and ambient kind of R&B, full of obvious influences that run the gamut from his native land’s Royksopp all the way to legendary soul producers like Babyface. If you’re in the mood for more of a laid-back, chill kind of soul with an electro vibe, Sonder’s the ticket.

The Revolution at Webster Hall | May 3
Even though it’ll be without Prince himself, his revered back-up band was always one of the great modern rock ensembles – and given that Wednesday’s show will feature Wendy and co. singing a bunch of Prince’s biggest hits, it’s hard to go wrong with this gig.

The Wild Reeds at The Mercury Lounge | May 3
If you missed The Wild Reeds and their amazing vocal harmonies at Rough Trade, here’s another chance to catch ‘em.

Tycho at Brooklyn Steel | May 3-4
Fast becoming a modern EDM sensation, Tycho brings their chilled, laid-back electro vibes to Steel. The brainchild of Scott Hansen, Tycho has exploded in popularity, helped especially by gigs with Toonami/Adult Swim, and a recent Grammy nod.

Black Lips at Webster Hall | May 4
Black Lips play a bizarre, anthemic, reverb-drenched kind of garage rock with big choruses, big verses, and, really, everything overall turned up to 11. They’ll play what will certainly be a raucous show at Webster Hall with Surfbort and the Brooklyn Bluebirds Friday.

Jacob Banks at Mercury Lounge | May 4
Blending classic-sounding Delta-style blues with elements of electro (“Unholy War”), hip-hop with infectious cadences (“Monster”), soulfuli ballads (“Unknown”) and just about everything in between, to call Jacob Banks a rising talent would be doing him a disservice. He’s a genre-bending mastermind capable of summoning heart-wrenching emotion into every song he writes.  

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill at Prudential Center | May 4
Country’s favorite couple since Johnny and Roseanne Cash return to the Prudential Center for a night of hits. You’ll likely hear some of the biggest, including “Mississippi Girl, “Breathe,” and “Just to See You Smile.” Both also recently racked up a Grammy nomination for best country duo performance.

Coheed & Cambria at Terminal 5 | May 5
Beloved for their over-the-top fretboard calisthenics and lengthy concept albums, Coheed sounds sort of like the mutant offspring of Metallica and Yes. High-pitched, soaring vocals meet, well, high-pitched, soaring everything. Progressive rock lives again.

Hotel Garuda at Bowery Ballroom | May 5
Blending various kinds of EDM subgenres like house and techno with R&B in songs like “Smoke Signals” and “Fixed On You,” Hotel Garuda has proven themselves capable of making dance music addictive again. Even the snootiest of electro snobs will find their music impossible to resist.

The Damned at Warsaw | May 5
Only one of the most important punk rock bands ever, The Damned is comprised of people with names like Dave Vanian, Captain Sensible and Rat Scabies. Fun fact: The Damned actually had the very first punk rock single all the way back in 1977 with “Neat Neat Neat.” Count on that one, “New Rose,” “History of the World,” and a bunch of other classics.

NAO at Brooklyn Steel | May 5
If you haven’t heard NAO, you’re only missing one of the most versatile vocalists since Adele. Known for her soaring falsettos and ability to handle pretty much any genre – jazz, funk, R&B, pop – NAO will be bringing dynamic vocals and hits like “In the Morning” and the mega-popular “Girlfriend” to Brooklyn Steel Saturday.

“NYU Strawberry Festival” ft. Wet, Phony PPL, Sun Seeker at New York University | May 5
The annual Strawberry Festival will feature not only tons of the world’s very best strawberries, but performances from Phony Ppl, Wet, and more. The former blends together jazz, trip-hop and indie; the latter, more of just a straightforward indie sound. Great strawberries + great bands = win-win.

Catfish and the Bottleman at Brooklyn Steel | May 6
Combining elements of new wave, garage rock, alternative, and a bunch of other genres, the appropriately-monikered Catfish and the Bottleman is a great, ridiculous name for a great, ridiculous band. They’ve managed to emerge from a crowded UK scene, full of imitators and poseurs, and managed to sound original – more power to them.

Barbra Streisand at Barclays Center | May 6
The iconic singer and actress brings her acclaimed hits, beloved personality, and state-of-the-art teleprompters to Barclays Center for a night of classics like “People,” “The Way We Were,” and, if we’re lucky, “Papa, Do You Hear Me?” from “Yentl.”

Esperanza Spalding at Apollo Theater | May 6
Astoundingly talented, Esperanza Spalding flawlessly executes an Ella Fitzgerald-worthy kind of old school jazz/R&B, not to mention plays stand-up fretless bass. Seeing as how she’s jammed with everyone from Herbie Hancock to Geri Allen, and played shows for President Obama, this could be a show worth checking out.

Julianne Hough at Radio City Music Hall | May 6
The “Dancing With The Stars” superstar and seemingly-everywhere Hollywood dynamo brings her celebrity and talents to one of New York’s most acclaimed venues. Count in “That Song in My Head,” “Hide Your Matches,” and about a dozen country-flavored other hits.

Old 97’s at Irving Plaza | May 6
The perfectly-named Old 97’s play a vintage kind of loud, rockabilly-tinged rock n’ roll. Garage-y in nature, Old 97’s will probably also appeal to fans of Johnny Cash, Social Distortion, and pulp cinema like Quentin Tarantino.

Over the Rhine at City Winery | May 6
The husband-and-wife duo of Karen Bergquist and Linford Detweiler, writes gentle, folky, ballad-y kinds of songs, helped greatly by some truly luscious vocal harmonies, all the while evoking some truly sorrowful emotions. Look for “Ohio” and “Drunkard’s Prayer” as sure-to-be-performed standouts.

SoMo at Webster Hall | May 6
As part of his “The Answers Tour,” SoMo brings “Ride,” “We Can Make Love,” and everything else that makes the ladies swoon (which is pretty much every song of his) to Webster on Saturday.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie at Playstation Theater | May 7
From “My Shit” to “Friend Zone,” and “99 Problems and Messages,” Boogie Wit Da Hoodie isn’t afraid to be honest and open about love and all the problems that come along with it. Brutal as though they may be, songs like “Baecation” hit all the right spots while at the same time pulling no punches.