Tuesday, Aug 10: Bachata Heightz concert @ Highbridge Park

Time: August 10, 2010 from 7pm to 9pm
Location: Highbridge Park
Website or Map: http://www.summerstage.org/

"Born and raised in Washington Heights, the five members of Bachata Heightz first got together to stay off the streets and experiment with their musical passions. In the years since, they have become one of most influential groups in the Latin music scene, and are considered to be one of the first pioneers of urban bachata, a style of tropical music first originating in the Dominican Republic and mixed with rock, R&B, hip-hop, mambo, and a little playfulness from this group."

Reminder: Ongoing Events and Summer Shows

** Hey all, this is just a reminder to keep checking the "ongoing" tag on the right side of the page to find out about long term events like photography exhibits, gallery shows, poetry series, festivals, and more! Also check the "Summer Shows" page on the top of the site for a list of concerts nearly every day of the week!**

See what's poppin right now: NYC What's Poppin'?: Ongoing

Saturday, Aug 7: Sharon Jones and the Daptones @ Celebrate Brooklyn

Daptone Revue: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
with Budos Band and more!

Saturday, August 7, 7pm
Gates open at 6pm

"The Bushwick label Daptone Records, long committed to bringing you the finest soul, funk, gospel and afrobeat sounds to be found on analog tape, trots out the family. With the unstoppable Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings headlining. Backed by the Bushwick Phil, which started as a growing string section that recorded on all of the SJDK albums and was only a Duo on ‘Dap-Dippin’, a Trio on ‘Naturally’, a Quartet on ‘100 Days’ and a Sextet on ‘I Learned the Hard Way’. For this epochal moment in the great Brooklyn soul revival, the line-up will expand to include Timpani, Vibes, the String Quartet and Victor Axelrod (Ticklah, Antibalas) on Piano."

Summerstage/City Parks August Rundown!

Gil Scott-Heron
When: Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Marcus Garvey Park
Cost: Free

Gil Scott-Heron's cutting edge poetry and musical style is revered as the godfather of hip-hop and neo soul. Presented in association with Jill Newman productions.


"Blood Pudding" by Sharon Bridgforth, Directed by Baraka de Soleil
When: Friday, August 6, 2010 at 8:00PM and Saturday, August 7, 2010 at 8:00PM
Where: Marcus Garvey Park
Cost: Free

Blood Pudding explores the history of black people in New Orleans through a magical layering of theater, dance and song.


Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Dancin' Downtown Contest Winners
When: Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 8:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Cost: Free

Join this highly acclaimed dance company as they unveil an originally commissioned work by City Parks Foundation this season.


Doug E. Fresh & DJ Dee Wiz
When: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Jackie Robinson Park
Cost: Free

Doug E. Fresh, one of the originators of the human beat box, is one of the early heralds of the global hip hop movement.


White Rabbits with Hospitality
When: Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: East River Park
Cost: Free

Duel drummers and a honky tonk calypso rhythm section bang out jarring sonics

Paul Taylor II and Naganuma Dance
When: Friday, August 13, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: East River Park
Cost: Free

Paul Taylor II's group of six dancers reinvent original works from the larger Paul Taylor Dance Company to offer an intimate, innovative reinterpretation of the original works.

Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Wideman / Davis Dance

When: Saturday, August 14, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: East River Park
Cost: Free

Complexions Contemporary Ballet's mix of methods, styles and cultures has created an entirely new and exciting vision: a company dedicated to removing boundaries and transcending the limits of performance. Join this highly acclaimed dance company as they unveil an originally commissioned work by City Parks Foundation this season.

DJ Kool Herc
When: Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Cost: Free

DJ Kool Herc's creation of breaks and sampling has paved the way for hip hop music as we know it.



Public Enemy & Blitz The Ambassador
When: Sunday, August 15, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Cost: Free

The most influential and controversial rap group of the 80's performs on the 20th anniversary of their seminal album Fear of a Black Planet, with two rising and equally political new comers.

Chrisette Michele, Mario and Tamia
When: Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Cost: Free

Contemporary soul ingenues at the forefront of contemporary R&B.

Reminder: Summer Shows!

Don't forget to keep checking our Summer Shows page to keep up with all the best hip-hop and world music concerts taking place this summer!

NYC What's Poppin'?: Summer Shows!

Thursday, July 29: Vieux Farka Touré @ MetroTech Center

Vieux Farka Touré

Part of BAM's Rhythm & Blues Festival at MetroTech

Thu, Jul 29 at 12noon

"The son and torchbearer of West African musical icon Ali Farka Touré, Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Touré has more than filled his father’s shoes, concocting his own hybrid style that radiates with “joyful audacity” (The New York Times). With an exuberant guitar sound perched perfectly between the blistering, desert-bred twang of the West African kora and the electric distortion of Chicago blues, Touré’s music is a study in seamless musical crossbreeding, born of both urban grit and blue Sahara skies."

MetroTech Commons
Free!

Info: Bam

July 28 - Aug 15: Lincoln Out of Doors: Show Rundown Part 1

**Lincoln Out of Door is another one of NYC's great summer music series, featuring free shows nearly every day of the week. Below are some of the best ones for the first half of the program**

Thursday, July 29 at 7:00pm: DJA-Rara @ Josie Robertson Plaza

Brooklyn’s DJA-Rara reinvents the joyous drum and horn-fueled processional music of Haiti in a carnival of music, spirituality, and cultural activism.

Thursday, July 29 at 7:30pm: Ansanm (In Love We Stand) Ft. Emeline Michel, Beethova Obas, BélO, Zili Misik, and Peniel Guerrier in collaboration with the Mikerline Dance Company @ Damrosch Park Bandshell

The music of Haiti has served multiple life-affirming tasks for its people: revelry, resilience, and resistance. Emeline Michel, known on the island as the First Lady of Haitian Song, gathers several star performers for a celebration that’s as much about artistic solidarity as it is about spiritual healing. In the hands of troubadours BélO and Beethova Obas, heated rhythms become smoothly mellifluous, while the all-woman troupe Zili Misik forges a Creolized connection between Haiti’s ancestral mizik rasin and other New World styles like jazz, reggae, Afro-Cuban son, and samba. Peniel Guerrier and the Mikerline Dance Company serve as ambassadors of Haitian culture through masterful traditional dance.

Friday, July 30 at 7:30pm:Nona Hendryx and Nicholas Leichter Dance with Monstah Black: THE WHIZ: Over the Rainbow @ Damrosch Park Bandshell

Nona Hendryx has been a maverick at every stage of her shape-shifting career, from early days with girlgroup The Bluebelles to scoring hits as a co-founder of black rock/funk superstars Labelle to charming the underground with her raucous ingenuity and songwriting prowess. Featuring choreography by Nicholas Leichter, and an adapted score by Monstah Black with added selections, The Whiz is a fierce, full-spectrum original show of song, dance, and theatrical extravaganza. Ease on down the road to recession, and back from the brink of fantasy, in this remix of The Wizard of Oz for the Obama generation.

Wednesday, August 4 at 7:30pm: Robert Glasper Experiment with Q-Tip, Bilal, and Jose James' Blackmagic @ Damrosch Park Bandshell

Brilliant keyboardist Robert Glasper is on a mission to bring jazz to the masses by infusing it with chordal dynamism and beat consciousness. His band, the Experiment, is as comfortable swinging hot bebop riffs as it is laying down the funk for this evening’s superstar guests, hip-hop philosopher MC Q-Tip and neo-soul singer Bilal. Vocal powerhouse José James’ rich baritone retains the sparkle of jazz traditionalism even as it charms revelers on the dance-club circuit.

Thursday, August 5 at 7:30pm: 80th Birthday Celebration - Paul Taylor Dance Company and Taylor 2 @ Damrosch Park Bandshell

Celebrate the 80th birthday of a true giant of modern dance with both of his esteemed dance companies sharing a program for the first time

Friday, August 6 at 7:00pm: Asphalt Orchestra @ Josie Robertson Plaza
Also: Saturday, August 7 at 6:00pm @ Hearst Plaza and Sunday, August 8 at 6:00pm @ Broadway Plaza

An iconoclastic 12-piece marching band conceived by Bang on a Can, the Asphalt Orchestra performs ambitious processional music from every corner of the world. Its selections have the ability to coax funk from the funereal and turn a halftime show into a marvel of sophistication. Featuring world premiere commissions by Yoko Ono and David Byrne with Annie Clark. Movement by Susan Marshall and Mark DeChiazza. Uniforms by Elizabeth Hope Clancy.

Saturday, August 7 at 7:00pm, Balkan Beat Box and Mucca Pazza @ Damrosch Park Bandshell

The globetrotting brainchild of drummer-producer Tamir Muskat, sax monarch Ori Kaplan, and dynamic MC Tomer Yosef, Balkan Beat Box transforms equal parts Balkan-Mediterranean traditions, punk intensity, electronic cool, jazz discipline, and hiphop attitude into a globalist groove extravaganza.The astounding 30-plus member circus punk marching band Mucca Pazza bulks up anarchic brass arrangements with gloriously mischievous polyphony. And cheerleaders.

Info: Lincoln Out of Doors

2 Shows worth seeing at the Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series in East Flatbush

"The 28th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series performances are held Monday nights at 7:30 pm at Wingate Field, which is located on Brooklyn Avenue between Rutland Road and Winthrop Street opposite Kings County Hospital. Possible rain date on Tuesday night. The public is encouraged to bring their own chairs because seating is limited."

Musiq Soulchild adn Chrisette Michele: July 26
Salt-N-Peppa, Naughty By Nature, Slick Rick: Aug 2

Info: Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series

Summer Shows now have their own Page!

Click the tab for Summer Shows to view a packed rundown of the NYC concerts happening nearly every day this summer!

If we missed one that you know of, email nycwhatspoppin @ gmail with a tip!

Saturday, July 17: African Festival with Konono No. 1 @ Celebrate Brooklyn

African Festival with Konono No. 1, Omar Pene & Super Diamono, Chiwoniso, Meta & the Cornerstones and Djarara

"Our annual celebration of African music, food and culture builds to an ecstatic crescendo with the distortion-fueled trance music of Congolese thumb-piano wizards Konono No. 1. Dakar heavyweights Omar Pene & Super Diamono, seminal figures in the birth of the modern Senegalese sound, add a jolt of energy to the proceedings, while the distinctive voice of Zimbabwean Afro-soul diva Chiwoniso, the pan-African reggae of Meta & The Cornerstones, and the festival horns and drums from Haiti’s Djarara bring other unique flavors to the day."

CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! @ Prospect Park Bandshell
July 17, 2010
2:00 PM-9:00 PM
Gates open at 1:00pm

Info: BRIC Arts

Reminder: July Rundown! City Parks Concerts Across NYC

Don't forget about the Summer Stage Shows and City Parks sponsored events across NYC this month! July includes performances by EPMD, Seewe African Dance Company, Raphael Saadiq, Pharoahe Monch, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and much more!

NYC What's Poppin'?: July Rundown! City Parks Concerts Across NYC

Sunday July 11: OkayAfrica with The Roots and Talib Kweli @ Celebrate Brooklyn

OkayAfrica with The Roots and Talib Kweli
ft Sahr Ngaujah, Bajah + the Dry Eye Crew, Blitz the Ambassador and more

"The Roots headline the OkayAfrica World Cup 2010 Finals party to celebrate the first time in its 80-year history the tournament will take place on African soil. With a kick-off by Sahr Ngaujah, the star of the hit Broadway musical Fela!, the show features performances by artists from all corners of the Diaspora, including host Talib Kweli (Brooklyn), Bajah + The Dry Eye Crew (Sierra Leone), Blitz the Ambassador (Ghana), and many others to be announced."

CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! @ Prospect Park Bandshell
July 11, 2010
4:00 PM
Gates open at 3:00pm

Info: BRIC Arts

Friday July 2: The Fab 5/Uzalu @ Celebrate Brooklyn

The Fab 5 / Uzalu

"With four decades of touring under their belts and a library of live vintage party mix recordings to their credit, The Fab 5 embody the history of reggae and live up to their billing as “Jamaica's #1 Showband, celebrating 40 years of quality music.” "


CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! @ Prospect Park Bandshell
July 2, 2010
7:30 PM-10:00 PM
Gates open at 6:30pm

Info: BRIC Arts

Reminder #2: Get Your Tickets for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival!

Mon. 7/5 | Show & Prove:Hip-Hop Showcase/Competition

Tues. 7/6 | Classic Hip-Hop Film Night:Screen classics

Wed. 7/7 | Bodega Education Initiative: Panel discussions

Thurs. 7/8 | Salute the DJ:Night dedicated to the DJ

Fri. 7/9 | Kickoff Party: Night mixer for artists and press

Sat. 7/10 | Performance Day:Main performances

Sun. 7/10 | Family Day: Block party"

Info: NYC What's Poppin'?: Reminder: Get Your Tickets for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival!

July Rundown! City Parks Concerts Across NYC

SummerStage Theater

American Schemes by Radha Blank, Directed by Charlotte L. Brathwaite

When: Friday, July 2, 2010 at 8:00PM and Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 8:00PM at St. Mary’s Park and Friday, July 9, 2010 at 8:00PM at Crotona Park and Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 8:00PM

City Parks Foundation’s specially commissioned play, American Schemes delves into and explores the enigma of obtaining the American Dream.

SummerStage Music
NYC Revolutions Series: EPMD and Funkmaster Flex, Presented in Association with Globe Star Media
When: Thursday, July 15, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Queensbridge Park

Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of EPMD are famed as one of the breakthrough bands of the 1980’s NYC hip hop revolution.

SummerStage Dance
Seewe African Dance Company and Balafrohop
When: Friday, July 16, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Queensbridge Park

Seewe African Dance Company uses traditional African instruments such as the Bote, the Krin, the Balaphone and the Djembe orchestra, to accompany its high-energy performances that emphasize traditional African rhythms. The BalAfroHop Project fuses traditional ballet, African and hip-hop dance techniques with live drummers, DJs and music to create a show that exemplifies dance genres from around the world.

SummerStage Music
A Celebration of Giant Step's 20th Anniversary: Raphael Saadiq, Aloe Blacc, and Special Guests
When: Saturday, July 17, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage

Award-winning songwriting/producer/performer Raphael Saadiq brings new meaning to old soul.

SummerStage Music
Pharoahe Monch, Hosted by Danny Castro of Lyricist Lounge
When: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Queensbridge Park

Pharoahe Monch is one of underground hip-hop’s pre-eminent lyricists, crafting intricate and intelligent rhymes and having the ability to match them to the beats rolling off the turntables.

SummerStage Theater
"blood pudding" by Sharon Bridgforth, Directed by Baraka de Soleil
When: Friday, July 23, 2010 at 8:00PM and Saturday, July 24, 2010 at 8:00PM
Where: Springfield Park

blood pudding explores the history of Black people in New Orleans through a magical layering of theater, dance and song.



SummerStage Dance
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
When: Friday, July 23, 2010 at 8:00PM and Saturday, July 24, 2010 at 8:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage

The world-renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to SummerStage for a weekend of cutting edge dance performances.

SummerStage Music
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, Fool's Gold, and DJ Frank of Voodoo funk
When: Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage

An inside look into the past, present and future of West African music.




SummerStage Dance
Creative Outlet Dance Theatre and Kyle Abraham/ Abraham.In.Motion
When: Friday, July 30, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Jackie Robinson Park

Marrying modern and classical technique with African-American soul and spirit, Creative Outlet Dance Theatre creates dance pieces that captivate viewers. Abraham.In.Motion’s eclectic, pure energy dance arrangements will keep the audience enthralled.

SummerStage Dance
Earl Moseley's Institute of the Arts and Michael Leon Thomas' Motion Theater Lab
When: Saturday, July 31, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Jackie Robinson Park

Join Earl Moseley's highly acclaimed Institute of the Arts star dancers as they perform works grounded in ballet, modern, African, hip-hop, jazz and tap.Motion Theatre Lab will premiere their newest piece, Aquarius Rising to the sounds of classic underground dance music.

Info: SummerStage

Reminder: June Summer Shows

**Here are the rest of the best JUNE City Parks shows happening in Manhattan, the Bronx, and beautiful Brooklyn. Enjoy!**

Summerstage Dance: Rennie Harris RHAW and Le Soul Afrique with Special Guest Akim Funk Buddha
When: Friday, June 25, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: St. Mary’s Park , Bronx

Rennie Harris RHAW showcases the newest up and coming faces in hip-hop street dance. Acting as a global hip-hop collective of dancers, MCs and vocalists, Le Soul Afrique is not just a dance company, but a dance and music powerhouse.

SummerStage Dance: Abakua Afro-Latin Dance Company and Areytos Performance Works
When: Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: St. Mary’s Park, Bronx “ABAKUá Afro-Latin Dance Company’s use of pounding, dynamic rhythms and dramatic dance movements meshes Latin rhythmic styles with African beats.”

SummerStage Music: Tinariwen, Omar Souleyman, Toubab Krewe
When: Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Energizing rock rhythms and unexpected up-tempo dance beats from Africa and the Middle East will make you rethink party music.

SummerStage Music: Gil Scott-Heron
When: Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
The godfather of hip-hop and neo soul performs classics and music from his first new album in over fifteen years.

SummerStage Music: Definitely Poetry: Daniel Bernard Roumain with special guests Emeline Michel, Erol Josué, Cave Canem Poets: Gina Dorcely, Gregory Pardlo and Mervyn Taylor
When: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage

Innovative, cutting-edge poets and musicians with a special eye to the art of Haiti.

SummerStage Music: Nuyorican Poets Café
When: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage

The multicultural, multi-arts institution showcases new work from rising poets, actors, filmmakers and musicians.

SummerStage Music: DJ Kool Herc
When: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Bronx, TBD
DJ Kool Herc’s creation of breaks and sampling has paved the way for hip hop music as we know it.

Info: NYC What's Poppin'?: Summer Shows:

Reminder! Free June Summer Shows

*Just a reminder for upcoming City Parks sponsored shows! *

SummerStage Music: Big Daddy Kane with DJ Jon Quick
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at 7:00PM
Where: Herbert Von King Park, Brooklyn
Big Daddy Kane’s baritone voice and rapid-fire rap style has secured him a place as one of hip hop’s most influential, successful and lasting MCs.

SummerStage Theater: The Etymology Of Bird by Zakiyyah Alexander, Directed by Jade King-Carroll
When: Friday-Saturday, June 18-19, 2010 at 8:00PM
Where: Betsy Head Memorial Playground, Brooklyn
The Etymology of Bird delves into the Brooklyn, NY and explores questions on race relations, criminal justice, family life, love, fear, stereotypes, and hard choices seen through the eyes of various people.

SummerStage Music: NYC Pride Rally featuring Me’Shell Ndegéocello , Martha Wash, The New York Gay Men’s Chorus, Vickie Shaw, Billie Myers, Bruce Vilanch and more
When: Saturday, June 19, 2010 at 4:00PMWhere: Central Park/MainstageStrength, virtuosity and joyous revelry reflect the diversity of the LGBT community and the lineup of this incredible evening’s entertainment.

SummerStage Music: Fecircte De La Musique / Make Music NY Celebration: Salif Keita, Tabou Combo, Lo’Jo
When: Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 3:00PM
Where: Central Park/Mainstage
Iconic innovators from Mali and Haiti set the standards for global celebratory music, and are joined by the next generation of international visionaries.

Info: NYC What's Poppin'?: Summer Shows