New York’s FREE Summer Concerts are Amazing This Year

Against the affidavits from my East Coast friends that I’d “love New York. It’s no bullshit, just like you. People in California get offended by you because they’re too sensitive…but you…you’d fit right in. Don’t you want to rekindle your Puerto Ricanness?”

I have never been to New York.

To me, it’s nothing more than literature and poems by Miguel Pinero. Art by Dondi, Basquiat and Zephyr. Film scenes from Manhattan, Do the Right Thing, You’ve Got Mail and Sex and the City (don’t hate). Music of The Ramones, Talking Heads and Public Enemy. It intimidates and terrifies me, as I seem to terrify and intimidate those around me at Dolores Park.

But for the amount of free shows that I was adding to our summer calendar this morning, a flight + a couchsurfing friendly roof over my head seems almost worth the risk visiting the Big Apple. And if you already live there, offer me a plane ticket and a place to stay, or just drag your ass to one of the events and forward the photos to me.

Bric Arts Media is having a series of FREE events that include a showcase with Janelle Monae. The City Parks Foundation is presenting: SummerStage, a summer event featuring three months of free music and theatre to the masses of every damn borough in NY. Yes, even you Staten Island! There are free shows with big name artists that I would never pay to see: J. Lo (although On the Floor is the business), and Pharrell Williams.

But, there are also artists that I would stab you with a rusty fork covered in dried chicharrón bits to see: Bebel Gilberto, Deltron 3030, John Leguizamo, Fania All Stars, and St. Vincent (and her erratic feet-draggin’ electric slide dancing). This is just scratching the epidermis.

It’s all FREE, people. It’s all free.

image from NYC Daily Deals