On Governors Island last night, hundreds of fans stood through intermittent showers as Gang Gang Dance and The Walkmen played short sets to the soaked crowd. Gang Gang Dance's songs were hard to discern, and the group was joined by a man whose sole purpose appeared to be...

Ambiance often makes the show. Last Sunday night, Chairlift's performance at SummerStage managed to attain the perfect atmosphere at dusk in Central Park. Nevertheless, if the wind had not been consistently blowing through lead singer Caroline Polachek's hair during her entire set, it might...

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Arcade Fire and Spoon
Just a few...

As New York City (finally) becomes increasingly biker-friendly, more and more New Yorkers are giving up their metro cards and biking through the city. This summer, more than ever, New York City's free concerts are becoming bike-accessible, as event planners begin to truly take cyclists into consideration.

In the upcoming weeks, CMJ darlings Surfer Blood will be playing in Australia, Japan, and Norway. For a band that formed one year ago, this is hardly a small feat. Nevertheless, as drummer Tyler Schwarz explained, "I feel like just a normal dude, with an extremely...

Small Black and Beach Fossils fit into an overcrowded genre of lo-fi Brooklyn-based indie bands; four guys, one with thick black frames, two in flannel, three with scruffy beards. They make incredibly similar music, and they all look a little bit the same. As...

Robert Francis with Henry Wolf
NPR called Robert Francis "A young man with an old soul," referring to his singing-songwriting. At just 19, his emotional-beyond his years folk should easily fill the dark corners of Mercury Lounge.

Who: Robert Francis, Henry...

Last night, Nortec Collective graced SummerStage with a performance that included two iPads, two Stetsons, an accordion, a tuba and an enormous, 60's computer-style blinking machine.

Performing as part of New York City's week-long Latin Alternative Music Conference, the Mexico-based foursome Nortec Collective...

If you're one of those Manhattanites skeptical of the contemporary art scene in Long Island City, then you can easily recognize the incredible feat that P.S.1 has pulled off with their infamous summer DJ-dance-and-drinking series, Warm Up. Far from museum mile, P.S.1 has managed to entice...

After weeks of speculation, the secret guest of Vice and Intel's Creator's Project emerged on stage, decked out in flashing sunglasses, a camo-print hood and bright red lips. As screens throughout the eight-story Milk Studios building paused their live twitter feeds to announce that "your favorite Sri Lankan"...

In 1986, the Central Park Conservancy held the first SummerStage event in Manhattan. Since then, the City Parks Foundation has taken over and expanded the event immensely, and SummerStage has become an intrinsic part of a summer in New York City. While New Yorkers suffer through...

In 1996, OJ Simpson was on trial for murder. Princess Diana and Prince Charles were going through a scandalous divorce, Tupac was shot down, and Jon Benet Ramsey went missing. And in 1996, to the deep chagrin of my parents, I bounced around my room to the Backstreet...

In 1996, the OJ Simpson was on trial for murder. Princess Diana and Prince Charles were going through a scandalous divorce, Tupak was shot down, and Jon Benet Ramsey went missing. And in 1996, to the deep chagrin of my parents, I bounced around my room to the Backstreet Boy's...

The local middle school in Kathy Rednaur's old town used to call Child Abuse Services on her every few months. Eventually, she picked up and moved her children to Oberlin, Ohio. Kathy is a loving, single mother of eight. Four children are adopted from a black woman in the area...