Used to be a time when New York City was the mecca for free summer concerts. All the record labels would showcase their new up and coming talent in one of the many venues all around the city. Prospect Park’s bandshell and Central Park’s Rumsey Playground were the choice spots to hear good music and possibly meet the person that could give you some hot summer sex up to the month of October. Those were the days. The city still has a slew of free shows on it’s summer calendar, but remarkably there isn’t going to be anything worthwhile at Central Park. I wonder why.
I’ll discuss the politics of exclusion in another post, so for now take a peek at this schedule and highlight the events that you find sexy.
CityParks Foundation is the non-pro that runs the Central park Summerstage and many other in park concerts during the summer. Their schedule for July is looking right especially if you live in Brooklyn. Brazilian Girls, RICH MEDINA & BOBBITO, Litle Brother & JOELL ORTIZ all at Fort Greene Park. I am in there like swimwear.
The MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. Concert Series is where my dad used to take us for as long as I can remember. I would swear to you that I have seen STEPHANIE MILLS there at least a dozen times and she never fails to please. It’s a great night to bring someone that you are in love with. This season they open with ANGIE STONE and ANT HAMILTON. New soul in an old favorite place.
SOCRATES Sulpture Park in Queensbridge has released the schedule for their Wednesday night flim festival. ‘Motorcycle Diaries’ at night under the stars is about as close as you can ask for heaven on Earth.
I almost cursed the scheduling gods that put the Hudson River Flicks on the same day as SOCRATES’, but thankfully there isn’t a conflict. ‘Jaws’, ‘Goldfinger’, “Good Fellas’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange’ means that I may not be getting my NetFlix monies worth this summer. Check the schedule for their Friday nite shows too.
My favorite movie screening under the stars is now inside Brooklyn Bridge Park. The hipster reclamation of D.U.M.B.O. is now complete with their Thursday night film festival. This is one of the jazziest venues and its complemented with a jazzy DJ set that spins before each flick and a jazzy thai food stand that doles out what ever it is that hipsters eat. The festival has a hot little lineup this summer. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ will be fun, but ‘Pee Wee’s Big Adventure’ and ‘The Warriors’ make this spot my number one Thursday Jumpoff.
Bring a blanket C.S. and I will bring my flask. Holler at a moviegoer when you see one in the streets.
