The Best Live Music on Labor Day Weekend

James Taylor, photographed above at the Love Rocks NYC concert at the Beacon Theatre in 2023, will headline at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on Saturday evening

The Manhattan Beat regularly lists the best live music events coming to the New York City area. The twice-weekly guide also celebrates via photographs some of the musicians who have performed locally in the past few days.

Everynight Charley recommends the following 50+ concerts this week in the New York City area. For more information about a show, including location and directions, parking, ticket availability, show times, age restrictions, and COVID compliance, consult the web site or social media of the venue.

Wallows headlined at Madison Square Garden on August 23 (photograph by @emmawanniephoto/MSG Entertainment)

Benee at Madison Square Garden on August 23 (photograph by @emmawanniephoto/MSG Entertainment)

Erykah Badu at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park on August 23, the first day of Afropunk

Larissa Luz (center) at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park on August 23

Friday, August 30

• Asake at Madison Square Garden
• Dom Dolla, Fcukers, Natasha Diggs at Forest Hills Stadium
• Machel Montano at the Apollo Theater
• JT at Palladium Times Square
• Dystinct at the Music Hall of Williamsburg
• Uniform, Poison Ruin, LEYA at the Bowery Ballroom
• ADULT., Pelada, Nuovo Testamento at the Ruins at the Knockdown Center
• Fernanda Abreu, Paulinho Moska, Zelia Duncan at Irving Plaza
• Israel Vibration, Roots Radics, Khalilah Rose at Sony Hall
• A Murder of Crows: KITE, Frank the Baptist, Bootblacks, Christ vs. Warhol, the Neuro Farm at Brooklyn Made
• Walter Trout at the Iridium
• Dion Lunadon, Shining Faces, Diane & the Gentle Men at the Bowery Electric
• The National Reserve at Skinny Dennis
• Pete Mancini & the Hillside Airmen, the Belle Curves, Kira Metcalf at the Parkside Lounge
• Phil Gammage (duo) at Pangea Front Lounge
• Axel Barragan at Catalyst Records
• David “Doc” French Trio at Terra Blues
• The Junior Mack Band at Terra Blues

Lynyrd Skynyrd at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on August 22

ZZ Top at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on August 22

The Outlaws at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on August 22

Jerry Douglas at City Winery NYC on August 23 (photograph by Charles David)

Saturday, August 31

• Los Temerarios at Madison Square Garden
• Mavado, Vanessa Bling, Mr. Vegas, Aidonia, Elephant Man, Ding Dong, T.O.K., Serani, Wayne Wonder at Barclays Center
• Marshmello, Alan Walker, Timmy Trumpet, Borgeous, Dzeko, Sensei, Jokah at the Brooklyn Mirage
• James Taylor at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
• Porter Robinson, ericdoa at Forest Hills Stadium
• Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Andy Frasco & the UN, Dogs in a Pile at the Rooftop at Pier 17
• Machel Montano at the Apollo Theater
• Babe Rainbow, Very Nice Person at the Rockaway Hotel
• G. Herbo, Lil Poppa, Funk Flex at Palladium Times Square
• TKA, George Lamond, Judy Torres, Cynthia, Safire, the Cover Girls, Betty D, Coro, Lisette Melendez, Pretty Poison, cast members from Gravesend at the Coney Island Amphitheater
• Dystinct at the Music Hall of Williamsburg
• Darkness, Deceased, Detente, Blood Feast, Morbid Saint, Insanity, Abominog, Another Demon at the Brooklyn Monarch
• A Murder of Crows: The March Violets, the Bellwether Syndicate, 1919, Rosegarden Funeral Party, Lathe of Heaven at Brooklyn Made
• Mother Feather, New Myths, Two Girls NYC at Baby's All Right
• Walter Trout at the Iridium
• Kiosk at le Poisson Rouge
• Sanjoy, Muza, Xefer, Farooque at Racket NYC
• Nino Disco, Pop Music Fever Dream, Violette Grim, Lily Desmond, Cohort B at 18th Ward Brewing
• Ricky Stein & the Blue Callers at the Bitter End
• Labretta Suede and the Motel 6, the Arkhams, Civil Rats, Miniskirt at Otto's Shrunken Head
• Junior Mack (acoustic) at Terra Blues
• The SaRon Crenshaw Band at Terra Blues

The Gaslight Anthem at SummerStage Central Park on August 21

Joyce Manor at SummerStage Central Park on August 21

Pinkshift at SummerStage Central Park on August 21

New Moon Acoustic Blues at Fred's Dog House on August 23 (photograph by Seth Okrend)

Sunday, September 1

• Los Temerarios at Madison Square Garden
• Subtronics, Said the Sky b2b William Black, ARMNHMR, Kaivon, Level Up at the Brooklyn Mirage
• Deep Purple, Yes, Hannah Wicklund at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
• Badfish, Reggaelar People at the Rockaway Hotel
• Machel Montano at the Apollo Theater
• King Buzzo at White Eagle Hall
• Medikal and Friends at Palladium Times Square
• Lil Dusty G, Ronen, Brevin Kim, Suisside at the Sultan Room
• Omni, TVOD, Venus Twins, Valley Girls, the Licks, Michael Karson at TV Eye
• Winterwolf, Pippy, Car Becomes Airplane, Crusasis at Tompkins Square Park
• RIP Dunes, Floating Witch's Head at Berlin
• Tony & the Kiki, Skorts at Our Wicked Lady
• Emy and the Epix, the Rockabelles at Culture Lab LIC
• Jess Kumar and Andrew Whitney at Book Club
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar
• New Moon Acoustic Blues at Terra Blues
• New York Gremmies w. Noé Socha at Arthur's Tavern
• The Pioneers at Terra Blues

Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls at the Starland Ballroom on August 23 (photograph by Ehud Lazin)

The Bridge City Sinners at the Starland Ballroom on August 23 (photograph by Ehud Lazin)

Bedouin Soundclash at the Starland Ballroom on August 23 (photograph by Ehud Lazin)

NY Blues Rockets jam at Sour Mouse on September 27

Monday, September 2 Labor Day

• The James Rocket, Curtis Suburban, Gary Hood, Quintic Function at the Parkside Lounge
• New Moon Acoustic Blues at Terra Blues
• Big Ed's Blues Jam at the Red Lion
• Mona's Monday Night Bluegrass Session at Mona's
• Monday Blues & Roots Jam w. Joe Taino at Stitch Bar & Blues
• Richie Cannata's Monday Night Jam at the Bitter End
• The T Blues Band w. Junior Mack & SaRon Crenshaw at Terra Blues

Past Planets at Heaven Can Wait on August 26

The Girls Upstairs at Heaven Can Wait on August 22 (photograph by Ira Zadikow)

Two Headed Woman at Heaven Can Wait on August 22 (photograph by Ira Zadikow)

Strange Neighbors at Arlene's Grocery on August 25 (photograph by Ira Zadikow)

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The Manhattan Beat reports on New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the The Manhattan Beat home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."

For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's August and September calendars.