Free Concerts in August in New York City

mxmtoon, photographed above at Racket NYC in 2023, will perform a free concert at the Wells Fargo Stage in Hudson Yards on August 6

What’s in your wallet? A concert night in New York City can run into triple digits after the cost of tickets, parking, souvenirs and a bite to eat. It does not have to be that way. Many New York City venues offer free admission, even if the promoter’s expectation might be that patrons will spend some cash on food, drinks or souvenirs. In some cases, the musicians will pass a tip bucket.

Everynight Charley recommends the following free concerts in the New York City area in August. Consult the web site or social media of the venue for more information about a show, including location and directions, parking, ticket availability, show times, age restrictions, and COVID compliance.  

The Manhattan Beat also celebrates the musicians who have performed free concerts in recent weeks. Photographs from these free shows are sprinkled in between the listings.

Dead T00th at Rough Trade Below on July 26 (photograph by Kevin Keane)

Friday, August 1

• Doug E. Fresh, Funk Flex, Taana Gardner, Strafe, Fonda Rae, T La Rock, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Scorpio and the Furious Five at Crotona Park
• Mireya Ramos, Talibah Safiya, Morley at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band at Bryant Park
• Sam Amidon at the Glade at Little Island
• Anella at Broadway Plaza
• The Black Angels NYC, the Brunettes, Fandango NYC at Otto's Shrunken Head
• 37 Houses at Pete's Candy Store

Saturday, August 2

• Gogol Bordello, Puzzled Panther, Pons at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• Gaye Su Akyol, BCUC, El Laberinto del Coco, Natu Camara at Damrosch Park Bandshell
• KiDi, Skrewfaze, DJ Chvmeleon at Crotona Park
• The TarantinosNYC, Flying Faders, Band of Others at Otto's Shrunken Head

Sunday, August 3

• Ted Leo, Aitis Band at Union Pool
• Rebelmatic, Ricanstruction, Future Strangers, Labretta Suede & the Motel Six, Frida Kill, Carlos the Chords, Skitzopolis at Tompkins Square Park
• Crazy Eddie, Brass Knuckle Brigade, Enziguri, 4 in the Chamber, Goatamentise at the Bowery Electric
• Gipsy Ruffina, SoulCake at Otto's Shrunken Head
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar

Ditch at Rough Trade Below on July 26 (photograph by Kevin Keane)

Monday, August 4

• Rev. Vince Anderson & the Love Choir at Union Pool
• Ethan Eubanks at the Red Lion
• Big Ed's Blues Jam at the Red Lion
• Mona's Monday Night Bluegrass Session at Mona's
• Anti Hoot Open Mic at Baker Falls

Tuesday, August 5

• Cardinal Black (acoustic) at Rough Trade Below
• Brewster Moonface at Cowgirl Seahorse
• Sam Brown & Hearts on Fire at the 11th St. Bar
• Mona's Tuesday Night Hot Jazz at Mona's
• NY Blues Rockets at Sour Mouse NYC

Avishag Cohen Rodrigues at Tompkins Square Park on July 26

Wednesday, August 6

• mxmtoon at Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens
• Kim Changwan Band, TOUCHED at Damrosch Park
• Judy Santos at the Lincoln Center Plaza
• Bluegrass Wednesdays at Mathilde
• Otto's Wednesday Open Mic at Otto's Shrunken Head
• Jazz Trio and Jam with Russ Nolan at Sour Mouse NYC

Thursday, August 7

• Bilal at Wagner Park
• Brooklyn Rider, Kinan Azmeh, Magos Herrera, Mathias Kunzli at Damrosch Park Bandshell
• Kelly Moran at the Underground at Jaffe Drive in Lincoln Center

Friday, August 8

• Dez Duron at Bryant Park
• Adrian Quesada, Trish Toledo at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• m.s. RedCherries, Danez Smith, Speedy Ortiz at Wagner Park

Two Man Giant Squid at Tompkins Square Park on July 26

Saturday, August 9

• Raekwon, the Chef at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• Snow Tha Product, MC Millaray, J Noa, YEИDRY, Empress Of, PAMÉ, Sofia Rei at the Damrosch Park Bandshell
• Isaac Delgado, Alain Perez, Aymee Nuviola, Brenda Navarrete, Melvis Santana at Central Park SummerStage
• Lizz Wright, Ravi Coltrane Quartet, Roy Hargrove Big Band at Madison Square Park
• Rakim, Positive K, Sweet Tee, Joe Ski Love, Nice & Smooth, Ralph McDaniels, DJ Chubby Chub at Stapleton Waterfront Park
• Daddy Long Legs, Native Sun, Dead T00th, the Thing, 95 Bulls, Dion Luna at Tompkins Square Park
• Moon Sand Land, Rat Palace, Pop Music Fever Dream, Strawberry Runners, gobbinjr at Rippers

Sunday, August 10

• The Originals, Rich Medina, Stretch Armstrong, Tony Touch at Central Park SummerStage
• La Sonora Ponceña, Judy Torres, Linda EPO, DJ Millo at Stapleton Waterfront Park
• Gunn/Truscinski Duo at Union Pool
• Daddy Long Legs, Native Sun, Dead T00th, the Thing, 95 Bulls, Dion Luna at Tompkins Square Park
• Carl Banks at the Red Lion
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar

Joudy at Tompkins Square Park on July 26

Monday, August 11

• voyeur, Holidays in the United States at Elsewhere Rooftop
• Rev. Vince Anderson & the Love Choir at Union Pool
• Big Ed's Blues Jam at the Red Lion
• Mona's Monday Night Bluegrass Session at Mona's
• Anti Hoot Open Mic at Baker Falls

Tuesday, August 12

• The Bakersfield Breakers at the 11th St. Bar
• Mona's Tuesday Night Hot Jazz at Mona's
• NY Blues Rockets at Sour Mouse NYC

Wednesday, August 13

• Grace VanderWaal at Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens
• Bluegrass Wednesdays at Mathilde
• Jazz Trio and Jam with Russ Nolan at Sour Mouse NYC
• Otto's Wednesday Open Mic at Otto's Shrunken Head

Jill Fiore at the 11th Street Community Garden on July 26

Thursday, August 14

• FERG, Hunter Bdm, TGUT & Friends, DJ Fat Boy at Marcus Garvey Park
• Solomon Hicks at Broadway Plaza
• Big Girl, Eclectic Charango Beats, Ranch Ranch at Plaza33
• Tea Eater, Revenge Wife, Jasno at Sleepwalk
• Leah Tash Band, Rat City Sunrise at the 11th St. Bar

Friday, August 15

• Sunny Jain, Gamelan Dharma Swara at Bryant Park
• William Parker, Nikara and Black Wall Street at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• Terri Lyne Carrington, Christie Dashiell at Marcus Garvey Park

Magic Forest NYC at Baker Falls on July 27

Saturday, August 16

• Phuture, Waajeed, Rimarkable, Joe Claussell, Charlie Dark, King Britt at Central Park SummerStage
• Christopher Williams, Soul for Real, Gina Thompson, Allure, Funk Flex, Adina Howard at the Coney Island Amphitheater
• Nick Hakim at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park
• Blackburn Brothers, Seydurah Avecmoi, Dawn Tyler Watson, Jonathan Kalb, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Nikki Hill, Jimmy Hill and the Allstarz, Ivy Ford at Pier 76
• Marissa Nadler at Rough Trade Below
• Gnarcissists, Lowballer, Youth Large, Ghost Crab at Rippers
• Squirrels from Hell at Pete's Candy Store

Sunday, August 17

• Funk Flex, Honey Bxby, Girlfriend, Babyswag, Lomiiel, N T G, Kocky Ka, DJ M U at Central Park SummerStage
• Moor Mother, Rasheedah Phillips, Vijay Iyer, Shana Redmond, LaFrae Sci, Joy Guidry, Niecy Blues, Sonic Messengers, King Britt at Marcus Garvey Park
• The Hard Quartet at Union Pool
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar

Monday, August 18

• Emily Duff Band at Cowgirl
• Rev. Vince Anderson & the Love Choir at Union Pool
• Big Ed's Blues Jam at the Red Lion
• Mona's Monday Night Bluegrass Session at Mona's
• Anti Hoot Open Mic at Baker Falls

Too Many Lauras at Baker Falls on July 27

Tuesday, August 19

• Mona's Tuesday Night Hot Jazz at Mona's
• NY Blues Rockets at Sour Mouse NYC

Wednesday, August 20

• Bluegrass Wednesdays at Mathilde
• Jazz Trio and Jam with Russ Nolan at Sour Mouse NYC
• Otto's Wednesday Open Mic at Otto's Shrunken Head

Joe Bendik at Baker Falls on July 27

Thursday, August 21

• Omni, Grumpy at Baby's All Right

Friday, August 22

• Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra at Bryant Park
• Ron Carter, April May Webb at Marcus Garvey Park

Saturday, August 23

• Nicholas Payton, Bertha Hope Quintet, Georgia Heers at Marcus Garvey Park

Ethan Eubanks' Blues Bangers at the 11th St. Bar on July 29

Sunday, August 24

• Dee Dee Bridgewater, Bill Charlap, Gary Bartz, The Jazz Gallery All-Stars, Lucia at Tompkins Square Park
• The Sun Ra Arkestra at Union Pool
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar

Monday, August 25

• Greg Freeman at Rough Trade Below
• Rev. Vince Anderson & the Love Choir at Union Pool
• Town Cryer at Cowgirl Seahorse
• Big Ed's Blues Jam at the Red Lion
• Mona's Monday Night Bluegrass Session at Mona's
• Anti Hoot Open Mic at Baker Falls

The Electrix at Shore Road Park on July 29

Tuesday, August 26

• Ethan Eubanks' Blues Bangers at the 11th St. Bar
• Seahorse/Porch Stomp Sessions at Cowgirl Seahorse
• Mona's Tuesday Night Hot Jazz at Mona's
• NY Blues Rockets at Sour Mouse NYC

Wednesday, August 27

• Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience at Central Park SummerStage
• Pinkshift (acoustic) at Rough Trade Below
• Bluegrass Wednesdays at Mathilde
• Jazz Trio and Jam with Russ Nolan at Sour Mouse NYC
• Otto's Wednesday Open Mic at Otto's Shrunken Head

Friday, August 29

• Accordions Around the World at Bryant Park

G Wyll at Broadway Plaza on July 30

Saturday, August 30

• Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra, Vernon Reid, Corey Glover, Joan As Police Woman at Bryant Park

Sunday, August 31

• IZA, Ilê Aiyê, Evandro Fióti at Central Park SummerStage
• Sam Amidon at the Glade in Little Island
• Dmize, Nailed to the Cross, Cropsey, Jackknife Johnny, Concrete Burial at the Bowery Electric
• The Irish Seisiún at the 11th St. Bar

Jazz Trio and Jam with Russ Nolan at Sour Mouse NYC on July 30

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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 calendar.