40 Super Good Shows To See in NYC in March
The Radio Dept, Wilco, Grandaddy, Yo La Tengo, At the Drive-In, The Flaming Lips, Jose Gonzalez, Noname, Los Campesinos!, Tortoise, Sufjan Stevens, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Sunn 0))), The Zombies, Iron Chic, Noname, Teenage Fanclub, The Menzingers, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Alex Lahey, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Run The Jewels, Foxygen, Minus the Bear, Waxahatchee, Baths, Deafheaven, Jens Lekman & more!
Written by Patrick McNamara
There are a SO MANY good shows this month.
Here's why:
A.) SXSW overflow
B.) This is New York City.
Have fun going to all of them!
Some of them.
One?
You can definitely do one.
40 Super Good Shows To See in NYC This March
1. Grandaddy play Music Hall of Willliamsburg on Wednesday, March 1st and two shows at Rough Trade on Thursday, March 2nd.
The elderly Modesto, California band is playing their first NYC shows in over ten years (one of them is even free-ish) to start off this super good month of shows.
If you somehow missed out on their classic indie rock goodness because you were doing other things in the early Aughts (some of you were maybe being born?) please remember it's never too late to get into somebody good.
Catch-up by listening to Grandaddy's excellent 2000 album below. It's no sophomore slump.
2. Noname plays (le) poisson rouge on Thursday, March 2nd.
Noname* is a poet / rapper from Chicago.
Think dope flow meets sweet laid-back jazzy beats meets zero fucks given.
She's chill like that.
File Under: Beats / Rhymes / Life
3. The Radio Dept. play Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday, March 8th (tickets) and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday, March 9th.
The beloved Swedish indie popsters play their first NYC shows in six years!
Go if you like solid catchy melodies that will make you feel a bit better about the state of things because music is a magical thing.
Make sure to get there on time to see openers, Germans ----> a classic POP JAM
Please note: these shows are sold-out (sorry I didn't do it I just blob here) but where there's a will - there's a pay.
4. The Flaming Lips play Terminal 5 on Thursday, March 9th.
"He hasn't dropped them...forgot them...or anything.
It's just too heavy....for Superman....to lift."
(some claim The Flaming Lips have released other albums since 1999's The Soft Bulletin where that song lyric is from but I'm not buying it)
5. Jose Gonzalez plays The Appel Room at Lincoln Center on Friday, March 10th.
Jose Gonzalez is the greatest Argentinian-Swedish indie folk singer of all time. You heard it here FOURTH.
This excellent music man participates in Lincoln Center's American Songbook series by playing his good songs.
For you!
6. Los Campesinos! play Warsaw on Friday, March 10th (tickets).
This super fun (please note the exclamation point in their name) indie pop band from Wales (born 2006 A.D.) play their first NYC show in three years.
Go if you want to feel good on March 10th.
(Read this profile I wrote ten years ago where I compared Los Campesinos! to The Unicorns and Art Brut and The Go! Team. LOL. Such simpler times.)
RIYL: Improved Moods
7. Tortoise plays (le) poisson rouge on Wednesday, March 15th and The Hall at MP on Thursday, March 16th (tickets).
Tortoise are so good they made every other Chicago indie / electronic / experimental band that came along and bit their style after them sound totally boring.
If I want to be lulled to sleep by complex, carefully constructed instrumental music I want to be lulled to sleep by the originators - the best.
Tortoise forever!
(Never forget this classic UNKLE remix.)
8. Tibet House Benefit at Carnegie Hall on Thursday, March 16th w/ Sufjan Stevens, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith & more.
Iggy who?
Patti huh?
Sufjan what?
A bunch of no names play this benefit for Tibet House.
Sold.
Out.
9. Sunn 0))) play Knockdown Center on Friday, March 17th (tickets).
Seattle experimental metal band Sunn 0))) will drone your face towards oblivion.
Doesn't that sound fun? You bet! And how!
First NYC show in five years, yo.
Don't get scared.
10. Wilco play Beacon Theater on Saturday, March 18th (tickets) / Sunday, March 19th (tickets) / Tuesday, March 21st (tickets) / Wednesday, March 22nd (tickets).
As a dad, I don't often rock.
But when I do, it's always thanks to Wilco.
All four of these shows are sold-out but check here for expensive tickets if you really want to go, daddio.
#dadrock #dadtothebone #hiptobedad
11. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever play Bowery Ballroom on Tuesday, March 21st (tickets) and Wednesday, March 22nd (tickets).
This is just an excuse to get you to listen to this new Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever song.
You'll love it. Sup Pod (sp?) Records already does.
(spoiler: Melbourne jingle jangle garage pop)
12. At The Drive-In play Terminal 5 on Wednesday, March 22nd.
First NYC show in at LEAST 8 months!
Post-hardcore will never die but u will.
RIYL: Relationship of Command
13. Yo La Tengo play Town Hall on Thursday, March 23rd (tickets).
"Do you think we'll ever send a man to the moon?"
- the members of Yo La Tengo shooting the shit during their very first band practice
(LOL! because they're so old! LOL!)
But seriously tho, YLT rules.
14. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith plays Knockdown Center on Friday, March 24th (tickets).
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is an experimental composer from Orcas Island.
The music she makes is dope as hell.
Listen to this goodness and enjoy your trip to Mars, man.
15. Alex Lahey plays Rough Trade on Friday, March 24th and Mercury Lounge on Saturday, March 25th (tickets).
Alex Lahey is a laid-back lo fi pop rocker from Melbourne, Australia (just 10,353 miles away in current traffic).
Think sticky hooks meets a totally chill who gives a f*** vibe meets solid gold slacker hit.
I'm OK. You're OK. Everything is chill.
16. Iron Chic play Union Pool on Friday, March 24th (tickets).
One of the best punk / hardcore punk bands playing the game today.
Iron Chic are 100% fun to see live.
Watch this video real quick if u don't believe me.
(And next time consider trusting your favorite DIY blob.)
17. The Zombies play Town Hall on Saturday, March 25th (tickets).
The Zombies have been a band for 55 years. Is that a long time?
Please note: this song always reminds me of The Wonder Years.
18. Teenage Fanclub play Warsaw on Monday, March 27th (tickets).
Start here.
19. The Menzingers play Irving Plaza on Thursday, March 30th (tickets).
The weirdest thing happened to me last week.
I listened to the entire Menzingers discography on repeat and found myself in a good mood for like the entire day.
It was crazy, man.
20. King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard play Webster Hall on Friday, March 31st (tickets).
This is one of the most popular upcoming shows on the entire blob.
Come join these Australian* expats on a cosmic journey through physical space and socially constructed time. It'll be a chill trip!
*I think they live in NYC now. I have no idea. I don't "research" when I write these really good features every month. I just trust my #heart.
Rounding Out The Top 40:
21. Run the Jewels at Terminal 5
22. Robyn Hitchock w/ Yo La Tengo at Bowery Ballroom
25. Jens Lekman at Bowery Ballroom
27. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at (le) poisson rouge
29. Potty Mouth at Baby's All Right
30. You Blew It! at Brooklyn Night Bazaar
31. The Joy Formidable at (le) poisson rouge
32. Devendra Banhart at Webster Hall
33. The So So Glos at Brooklyn Night Bazaar
34. A Place to Bury Strangers at Villain
35. Slothrust at Mercury Lounge
36. Regina Spektor at Radio City Music Hall
37. Laura Stevenson at (le) poisson rouge
38. Minus the Bear at Webster Hall
40. Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby at WFMU Monty Hall
Hope these 40 good shows help you on your rich and rewarding show going journey.
See you out there.
At all of them.
Every.
Single.
One?
