Rockness Recommends

Best Shows This Week (August 18 - 24) in NYC

Neil Young and the chrome hearts, Sun Ra Arkestra, Omni, Billy Idol, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Katy Kirby, Case Oats, Lowertown, Al Olender, Still House Plants, Ben Folds, Grumpy, The Mystery Lights, Silversun Pickups, The Starting Line & more!

August 18, 2025

TUESDAY
Case Oats plays Night Club 101, a twee-rific new Chicago indie-alt-country-pop crew led by Casey Gomez Walker with Spencer Tweedy on drums. Will go.
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TUESDAY
Captivating Kingston, NY songwriter Al Olender makes a splash at Union Pool: RIYL: v. solid country-twinged folk pop.
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WEDNESDAY
London post ___ art rockers Still House Plants play a *free show* at Night Club 101. This band deserves their flowers.
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WEDNESDAY
Stellar Nashville songwriter Katy Kirby continues her August residency at Cassette. Don't walk man. Run.
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WEDNESDAY
Nice day for a Billy Idol and Joan Jett show.
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THURSDAY
Atlanta lo-fi jangle punks Omni play a *free show* at Baby's All Right with v. solid support from Grumpy.
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THURSDAY
Ben Folds is rockin' the boroughs with an intimate show at National Sawdust.
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FRIDAY
So you think you can dance at an art museum? Go to the last MoMA PS 1 Warm Up of the summer and test your skills.
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SATURDAY
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic play Palladium Times Square. Help him find the funk (ho!)
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SATURDAY & SUNDAY
For what it's worth, Neil Young and the chrome hearts play Jones Beach and Bethel Woods Center this weekend. heart of gold, that one.
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SATURDAY
Go to the Overall Block Party in East Williamsburg and see The Mystery Lights and more good bands play for free!
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SUNDAY
Lowertown headlines a rally for Zohran Mamdani at Union Pool with more indie rock rallies to come.
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SUNDAY
Quintessential cosmic jazz collective The Sun Ra Arkestra plays the last free afternoon Summer Thunder show of the season at Union Pool.
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OTHER NOTABLE SHOWS THIS WEEK:
Silversun Pickups (win tickets), Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Bonny Doon, Bloomsday, Karl Denison's Tiny Universe, The Starting Line, Portraits of Past (win tickets), Depresion Tropical, Freezing Cold, Pets, Brian Case, Whisper Doll, Babe City, Oceanator, Anna Altman, Genre Is Death, Sublime, Laura Elliott, OK Cool, Holly Overton, The Struts (win tickets), Lady Gaga, Madeline Kenney, Samer Ghadry, Sarah Sherman, Darci (win tickets), Hermitage Green (win tickets), Know Good (win tickets), Yeah Baby, Leathered, Futurebirds, Boyscoutmarie and more!