Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park 2017 free shows (Yeasayer, Andrew Bird, Whitney, Amadou & Mariam, more)
A handful of ticketed BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival shows in Prospect Park have already been announced for 2017, including Sufjan's Planetarium, Sylvan Esso, two Fleet Foxes shows, The Shins, and Conor Oberst/Hop Along/Big Thief. Now, the 2017 season of FREE SHOWS has been announced. Opening night is June 7 with Lake Street Dive.
Here are some highlights:
Alice Smith headlines on June 10 with direct support from the great Bilal and opener Kris Bowers.
On Saturday, June 17, '90s hitmaker Lisa Loeb will headline this year's daytime (3 PM) Family Concert. She'll be joined by Brooklyn orchestra The Knights.
June 22 is one of this year's big indie triple bills with Brooklyn psych popsters Yeasayer headlining, direct support from art pop group Polica, and an opening set by indie rock true believers Cymbals Eat Guitars.
Jazz legend and former member of John Coltrane's band, Pharoah Sanders headlines on June 23 with Brooklyn Raga Massive doing a Coltrane tribute.
NOLA brass band The Soul Rebels will headline on June 24, joined by Brooklyn rap staple Talib Kweli for their set. Opening is a collaborative set from another veteran New York rapper, Pharoahe Monch, with New York newcomer Kirk Knight (of Pro Era), whose sound owes a lot to hip hop's golden age. Before that, it's opener Goapele, and Natasha Diggs is your DJ for the evening.
Reggae revivalist (and Major Lazer collaborator) Chronixx plays July 8 with Chop & Quench and Laolu NYC.
Genre-bending electronic musician Quantic plays a live set on July 14 with openers Tei Shi and Alex Anwandter.
As predicted, Malian music duo Amadou & Mariam's tour includes a Prospect Park show this summer, and it happens on July 21. Brooklyn based Moroccan Gnawa group Innov Gnawa (who have been collaborating with Bonobo this year) open, and Sinkane lead Ahmed Gallab is DJing.
Another exciting one for indie fans: whistling, loop-pedal-happy, violin-playing singer/songwriter Andrew Bird plays on July 28 with jazz bassist/singer Esperanza Spalding (who he's collaborated with recently and has other tour dates with this year).
Banjo wiz Bela Fleck and his band The Flecktones headline on August 3 with support from the always-fantastic Nellie McKay.
Experimental guitarist Nels Cline presents his new album Lovers on August 5 with the great singer/songwriter Sam Amidon opening.
Another big indie triple bill happens on August 11 with soft rockers Whitney headlining, direct support Moses Sumney, and an opening set from the folky Weyes Blood.
Wrapping this season up is the beloved, influential, prolific Senegalese artist Youssou N'Dour on August 12. He's the subject of multiple acclaimed films, and he's worked with Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, and more. Opening is Malian artist Yacouba Sissoko.
Once again, all these shows are FREE (though they have a small, suggested donation). Full lineup -- including dance, film, and more -- below.
BRIC CELEBRATE BROOKLYN! FESTIVAL IN PROSPECT PARK -- 2017 LINEUP
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 8:00 P.M.
Opening Night Concert
LAKE STREET DIVE
FREE
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 7:00 P.M.
ALICE SMITH | BILAL | KRIS BOWERS
FREE
THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 7:00 P.M.
THE SHINS
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
SOLD OUT
SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 3:00 P.M.
Family Concert
LISA LOEB with THE KNIGHTS
FREE
THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 7:00 P.M.
YEASAYER | POLIÇA | CYMBALS EAT GUITARS
FREE
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 7:30 P.M.
American Express Series
PHAROAH SANDERS | BROOKLYN RAGA MASSIVE: COLTRANE TRIBUTE
FREE
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, 7:00 P.M.
Bud Light Music Series
THE SOUL REBELS featuring TALIB KWELI | PHAROAHE MONCH & KIRK KNIGHT | GOAPELE | NATASHA DIGGS OF #SOULINTHEHORN
FREE
THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 7:30 P.M.
LILA DOWNS | ORKESTA MENDOZA
FREE
FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 8:00 P.M.
GARTH FAGAN DANCE
FREE
THURSDAY, JULY 6, 8:00 P.M.
PILOBOLUS
FREE
FRIDAY, JULY 7, 7:30 P.M.
MUSIQ SOULCHILD | PEOPLE’S CHAMPS
FREE
SATURDAY, JULY 8, 7:00 P.M.
Bud Light Music Series
CHRONIXX | CHOP & QUENCH | LAOLU NYC
FREE
THURSDAY, JULY 13, 7:30 P.M.
Bud Light Music Series
ROBERT RANDOLPH & THE FAMILY BAND | ERIC KRASNO
FREE
FRIDAY, JULY 14, 7:00 P.M.
Bud Light Music Series
QUANTIC (LIVE) | TEI SHI | ÁLEX ANWANDTER
FREE
SATURDAY, JULY 15, 7:30 P.M.
BEN L’ONCLE SOUL | SWEET CRUDE
FREE
TUESDAY, JULY 18, 7:00 P.M.
SUFJAN STEVENS, NICO MUHLY, BRYCE DESSNER & JAMES MCALISTER:
PLANETARIUM
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
$50 advance / $55 day of
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or AXS.com
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 7:00 P.M.
CONOR OBERST | HOP ALONG | BIG THIEF
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
$40.50 advance / $46 day of show
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or AXS.com
FRIDAY, JULY 21, 7:30 P.M.
AMADOU & MARIAM | INNOV GNAWA | AHMED GALLAB DJ SET
FREE
SATURDAY, JULY 22, 7:00 P.M.
MASHROU’ LEILA | DAWN OF MIDI | DJ KHATIR
FREE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 7:30 P.M.
SYLVAN ESSO | MIDDLE KIDS
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
$35 advance
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or AXS.com
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 7:30 P.M.
Music & Movies
MACISTE ALL’INFERNO with live score by SEXMOB | REVEREND BILLY & THE STOP SHOPPING CHOIR
FREE
FRIDAY, JULY 28, 7:30 P.M.
American Express Series
ANDREW BIRD | ESPERANZA SPALDING
FREE
SATURDAY, JULY 29, 7:00 P.M.
ADMIRAL T | TABOU COMBO | DJ SPIKE T.I.
FREE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 7:00 P.M.
FLEET FOXES
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
SOLD OUT
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 7:00 P.M.
FLEET FOXES
BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival Benefit Concert
$50.50 advance / $55 day of
Tickets can be purchased by visiting BRICArtsMedia.org or AXS.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 7:30 P.M.
American Express Series
BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES | NELLIE McKAY
FREE
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4, 7:30 P.M.
Music & Movies
CREED with live score by WORDLESS MUSIC ORCHESTRA | FRANK HAYE & THE BROOKLYN INTERDENOMINATIONAL CHOIR
FREE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 5, 7:30 P.M.
NELS CLINE: LOVERS | SAM AMIDON
FREE
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 7:30 P.M.
Music and Movies
SELMA with live score by JASON MORAN & WORDLESS MUSIC ORCHESTRA | BROOKLYN UNITED MARCHING BAND
FREE
FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 7:00 P.M.
WHITNEY | MOSES SUMNEY | WEYES BLOOD
FREE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 7:30 P.M.
YOUSSOU N’DOUR | YACOUBA SISSOKO
FREE