kamasi-washington-13

What's going on Wednesday? (Kamasi Washington, Animal Collective, Bone Thugs, Blackalicious, Emmy the Great, more)

photo: Kamasi Washington at LPR in 2015 (more by PSquared)
Kamasi Washington

You can browse our full NYC show calendar for all of tonight’s shows, but here are some highlights…

Animal Collective, Ratking @ Irving Plaza
Animal Collective just released their new album, Painting With, which has all the weirdo hooks you expect from them, and it’s more cohesive than their last record too. Tonight they wrap up a sold-out BrooklynVegan-presented two night stand at Irving Plaza with local rap staples Ratking.

Kamasi Washington, Marc Cary & Igmar Thomas, Rich Medina @ Webster Hall
Jazz musician Kamasi Washington transcended the jazz world and entered the pop realm after last year’s The Epic (on Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label) and contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. He continues to rise, as tonight’s sold-out show proves.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony @ Highline Ballroom
Last year, Cleveland rap greats Bone Thugs-N-Harmony celebrated the 20th anniversary of 1995’s E. 1999 Eternal on tour, and this year they’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Tha Crossroads,” a track off that album that was released as a single in 1996.

Morgan Heritage, Blackalicious, DJ Jah Culture @ BB King’s
Most exciting to us is that indie rap greats Blackalicious are back in town after releasing Imani Vol. 1, their first new album in a decade, last year. Headlining though, is Morgan Heritage who just won Best Reggae Album at the Grammys last week.

Emmy the Great, Stranger Cat @ Baby’s All Right
Emmy the Great recently transitioned from her folky roots into something closer to synthpop. Making this a very well-matched double bill is Stranger Cat, the electronic pop project of Cat Martino. Emmy the Great plays Baby’s again on Friday too.

Benjamin Clementine @ Mercury Lounge
UK singer Benjamin Clementine won the Mercury Prize last year for his album At Least for Now that earned him a few “male Nina Simone” comparisons. Tonight’s the third of four NYC shows on his current run.

Guerilla Toss, Banned Books, Big Neck Police, Hermit Thrushes @ Trans Pecos
Brooklyn trouble/party-makers Guerilla Toss just released their first LP for DFA and it’s single “Diamond Girls” is the band in a nutshell: calamitous percussion, rubbery bass, noises from all directions, and the attitude-heavy vocals of Kassie Carlson. Live shows tend to be wild.

Lil Uzi Vert & Playboi Carti @ SOB’s
Rising Philly rapper recently collaborated with Awful Records/A$AP associate Playboi Carti on the banging single “Left Right,” and they’re currently on tour together. They play SOB’s tonight (sold out) and appear at the House Party at Webster Hall tomorrow.

Freedy Johnston @ Rockwood Music Hall
Singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston has been part of the Hoboken/NYC scene for just about 30 years and his low key (if somewhat caustic) style gets better with age.

RISK! feat. Kevin Allison, Eddie Brill, Mara Wilson, John Fugelsang @ Bell House
“RISK!” is a live show and podcast created and hosted by Kevin Allison (MTV’s The State, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Reno 911!, etc), where people tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share.

Coolio @ Hill Country Brooklyn
If a BBQ joint that usually books country, bluegrass and blues seems like an odd place to see rapper Coolio, well know that the man behind “Gangsta’s Paradise” is also a good cook and is the guest pitmaster tonight. He’ll share his recipe for Texas Red chili and participate in a Q&A.

Mike Birbiglia @ The Lynn Redgrave Theater
Comedian Mike Birbiglia has been doing his show “Thank God for the Jokes” for nearly two years. He’s finally putting it to bed, but not before this six-week run.

For all of tonight’s shows, and tomorrow’s, check out our NYC concert calendar.

For laughs, check out the NYC Comedy calendar too.

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