Free Outdoor Show Roundup: August 12-16 – Moliere, Taiwanese Waves & More in NYC

See some of the top outdoor concerts across NYC's five boroughs this week with Moliere in the Park, pioneering underground hip-hop showcase Lyricist Lounge, an America 250 celebration and more!

(In case you missed it, bookmark our list of free summer show series for more fun this season)

Lyricist Lounge 35th Anniversary at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Friday August 14, 6 to 10 pm

Info available here.

Join BRIC for a concert celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Lyricist Lounge, the pioneering underground hip-hop showcase known for introducing the world to some of the genre’s most legendary artists. Headlining the celebration is powerhouse rapper and founding member of The LOX Jadakiss, alongside a lineup of special guests to be announced.

Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.

Moliere’s DON JUAN: Free Theater in Domino Park (Brooklyn)
Friday August 14, 6 to 10 pm

Info available here.

Experience a pop-up preview of the legendary playwright Molière's most subversive play, presented by Molière in the Park.

Free. Open seating. RSVP does not guarantee admission.

New York Guitar Festival at Bryant Park
Fri. August 14 & Sat. August 15, 7-9:30 pm

Info available here.

On August 14 and 15, the New York Guitar Festival returns to Bryant Park with two free events that highlight global guitar culture, especially here in the United States. Hosted by WNYC’s John Schaefer, the two evenings span virtuosic classical guitar, Brazilian popular music, punk-jazz, and folk-based improvisations. Whatever you think the guitar sounds like, prepare to be surprised.

Free. No RSVP.

Americana Night: Yola + Dom Flemons and the Traveling Wildfires + Cleo Reed at Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday August 15, 6 to 10 pm

Info available here.

Yola headlines our America 250 celebration, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Grammy-nominated British Nigerian singer-songwriter is one of today’s most essential voices. From portraying Sister Rosetta Tharpe on the silver screen and Persephone on Broadway in HadesTown, Yola will deliver an electrifying live set. She’s joined by acclaimed roots songster Dom Flemons and the Traveling Wildfires, and Brooklyn Americana star Cleo Reed, whose debut album Cuntry is subverting the yeehaw agenda.

For d/Deaf and hard of hearing communities, there will be an ASL interpreter on stage.

Free. RSVPing helps you stay up-to-date on show info, but does not guarantee entry. Bandshell entry is first come first served.

Taiwanese Waves 10th Anniversary: 9m88 + ØZI + YELLOW / Chance Emerson / Mong Tong / Chinatown Records at Central Park
Sun. August 16, 6-10 pm

Info available here.

Taiwanese Waves is celebrating its 10th anniversary by showcasing a diverse lineup of artists from across the musical spectrum. This year’s program includes a trio of R&B and hip-hop acts: 9m88 (pronounced “Jo-m-Baba”), a jazzy singer-songwriter with strong R&B, neo-soul, and hip-hop influences; ØZI, a singer-songwriter and rapper known for blending urban American styles with Mandopop; and YELLOW 黃宣, the fashion-forward avant pop artist with a flair for the dramatic. You’re likely to hear some of their collaborations, such as ØZI and 9m88’s song “Black Out,” or the 9m88 and YELLOW (黃宣) single “怪天氣Strange Weather.” They’re joined by Chance Emerson, a relative of Ralph Waldo Emerson born in Taiwan to a Taiwanese mother and American father and a singer-songwriter who explores the human condition with humor and empathy; Mong Tong, Taiwanese brothers who channel Southeast Asian mythology and folklore through the hypnotic rhythms and ethereal melodies of ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelic music; and a DJ set from Chinatown Records, the archival project from DJ and historian yiuyiu 瑶瑶 that stewards more than 30 distinct vinyl, CD, and cassette collections inherited from her family & neighbors, spanning nearly 100 years of Chinese music and beyond.

Free. No RSVP