There is never a lack of things to do in New York City, and that’s especially true for music lovers. Every night of the week, there’s some buzzworthy band or big-time pop singer or up-and-coming rapper performing in one of the city’s thousand different venues, and the choices about who to check out can become daunting.
Well, to help all you residents of “the city that never sleeps” parse through the hundreds of different artists vying for your hard-earned dollars, we’ve assembled here some of the best and most intriguing concerts coming up in the New York area for the week of December 3.
Monday, December 3
John Legend @ Hulu Theater At Madison Square Garden [Tickets]
Legend’s smooth voice is nicely suited for singing Christmas songs, and that’s just what he’ll be doing at a special MAG show on Monday.
Luke Bryan @ Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom [Tickets]
Bryan’s one of country’s biggest stars, and he’s touring in support of his standout 2017 album What Makes You Country.
Mitski @ Brooklyn Steel [Sold out]
Uproxx’s Chloe Gilke wrote of a recent stop on Mitski’s Be The Cowboy tour, “In a crowd of 1700, we can still feel the profound loneliness of her music, and be simultaneously moved and unsettled by her talent and the show she puts on for us.”
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
If you miss the legendary indie group on Monday, don’t worry about it, as they’ll be at The Bowery Ballroom literally every day this week.
Tuesday, December 4
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
Wednesday, December 5
A Celebration Of The Songs Of Scott Hutchison (Ben Gibbard, Julien Baker, and more) @ Rough Trade NYC [Sold out]
The Frightened Rabbit frontman passed away earlier this year, and now some talented folks are putting on what’s sure to be a delightful show in his honor.
Brian Wilson @ NYCB Theatre at Westbury [Tickets]
The Beach Boys leader will be performing some Christmas music, so if you see Legend’s show on Monday and find that you can’t get enough seasonal songs, here you go.
Soccer Mommy @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [Tickets]
Soccer Mommy has one of the finest indie albums of the year, and her heartfelt tunes can really take off live.
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
Thursday, December 6
Bape Heads Show 2018 (Pusha T, Kid Cudi, Big Sean, Lil Yachty, Wiz Khalifa, and more) @ Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden [Tickets]
MSG will be the place to be for hip-hop heads on Thursday night, as Pusha T, Kid Cudi, and others are all on the same bill.
Soccer Mommy @ Music Hall of Williamsburg [Tickets]
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
Friday, December 7
Justus Proffit and Jay Som @ Baby’s All Right [Tickets]
Jay Som 2017 sophomore record Everybody Works made her a household name in indie circles, and the album showed off that she’s really a singular kind of performer.
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
Z100’s Jingle Ball (Cardi B, Calvin Harris, Khalid, Camila Cabello, and more) @ Madison Square Garden [Sold out]
Saturday, December 8
Live From Here With Chris Thile (Maggie Rogers and Vulfpeck) @ Town Hall [Tickets]
Thile’s variety show rarely disappoints with its musical guests, and he has a pair of ascending young talents on Saturday’s docket.
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
Mutual Benefit @ Park Church Co-op [Tickets]
It’s been a while since the group broke out with their 2013 Bandcamp record Love’s Crushing Diamond, and now they’re touring behind a new album of serene folk, Thunder Follows The Light.
Sunday, December 9
A Tribute To Richard Swift (Hamilton Leithauser, Nathaniel Rateliff, Cults, and more) @ Rough Trade NYC [Tickets]
Nathaniel Rateliff and The Walkmen leader Hamilton Leithauser lead a night in honor of Richard Swift, a musician and producer who worked with and influenced a ton of indie artists.
Yo La Tengo @ The Bowery Ballroom [Tickets]
