This Week’s Must-See Shows in NYC

Disregard your meteorologists, gregorian calendars, astrologists and J. Crew catalogs. Any self-respecting Brooklynite will tell you that summer officially begins when you’re sitting in the grassy knoll near the Prospect Park Bandshell taking in the season’s inaugural Celebrate Brooklyn concert. And praise the Lord, Patty Griffin kicks us off on Wednesday … as in, THIS Wednesday. So, happy summer (you may start “fangirling” here).

Also of note is Pokey LaFarge, and some other fellas including Blind Boy Paxton, playing Bowery Ballroom tonight (Tuesday). Check out some tunes below to see if you dig his old time, ragamuffin, washboard-playin’ feel … and head to his site for a listen to his most recent work, produced by Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor and put out by Jack White’s Third Man Records.

More must-see shows below:
Tuesday, June 4
7:00 p.m. – Pokey LaFarge / Luke Winslow-King / Blind Boy Paxton at Bowery Ballroom
8:00 p.m. – Bottom Dollars / The Hollows / Austin Bats

Thursday, June 6
8:00 p.m. – Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers at Brooklyn Bowl

Friday, June 7
8:00 p.m. – Spirit Family Reunion / The National Reserve / Last Good Tooth at Brooklyn Bowl
10:30 p.m. – Swear and Shake / The Revivalists / Road Kill Ghost Choir at Bowery Ballroom (Governors Ball After Party)

Sunday, June 9
7:00 p.m. – Willie Nelson at The Surf Lodge
9:00 p.m. – Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds / Hollis Brown / Shakey Graves at Brooklyn Bowl (Governors Ball After Party)