Excellent Live Music on a Friday Night in NYC

Kaleo, photographed above at the Bowery Ballroom in 2025, will headline at the Rooftop at Pier 17 on Friday, August 7

Contrary to popular belief, weekends do not necessarily start on Saturdays. For New Yorkers, the fun begins on Friday evenings. And, for live music lovers, the New York City area offers more excellent choices for a cool night out than any other city in the world.

Here is the proof. Hundreds of outstanding music acts performed live in the New York City area on Friday, July 24. The photographs below represent only a fraction of all the extraordinary live music events that took place locally that one night.

Now plan your August! The listings below are The Manhattan Beat’s recommended concerts for forthcoming Friday nights. All venues are in Manhattan unless otherwise specified. Consult the web site or social media of the venue for more information about a show, including ticket availability, show times, location, directions, parking, age restrictions, and accessibility.

Train headlined at the PNC Bank Arts Center on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Ehud Lazin)

Matt Nathanson at the PNC Bank Arts Center on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Ehud Lazin)

Friday, August 7

• Chris Brown, USHER at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
• Fuerza Regida at Citi Field, Queens
• Kaleo, Darren Kiely at the Rooftop at Pier 17
• Dimmu Borgir, Suffocation, Hulder at ​Palladium Times Square
• El DeBarge, Jon B, Fonda Rae, Taana Gardner, Strafe, Dres at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park
• The Dear Hunter, Closure in Moscow, K Sera at Irving Plaza
• Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel, the National Reserve at the Gramercy Theatre
• The Happy Fits, Stolen Gin, Hojean at the LeFrak Center at Prospect Park, Brooklyn (5:30 p.m.)
• DakhaBrakha, Yeison Landero, Sally Baby's Silver Dollars, Sunju Park at the Lena Horne Bandshell at Prospect Park, Brooklyn (5:30 p.m.)
• Adrian Vandenberg, Vinnie Moore, Marco Mendoza at Sony Hall
• The Fleshtones, the Minus 5, Goons at the Bowery Ballroom
• The Cordovas at Groove
• Fly Anakin, Nickelus F, Mutant Academy at the Sultan Room, Brooklyn
• Parts & Labor, Oneida, Kinski at TV Eye, Queens
• Casket Cassette, Stare Away, Spookystack at Night Club 101 (10 p.m.)
• Snag, Auxiena Saint, Lástima, Bleached Cross, Casca at Gold Sounds, Brooklyn
• Ditch, Fraternal Twin at Purgatory, Brooklyn
• Cosmic Ray, the Rasslers, the Upper Hand at Otto's Shrunken Head
• Hubby Jenkins (acoustic) at Terra Blues (7 p.m.)
• SaRon Crenshaw Band at Terra Blues (10 p.m.)

Tim McGraw at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on Friday, July 24 (photograph by David Sussman)

49 Winchester at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater on Friday, July 24 (photograph by David Sussman)

Friday, August 14

• Olivia Dean at Madison Square Garden
• Zeds Dead, ALLEYCVT, Neumonic, Mikayli b2b isded at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens
• Zedd, DJ Snake, Louis the Child, Knock2, Zensei at Randall's Island Park, Randall's Island (4 p.m.)
• Joe Hisaishi at Radio City Music Hall
• Phil Wickham, Jon Reddick, Franni Cash at the Beacon Theatre
• Hayla at Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn
• Dlala Thukzin, Oscar MBO, Dj Bullet, Dave Mercure, Dj K9, Kelvin Momo at Terminal 5
• Raphaël Feuillâtre, Goran Ivanovic & Fareed Haque, Ziggy & Miles, Gabriele Leite at Bryant Park
• VonOff1700 at the Gramercy Theatre
• Flavour, Naomi Achu, 2CENT, Prince Bright, Unathi Nkayi at Racket
• Paul Wall, Termanology at le Poisson Rouge
• Jimmy Gnecco, Ryan Star at the Silver Lining Lounge
• Mary Shelley, better living., Ogbert the Nerd at the Sultan Room, Brooklyn
• Joey Alexander at the Pocket
• The Pandemics, the Unsustainables, Batsnack at Otto's Shrunken Head
• Faith NYC at Catalyst Records (5 p.m.)
• Bobby Bryan Trio at Terra Blues (7 p.m.)
• SaRon Crenshaw Band at Terra Blues (10 p.m.)

The NYC Ska Orchestra at Bryant Park on Friday, July 24

Noshows at Broadway Pedestrian Plaza on Friday, July 24

The Howard Levy 4 at the Iridium on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Seth Okrend)

Friday, August 21

• Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak as DJ Pee .Wee, RAYE at MetLife Stadium. East Rutherford
• Jonas Brothers at Madison Square Garden
• Kehlani, Durand Bernarr, TheARTI$T, WASEEL at Barclays Center, Brooklyn
• King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Die Spitz at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens
• Louis Cato at the Amph, Little Island
• Jukebox the Ghost at the LeFrak Center at Prospect Park, Brooklyn (5:30 p.m.)
• Acid Bath, Obituary, Thou at the Rooftop at Pier 17 (6 p.m.)
• Momo Boyd, Blessing Jolie at the Bowery Ballroom
• Ugly Kid Joe, Wheatus, Platinum Moon aboard the Liberty Belle
• Jake Shimabukuro at Sony Hall
• Musiq Soulchild at City Winery NYC (6 & 9 p.m.)
• Jason Schmidt, Haven Madison at le Poisson Rouge
• Marlon Craft at Nublu 151
• Boys Club, Garcia Peoples at Union Pool, Brooklyn
• Steve Krebs & the Maynard G's, Marley Bone, Hardship Lollipop, Space Machine at Parkside Lounge
• David "Doc" French Trio at Terra Blues (7 p.m.)
• Junior Mack Band at Terra Blues (10 p.m.)

Evil Twin at Union Pool on Friday, July 24

Model Minority at Union Pool on Friday, July 24

New Bruise at Union Pool on Friday, July 24

Friday, August 28

• Harry Styles, Jamie xx at Madison Square Garden
• Zac Brown Band, Grace Potter at Forest Hills Stadium, Queens (6:30 p.m.)
• Willie Nelson, the Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Stephen Wilson Jr., Robert Randolph, Don Was at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh (3:20 p.m.)
• Ella Mai, Ama, Girlfriend at Radio City Music Hall
• BINI, Ashley Mehta at the Kings Theatre, Brooklyn
• Common at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• Labrinth at Terminal 5
• Citizen, Anxious, Hotline TNT, Rocket at Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn
• Phoneboy, Boys Go to Jupiter at the LeFrak Center at Prospect Park, Brooklyn (5:30 p.m.)
• Slayr at Irving Plaza
• Swervedriver, Slow Fiction, the Still Out at White Eagle Hall, Jersey City
• EIHWAR at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
• Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs, Saami Brothers, Chicha Libre at Bryant Park
• Meltt, Los Eclipses at the Bowery Ballroom
• Niina Soleil at the Gramercy Theatre
• Mojo and the Mayhem at Sour Mouse NYC (10 p.m.)
• Seydurah Avecmoi Trio at Terra Blues (7 p.m.)
• SaRon Crenshaw Band at Terra Blues (10 p.m.)

Psych-O-Positive at Parkside Lounge on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Alan Rand)

Smitt E. Smitty & the Fezztones at Parkside Lounge on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Alan Rand)

The Lifesize Gorgeous Cocktails at Parkside Lounge on Friday, July 24 (photograph by Alan Rand)

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The Manhattan Beat covers New York City's live music circuit. All articles are written by Everynight Charley Crespo. All photographs are taken by Everynight Charley Crespo, except when noted otherwise.

For a list of Manhattan venues that are presenting live music regularly, swing the desktop cursor to the right of the home page and click on the pop-up tab "Where to Find Live Music."

For a more complete listing of upcoming performances in the New York City area, visit The Manhattan Beat's July and August calendars.