Music

Seven Days, Seven Shows

The concerts to see from August 16-22

by Josh Kurp   |   Aug 16, 2010

Seven Days, Seven Shows

Antonio Carlos Jobim (Photo: Branca Dias, via Flickr)

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Monday, August 16
Wale
Highline Ballroom

Billed as a “show about nothing,” tonight’s concert draws its source from Seinfeld. In 2008, Washington D.C. rapper Wale released The Mixtape About Nothing, which samples extensively from the long-running sitcom, and even the track names, like “The Kramer” and “The Grown Up,” have a Seinfeld-ian touch to them. Earlier this month, its followup, More About Nothing, came out, complete with a great album cover. Tonight’s show will feature songs exclusively from the two mixtapes. No word on whether the Soup Nazi will stop by. $15

Tuesday, August 17
MGMT
Radio City Music Hall

In late 2007, both SPIN and Rolling Stone declared Brooklyn’s MGMT as a band to watch; less than three years later, they’re headlining two nights (today and tomorrow) at the fabled Radio City, largely due to the success of the still-impossible-to-escape “Kids” and “Time to Pretend” from 2008′s Oracular Spectacular (when I worked at a dog boutique last summer–yeah, that’s right–I would literally hear each of these songs on the radio twice an hour, every hour). The band’s latest release, Congratulations, isn’t getting the respect it deserves, due to its lack of a “Kids”-like hit, even though it’s probably a better album and not the second coming of the Stone Roses’, well, Second Coming. $39.50

Wednesday, August 18
Phish
Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

We won’t judge if you don’t. $50

Thursday, August 19
Titus Andronicus
Maxwells

Nope, not the William Shakespeare play; rather, they’re a lo-fi band from New Jersey whose most recent record, The Monitor, is a concept album with themes based around the Civil War (and one of 2010′s finest). Lest you think that’s too pretentious sounding, know that Titus is made up of five musicians who are just having fun playing music and consider Neutral Milk Hotel and Weezer as inspirations. $14

Friday, August 20
Michale Graves
Europa

Best known for his post-Danzig work with the Misfits, Graves has been working as solo artist since leaving the band in 2000. Occasionally, another member of the legendary horror punk band will join Graves on stage (like in 2009, when Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein played four later-era songs with Graves). Probably the closest we’ll ever come to a Misfits reunion… $10

Saturday, August 21
Crystal Castles
Terminal 5

Here’s hoping that this installment of Hard Fest–with Sinden, Destructo, JDH & Dave P and thrash duo Crystal Castles–goes a little better than the one in July with M.I.A. Hey, at least it can’t rain indoors. $45

Sunday, August 22
The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim
Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola

All this week, Trio da Paz, Joe Locke, Harry Allen and Maucha Adnet are paying tribute to the great Brazilian singer and composer of such classics as “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Someone to Light Up My Life.” If you haven’t heard Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim, which is exactly what it sounds like, you’re missing out. $30-$35