The Very Best of NYC Music

Melissa Etheridge, Beyonce, Cyndi Lauper, Tegan and Sara, Summerstage and much more.

From the moment she burst onto the music scene, Melissa Etheridge has rocked our world. Not only has she become an icon to our community, but also an advocate for causes as diverse as breast cancer and the environment. And this year, as she celebrates her 25th anniversary as a major recording artist, she continues to give the people what they want: She released the album 4th Street Feeling last year, which she will be promoting July 13 when her tour hits New Jersey’s Bergen Performing Arts Center.

Songs like “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” “Irreplaceable,” and “Run the World (Girls)” made Beyonce the reigning queen of modern-day pop anthems. And though she’s gone through more than her fair share of recent controversy—about everything from lip-synching to her trip to Cuba—she bounced back gracefully. From August 3 through August 5, she’ll be displaying the talent that made her a superstar at Barclays Center.

Cyndi Lauper has had quite a year. She won a Tony for the music and lyrics to the the fabulous musical Kinky Boots. She released her memoir. She starred in her own reality TV show on WE. She was a Grand Marshal at last year’s Pride March in NYC. And now, she’s on tour with Hunter Valentine. The band, which first garnered national attention on Showtime’s The Real L World, brings back a gritty, hard-rocking edginess (and tough butch sexiness) that hasn’t been seen since Joan Jett first set dyke hearts aflutter in the 1980s. Come out to see a pop legend in her prime and an exciting up-and-coming act when both perform July 12 at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester.

Tegan and Sara are the crushes of so many queer women that it seems only right they should make Hearththrob the title of their latest release. The popular Canadian rock act made up of multi-talented lesbian twins is enjoying its greatest success yet: Their new CD debuted at number 3 on Billboard’s Top 200, and the single from it, “Closer,” was covered on a March episode of Glee—the ultimate sign of mainstream acclaim. This summer they are opening for fellow rockers fun., the band who gave you last year’s “We Are Young.” The Most Nights Summer Tour hits Hudson River Park on July 23.

With its convenient Queens location, Resorts International made life a lot easier for folks who didn’t want to drive all the way to Atlantic City to try their luck at gaming. Resorts’ Bar360 is bringing casino entertainment closer to NYC this summer with several concerts for fans of dance music. We can’t wait for The New York Freestyle Reunion Dance Party on August 16, with 1980’s stars Lisa Lisa, Noel, Shannon and others.

Summerstage is one of New York’s most beloved summertime traditions. This year you can expect to see more than 100 shows—through all five boroughs—in genres ranging from music to dance to film to comedy. Folk fans: mark your calendars for June 17 because that’s when Joan Baez and the Indigo Girls will be playing a special benefit. Summerstage runs through August 29, and the full schedule can be found at summerstage.org.


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