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Aug 17
Flicks on the Beach: Guardians of the Galaxy Coney Island Beach, Brooklyn; 8pm; free
With the sand beneath your feet, free popcorn and Chris Pratt dancing on a 40-foot screen, this is likely to be the best Monday night of your whole summer.
Onstage Outlaws: Mae West & Texas Guinan Jefferson Market Library; 6:30pm
Visit the courtroom where infamous writer/starlet Mae West was tried for indecency in 1927; see rare photos of the speakeasies and night spots frequented by West and writer/producer Texas Guinan; and hear West’s jailhouse poetry in this immersive look at the lives of the Prohibition era’s most fabulous broads.
Celebrity Autobiography Stage 72; 7pm; $40–$80 plus two-drink minimum
If you’re exhausted by the recent deluge of self-serious celebrity memoirs, then you’ll love watching the likes of Scott Adsit, Michael Urie and Debbie Harry perform deadpan readings from the worst books they can find.
Mobile Mondays! 45s The Bowery Electric; 9pm; $5
A top crew of DJs including Operator Emz, $$$ Mike, Natasha Diggs, Just Blaze and more serve you the best that 45rpm vinyl has to offer. You’ll hear a dizzying array of rare finds mixed in with dance floor crowd-pleasers, and the seamless transitions from salsa to disco and beyond will keep you curious until closing time.
Industry Mondays at Jacob Riis Beach Bazaar Riis Park Beach Bazaar, Queens; 12pm; free
Originally conceived as the ultimate day-off destination for members of the food and service industries, this chill beachside gathering offers volleyball, two-for-one drinks and great tunes.
Aug 18
Secret Science Club The Bell House, Brooklyn; 7:30pm; free
The coolest members of the Bill Nye set hit the Bell House for wet-wired cocktails, genius science lectures and brain-stimulating DJ sets. This week, learn about neurodegenerative diseases from award-winning scientist Gregory Petsko.
Counting Crows + Citizen Cope + Hollis Brown Hudson River Park, Pier 97; 6pm; $58
The Berkeley-based rock-pop band best known for ’90s hits like “Mr. Jones” joins blues rock soloist Citizen Cope and New York’s own Hollis Brown for a mellow night by the pier.
In Stereo: Two Comics One Stage HiFi; 8pm; free
Inspired by the buzzy sitcom antics of 227, Naomi Ekperigin and Andy Beckerman’s stand-up series recruits real-life friends and couples to perform together.
Sunset Salsa with Talia Hudson River Park at Pier 45; 6:30pm; free
Whether it’s your first time trying salsa or you’re a weekly regular, you’ll likely be swept off your feet by these breezy outdoor lessons. Once you’re feeling confident in your stepping, you can hit the floor freestyle at the after-party.
Joshua Bell + Andrew Manze Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center; Tue and Wed at 7:30pm; $35–$100
The Mostly Mozart Festival lets violin virtuoso Joshua Bell take the wheel with an inspiring Bach rendition, followed by turns of Mozart and Schumann by composer Andrew Manze.
Jennifer Pashley in conversation with Julia Fierro WORD, Brooklyn; 7pm; free
Pashley’s premier novel Scamp has received praises for its feminist spin on gothic literature. The author sits down with Julia Fierro, who wrote last year’s Cutting Teeth.
Punderdome 3000 Highline Ballroom; 8pm; $15, at the door $20
Jo Firestone and her father Fred host this fast-escalating gauntlet of puns. This week’s prompt may be the most outrageous yet: puns based on New York Post headlines.
Aug 19
Ask Roulette Housing Works; 7pm; $8
Mystery Show podcast host Starlee Kline and The Atlantic’s James Hamblin join the panel in this live Q&A challenge that keeps hosts and audience members on their toes.
Blaria Live! Union Hall, Brooklyn; 8pm; $10
Every month, Jessica Williams and Phoebe Robinson, the women behind Blaria, the Black Daria blog, bring their favorite comedians to take over Union Hall. This edition features The View’s Michelle Collins, Yassir Lester, Joseph Keckler and Clark Jones.
Battle of the Burger South Street Seaport; 6, 8:30pm; $50–$75
Time Out New York has assembled some of the best hamburger masters in the city for this griddling competition, and all you have to do is come ready for some prime beef and unlimited Amstel beer.
Roots NYC Cielo; 10pm; $20, before 11pm free
Louie Vega and Kevin Hedge clearly know their house music, because their weekly Wednesday night at Cielo has been a consistent crowd-pleaser for a decade. They’re joined for their annual Leo bash by DJs Frankie Estevez, Cuba and Massimo Perez.
Jane Lynch: See Jane Sing Joey’s Pub at the Public Theatre; 7, 9pm; $25–$75 plus $12 minimum
It’s the final night to catch the acerbic powerhouse from Best in Show, Glee and Broadway’s Annie as she brings her singing and comedic chops to this cabaret-style revue.
The Life and Death of Kenyon Phillips Webster Hall; $30–$75; 8pm
Kenyon Phillips makes a vivid and wacky rock opera out of his life experiences as a Manhattan personality, performance artist and sex addict. Aerialists, acrobats, burlesque performers and an all-girl band contribute to a totally unique evening.
Hudson Riverflicks: Intersellar Hudson River Park, Pier 63; 8:30pm; free
Dig into free popcorn and watch last year’s cosmic odyssey unfold perfectly with a view of the stars to put it in perspective.
Bryant Park Reading Room: Eric Burns and 1920: The Year that Made the Decade Roar Bryant Park Reading Room; 7pm; free
The year 1920 changed our country’s national and cultural narrative and blasted Americans into a decade of prohibition, women’s rights and eventual financial collapse. Author and historian Eric Burns challenges assumptions and misconceptions about the era and reads from his new book.
Aug 20
Darius Jones Quartet The Jazz Gallery; 8, 10pm; $10–$15
Star saxist Darius Jones infuses funk, soul and raw emotion into his live show and delivers specially-written material for his four-piece powerhouse band.
Found Footage Festival’s Salute to Weirdos BAM Rose Cinemas; 7:30pm; $14
BAM becomes a thrift shop megaplex as The Onion's Joe Pickett and Letterman's Nick Prueher present some of the most endearing oddballs ever recorded on VHS tapes.
Literati: A Night of Selected Readings from the Greatest American Novels Never Written Union Hall, Brooklyn; 9:30pm; $6, at the door $8
Colin O’Brien and Michael Wolf host this outrageous showcase of dead-serious comedians performing ridiculous readings. Watch acts like Girls with Brown Hair—Josh Sharp and Dan Chamberlain fail to keep it together while reading in character.
Bernard Fowler Highline Ballroom; 8pm; $20–$55
The New York native who has provided 30 years of backing vocals for big-name acts like the Rolling Stones gets to cut loose onstage with his signature blend of guitar rock and funk.
Syfy Movies with a View: Dazed and Confused Brooklyn Bridge Park; 6pm; free
More than two decades after launching the careers of stars like Parker Posey and Matthew McConaughey, Richard Linklater’s stoner classic gets super-sized in the park. Set on the last day of school in 1976 Austin, this rowdy indie is nearly made for outdoor viewing.