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Fri 28
Dance Yourself Clean Music Hall of Williamsburg; 10pm; $12
Acolytes of Purity Ring, CHVRCHES, Robyn, Empire of the Sun, and, of course, LCD Soundsystem come together for a night of rapturous dancing to hard synth beats at this summertime bash.
Animation Block Party BAM Rose Cinemas; $15/screening, VIP weekend pass $100
BAMcinématek and Rooftop Films host this cartoon festival. Head to the opening-night party at Industry City on Thursday July 27; check out “An Evening with BoJack” on Friday July 28 at BAM, at which the creators of the sardonic series BoJack Horsemanshare their inspirations; and don’t miss the NYC premiere of Birdboy: The Forgotten Children on Saturday July 29 at BAM.
Wasabassco’s The Thing with 10,000 Pasties Littlefield; 8pm; $25, $20 at the door, $35 VIP
In this scripted B-movie strip-show, a lurid movie monster straight out of Creature from the Black Lagoon and It Came from Outer Space stomps onto the Littlefield stage, and only the burlesque babes of Wasabassco—Chris Harder, Nasty Canasta, Sydni Deveraux and more—can stop it.
Andrew Bird + Esperanza Spalding Prospect Park Bandshell; 7pm; free
The Chicago song man brings his trademark violin plucks and looped whistling to BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! behind last year's, Are You Serious, which trades in sophisticated arrangements of intricate, tautly wound (but oh so understated) instrumental flourishes. Grammy-winning jazz bassist/composer Esperanza Spalding opens, whose last project, the ambitious Emily's D+Evolution, was part experimental theater, part power trio.
Panorama Festival Randalls Island Park; noon; $125; weekend pass $345
Panorama returns to Randalls Island for its second year, and it's boasting another action-packed lineup. Frank Ocean and Solange take the top slots on Fri 28, with Future Islands, MGMT, Tyler the Creator, Spoon, Theo Parrish, Omar S and DJ Shadow in the ranks. Sat 29's bill includes Tame Impala, Alt-J, Mitski, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Nicholas Jaar and Vince Staples, and Sun 30 features Nine Inch Nails, Angel Olsen, Cashmere Cat and Justice. Oh, and a little hip-hop outfit by the name of A Tribe Called Quest. According to Q-Tip, this is the group's final tour. Can you miss it? No, you can't.
Sat 29
Masquerade on the Town at various locations; 8pm; $30
Never Sleep Alone’s Dr. Alex Schiller (Roslyn Hart) and performance artist Alfredo Guenzani invite you to a New York night out of your most indulgent fantasies at this kinky bar crawl adventure. Join 100 mysterious strangers for an unpredictable tour through some of downtown’s most decadent bars, restaurants and party spots. Show up in a mask and a getup worthy of The Phantom of the Opera to win rewards—and to keep your identity a secret from your new lovers. Bring only your single friends—and some breath mints.
NYC Poetry Festival Governors Island; 11am; suggested donation $10
For the last seven years, a number of the city’s poetry-reading series and their affiliated collectives have taken over Governors Island for a day, creating a stage for the many voices of NYC, both celebrated and underground. This year, the crew of the Poetry Society of New York does it again, presenting readings from more than 200 poets and 50 organizations.
Midnight Market Jersey City at various locations; 4pm; $5
Over three thousand sweet-toothed foodies descend on Jersey City for this bangin' night market, which features $5 bites from some of NYC and NJ's most creative dessert vendors, $5 cocktails and ’90s favorite Mrs. Doubtfire screening at the end of the night. Bring a date, bring an appetite, and bring cash: you're going to be at this market all night.
Secret Mausoleum Club Green-Wood Cemetery; 9pm; $80
Adventure society Atlas Obscura invites you to enter the historic Green-Wood Cemetery for a night of mysterious performances and candelit surprises. Take a midnight spin through the grounds, where you’ll use clues from beyond the grave to decipher the night’s fabulously baroque theme. Plan a date that plays to your dark side, or go solo to make new friends. Sea Witch Tavern provides an open bar and after-party, so there are plenty of chances to socialize among the living and the dead.
R & She NYC: The Queens of Hip-Hop and R&B C’mon Everybody; 11pm; $5 in advance; $8 at the door
Get ready to get ur freak on to all the greatest B-girls and brawlin’ ladies of the turn of the millennium. DJs David Oh and Robi D Light want to see your 1, 2 step, as the infamous R & She party of London comes stateside for a night of TLC, Destiny’s Child, Missy Elliot, Nicki Minaj, Ciara, Aaliyah and more.
Boundless in Brooklyn at various locations; noon; free–$15
Local filmmakers have two days to make movies centered around dance at this annual festival.
NSFW Presents Learn the Ropes at various locations; 10pm; $50
Kinky millennial crew NSFW invites you and a partner to tie one another up and learn the delights of Japanese rope bondage art Shibari. While you witness suspended rope performances and try your hand at the knots, you'll be able to dish on chef-made sushi and Soto Sake. As always with an NSFW affair, there'll be endless opportunities to wander into dark corners and show off your new skills with strangers.
The Classic Citi Field; 5pm; single-day $75, two-day pass $150
Nostalgia, anyone? The Classic hits Citi Field for two days of hits courtesy of the Eagles, Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers (Sat 29) and Fleetwood Mac, Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire (Sun 30). Grab mom and dad and get ready for some serious singing and swaying in the sunshine.
Sun 30
Selena Sing-Along Videology Bar & Cinema; 5:30pm; $15
It's been 20 years since Jennifer Lopez starred as the luminous Tejana singer who changed Latino representation in American music forever—and whose musical legacy still still inspires devotion from fans. Sing-along to your favorite ballads from the movie, like "I Could Fall in Love," and be sure to keep tissues on hand at this night of fan adoration.
Bubbles, Beats & Brunch! Pier 15; 1pm; $50
A brunch with fresh beats out at sea? Count us in. Hornblower’s Bubbles, Beats & Brunch! Cruise on Sundays offers unlimited mimosas, unlimited access to the Bloody Mary Bar, a parfait bar, an onboard DJ, shared plates of fried chicken, waffles, donuts and more, all while on a boat cruising the waterways around NYC. An a la carte menu is also available. Now that’s a brunch worth waking up for on a Sunday.