If yesterday's long list of suggestions of things to do on The Fourth wasn't enough for you, I'll add a few more:
There's been a big show at Battery Park every Fourth for more than a
decade at this point. Although it required tickets recently, this year
we are back to first come, first served free admission. Opening the
show this year will be Jenny Lewis, who has two solo albums under he
belt in addition to her work as lead singer of Rilo Kiley. Her last
album, Acid Tongue, released last year, was a good effort and included a duet with
Elvis Costello.
The main attraction will be Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band.
Although you might remember Conor from his earlier project, Bright
Eyes, you'll find a much less angst ridden Conor these days. This show
is part of a tour for Conor and the MVB behind their album Outer South,
an alt/country/rock affair on which other band members take some of the
vocal turns as well.
This show will be crowded and although it has a start time of 3:30, you'll probably want to get to the park much earlier.
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band and Jenny Lewis, Battery Park,
enter on State and Pearl Streets, (4 or 5 to Bowling Green or R to
Whitehall Street), 3:30 start, Free
If you are still hanging around in Manhattan after the show and you
still want to hear more music, you can head over to The Rockwood Music
Hall where James Maddock, previously recommended here, will be playing
from 9 to 11.
James Maddock, The Rockwood Music Hall, 196 Allen Street (from
downtown, take the M15 bus to Stanton St.; F Train to Second Avenue,
exit via First Avenue), No Cover
Finally, on Sunday you can celebrate the extension of the G Train all
the way to Church Avenue by taking it from the Slope to Williamsburg
and catch OTBKB Music favorite Sasha Dobson in the backroom (once a
trolley car!) of Pete's Candy Store. If you go early you can partake
in Pete's Sunday BBQ.
Sasha Dobson, Pete's Candy Store, 709 Lorimer Street (G Train to
Metropolitan Avenue, exit via the L Train Lorimer Street platform to
Lorimer Street and walk about five blocks to Pete's), 8:30, No Cover
–Eliot Wagner