UPFRONT/LISTEN
Where to Go for Free Shows
The only thing better than live music is free live music. Dozens of cities offer concert series where admission is gratis. Here are a few
SummerStage, New York City
While Central Park is home base, this year’s dozens of shows will be in parks throughout the five boroughs beginning in June. Programming includes rock, hip-hop, jazz, Latin, R&B, reggae and opera. | cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage
WFPK Waterfront Wednesday, Louisville, Kentucky
Concerts on the banks of the Ohio River are on the last Wednesday of the month, April through September, and feature national and local artists curated by public radio station WFPK. | lpm.org/waterfront-wednesday
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, San Francisco
This one is a three-day festival as opposed to a series, but it is free and loaded with top talent from a variety of genres. Held in Golden Gate Park September 29 through October 1, the festival is in its 22nd year and draws more than 500,000 fans. | hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
The Drop-In, Austin, Texas
This series of 12 concerts celebrates Texas music, including blues, rock, Latin, pop and country. Shows run weekly from May to August on the Long Center’s Hartman Concert Lawn near the Colorado River. | thelongcenter.org/thedropin —Jeffrey Lee Puckett