Thursday, June 5
Brooklyn Bowl has set aside a limited number of tickets at the door for the Kurt Vile and the Violators show tonight at the official kickoff party for this weekend’s Governors Ball festival. Vile’s 2013 album “Wakin' On A Pretty Daze” — his fifth — featured in many best-of-2013 lists — and with good reason. Vile has that rare knack of sounding familiar but original simultaneously. 9 p.m., 61 Wythe Ave, Williamsburg. $20.
Friday, June 6
While the ferries will be crowded transporting the young(ish) and hip to Randall’s Island for the sold out Governors Ball Music Festival (with OutKast, Jack White, Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Janelle Monae, Phoenix, Skrillex, Axwell, Foster the People, Interpol and many others scheduled to perform), great options abound right across the water in Manhattan. The Blue Note Jazz Festival will be celebrating soul and hip hop legends of days past, featuring hip hop trailblazers Salt-N-Pepa playing the Highline Ballroom tonight at 8 p.m. at 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea ($45 - $75). Motown legend Smokey Robinson will also be in town tonight, performing at 8 p.m. at the Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, Upper West Side. Tickets from $53.80.
Saturday, June 7
By the time Los Lobos recorded their major label debut “How Will The Wolf Survive?” in 1984, they were already east L.A. neighborhood legends, Sunset Strip regulars and a Grammy Award winning band. They hit the big time with their cover of Richie Valen's "La Bamba" in 1987 (it was a U.S. number one) and have released consistently strong albums mixing rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country, folk, R&B and traditional Spanish and Mexican over their 40 years together. The show is a part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival. 7:30 p.m., Highline Ballroom, 431 West 16th Street, Chelsea. Tickets from $42.50 - $76.50.
Sunday, June 8
Damon Albarn, best known as English band Blur’s frontman and the architect behind “virtual” alternative hip hop band Gorillaz, has just released his debut solo album “Everyday Robots.” Described as his most personal record, Albarn said in a recent interview with UK music magazine NME that, “The lyrics were the hardest part. The music… leans towards my more melancholic, introspective soulful side, which is where I love to sing." The album features guest contributions from super producer Brian Eno and singer Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes. 9:30 p.m. at Irving Plaza. $58.00
Sit back and take in the The Cure's eighth album, "Disintegration," in all it’s gloomy glory as part of the excellent monthly Classic Album Sundays series. The album sold more than 3 million copies, becoming The Cure’s most popular release. 4 p.m., Baby’s All Right, 146 Broadway, Williamsburg. $10.
Monday, June 9
Hot on the heels of their most adventurous record yet, German electronic-indie hybrid The Notwist play East Village’s Webster Hall. Forming as a hardcore punk band and always singing in English, The Notwist have gradually incorporated more electronic and pop elements into their sound since their formation in 1989. According to Under The Radar music blog, the new album “Close To The Glass” incorporates “ramshackle indie-pop, acoustic balladry and expansive electronic sonic explorations.” 8 p.m. Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street, Union Square. $25.
Tuesday, June 10
Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith explains on his website that he likes to balance out the bitter and the sweet in his songs. "The happier something is musically," Messersmith explains, “the darker it can be lyrically. You can kind of sneak it in there.” 8 p.m. Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street, Lower East Side. $15.
Wednesday, June 11
Northside Festival, kicking off officially on June 12, shines a spotlight on the thriving Brooklyn music, film and innovation scenes. In this preliminary music event, local NYC acts Porches, Kevin Morby, Your Friend and Frankie Cosmos cram together a night of interesting indie sounds at 8 p.m. at Baby’s All Right, 146 Broadway, Williamsburg. $10.
