Andra Day to kick off SummerStage 2024 with free Central Park concert
NEW YORK — The 2024 season of the Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage will officially kick off with a free concert performed by Andra Day in Central Park on June 1.
The Grammy Award-winning singer is one of the featured headliners for this year’s outdoor performing arts festival, which will include close to 100 free and benefit shows across New York City’s five boroughs running from June through September.
Fresh off performing the Black national anthem at Super Bowl LVIII, Day’s SummerStage show is in association with Blue Note Jazz Festival. Ahead of her big Rumsey Playfield gig, the “Rise Up” singer will make her debut at the Greenwich Village jazz staple for a one-night-only show on May 6.
Other free concert highlights in Central Park include rocker Kim Gordon and the Sun Ra Arkestra on June 13; Corinne Bailey Rae and Dixson on June 16; and Colombian music star Fonseca on July 10.
Elsewhere, SummerStage will take shape at neighborhood parks such as Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Herbert Von King Park and the Coney Island Amphitheater on the boardwalk in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Crotona Park in the Bronx and Stapleton Waterfront Park in Staten Island.
Some of those highlights include the Chuck Chillout 40th Radio Anniversary Party on Aug. 1 in Herbert Von King Park, and “Special Uptown Edition: Celebrating 40 years of Red Alert & Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box” in Marcus Garvey Park on Aug. 18.
New York City’s long-standing R&B radio station WBLS will host its 50th Anniversary Celebration with Jon B, Vivian Green, Meli’sa Morgan, Horace Brown, Jeff Redd and music from dee-jay Funk Flex on Aug. 11 at the Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn.
“SummerStage is back for another incredible season of free performances,” City Parks Foundation executive director Heather Lubov said in Tuesday’s announcement. “It’s always an honor to bring a lineup of both established and rising artists that celebrate the rich cultural fabric of our neighborhoods across the city to parks, all for free.”
Some of the ticketed benefit concerts in Central Park will be performed by soca band KES on June 8; rapper and producer T-Pain on June 23; rock/folk band Counting Crows on July 11; Robert Glasper featuring Yebba on Aug. 1; comedians Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Silverman, Fred Armisen and more on Aug. 8; and the Roots with Jungle Brothers and Digable Planets on Aug. 23.
More benefit shows to support the CityParks mission are expected to be announced throughout the season.
“Enjoying live music while outside in a park is one of the most joyful and memorable opportunities we can offer to New Yorkers, bringing neighbors and communities together for what is always a very special, shared experience,” Lubov added.
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