Critical 5 concerts in NYC this week: beer gardens galore, August 27-Sept. 2

New York City summers and beer gardens go together quite well; isn't time concerts were regularly added to the equation? This week's Critical 5 concert selections features one such show, along with a couple of 80s indie standbys who deserve another look. 

Beirut, Little Scream, 8/29, 6 PM at Central Park Rumsey Playfield

Here at Critical Mob, we'd recommend just about any opportunity to see Zach Condon and Beirut in a live setting. But a chance to see them at Central Park in the last days of summer, in all their brassy and accordion-laced glory? It doesn't get much better than that. 

Yacht, Sneaky Soundsystem, Gigamesh, Tesla Boy, JDH & Dave P, 8/30, 9 PM at Beekman Beer Garden

If you're the sort who likes to seek out unique venues, you should consider taking a trip to Manhattan's South Street Seaport Thursday evening. Not only will you get to catch a show in a beer garden, but you'll get to catch  one of indie rock's most charmingly odd bands. Yacht have a pair of stellar DFA-released records to their name and have been known to profess the deep symbolic meaning of the triangle to their audiences, pamphlets included. Though we can't promise that, we can just about guarantee rousing performance of dance punk jams like "Psychic City (Voodoo City)" and "I Walked Alone". 

The Vaselines, Schwervon!, 8/30, 8 PM at Bell House

Though the Vaselines never got around to releasing a proper full length during their late 80s heyday, they reached cult status as one of Kurt Cobian's favorite bands. Fortunately, Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee reunited several years back, and are set to appear at Brooklyn's Bell House alongside Schwervon!. Required pre-listening: Sub Pop's authoritative 2010 compilation, Enter the Vaselines. 

The Mynabirds, Port St. Willow, 9/1, 7:30 PM at Mercury Lounge

If you've been following Critical Mob lately, you'll know we've been big fans of Saddle Creek-ers the Mynabirds' sophomore LP, which includes cuts like "Disarm" and "Body of Work". Laura Burhenn and company are set to hit Mercury Lounge Saturday Night, along with openers Port St. Willow.

The dB's, The Spinto Band, 9/1, 8 PM, at Maxwell's

Though we know Hoboken technically isn't part of New York City, we're highlighting their Saturday night show nonetheless. The dBs wrote some of the best college rock the 80s had to offer and they don't tour very often these days. The trip over on the PATH should be worth it.