Good upcoming folk music shows in the NYC area?

October 19, 2005 12:34 PM

My mother's husband is a big folk music fan, and his birthday is coming up. I'd like to get them 2 tickets to a good folk music show that takes place somewhere in the NYC area before the end of 2005.

I've searched sites like pollstar.com, but the amount of information is just too large; conversely, searching the sites of individual venues takes forever, and I don't have a comprehensive venue list, anyway. Any online resources or reliable venues you can recommend?

Muchas gracias!

posted by Dr. Wu to Media & Arts (13 answers total)

Try the events calendar at WFUV.org. Looks like there's lots of good stuff coming up. Maybe Richard Thompson?
posted by MsMolly at 12:39 PM on October 19, 2005

If they don't cancel it due to some recent medical problems with the lead singer, Eddie From Ohio will be playing The Canal Room on November 17th.

They're not traditional "folk", but they kick ass.
posted by bondcliff at 12:57 PM on October 19, 2005

Maybe now I can help you out!

You can hardly do better than the Sing Out Musi-Cal Concert lCalendar.By searching for "New YorK" and then refining for folk or acoustic, you'll get plenty of choices.

I see Bruce Molsky coming up -- he's amazing for real traditional roots fiddle music. Chris Smither is an awesome blues guitarist and songwriter. Mary McCaslin and Bill Morrissey are sharing a bill -- both very good singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot is on the road again, as is John Gorka. Those would be some of my picks for someone like your mom's man. Good luck.
posted by Miko at 1:11 PM on October 19, 2005

Richard Shindell and Lucy Kaplansky are at Carnegie Hall in Nov. They are both really great live. Their colleague Dar Williams also has a show in NYC in November.

I'll second Eddie From Ohio and John Gorka.

Joan Baez has some upcoming shows in the area.
posted by sarahnade at 1:28 PM on October 19, 2005

Response by poster: bondcliff, thank you, but I don't think EFO is to the man's tastes. They seem sorta interesting to me, though...

Miko and MsMolly: those sites are 'zactly what I was hoping to find! Thank you - they're great resources.

I think I'm leaning toward the Chris Smither show coming up in a couple weeks - I happen to like him, too.

T'anks a million!
posted by Dr. Wu at 1:30 PM on October 19, 2005

Their tour date listings only go through the first few days in December, but Old Crow Medicine Show seems as though they'd be due back here soon. I haven't seen them, but they're supposed to be amazing live.
Sorry that's not more helpful...
posted by hellbient at 2:24 PM on October 19, 2005

Richard Thompson is playing the Town Hall on the 26th and 27th of this month. I'll be there...
posted by Decani at 2:25 PM on October 19, 2005

Väsen from Sweden October 23, 2005 NYC at Satalla. Three amazing instrumentalists playing heavenly music.
posted by omnidrew at 3:23 PM on October 19, 2005

"Folk" is a hopelessly ill-defined category... do you know what, specifically, he likes?
posted by Zed_Lopez at 3:36 PM on October 19, 2005

Man, I'd love to see Old Crow Medicine Show! That's old-timey music! I am lucky enough to be going here this weekend. There is the small matter of Hurricane Wilma...
posted by wsg at 4:18 PM on October 19, 2005

Response by poster: Zed_Lopez: you're right, of course. Sorry if I was unclear.

By "folk" I meant that he was at many of the Newport Folk Festivals in the mid-to-late '60s, and loves music by Phil Ochs, Steve Goodman, David Blue, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, etc.

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions.
posted by Dr. Wu at 7:29 PM on October 19, 2005

A strong second for Eddie From Ohio.

Alson consider:
Nerissa & Katryna Nields
11/18/05 WAMC Albany, NY
posted by megatherium at 8:16 PM on October 19, 2005

Well, I went to see Thompson last night. He was awesome. Awesome.
posted by Decani at 8:42 PM on October 27, 2005