November 2023 NYC Concert List

Or, the Most Musically Comprehensive Concert List in the World

Every month, I publish a full curated list of things to do in NYC, and the November Blankman List is no exception. As is customary by now, the list includes at least one event for every day of the month and has far more than just music, including a dog-themed book sale, a mathematical lesson on fractals, a cooking workshop, and a wide range of theater and dance performances.

Those monthly lists are paywalled—a step I took several months back to justify the time it takes to make them. But the subscription fees are not what drive me. This kind of post is what drives me. I love the research and organization of list-making, and for November, I created a free offering that showcases how uniquely broad the musical offerings are in this city.

Categorizing Music

I was a math major in college, and this idea that objects, no matter how abstract, can always be organized became my favorite part of the subject. It is with this mindset that I consider how to construct a concert list that is as musically comprehensive as possible.

In the list below, I break down all of music into five broad categories:

• Popular Music

• World Music

• Art Music

• World Art Music

• Everything Else

These are not perfectly distinct, fully encapsulating labels (or eigengenres, if you will), but together they do a decent enough job of classifying all music that is possible to hear in New York City in November.

Plus, a bonus for this post: a Spotify playlist that includes one track representing each of the concerts below. I listened to it on shuffle recently, and it is a wild ride.

Disclaimer: before going anywhere, please confirm the date, time, cost, and location using the listed website. Any event is at risk of being rescheduled, relocated, sold out, at capacity, or canceled. I try to vet quality and describe accurately, but I may misjudge. Costs are rounded to the nearest dollar and may change.

Popular Music

Let’s start with the genres that people in the US are most likely to listen to. I would consider all of these different forms of “popular” music, meaning that they’re typically meant for socializing and dancing to, and many of these genres dominate charts like the Billboard Hot 100 or Spotify’s Top 50. Many of them (though not all!) are easy to find concerts for around the city:

Americana

• Thursday, November 9: The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow

  • Americana roots-folk; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $26–$38

  • Hill Country Barbecue Market

  • 30 W 26th St (NoMad, Manhattan)

Blues

• Wednesday, November 8: Ellis Hooks

  • Southern gospel-influenced acoustic blues; 7–9:30 pm

  • $10 cover at door

  • Terra Blues

  • 149 Bleecker St (NoHo, Manhattan)

Country

• Wednesday, November 1: Shooter Jennings and the Werewolves of Los Angeles Do Zevon

  • Country rock; 8:30 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $30

  • Brooklyn Made

  • 428 Troutman St (Bushwick, Brooklyn)

Electronic

• Friday, November 17: Oceanic, Julip, Office Hours

  • Electronic dance music; 8 pm

  • $14

  • Alphaville

  • 140 Wilson Ave (Bushwick, Brooklyn)

Gospel

• Thursday, November 9: Kirk Whalum: A Soulful Catholic Life

  • Gospel-influenced smooth jazz; 7 pm (6:30 pm doors)

  • $48

  • The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture

  • 18 Bleecker St (Bowery, Manhattan)

Hip-Hop

• Monday, November 20: Lil Uzi Vert: Pink Tape Tour

  • Trap hip-hop; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $65–$333+

  • Barclays Center

  • 620 Atlantic Ave (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)

Jazz

• Thursday, November 9: The Fringe: George Garzone, John Lockwood and Francisco Mela

  • Free jazz improvisations; 8 & 9:30 pm

  • Free entry (one drink minimum; tips for musicians encouraged)

  • Bar Bayeux

  • 1066 Nostrand Ave (Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn)

Metal

• Saturday, November 25: Ulcerate, Altars

  • New Zealand and Australian extreme metal; 6:30 pm

  • $37

  • Saint Vitus Bar

  • 1120 Manhattan Ave (Greenpoint, Brooklyn)

Indie pop singer-songwriter Cautious Clay; photo credit: Monika Cefis

Pop

• Thursday, November 30: Cautious Clay

  • Indie pop singer-songwriter; 8 pm (6 pm doors) & 10:30 pm (10 pm doors); through December 3

  • $52 + $20 minimum food and drink (full menu available)

  • Blue Note Jazz Club

  • 131 W 3rd St (West Village, Manhattan)

Punk

• Saturday, November 11: The Menzingers

  • Pop punk; 6:30–10:30 pm

  • $44

  • Knockdown Center

  • 52-19 Flushing Ave (Maspeth, Queens)

R&B

• Tuesday, November 7–Wednesday, November 8: An Evening with John Legend: A Night of Songs and Stories

  • R&B singer-songwriter; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $90–$389+

  • Beacon Theatre

  • 2124 Broadway (Upper West Side, Manhattan)

Rock

• Wednesday, November 1: Jethro Tull: The Seven Decades Tour

  • Classic British rock; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $125–$721+

  • Beacon Theatre

  • 2124 Broadway (Upper West Side, Manhattan)

Showtunes

• Sunday, November 5: Make Them Hear You: An Ode to Black Musicals Vol. 4

  • Songs from musicals by Black creative teams; 9:30 pm (9 pm doors)

  • $25–$35

  • 54 Below

  • 254 W 54th St Cellar (Midtown, Manhattan)

Soul

• Friday, November 3: Moon Soul

  • Ambient jazz-influenced soul; 8–8:45 pm

  • Free entry (full food and drink menu available)

  • Freddy’s Bar

  • 627 5th Ave (South Slope, Brooklyn)

World Music

Already, that’s quite a span. The above genres contain deep and varied roots, and all of them give way to entire worlds of subgenres. Yet they have a lot in common. They are all in the Western tradition, with features like twelve-tone equal pitch temperament (e.g., the frets of a guitar or keys of a piano), harmony based mainly on major and minor tonalities, and a rhythm with (usually four) clear, emphasized downbeats divided into bars. In general, they feature Western instruments like the piano, guitar, and drum set, and can be broken down into a bass line, chord progression, and sung melody.

Once you leave the US, however, and especially once you leave the Western hemisphere, all of those characteristics can be bent or broken. Below are genres of music that still fall under the broad umbrella of popular music but are heavily influenced by, if not practically restricted to, a culture outside this country.

That said, I’m not a fan of the label of “world” music. It’s an unfairly US-centric way of defining music. It defines music but what it’s not instead of what it is. Yet, I’ve only got concerts taking place in NYC in November to work with. For better or worse, New York City is part of the United States, so here is a variety of “world” music to be found around the city:

Afrobeats

• Sunday, November 5: Wizkid: More Love, Less Ego Tour

  • Nigerian Afrobeats dancehall; 7:30 pm

  • $60–$266+

  • Barclays Center

  • 620 Atlantic Ave (Prospect Heights, Brooklyn)

Bachata

• Friday, November 10: Wason Brazoban

  • Bachata dance party; 9 pm–4 am

  • $34

  • Salsa Con Fuego

  • 2297 Cedar Ave (University Heights, The Bronx)

Chinese Traditional

• Friday, November 17: China Institute Calligraphy and Music Meetup

  • Calligraphy workshop with traditional Chinese music (no calligraphy experience required); 6–8 pm; additional dates: Oct 20 & Dec 15

  • $10 general / free for students (includes refreshments)

  • China Institute at the Metropolitan College of New York

  • 40 Rector St, 2nd Floor (Financial District, Manhattan)

Javanese Traditional

• Saturday, November 4: Peni Candra Rini

  • Traditional and experimental music from Java; 8–9:30 pm

  • $20 suggested

  • Barbès

  • 376 9th St (Park Slope)

Jewish Traditional

• Tuesday, November 14–Thursday, November 30: Amid Falling Walls

  • Yiddish language off-Broadway musical with songs incorporating music of Holocaust survivors (English and Russian subtitles available); time(s) depend on day; through Dec 10

  • $65–$125

  • National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, Museum of Jewish Heritage

  • 36 Battery Pl (Financial District, Manhattan)

K Hip Hop

• Monday, November 6: Jimmy Brown with ROVV

  • Korean hip hop; 7:30 pm (6:30 pm doors)

  • $40–$170

  • (Le) Poisson Rouge

  • 148 Bleecker St (NoHo, Manhattan)

Klezmer

• Saturday, November 4: David Krakauer Breath & Hammer and Keepers of the Flame

  • Clarinet-based modern klezmer; 7:30 pm

  • $29

  • Merkin Concert Hall, Kaufman Music Center

  • 129 W 67th St (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)

Latin Pop

• Saturday, November 4: Santiago Cruz

  • Colombian singer-songwriter; 8 pm

  • $54–$159

  • Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage

  • 881 7th Ave (Midtown, Manhattan)

Mariachi

• Sunday, November 12: Mariachi Herencia de México

  • Mariachi concert; 4 pm

  • $43–$63

  • Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, Lehman College

  • 250 Bedford Park Blvd W (Kingsbridge Heights, The Bronx)

Peruvian Post-Punk

• Thursday, November 2: La Banda Chuska

  • 1960s Peruvian surf music-inspired post-punk; 7:30 pm

  • Free

  • David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

  • 61 W 62nd St (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)

Reggae

• Saturday, November 25: Mighty Mystic Live at Cafe Wha?

  • Jamaican-influenced reggae; 6:30 pm (5:30 pm doors)

  • $18 + 2 item minimum

  • Cafe Wha?

  • 115 MacDougal St (West Village, Manhattan)

Rwandan Folk

• Sunday, November 5: In Concert: The Good Ones

  • Rwandan folk-influenced songs; 7 pm (6:30 pm doors)

  • $45

  • Fotografiska

  • 281 Park Ave S (Gramercy Park, Manhattan)

Scottish Folk

• Thursday, November 16: Sam Shackleton

  • Scottish folk-influenced music; 8:30 pm (8 pm doors)

  • $20

  • Jalopy Theatre

  • 315 Columbia St (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn)

Turkish Rock

• Wednesday, November 22: Manga at DROM

  • Anatolian rock music with electronic elements; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $70 + $20 drink minimum

  • Drom

  • 85 Ave A (Bowery, Manhattan)

Ukrainian Traditional

• Friday, November 3: Music at the Museum: Accordion Songfest

  • Accordion-based traditional Ukrainian songs; 7–8 pm

  • $18

  • The Ukrainian Museum

  • 222 E 6th St (Ukrainian Village, Manhattan)

Yemeni Folk

• Saturday, November 18: El Khat

  • Yemeni folk-influenced multi-instrumental music; 7:30 pm (6:30 pm doors)

  • $32 (seated) or $30 (standing)

  • National Sawdust

  • 80 N 6th St (Williamsburg, Brooklyn)

Art Music

Music exists on a spectrum, and genres are descriptive, not prescriptive. Nevertheless, much of the above music is not typically performed with critical listening in mind, even though it is often composed with critical considerations, and there is plenty to analyze about it.

On the other hand, “art” music (or equivalently, lowercase-c classical music), is designed for critical listening. When it is performed live, listeners are usually expected to listen quietly and respectfully. (Though there is nothing stopping you from playing Stockhausen at your next house party.)

With this distinction in mind, there is a centuries-old tradition of music, with performances to be found across the city from every step along the tradition. Here is a list of November art music concerts, in chronological order of era, apart from a special call-out for opera:

Renaissance Era

• Saturday, November 11–Sunday, November 12: Byrd 1589: Songs of Sundrie Natures II

  • Songs by English composer William Byrd; 7 pm (Nov 11) or 4 pm (Nov 12)

  • $15–$50

  • Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church

  • 552 West End Ave (Upper West Side, Manhattan)

Baroque Era

• Wednesday, November 1: Bach at One

  • Bach cantatas; 1–2 pm (video of BWV 52, one of the cantatas being performed)

  • Free

  • Trinity Church Wall Street

  • 89 Broadway (Financial District, Manhattan)

Classical Era

• Thursday, November 2: String Quartet Mozart-a-Thon

  • University Classical string quartet music; 4 pm

  • Free (no tickets required)

  • Morse Recital Hall, The Juilliard School

  • 60 Lincoln Center Plaza (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)

Romantic Era

• Wednesday, November 15: NYU Orchestra: Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony

  • University orchestral concert; 8–9:30 pm

  • Free

  • Iris Cantor Theatre, New York University

  • 36 E 8th St (NoHo, Manhattan)

Piano and saxophone trio Avék Trio; photo credit: Carnegie Hall

Modernism

• Tuesday, November 14: Avék Trio

  • Classical saxophone trio concert; 8 pm

  • $68–$108

  • Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall

  • 154 W 57th St (Midtown, Manhattan)

Contemporary Classical

• Sunday, November 12: Manhattan School of Music Percussion Ensemble

  • Performance of new percussion music; 7:30 pm

  • Free (tickets required)

  • Manhattan School of Music, Ades Performance Space

  • 130 Claremont Ave (Morningside Heights, Manhattan)

Opera

• Friday, November 3–Tuesday, November 28: X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X

  • Opera based on the life of Malcolm X; typically starts between 7–8 pm, but time depends on day

  • $37–$330+

  • Metropolitan Opera House

  • 30 Lincoln Center Plaza (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)

World Art Music

Even with art music, there is a Western tradition that more or less begins with Gregorian chant and is rooted in the patronage of churches and royal courts in Western Europe. Just as people around the world have music to socialize and dance to, so too do people around the world have music to practice, study, and listen to critically. This music—especially contemporary reimaginings of it—can also be found around the city:

Chinese Classical

• Friday, November 24: Central Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra of Beijing, China

  • Traditional and modern classical Chinese works; 7:30 pm

  • $28–$134

  • Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall

  • 881 7th Ave (Midtown, Manhattan)

Contemporary Noh

• Thursday, November 16: Noh-opera/Noh-tation: Decoding John Cage’s Unrealized Project

  • AI-assisted noh-influenced vocal and ensemble work; 7:30 pm followed by artist Q&A; part of John Cage’s Japan Series

  • $40

  • Japan Society

  • 333 E 47th St (Midtown East, Manhattan)

Hindi Film Music

• Friday, November 3: DJ Rekha’s Desi Dance Party

  • Bhangra and Bollywood songs mixed with electronic and hip-hop; 7:30 pm

  • Free

  • David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

  • 61 W 62nd St (Lincoln Square, Manhattan)

Indian Classical

• Saturday, November 11: L. Shankar

  • Indian- and classical-influenced music on a “double violin”; 6 pm

  • $35 (full drink and dinner menu available)

  • Sony Hall

  • 235 W 46th St (Times Square, Manhattan)

Native American Classical

• Saturday, November 4 & Sunday, November 5: Ochre, Found Again, and Beauty by Beauty

  • Chickasaw-influenced (Found Again) and other contemporary classical choral works; 8 pm; Nov 4 & 5

  • $25 adult / $20 senior / $13 student

  • Church of the Holy Apostles

  • 296 9th Ave (Chelsea, Manhattan)

Turkish Classical

• Wednesday, November 8: Erkan Ogur and Ismail H. Demircioglu in NYC

  • Turkish classical- and folk-influenced guitar-based music; 7 pm

  • $65

  • Drom

  • 85 Ave A (East Village, Manhattan)

Everything Else

No matter how much I try to split music into evenly partitioned genres, music is a messy art form with literally infinite possibilities. It can be the center of attention or faded into the background, alone or with other art forms, accompanied by humor or spoken word. There are still other ways to engage with music around NYC that don’t quite fit into any of the above:

Ambient

• Saturday, November 4: Psychedelic Sangha Bardo Bath

  • Transcendent musical soundscapes; 7–8:30 pm

  • $25

  • Tibet House US

  • 22 W 15th St (Union Square, Manhattan)

Children’s

• Wednesday, November 15: KIDZ BOP Never Stop Live Tour

  • Family-friendly covers of current pop songs; 7 pm (6 pm doors)

  • $54–$258+

  • Beacon Theatre

  • 2124 Broadway (Upper West Side, Manhattan)

Experimental

• Saturday, November 18: tilt with Kalia Vandever

  • Trombone-based experimental jazz; 8:30 pm

  • $20 (cash only at door)

  • The Stone

  • 55 W 13th St (Union Square, Manhattan)

Holiday

• Friday, November 17–Thursday, November 30: Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes

  • Annual musical holiday stage show; multiple times each day, ranging from 10 am to 10 pm

  • $57–$300+

  • Radio City Music Hall

  • 1260 6th Ave (Midtown, Manhattan)

Multimedia

• Tuesday, November 14: Shara Lunon: Bitter Fruits

  • Electronic performance with text, sound, and light; 8 pm (7 pm doors)

  • $25 adult / $20 student or senior

  • Roulette

  • 509 Atlantic Ave (Boerum Hill, Brooklyn)

Spoken Word

• Monday, November 6: Don’t Stop I’m About to Jazz!

  • Stand-up comedy with live piano accompaniment; 8 pm (7 pm doors); part of the New York Comedy Festival Nov 3–12

  • $19

  • The Bowery Electric

  • 327 Bowery (NoHo, Manhattan)