Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park and Recommended Free Outdoor Shows

Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park

Baltimorean Dan Deacon has been a darling of the Brooklyn scene for the past 5 years or so, endearing promoters like Todd P and creating some of the best music events turned dance parties in the city. His last album, 2009’s Bromst, was well-received but Deacon hadn’t played in Brooklyn since, I believe, last summer’s show with No Age and Deerhunter at Brooklyn Bowl. So, it was with great excitement that the crowd welcomed him to Red Hook Park last month (June 16), as part of Summerstage‘s “expansion” shows (Summerstage is normally always held at Central Park, but this year some shows are being held at various parks around the city).

Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park

Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park

First of all, I don’t understand why they don’t have more shows at this location–it was great! Plenty of room, good sound, and, well, not so convenient to get to (I recommend biking!). It was easy to get a good view of Deacon’s onstage antics and the crowd surfing was plentiful. Deacon played songs from various previous albums as well as a few new ones. He led the crowd in some synchronized dance moves, encouraged hula hooping and organized a dance contest. The crowd was happy and friendly and Deacon seemed pleased as punch to be there.

Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park

Dan Deacon at Red Hook Park

As my first free outdoor show of the summer, it was a winner. And in case you’re wondering what other outdoor shows I’m excited about, here you go:

• Tonight, July 9: Bear in Heaven and Zola Jesus at South Street Seaport
• July 11: OkayAfrica with the Roots, Talib Kweli and more at Prospect Park and Xiu Xiu and Deerhoof play Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, Why?, Fang Island, and Pictureplane at Willamsburg Waterfront
• July 12: George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic at Wingate Field
• July 16: Thee Oh Sees, Golden Triangle, and So Cow at South Street Seaport and Caribou and Phantogram at Governor’s Island
• July 17: Raphael Saadiq and more at Central Park and African Festival with Konono No. 1, Omar Pene, and more at Prospect Park
• July 21: Pharoahe Monch at Queensbridge Park
• July 22: Antibalas at Castle Clinton and Antlers and Dinosaur Feather at Pier 54
• July 23: Free Energy and Best Coast at South Street Seaport
• July 25: Cap’n Jazz, Lightening Bolt, No Age, and Death Set at the Williamsburg Waterfront and Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, and Fool’s Gold at Central Park
• July 30: Avi Buffalo and Chad VanGaalen at South Street Seaport and Swell Season and Low Anthem at Prospect Park
• July 31: Sonic Youth and Grass Widow at Prospect Park and The Detroit Breakdown at Lincoln Center with The Velvelettes, Mitch Ryder, and more
• August 1: St. Vincent, Tune-Yards, and Basia Bulat at Central Park
• August 2: Salt-n-Pepa, Slick Rick, and Naughty by Nature at Wingate Field
• August 4: Robert Glaspar Experiment with Q-Tip and Bilal at Lincoln Center
• August 5: Metric, Joan As Policewoman, and Holly Miranda at Prospect Park and Gil Scott Heron at Marcus Garvey Park and John Legend at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island
• August 6: Yacht at South Street Seaport
• August 7: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at Prospect Park and Balkan Beat Box and Mucca Pazza at Lincoln Center
• August 8: Cut Copy and Memory Tapes at Williamsburg Waterfront and xx and Chairlift at Central Park and Josh Ritter at Governor’s Island
• August 9: Aretha Franklin at Wingate Field
• August 12: Deerhunter and Real Estate at Pier 54 and Aretha Franklin at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island
• August 13: Kronos Quartet at Lincoln Center
• August 14: Neon Indian at Governor’s Island
• August 15: Public Enemy and Blitz the Ambassador at Central Park and !!!, Lee Fields, The Strange Boys, and Future Islands at Williamsburg Waterfront and Dr. Dog and Eli “Paperboy” Reed at Governor’s Island
• August 19: B-52s and Belinda Carlisle at Asser Levy Park in Coney Island
• August 22: The Specials and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears at Central Park and Chromeo and more at Williamsburg Waterfront
• August 29: Delorean, Dominique Young Unique, and more at Williamsburg Waterfront

What are you looking forward to??? More Dan Deacon pictures after the jump!