Brooklyn’s Best: The Year So Far

Cher at Barclays Center / photo © by Debra L. Rothenberg

The first eight months of 2019 have proven to be a microcosm of the music renaissance that has swept Brooklyn over the last two decades. Today more than ever our borough is recognized as a premier producer and generator of great new talent of diverse genres as well as a must-play destination for top established artists.

Patti LaBelle Wows Brooklyn ! / photo by David Andrakos

Among the bona fide music legends whose shows we saw in 2019 was Cher, who, at age 73, proved that she still has the power to turn back time as she wowed an overflow crowd at Barclays Center on May 2. Not to be outdone, Patti LaBelle – the Godmother of Soul – launched the 41st season of Celebrate Brooklyn! in Prospect Park by headlining the opening night concert, June 4.

The National at CB! / photo by Kyra Kverno

The following week, Brooklyn Roads saw two powerhouse acts on that same stage – long-time Brooklyn residents The National and Australia’s Courtney Barnett.In July a group with Brooklyn roots, the Americana trio, I’m With Her, dazzled us at CB! with their impeccable musicianship, gorgeous vocals and superb songwriting.

Courtney Barnett at CB! / photo by Kyra Kverno

We got down with an evening of home-grown funk with The Budos Band, Menahan Street Band and Holy Hive at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in April and again with the dance-friendly grooves of local boogie sensations Escort at Elsewhere in May.

Brooklyn Roads was also on hand for the debut of a new monthly acoustic music series, Live From The Vault at Putnam’s Pub & Cooker in Fort Greene’s in April, as well as the February album launch show for Jan Bell & The Maybelles’ Goodbye to the River. (Bell is the founder and curator of the upcoming Brooklyn Americana Music Festival, September 19-22.)

Local emerging “Artists On Our Radar” we got to know over these past several months include the post-punk band Bodega; spacey indie rockers AMFM; Quarter Water, a hip-hop neo soul quintet; M. West with his “accessible yet edgy” punk-pop-rock; Dan Rauchwerk, half of the quirky folk duo Lords of Liechtenstein; and Sarah Cobb, aka electro-pop sensation ESS SEE. These artists, who represent Brooklyn’s musical diversity, all praised the borough and its influence on their development and creativity.