Pitchfork

Stroll past the Diana Ross Playground, the John Lennon shrine, and the large piles of horse poop and you might just catch a glimpse of some fine indie rock, hip-hop, or comedy this summer in New York City's Central Park.

The world's most famous hotel for transients will host their 22nd year of SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield starting June 8 and running through September. The concert series includes a Decemberists/Grizzly Bear/Land of Talk triple-bill, Neko Case and Eric Bachmann, Television with the Apples in Stereo, Human Giant and Dimitri Martin, a Sloan/Apostle of Hustle Canadian celebration, Rufus Wainwright, Cinematic Orchestra, Femi Kuti & Positive Force, and Underworld, among many others. Unfortunately, Common is playing with Joss Stone.

But arguably the deffest bill belongs to the Wild Style 25th anniversary show on July 29, packing such legends as Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Caz, the Cold Crush Brothers, the Chief Rocker Busy Bee, and DJ GrandWizzard Theodore. Most shows are free, with a few paid shows serving as benefits for the series.

SummerStage:

06-08 Joss Stone, Common, Ryan Shaw *
06-15 Cassandra Wilson, Olu Dara
06-16 Television, Apples in Stereo, Dragons of Zynth
06-17 Tiken Jah Fakoly, Idan Raichel Project, DJ Kadafi
06-22 Comedy Central Park: Dave Attell, John Mulaney, Joe DeRosa, Amy Schumer, Kurt Metzger, Ted Alexandro
06-24 Sloan, Apostle of Hustle, the Duhks (Canada Day)
06-28 The Levon Helm Band *
06-30 Ozomatli, Babylon Circus, DJ Joro Boro
07-01 Rodrigo y Gabriela, VietNam, JDH and Dave P
07-06 Ronald K. Brown / Evidence, Full Circle Soul Productions
07-07 Cinematic Orchestra, RAMP, El Michels Affair, Kevin Michael, DJ Spinna
07-08 Junior Reid, Wyclef Jean & Papa Jube, Djakout Mizik, Diams, Black Alex & Mecca a.k.a. "GRIMMO"
07-09 Bob Weir & Rat Dog, Keller Williams *
07-10 Nortec Collective, Fedrico Aubele
07-11 Femi Kuti & the Positive Force, DJ Rich Medina
07-14 Café Tacuba, Pacha Massive, La Sista
07-15 Hip-Hop Harry, Sippy Cups, Break! (Global Family Day)
07-16 The Decemberists, Grizzly Bear, Land of Talk *
07-19 UCB Theatre's Comedy Cabaret, Human Giant, Demetri Martin, Rebecca Drysdale, the Defibulators
07-20 Neko Case, Eric Bachmann
07-21 Shrhabeel Ahmed, Aboaraki Al Bkheid, Yousif El Moseley, Hadia "Al Balabil" (Humming Bird), Ali Al Segid, Rasha Sheikh Aldein, AL Wareef Sheikh Aldein, Brides of the Nile Dance Group, Emmanuel (South of Sudan), Omar Ehsas, the Nile Music Orchestra
07-22 Brazilian Girls, Cat Empire, HIMALAYAS
07-26 Marisha Pessl, Jennifer Egan
07-27 David Parsons Dance, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
07-28 Liz McComb, King Britt presents Sister Gertrude Morgan featuring Ben Jaffe
07-29 Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Caz, the Cold Crush Brothers, the Chief Rocker Busy Bee, DJ GrandWizzard Theodore (Wild Style 25th Anniversary Reunion)
08-02 Amiri Baraka, Sonia Sanchez
08-03 Philadanco, Camille A. Brown & Dancers
08-04 Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Spam Allstars, Tato Torres Y Yerba Buena, Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love
08-05 Cine Fest Brazil, AfroReggae
08-09 The Black Crowes *
08-10 Complexions Contemporary Ballet, TAKE Dance Company
08-11 Soul to Soul III, Galactic, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagle Mardi Gras Indians & Soul Rebel Brass Band (Celebrate New Orleans)
08-12 Zap Mama, Angelique Kidjo, K'Naan
08-19 Rufus Wainwright *
09-14 Underworld, James Holden *
09-16 Haasan Hakmoun, Orchestre de Tanger, Amalia Papastefanou, Chris Tiktapanides, Dimonis de Mallorca (New York World Festival's Sounds of the Mediterranean)

* benefit show, not free