13 Beach and Poolside Shows to See This Summer

Image via Complex Original

When: June 13

Where: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.

Long Island’s BLI 106.1 enlisted Flo Rida, Charli XCX, Carly Rae Jepsen, and more for its annual summer jam. The concert’s home is Jones Beach Amphitheater, an outdoor venue at the edge of Jones Beach State Park. Hurricane Sandy did serious damage to the amphitheater in 2012, but it was reopened the following May after $20 million in repairs. And the year after, alcohol was finally permitted outside of the VIP area. 

When: June 24

Where: Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, Wantagh, N.Y.

Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa is a combination so weird that it just might work. Wiz said of the 39-show Boys of Zummer tour, "I’m looking forward to getting wasted and being in the sun." And what better place to do so than at Jones Beach's amphitheater? If you're somehow not in the Venn diagram of the pop punk band and rapper’s fan bases, the tour also features Hoodie Allen and DJ Drama. 

When: June 27

Where: Atlantic City, N.J. 

Atlantic City’s EDM festival donates proceeds to Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit that brings music lessons and instruments into under-served schools. This means that if you buy a ticket you’re automatically a good person. As a bonus, you’ll be treated to sets from Vicetone, Project 46, Gazzo, and more. The headliner still hasn’t been announced, but last year the honor went to Canadian house duo DVBBS. 

When: July 2

Where: The Pool at Talking Stick Resort, Phoenix

311’s blend of reggae, alt rock, and hip-hop makes them a perfect band to vibe out to on a cool summer night. For proof, just look at their history: This year will bring the band’s 25th(!) consecutive summer tour. They’re one of the rare acts whose shows you’ll fall in love with, even if you don’t consider yourself a fan. Don’t even think about it; just go see them at least once. And do it poolside at Phoenix’s Talking Stick Resort. 

When: July 4

Where: Surf Lodge, Montauk, N.Y.

This year, Corona’s Electric Beach is celebrating the Fourth of July at Surf Lodge. The Surf Lodge is loaded with concerts this summer and has hosted artists like Gary Clark Jr., Capital Cities, and the Flaming Lips. With a deck right over the water, there won’t be a better place to enjoy the holiday or the DJ set of electro-funk duo Chromeo from Montreal.

When: Thursday nights beginning July 9

Where: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, Calif.

This year will mark the 31st time the Santa Monica Pier has hosted a series of free summer concerts, and the 2015 lineup includes indie rock band Real Estate, pop singer-songwriter Ariel Pink, and a yet-to-be-announced finale in September. Enjoying the free shows is simple. All you need to do is pack a cooler, grab a blanket, and show up early to snag a seat on the beach close to the pier. The sound is much better if you post up on the pier, but the superior vibes are down on the beach. 

When: July 12, Aug. 16

Where: Encore Beach Club, Las Vegas

Phase two of Lil Jon’s career has seen the rapper-producer crushing it in the EDM world. His larger-than-life personality fits in just as well in the electronic scene as it did in crunk, which is why he’s the perfect DJ to get buck wild to while finessing at a Las Vegas pool party. He’ll headline two of Encore Beach Club’s Daystar Sundays in July and August, in addition to his residency at Wynn’s Surrender Nightclub.

When: July 11-12

Where: Oakwood Beach, Chicago

Chi-Town is getting yet another music festival this year. While the inaugural edition may not boast as stacked of a lineup as Lollapalooza, Pitchfork, or North Coast, it has something that the larger festivals don't: sand. Empire of the Sun and Passion Pit will headline the EDM-heavy, two-day fest on the shore of Lake Michigan. It'll also have the last Midwest performance from the deep house duo Art Department, which recently announced a breakup after a five-year partnership.

When: July 20

Where: Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, Miami

Nicki Minaj’s absurdly talented tour will make its second stop at Miami’s Bayfront Park Amphitheatre, which sits right on the edge of Biscayne Bay. The opportunity to see one of the best rappers alive is intriguing enough, but she’ll also be joined by rumored fiancée Meek Mill, Rae Sremmurd, Tinashe, and Dej Loaf—all of whom have been killing it in the past year. It’s a safe bet that this will be the best tour of the summer. The European leg already gave us one of the best memes of the year.

When: Aug. 5

Where: East River Park, New York City

Only New York City could be this hip in its free summer concert programming, booking the burgeoning group Ratking and barely legal solo act Bishop Nehru. The former has built a strong underground following with a pair of frenetic, NYC-centric releases in the past year (So It Goes and 700 Fill EP), while the latter has already signed with Nas, toured with Wu-Tang Clan, and released a collaborative album with MF Doom. Somehow, East River Park has another free show that rivals this one on the very next day.

When: Aug. 6

Where: East River Park, New York City

Dan Snaith returned in 2014 with his first Caribou album in more than four years, an emotionally and sonically rich reminder that electronic music can go deeper than the hedonism ubiquitous in clubs and festivals across the world. Its lush production creeps toward dance-floor tendencies before running away, supporting Snaith’s description of the album as “something for everybody to listen to.” With that in mind, his free show should draw an eclectic crowd of which you should have no reservations about joining. 

When: Aug. 15

Where: Palms Pool, Las Vegas

Ditch Fridays bring DJs to the Palms Pool every week of the summer, but the best of them all is the OG DJ Jazzy Jeff. If you appreciate turntablism (you should), you need to see the legendary hip-hop DJ in action. He could probably play his and Will Smith's "Summertime" 11 times in a row a la "N***** in Paris" (he should) and still kill it. He'll also make a return to the day club at the end of September for the Ditch Fridays finale. 

When: TBA

Where: Atlantic City, N.J.

Last year, Atlantic City’s free beach concerts with Blake Shelton and Lady Antebellum drew more than 120,000 total attendees. So it’s no surprise LiveNation announced that the resort city will get two more free shows this summer. Lineups and dates have yet to be revealed, but it’s safe to assume that there won’t be any scrubs playing the beach.