If music be the food of love, stuff your face at our pick of lip-smacking gigs in NYC this Valentine’s Day
Written by Ro Samarth
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Planning the perfect Valentine’s Day outing comes with a lot of pressure. If you’re still at a loss for what to do, might we suggest one of the many NYC concerts in February? Whether you’re flying solo or taking a date, a night of live music will set the tone for a fun (and non-cheesy) holiday. To really make it a night to remember, make dinner reservations at one of the most romantic restaurants in NYC before the show. And while you’re booking your tickets—by the way, you better get on that—set the mood with our playlist of the 50 best Valentine's Day songs.
RECOMMENDED: Find more Valentine’s Day ideas in NYC
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Best Valentine’s Day concerts in NYC
- Music
- Jazz
Singer Reeves has covered the stylistic waterfront over the years, but mostly she’s an ace at singing standards. This will be her seventhyear performing a Valentine's special at the Rose Theater, one of the city's most breathtaking concert venues, and it's sure to be heavenly.
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- Music
- Jazz
It's no surprise that Russell sings jazz as if to the manner born: In a sense she was, given that her folks are composer-arranger Luis Russell and bassist Carline Ray. Here, the singer, who has also backed David Bowie, flaunts her big voice and old-school charm in a five-night Valentine's Day–themed residency.
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- Music
- Rock and indie
This yearly benefit, hosted by Panache Booking and local dance party New York Night Train, raises money for Planned Parenthood while also raising the roof at Music Hall of Williamsburg. The dozen or so acts lean toward the danceable side of garage rock, with performances by the Lemon Twigs, Bush Tetras, Shilpa Ray, Reverend Vince Anderson and more.
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- Music
- Rock and indie
Singer-songwriter Cohn made a name for himself with the breakout hit "Walking in Memphis" back in the '90s, and he'll serve up the same soulful croon at his fifth annual Valentine's Day gig at City Winery.
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- Music
- Funk, soul and disco
Atlanta native and one-man seducto-force Terius Nash may have made it big by writing Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Beyoncé's "Single Ladies," but the crooner has since carved his own niche via his silky-smooth solo work. While his own falsetto-flecked R&B slow-burners don't quite access the same enduring earworminess as those mega-hits, they have won the adoration of many a clubgoer and a slew of nerdy music-critic types—expect both crowds at this show, as well as a few teasers from his forthcoming album, Love Affair.
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- Music
- Rock and indie
Former Ariel Pink collaborator and underground hero John Maus makes captivating, retro-leaning synth pop. It's tuneful, bright, consistently weirdand, on his latest, Screen Memories, delightfully expansive. His charged stage presence only adds to the appeal.
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- Music
- Jazz
Mighty-lunged vocal sensation Porter, who netted a well-deserved Grammy last year for his sharp 2016 set, Take Me to the Alley, takes his annual Valentine's Day show to a glitzier digs: Carnegie Hall. Expect tunes from his stellar third Blue Note album, Nat King Cole & Me, a fervent tribute to his idol released late last year.
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- Music
- Rock and indie
We last heard from Led Zeppelin when the band put out a snazzy, full-catalog reissue a couple years back, but don't get your hopes up for much else in the way of reunion shows or releases. You can, however, find leonine lead man Robert Plant on the road performing solo or alongside his current cross-cultural concern, the Sensational Space Shifters, following 2017's sensuous new solo album, Carry Fire.
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- Music
Dream-pop, dusky soul, jittery beats and synthy grooves collide in the music of Boston's Sonnymoon. This week's edition of the duo's C'mon Everybody residency features the endlessly talented Taja Cheek brewing her totally singular atmospheric, soul-inflected soundscapes as L'Rain. Expect intricately arpeggiated jazz guitar, tight drumming chops and plenty of psychedelic tape loop ambience.
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- Music
In the absence of Marley, Tosh (may both R.I.P.) and Bunny, original Wailers bassist Aston "Family Man" Barrett keeps the legacy going with a new musical crew performing those classic reggae grooves.
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- Music
- Latin and world
The international pop star is serving up his vibrato-intense, knees-to-the-floor croon for tri-state audiences yet again at his fifth-annual Valentine's Day gig at the Prudential Center. Confirmed fans will sway along to Anthony'ssoap-opera-tastic ballads (of which there are many), impassioned salsa gems, midtempo pop hits and ravey dance numbers.
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Looking for more music?
From synth pop to metal to jazz, here are our favorite concerts happeningthis year
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