Live music in Arlington, MA

The Longfellow Summer Arts Festival hosts a performance by pianist, composer, and arranger Yujin Han. Born in South Korea, Han studied at Dongduk Women’s University and began her career in 2020 leading the alternative R&B band the Blowers, sharing original music with support from the CJ Cultural Foundation. After moving to the United States, she continued her studies at Berklee College of Music on a Presidential Scholarship and deepened her work at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, exploring inventive harmony and rhythm shaped by diverse global influences. Her credits include appearances at the Panama Jazz Festival, Medford Jazz Festival, Boston Progressive Jazz Festival, and stages across Korea and Boston, and she was highlighted as an emerging artist at the 2024 Vermont Solo Jazz Piano Festival. Presented with the Berklee Summer in the City concert series, the festival offers music, poetry, and a welcoming community on the Longfellow House lawn throughout the summer, and all events are free and open to everyone.

An outdoor West Coast Swing gathering brings dancers to the river docks just behind the Hatch Shell. Speakers set the soundtrack while rotating DJs and instructors guide the flow, blending social dancing with a beginner friendly lesson that shares the dock so newcomers can learn as others keep moving. Bring friends and food, and enjoy music and dancing by the water.

The Burren hosts a night of rock in many shades featuring The Allston Rat Problem, Pyramid Scheme, The Cherry Fog, and The Koiis. The music spans alternative favorites, indie grooves, vintage hard rock power, and swampy rhythms. The Allston Rat Problem brings basement grit to a set of familiar alternative staples, with flannel tinged energy and playful stage antics that will resonate with anyone who grew up on 92.9 FM. Boston outfit Pyramid Scheme mixes modern rock drive with a relaxed R&B pulse and jazz influenced chords, an eclectic and soulful blend that started in a college house basement in 2021. They made their live debut in August 2023 and have been performing around the Greater Boston area since. The Cherry Fog delivers a vintage hard rock power trio sound fueled by Marshall stacks, classic drums, and thick bass lines, drawing on Nirvana, Cream, and The Byrds alongside garage grit, with shows ranging from NYC to Revere Beach. The Koiis, a five piece with origins in the Back Bay Bayou and based in Somerville, bring swamp rock that blends eras and is built to rock rooms on either side of the river, with a playful nod to Michael McDonald.

Yard Act brings a live performance to The Sinclair with entry open to all ages. Each ticket contributes 25 cents to The Shout Syndicate, a volunteer-driven Boston initiative that raises funds for youth-led arts programs through established nonprofit creative youth development organizations across Greater Boston. The Shout Syndicate operates under The Boston Foundation and partners with the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture as part of the Boston Creates plan.

Club Passim in Boston presents Germany-based guitarist, composer, arranger, and educator Alexandr Misko with special guest Forest Bailey. A leading voice in modern fingerstyle guitar, Misko has built a global following that bridges viral videos and the stage, with collaborations that include work with Hans Zimmer. His seven albums, international tours, and a distinctive instrument of his own design highlight a multigenre approach rooted in the tradition of the style. He began with three years of classical study at 12, then taught himself modern fingerstyle after discovering it online. His original Guitar + Pen Tapping piece drew over a million views, followed by covers of Billie Jean and Careless Whisper that amassed tens of millions more, helping his YouTube channel grow beyond one million subscribers. Accolades include being named Guitarist of the Year by MusicRadar in 2018 and the release of his third solo album, Roundtrip, in 2019, noted for its inventive and mature writing. In 2020 he performed at Carnegie Hall with harpist Alexander Boldachev, a collaboration that grew into a duo that unites guitar and harp for festival audiences around the world.

Presented by Brooklyn Vegan, this all-ages event features Swervedriver. With every ticket purchased, 25 cents will be directed to The Shout Syndicate, a volunteer-run Boston effort that supports youth-led arts programs through established creative youth development nonprofits across Greater Boston. The Shout Syndicate is housed at The Boston Foundation and collaborates with the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture as part of the Boston Creates plan.

This event features a music-centered version of bingo where songs take the place of numbers. Play on a paper card or on your phone as tracks roll, marking the ones you recognize. Expect toe tapping, sing-alongs, and maybe even a little dancing. It brings the classic game together with a shared soundtrack for a lively experience.

Kick up your boots for an upbeat evening of country line dancing with the Line Dancing Queens at WBUR CitySpace. The event opens with instruction designed for newcomers, then shifts into open dance time featuring a variety of well known line dances. No experience is necessary, and the instructors will lead and cue routines so you can follow along after the lesson. General admission is $15. WBUR’s Legacy Circle, Murrow Society, Sustainers and Members receive a $5 discount on in person tickets with a promo code.

Leader Bank Pavilion hosts a primetime Yacht Rock Revue performance presented by CANN. The event will go on regardless of weather, and opening acts may change without advance notice. Ticket access includes multiple presale options, including artist, Ticketmaster, venue, Leader Bank, Live Nation, HOB Foundation Room member, and Citi cardmember opportunities, plus a Citi cardmember preferred allotment.