The NYC music scene never really hits pause — even in the dead of winter.
From the world’s biggest touring artists to buzzy indie acts and can’t-miss one-night shows, New York continues to be a major stop for unforgettable live performances year-round.
To prove it, we’ve rounded up the best concerts coming to NYC in January 2026, spanning everything from intimate club shows to massive arena moments worth braving the cold for.
See who’s taking over New York stages this month — and grab your tickets while you can.
Fred again..
Breakout dance superstar Fred again.. is hosting a six-show residency at Sunnyside’s brand new East End Studios venue — the first-ever concert in the space that opened in October 2025 with four video production soundstages.
In support of his latest album USB, which he’s been continuously adding music to since 2022.
He’ll perform over the course of three weekends in January (Jan 16 & 17, 23 & 24, and 30 & 31), bringing along special guests who’ve yet to be announced.
Future Forms
Future Forms is launching a brand-new kind of performance night in NYC—one that blurs the lines between contemporary dance, electronic music, and immersive design.
Debuting at National Sawdust on January 30, the queer-founded project reimagines how rave culture and live performance can exist in the same space.
Led by electronic artist and DJ EREZ and choreographer Tanguay (of Gibney Company), the evening unfolds as a hybrid experience that puts professional contemporary dancers in direct conversation with live electronic composition.
The result feels part performance, part club night, and part experiment—where movement and sound shape each other in real time.
The debut edition unfolds in chapters, beginning with BASE, a live collaboration between original music created onstage by EREZ and choreography by Tanguay, performed by an internationally acclaimed cast of dancers.
The night then transitions into OUTPUT, transforming the space into a full rave environment with DJ sets by Seb Wildblood and x3butterfly.
If you’re looking for something that offers a glimpse into where NYC’s experimental music and dance scenes are headed next, put this on your radar.
Candlelight Concerts
Start the new year with one of NYC’s best music experiences — Candlelight Concerts — a concept of hearing your favorite hits performed live by orchestra under candlelight!
Each night has a unique theme (this month’s include “Tribute to Adele,” “Ed Sheeran Meets Coldplay,” “Film Scores and Hollywood Epics,” and more) with each performance being done by a lovely string orchestra in some of NYC’s most unique venues!
It’s a dazzling and glowing concert you have to see to believe.
Bill Murray & His Blood Brothers
Yes, this is real. Comedian and actor Bill Murray is performing live in a band.
The Emmy Award-winning actor is teaming up with the Blood Brothers, Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia, for a thrilling night of blues rock and roll that you need to see to believe.
The band is playing Webster Hall on January 24.
Ghostface Killah
Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah touches down at Webster Hall on January 23, in promotion of his 2025 project Supreme Clientele 2.
Knockdown Center shows
Performances at Knockdown Center in Queens welcomes its first slate of performances in 2026 with a wide range of music spanning from afro house to melodic techno.
Check out the January lineup below:
- January 16 – Salvatore Ganacci
- January 23 – AKUMANDRA
- January 30 – Mind Against (All Night Long)
- January 31 – Wakyin
Halsey
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her 2015 debut album Badlands, pop star Halsey will take over Hammerstein Ballroom for three nights, January 13, 14 & 15.
She’ll be of course performing plenty of hits from her nostalgic project (which just re-released a decade deluxe edition in 2025), alongside many of her other huge songs.
New York City Winter Jazzfest
New York City’s annual Winter Jazzfest returns for 2026, running from January 8 – 13!
The city will turn into a jazz lover’s playground with special marathon nights in Manhattan and Brooklyn— letting you hop between intimate clubs until the early hours.
This year’s theme is “Still We Rise,” celebrating the tradition and future of Black American music…with special performances expected from Meshell Ndegeocello, Gilles Peterson, Arturo O’Farrill, and the Freedom Riders at various venues like Le Poisson Rouge, Music Hall of Williamsburg, and more.
Snow Strippers
The internet has been losing their minds over electronic duo made up of vocalist Tatiana Schwaninger and producer Graham Perez aka Snow Strippers.
Known for their infectious tunes overlapping EDM, electro‑pop, and the current underground “indie sleaze” movement — they’ve taken the music scene by storm with tracks like “Under Your Spell” and “Just Your Doll.”
Leaning into late-2000s electronic sounds, DIY video styles, and an overall nostalgic fashion, the two are set to bring their unique aesthetic to Terminal 5 on January 10.