BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! opened its 2026 season at the Lena Horne Bandshell with a night built on live drums, deep catalog cuts, and free outdoor music that East New York residents often cross the borough to experience. From the lawn to the back rail, the crowd moved as one once the lights came up and the first hits rang through the park.
The lineup carried serious weight. Percussion legend Sheila E. closed the show with a set that jumped from explosive funk to slow-burn ballads, stretching her arms wide over the stage as if to conduct the whole bandshell. Earlier, Leon Knight ripped through guitar-driven rock and soul, while DJ Spinna stitched the evening together with a continuous blend of soul, R&B, and classic party records between sets.
Watching from the photo pit and side rail, what stood out was how accessible it all felt. For a neighborhood that doesn't always see major arts programming on its own blocks, a free, high-production concert like this is more than a night out — it's a reminder that world-class culture in Brooklyn can still be public, open-air, and within reach for working-class communities like East New York.