BB Kings is gearing up for a few throwback shows, and we got the dibs on what’s in store.  Including the 40 year celebration of cool and the Gang and Ms. Jody Watley!

Here are the dates!

Friday, July 24
KOOL AND THE GANG – 40^th Anniversary Show
Doors at 6:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
$50 adv, $55 at door

The Scoop: Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-'60s, Kool & the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the '70s, and one of the most popular R&B groups of the '80s after their breakout hit "Celebration" in 1979.  Just as funky as James Brown or Parliament (and sampled almost as frequently), Kool & the Gang relied on their jazz backgrounds and long friendship to form a tightly knit group with the interplay and improvisation of a jazz outfit, plus the energy and spark of a band with equal ties to soul, R&B, and funk.

Thursday, July 30
YELLOWMAN
Doors at 6:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
$25 adv, $27 at door

The Scoop: Jamaica's first dancehall superstar, YELLOWMAN ushered in a new era in reggae music following Bob Marley's death. His early-'80s success brought the popularity of toasting — the reggae equivalent of rapping — to a whole new level, and helped establish dancehall as the wave of the future. Yellowman was one of the most verbally nimble toasters of his time, with a loose, easy flow, a talent for improvisation, and a definite wit in his wordplay.

Friday, July 31
JODY WATLEY
Doors at 6:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
$27.50 adv, $30 at door

The Scoop: With an amazing 32 Top Ten Singles and 13 No. 1 Singles in the R&B, pop and dance music genres over the past three decades – including such classics as “Looking For A New Love,” “Don’t You Want Me” and her groundbreaking collaboration with Eric B and Rakim on “Friends” – Jody has consistently broken new ground in music, video and fashion: her 2006 album “The Makeover” benefited from an exclusive collaboration with the Virgin Megastore Music Chain that debuted as the No 1 nationwide store best-seller and No. 3 track on iTunes Electronic Chart, to many she is considered an Icon.

And the newest edition to summer night life in New York starts with a taxi ride in the water, with a destination to Water Taxi Beach.  This summer the The Highline Ballroom and Liberty Event, in conjunction with Water Taxi Beach and AEG Live are proud to announce the new and permanent home for our annual Governors Island Concert Series at Water Taxi Beach Governors Island, The Beach at Governors Island. 

Shows on The Beach will be rain-or-shine, all-ages performances on the newly constructed waterfront sand Beach venue on beautiful Governors Island, located only 800 yards off of Lower Manhattan.  Tickets to all shows are available to the general public via Ticketmaster.com.

Soul superstar Erykah Badu performs on August 4; sing along with The Hip Hop Karaoke Barbecue on August 15; pop sensations The B-52s on August 18; and Mos Def on September 12. 

For more information about the series, transportation to the venue, artists and performances, general restrictions and rules and the latest updates and additions to the lineup, visit The Beach at Governors Island website at www.thebeachconcerts.com and www.nywatertaxi.com.