Ever since I moved to Park Slope 14 years ago, the one thing that had kept me here more than any other is Celebrate Brooklyn, the two month series of (mostly) free concerts at the bandshell on the corner of 11th Street and Prospect Park West. I didn't make it to the first few shows of the season, but have made up for lost time over the last couple of weekends with several stellar shows from Martha Redbone, Josh Ritter, Aoife O'Donovan, The Wood Brothers, and the Egyptian megastar Hakim who, though new to me, drew a crowd of thousands of adoring expats. Indeed, the only English Hakim spoke all night were the words on his black t-shirt, printed in orange block letters: 'COME TO EGYPT."

More pics below.