Like any good poet, Williams tells a half-truth to get at a bigger truth: No song sings itself, but in summer—at least in Western New York—every tree leaf and blossom and bustling street corner and crystal stream lends its voice to the choir. They lend their words, too; there are so many songs to be sung in summer, all of them so insistent, in such a frenetic rush to reach a crescendo.

After which, of course, comes the coda: the cool nights of late August, and the more distant sun of September.

Summer began early for us here, thankfully, with sultry weather in May forecasting the year’s busiest and most glorious months ahead. Here at AV, we took note of the change of season and prepared for you, dear readers, our annual summer spectacular—a guide to all that’s good to do in warm weather, from free rock shows to backyard gardening to demolition derbies and World Cup soccer. (USA vs. England, June 12, 2:30pm Eastern Standard Time. Don’t watch it at home. Head out to a bar or coffee shop or game-watching party. Be among the people.) Our summer guide is never complete—too many tunes for our small staff to carry—but think of it as us humming a few bars to get you started. Check back each week if you want the latest score.

—geoff kelly