‘Make Music New York Day’ brings the punk rock sounds of summer to the Lower East Side block party
On “Make Music New York Day,” the first day of summer Tuesday, there were a variety of music venue choices in the city: accordions playing Terry Riley’s “In C” in Battery Park , a blues jam in Brooklyn, an orchestra on Liberty Island, electronic music in an East Village Garden and much more.
Or, you could have joined the crowd on Orchard Street for the 12th Annual Rock and Roll Block Party.
Organized by Chuck Bones, co-owner of the undeniably hip R&R clothing store The Cast and lead singer of the Trash Bags, a favorite local punk band, the line-up prompted a growing crowd to form a mosh pit, crowd-surf and generally have a good time with friends and neighbors from early afternoon until dark.
This year’s lineup was the largest, according to Bones.
“We started across the street when we had a very small shop, with only three bands,” he recalls. This year the block was filled with the sounds of Bad Vacation, The Trash Bags, Tits Dick Ass, Tuxedo Cats, CT Hustle and the Muscle, Damn Jackals, Miranda and the Beat and Daddy Long Legs.
A brief spell of rain cut Miranda’s set short, much to the disappointment of band drummer Kim Sollecito.
“We always wanted to play this event,” she lamented. They played long enough to make an impression, however, and the rain stopped in time for hard-edged R+B quartet Daddy Long Legs to prepare for a final that kept the mosh pit up until the end. end.
“That was awesome!” gushed social media/marketing expert Darian Brenner (who, by the way, lives above the store). “It’s great that The Cast does this every year and keeps the vibe alive.”
Sierra Bailey, who also lives in the neighborhood, has never stopped dancing or moshing in the pit as far as we can tell. “I’m from Louisiana and this doesn’t happen in Louisiana!” she says. “It was a really, really good time.”
New York-born and raised photographer Alice Espinosa-Cincotta reflects on the notion of punk rock that has become almost traditional. “Forty years ago it was anti-fashion, anti-music, anti-whatever, and now it’s become part of the Lower East Side fiber,” she said.
More than one person, including Mari Blount of super combo Baby Shakes, noted that there was a “feeling of family, a community vibe”.
Artist Simone Zimmermann and musician Steve Krebs agreed that “it brings people together”, and Krebs added, “Chuck Bones is cool – Daddy Long Legs rules!”
Bones is definitely cool, but he couldn’t help but say exactly how he felt about the day.
“It was a fucking epic! he exclaims. “It’s all about the music, the community, the neighborhood…. we must keep New York New York.
You can check out The Cast online at thecast.com or on Instagram at @thecastnyc, and you can find The Trash Bags at @thetrashbags.
