bill bodkin debuts a new weekly series in conjunction with the awesome people over at the NYC concert promotion company, Rocks Off
Welcome to Pop-Break’s first ever Rocks Off Reader.
This is our weekly look at the world of New York City’s sweetest independent concert promoters and purveyors of fun, Rocks Off. [Check out our interview with the man behind Rocks Off, Jake Szufnarowski]
Rocks Off has a simple philosophy — “We like awesome bands, big stages, crisp sound, bright lights, and most of all … fun people.” They live, breath and rock this mantra with every event they throw — and we here at Pop-Break are going to bring you a weekly update of all the awesome things this promotional company is doing.
Rocks Off is known for their awesome boat shows. Here are the next six shows coming up for The Rocks Off Armada…Click Here for Maps off All Ports.
Thursday May 23: Start Making Senses – A Tribute to The Taking Heads (Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard The Half Moon Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm – E. 23rd St. & FDR Dr.) Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with an 8-piece tribute to the kings of New York new-wave punk. There will be food provided Dr. Marinade, will be gracing this boat with freshly prepared Pulled Pork, Shredded Chicken, and plenty of Veggie/Vegan options. Purchase tickets here.
Tuesday June 4: The Motherfuckin’ Bronx with Vagina Panther (Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard The Circle Line Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm / Circle Line Pier 83 – W. 42nd St + West Side Highway) Yes, this is the band known as The Bronx or Mariachi El Bronx, just in case you were wondering. Yes, hardcore music on a boat, how cool is that? And with The Bronx you know you’re getting your ass kicked and your soul shaken in the best way possible. If you haven’t checked out the Get Your Rocks Off Podcast featuring The Bronx’s Matt Caughtran, you really should it’s an insightful and funny interview. Buy tickets here.
Tuesday June 11: The New Mastersounds (Rocks Off Cruise Aboard the Harbor Lights Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm / E. 23rd St. & FDR Dr.): Get funky on the river! The New Mastersounds are an absolutely dope funk and soul band out of the UK and man, you couldn’t ask for a better band to ride the river with. This is definitely a get down, booty shaker of a night. Buy tickets here.
Wednesday June 12: Less Than Jake with Hostage Calm, Pentimento (Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard The Circle Line Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm/ Circle Line Pier 83 – W. 42nd St + West Side Highway): Holy smokes! We are beyond stoked for this, it’s Less Than Freakin’ Jake on a boat! I mean do we really need to say anymore? Buy tickets here.
Thursday June 13: Musician’s Aid Society of New York Fourth Annual Jubilee Cruise Featuring Gent Treadly w/ Special Guests Charles Neville and Kenny Brooks (Rocks Off Concert Cruise Aboard The Jewel Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm / E. 23rd St. & FDR Dr.): From the official Rocks Off site … We would like to invite you to our Fourth Annual Musician’s Aid Society of New York Jubilee and Fundraiser aboard the Jewel featuring Gent Treadly and special musical guests Charles Neville and Kenny Brooks on June 13th, 2013. There will be plenty of food as well as a 4 hour open bar. For more information about what we do please visit our website or Facebook page.
The Musician’s Aid Society of New York is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which strives to provide the resources necessary for the artistic and musical growth of deserving musicians in the New York metropolitan area. MASNY works to promote musical education and the artistic development of these meritorious musicians.
Friday June 14: Appetite for Destruction: A Tribute to Guns N’ Roses (Aboard THE JEWEL Boards: 7:00pm / Departs: 8:00pm/ E. 23rd St. & FDR Dr.): One of the more popular Guns tributes comes aboard the boat to bring you classic and lost gems from the iconic hard rock band. Buy tickets here.
Rocks Off is running air-conditioned, bathroom-equipped, sound-system-stacked, TV-screen’s a blazin’ rockin’ party buses from NYC to and from shows at PNC Bank Arts Center and Jones Beach this summer.
“Buses leave from the time and location listed on each show page. These bus rides are BYOS: Bring Your own Shit!!! Refreshments are not served on the bus, but we encourage you to bring your own (just keep tidy and help us keep the bus clean). Best part is that our professional drivers are also highly trained Ninjas, and will be staying with the bus to guard your precious briefcases and designer hula hoops — meaning you can leave your stuff on the bus while you’re at the show.
The buses will leave the venues half an hour after the show ends, so no matter what condition you’re in, please proceed as efficiently as you can towards the bus after the last encore. The plus side is, you’ll find yourself back in NYC afterwards in plenty of time to get a decent night’s sleep, or to just keep raging with all the awesome people you met on the bus.”
June 2013 Bus Schedule
Thursday June 6: Dave Matthews Band at PNC Bank Arts Center
Sunday June 23: Rush at Jones Beach
Tuesday June 25: Dave Matthews Band at Jones Beach
Wednesday June 26: Dave Matthews Band at Jones Beach
Saturday June 29: Kid Rock at PNC Bank Arts Center
THE PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE of ROCK N ROLL in NEW YORK CITY: Hosted by Rocks Off’s Jake Szufnarowski “If you want to know how how the rock n roll business works, and oftentimes doesn’t work — complete with hilariously offensive, almost unbelievable tales — this is your man. Yes, folks, NYC Rock and Roll ain’t dead yet. Join us on “The Evolution of Rock N Roll in New York City Through The Eyes of a Living, Breathing, and Working Concert Promoter, Rock God and Hell Raiser”, and you’ll learn just how alive it is.” Next Dates: May 24, Friday June 14, Friday June 28.
THE HISTORY OF ART, CRIME, DRUGS and PUNK ROCK ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE: Hosted by John Joseph of The Cro Mags. (Description by John Joseph himself) “Most people walking around on the Lower East Side today with its trendy boutiques and coffee shops have no idea of its history, the great music and violence that has always co-existed side by side down here. I’ll take you to the punk clubs, gang hangouts and drug spots where some of the craziest things went down. It’s a first hand account from someone who was immersed in the danger having myself grown up on the streets of NYC since the age of 14. I guarantee you it will be a true punk rock & crime history lesson from someone who was there way back then and is still here.
We will drop by the famous CBGB’s location where The Ramones and so many other legendary punk bands started. We’ll walk by Great Gildersleeves where the Hells Angels regularly ran people over on their motorcycles. Stroll down memory lane at Saint Mark’s Place passing Trash and Vaudeville (punk store), the Electric Circus where the likes of Bad Brains, Crass, and so many others jammed. All the while telling you my anecdotes and funny stories of the crazy shit I’ve seen go down. Then Tompkins Sq Park, giving first hand knowledge of the area’s events. We’ll even hit MANITOBAS for Bob Gruen’s famous Punk Rock photo exhibit before we go by the Ritz (now Webster Hall) and Irving Plaza where so many great bands like Black Flag, Bad Brains, Circle Jerks, Motorhead (first U.S. gig), The Damned, Buzzcocks played and where the late punk-rocker John Belushi slam danced his nights away. Finally our last stop on the tour will be Max’s Kansas City where we end in Union Sq. Park discussing the area and what is what it was like. Drugs, hookers, violence, the Palladium where The Clash’s London Calling album cover was shot and many great bands played. Ever heard of Julien’s Pool Hall? The porno theaters where I’d sleep in the dead of winter for 50 cents a night and the Gramercy Park Boxing Gym (now PC Richard’s) where my old man and many World Champions boxed. The bottom line is, whether you’re a seasoned New Yorker or someone visiting the city on vacation, this tour is not to be missed. I can guarantee that it will be a memorable experience.”
