Today starting at 10am you can catch a free ferry over to Governors Island which for one day only has a name change and shall be called "Punk Island".
A 'Make Music New York" and "ABC No Rio" collaboration of seven stages and over fifty bands of punk from every angle. Best part- its completely free.
With just a minimal sponsorship blip from Guitar Center shops Punk Rock Island appears to be a true anarchist picnic and the weather looks like a perfect backdrop to this stomping event.
ABC No Rio started out in 1980 as a bunch of hipsters occupying space to showcase their art and has remained a strong force in the DIY art scene in New York. So much so that they're expanding their gallery, zine library, a darkroom, a silkscreen shop, and a community computer center, as well as providing space for projects, meetings and events. visit abcnorio.org for more details of this organization and information on its expansion.
As for Make Music New York- it appears a lot more casual than it really is. A governing board of captains of industry certainly remove the gritty artist vibe but could also be the back bone of a grass roots movement on keeping street music alive in Gotham. All of these outdoor performances happen on the first day of summer- which was this past Thursday. I wish this event were better publicized so we could have told you about the incredible performances. Maybe next year….
But for now don't miss this- throw on some sunscreen and grab a few bucks for water and food and high tail it out there to get acquainted with some lesser known but fully skilled punk rock musicians and make some new contacts while you're at it.