Take a dose of My Social List awesomeness; add a couple of awesome bands, some delish food from Rippers and (several) ice cold beers from Six Point; consume at Rockaways beach! And just like that you can attend the most summery festival of all the festivals: Back To The Beach!
We checked out the first of three planned episodes of Back to the Beach this past Thursday, on the 4th of July. In the afternoon the atmosphere at Beach 86th Street was chill and summery. The waves roared and a band started to play. About 75 happy, tan people were sipping their Six Point beers and biting into their Rippers burgers. I could hardly imagine something more perfect than this.
The most amazing element of the entire event was, of course, the beach. The Rockaways maintained their magic despite the Sandy destruction. And although going into the ocean is still not permitted due to dangerous currents and the boardwalk is missing in many spots, the 86th Street beach is a heavenly little spot. My Social List did nothing less than an amazing job curating bands. Celestial Shore sounded summery trippy, and Friends Roulette confirmed that it’s not just buzz – they really are great musicians, particularly with their duo of drummers and ethereal singer Julia Tepper.
Thanks to Rippers, Roberta’s burger spin-off, the entire event felt a little like a Bushwick outpost in the Rockaways. Rippers was insanely busy attracting crowds of hungry beach goers excited to try their famous burgers. A Bushwick Ave sign above the counter made me smile as I received my fish sandwich ($7). I was excited about the food but I have to say that, although the fish was nice, I had mixed feelings about the bun that reminded me of cheap fast food and the fries that were intensely coated in a flour and spice mix.
However, Six Point didn’t disappoint and their summer wheat beer Apollo ($4) was delicious and more than perfect for the occasion.
And now the greatest news! Back to the Beach continues with two more shows in August; on the 10th (with Heliotropes, Dead Stars, Quiet Loudly, Eastern Hollows, The Meaning of Life and The Veda Rays) and the 31st (with Blackout, Hector’s Pets, Toaster, Zula and Kids Row). The concerts are free but donations are accepted for City Harvest to help Sandy victims and New Yorkers in need.
See you there, Bushwick!
