The Virgin Music Festival (featuring the New York Dolls) – Coney Island – NYC – July 21, 2007
Posted by Jesse Coy on 08.02.2007
Since 2001, Brooklyn rocks out with its free summer event, the Siren Music Festival. Check out some ’07 highlights via our music junkie, who was nearly apprehended at the event for inclusion in Coney Island’s House of Freaks.
Woke at 4:30. I was going to try and go back to sleep, but then I was checking a few things, and figured I might as well stay awake. Did my journal, and probably shouldn’t have, because it got somewhat late, and I should’ve left earlier than I did. I was obsessed with making an egg omelet sandwich to go. Showered and stuck everything in my backpack, said goodbye to her mom, and left at 6:50. The bus left at 7:20. I didn’t even mix drinks, but rather figured I’d do it on the bus.
Watched the time on my cell phone, and soon, I had to begin alternating between walking and running. A half an hour to get from deep in Kingston (nearly Luzerne) to the bus station in Wilkes-Barre? Try more like forty-five minutes. But I made it there in the half hour, my legs tight and sore right now via your one-day delay rule. If I had slackened one bit, I wouldn’t have made it. Got a seat to myself, and eventually had the egg omelet sandwich, and then later, went into the toilet compartment to mix my drink. I’d actually be doing water and vodka, chasing it down with sips of diet cream soda (yum). The boy who sat across from me needed a good crack to the head. He was beyond rambunctious.
I read more of my book. Soon, we were nearing the city. I probably could’ve taken the subway to Coney Island right when we got there, but I decided I’d walk down to Bleeker Street to check out record stores now instead of when I’d be back in Manhattan on Monday. Only, that didn’t work out, because I couldn’t find any record stores. Where are you, Bleeker Bob’s? I needed to look up the addresses in advance. On the way, I needed to take a whiz, so I stopped inside a McDoodle’s and ordered a cheeseburger (once a year, baby). Went through much of the Village Voice while I was there.
So it was pretty easy to get to Coney Island, and right off, there were other people on the train who were obviously going there, too. It’s a straight shot on the N train to the end of the line. Maybe I read a bit on the train. Got off at the last stop (Stillwell), and followed where the other people were going. There was one of the stages, set up, and with many vendors lining the side area. Cool… I was in place and set to go. I stepped onto the boardwalk, and was thinking, what a strange collection it was. It was weird, kind of like Atlantic City crossed with New York City crossed with an old amusement park atmosphere. I kind of wished that Shirleen was there, figuring that she’d have fun, although she wouldn’t have had fun with what I needed to do to catch the New York Dolls up close, as in navigating through an ocean of squashed in people that was the crowd.
If I had cash on hand, I would’ve gone into the house of freaks. Later, I did have cash, using a cash machine (damn the $1.99 fee), and almost went in there. Were the line not too long, I would have. But if figured that since I’d be there again, probably with Shirleen, I’d likely go inside that place with her.
So I’d done the same thing with the Siren Music Festival bands as I’d done with the Virgin Festival bands, as far as trying to look up their music online via the lime, or through any other means necessary (ha). This was actually much easier, because there were fewer bands, and the actual site provided descriptions of the bands. There was many a catch phrase or keyword that registered a band “not interested” for me. Aside from the New York Dolls (100% of the reason why I was there), who else vaguely interested me?
M.I.A., the Black Lips, the Noisettes, and… well, the Detroit Cobras got disqualified, because they were playing while two of the other bands were scheduled to play (theirs a 3:30 performance, while the other two bands played at 3pm and 4pm). All the bands that interested me aside from that one band were on the Main Stage, as opposed to the Stillwell Stage, which was about four streets down. There were plenty of cops around, by the way. So I wandered, but no… my vodka wasn’t obvious, as it was cleverly set in a water bottle. Besides, I saw a few people with cans of beer in brown bags, so yee-haw, I say!
I was there early for the Noisettes, or rather, on time, but they were late, because the last band, I was told, had ended late. The description I’d seen of them referenced their lead singer to a sort of Karen O, as far as having that sort of energy level. So since I very recently got into the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (just call me a Jesse–Coy-come-lately), I’d see what the Noisettes were all about. I’ve seen Karen O and that band being compared to the X-Ray Specs, with which I totally disagree. That act to me is as New York City as you can get, reminiscent of the Cramps, Sonic Youth, and Velvet Underground.
As for the Noisettes, their lead singer seemed to me the direct descendent of the X-Ray Specs or the Slits (two favorite bands of mine), or even some of the cool British ska bands of the early 80’s fronted by women. The Noisettes are British. The lead singer was talking about getting her U.S. visa. Since I don’t have any of their albums, I’d be hard pressed to say exactly what they played. They played one of the songs I downloaded. And even though I evoked front women from ska or ska-ish bands, this band’s style was more like alternative punk (I mean that in a good way), even though on some of the songs I downloaded, I heard some slower and bluesier numbers that they’ve done.
The next band was the Black Lips, and I’d downloaded a song or two of theirs from their myspace page, which I kind of liked. I don’t know exactly what it was, but something about them was only… eh? Maybe that’s when the Main Stage area started getting very packed. Well, it’s a free show. What do you expect? Although there was an area for the press up front, which I should’ve thought to check on. This band’s music sounded like a sloppy CCR, or Dead Milkmen, but without the readable wit of the latter band. They were also reconfiguring some of the fencing in the area where I was standing, so maybe that and the heat all got on my nerves. I only stuck around for four songs by the Black Lips, and then I was done with them. Some of them looked like they were fourteen years old, by the way.
Leaving that area, I was damn hungry. I thought there were supposed to be really good Russian restaurants nearby (that’s Brighton Beach). Without a map, I had no idea where anything was. So I grabbed a beer and some jerk chicken and fries at a sort of reggae joint. It hit the spot and filled the bill (which I paid for, and then left).
The crowd jamming 10th Street appeared as though it’d only increase. I was kind of interested in M.I.A., but I didn’t want to be squashed. Anyway, there was a band on before them called We Are Scientists, and on a scientific scale, my interest level? Negligible, or… We Are Not Interested At All. What should I do, then? Hell, you’re near a beach. Go read on the sand. And that’s what I did, drinking my strong mix. It was a meaty book… James Michener’s Mexico (which goes so well with a music festival on Coney Island). On the way to the beach, an acoustic folk chick was playing on the Stillwell Stage as I walked past that area (no, thank you). I read for a couple hours, vaguely hearing that one band, as Coney’s Island’s fascinating beach culture strolled past me.
When M.I.A. did start, within two songs, hearing the music in the distance, I was kind of interested. So I figured, what the hell. I was getting my buzz on anyway. Let’s check this out. So I did. Saw most of her show, but once more, I’m not familiar with the material. My best estimation? She kind of sounded like a political, more tribal sound rooted reply to Lady… uh, what’s her name? The British rapper chick. The crowd seemed pretty charged. Her description had sounded interesting, so it was all good.
The main story for me, though, was that I’d try to squish my way up front. The New York Dolls would be on next, and I wanted a good view. Sardines in a can have far more room. Well, what the hell did I expect (again) for a free show? I was solo there. It took me about five M.I.A. songs to make my way to the front, pretending I was with whichever cluster of people I saw squeezing their way forward. Whee… fun! You can get covered in sweat by thousands of people! By the time M.I.A. ended her set, I was nearly at the barricades. Ah, set up time… people began using the pisser, so I made it to the barricades, and wild horses wouldn’t dislodge me afterwards. I had my powerful vodka and diet cola mix in hand. Rock ‘n’ roll, mo-fo!
So anyway, some say, “it’s not really the New York Dolls,” just like any other band that doesn’t have all original members. Bands change lineups, and that’s how life goes… so get over it. Anyway, it’s not like the New York Dolls could incorporate any other original members into their performance, unless they got into necromancy. Well, you had the original singer, David, and the guitarist, Sylvain. That’s good enough for me. And getting to catch the New York Dolls? It’s damn great, my friends.
The Siren Music Festival incorporated a quote about Mick Jagger back in the day stealing some of David’s better moves. Well, I will say that the band was in top form and having a good time. They started with the classic, “Just a Little Kiss,” and then went into “We’re All in Love” off their newest release, One Day It Will Please Us to Remember, which sadly I do not own yet. Then there was an interesting cover of Janis Joplin’s “Take a Little Piece of My Heart.”
Okay, what happened next was interesting. The material sounded good, but song after song, one after another, it was all new material, or stuff I didn’t recognize… “Rainbow Store,” “Fishnets and Cigarettes,” “Plenty of Music,” “Punishing World,” “Chopin-aur” (?), and “Danger”… damn! Weren’t they going to do any more classic New York Dolls stuff? Soon, though, the good times would roll (so says the Cars) (and I’m not saying that as though I had anything against the new material, which sounded solid enough… I just don’t have that album, though I wouldn’t be surprised if by year’s end I did). Anyway, it started with “Frankenstein,” which was followed by Sylvain singing a portion of “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” (Johnny Thunder’s spirit lingering somewhere onstage), slurring into “Lonely Planet Boy.”
They broke into “Pills,” which I never knew until recently is a Bo Diddley cover, and this live version featured a tweak of the lines… “she went to my head, she gave me too much head” (ha). “Dancing like a Monkey” is new, but was perfectly placed next, resting between “Pills” and “Trash.” Ah… my favorites. I was happy. I think it was during “Trash” when folks in the press area threw feathers around. The band closed with “Jet Boy” (another favorite, and this featured great crowd participation, but that’s how it was throughout the show), and then did as an encore, “Personality Crisis” and a new track, “Gotta Get Away.”
Tracks they didn’t play that I wanted to hear? Mark that down as zero. Of course, they only have about three real studio albums, so I’m not too surprised by that. David played the harmonica on a couple tracks, and one of his harmonicas, he threw it out into the crowd. Is that on ebay now? The show wrapped up, and I headed off, as everyone else did. Visited the port-a-potty. Why do some dudes seem to take as long as chicks do in there? The subway was open and free for all. Why, thank you, New York City. The subway was immensely packed, though (what do you expect… it was free). And that’s all I’ve got to say.
The 411: A free concert featuring the New York Dolls, who were in excellent form? A free concert set in the surreal environment of Coney Island? Anything less than an excellent score would be scandalous.
