Walking around the East Village today, I noticed that the guy who usually blocks half the sidewalk on Second Avenue with his book tables had moved onto St. Mark's Place:
On St. Mark's Place.
In his place on Second Avenue were these crusties:
Crusties.
I'm going to guess that the crusties were already in place when the bookseller arrived, and he didn't even bother trying to set up there!
You might think that punk rock is the only type of music that ever gets performed in Tompkins Square Park, and with one notable exception, you would be right!
Yesterday's punk rock show was called Puke Island Part 7. Catchy name, eh?
It was scheduled to start at 2:00pm, but yesterday was hot…
Hot.
…so I waited until later in the afternoon to show up.
Apparently, it was too hot for most other people too. This was the crowd when I arrived:
The crowd.
It was even too hot for crusties!
Only one crusty.
Maybe all the punks hitched a ride to Rockaway Beach?!
It's never too hot for the promoter though, East Village celebrity Chris Iconicide, seen here in the mosh pit, while the band Alien Species played:
Chris Iconicide and Alien Species.
Hot weather is perfect for the Coco Cherry Mango Rainbow Icy man though:
Coco Cherry Mango Rainbow Icy man.
As always, these shows are an opportunity for local underground newspapers to hawk their tchotchkes:
Underground newspaper tchotchke table.
I was melting by this point, so I bought some ice cream and went home!
I was walking through Tompkins Square Park Saturday afternoon, when I saw what could only described as some kind of Memorial Day punk rock show or another.
These shows are how East Village punks honor the soldiers who died to keep these shows free!
As usual, I saw no signs announcing this show, and the crowd was pretty small:
Small crowd.
I think these guys are called The Omega Men — correct me if I'm wrong!
The Omega Men (maybe).
The guy on the left looks like a basketball player!
These guys are definitely called Sewage, I'm pretty sure of that.
Most likely Sewage.
The chances that these guys are Coach And Commando are pretty high:
p < .05 Coach and Commando.
Do you know what was really strange about this year's punk rock show? There were no uniformed police officers present — they've always been there in the past to join in the festivities!
This year, they were replaced by undercover cops, taking pictures no less!
Undercover.
These guys are either undercover cops or Australian tourists!
Here is a close-up:
Close-up.
Hey look, it's beret guy!
East Village celebrity and concert organizer Chris Flash was at The Shadow's swag table with his girlfriend (they're inseparable!):
The Shadow swag table.
Here is a close-up of Shadow swag. Tips please!
Close-up.
The Undead's swag table, with John-Boy Walton photo-bombing:
Undead swag.
I left the park at Avenue A and St. Mark's Place, where almost immediately, I saw this sign, announcing the show:
Sign announcing show.
This is where I got the names of the bands — you didn't think I knew these things?!
Finally, no story about a punk rock show in the East Village would be complete without a video of dancing crusties:
After all this talk of ice and snow, you might not expect the subject to turn so quickly to Spring!
And yet, just this past Thursday evening, there they were, the first crusties of Spring, outside one of their favorite haunts, the beloved Orpheum Theater on Second Avenue:
Haunting the Orpheum Theater.
Last year, the first crusties were spotted on March 2nd.
Soon, like the tulips and robins, they'll be everywhere!
Recently, the Parks Department workers at Tompkins Square Park sealed off the area heretofore occupied by crusties, brought in wood chips, and started the process of reclaiming the ground the crusties defiled.
Here is a picture of the spread-about wood chips:
Spread-about wood chips.
Here is a picture of the fence that keeps the crusties out:
The fence.
Crusties don't go onto this side of the grassy area because they don't like the sun. I mean, they're probably OK with the sun itself, but they don't like sunlight to touch them.
It's almost that time of the year when the crusties will be heading south for the Winter — just like the ducks!
I was walking through Tompkins Square Park this past Saturday, when I noticed something unusual: the crusties that had been camped out under the large tree in the southwest corner of the grassy area:
Southwest corner of grassy area (June 12).
… had moved to the middle of the grassy area:
Middle of the grassy area (July 9).
They haven't abandoned their corner completely, though. The very next day, I saw they had hung up some laundry to dry on the fence:
The funny thing about crusties on St. Mark's Place is: When they sit on the north side of the street, they face south, but; when they sit on the south side of the street, they face…
Crusties facing south.
…south!
I wonder why that is? Maybe they were hoping for some free food from the beloved Khyber Pass Restaurant?
As East Villagers know, musicians are notorious for starting late. If the announced time of a show is 8:00, you can be sure the band won't go on until almost 9:00 (except at Lincoln Center, or Carnegie Hall)!
So when this past weekend's Punk Jamboree started on time, the only people there were the organizer, the band, and some crusties!
This chap below, with the tattoo on his back…
…tried to get his fellow crusties to come dance, but they would have none of it:
"We're having none of it."
He was finally successful convincing a gent in a wheelchair, but it's hard to know how much input the fellow had in the matter!
Once in place, however, they all had a rollicking good time:
Keep on punking in the free world… in the East Village Today!
What constitutes Punk? I have a friend who said that punk was already finished by the time the word Punk was coined to describe it!
Today, since the punkers are so much older, it mostly means kid-friendly performances with just a hint of posturing! If "punk" means "a good time for young and old alike", this show — in Tompkins Square Park this past Sunday — was the punkiest!
It was a time for parents to come support their kids' musical endeavors:
…for kids to support their parents' musical endeavors:
…and for old anarchists and the police to catch up!
"Yeah, those were the bad old days!"
Unfortunately, I could not stay for the entire show, which leads me to my one suggestion:
Dear organizing committee: please provide chairs for future performances. It's not easy to stand for four hours, and the benches in the shade fill up too quickly!
Oh yes, and change the name. I am willing to bet a lot of people didn't attend just because of the name. Puke Island? How about: Punk Jamboree!
I leave you with what is probably the highlight of the afternoon — enjoy!
I was walking down Second Avenue Saturday morning, when I saw a colony of crusties on the sidewalk in front of the beloved Orpheum Theater:
A colony of crusties.
Suddenly, I heard one of them cough. I turned and walked across St. Mark's Place instead. The last thing I need is to get some kind of crusty disease!
This morning, I found myself walking up Second Avenue, and I saw this queue of young folk, waiting to [UPDATED] buy tickets to audition for a role in the beloved Stomp:
Waiting to buy tickets.
As I passed by them, I saw the ones in front sitting on the sidewalk, drumming on drums:
