Bay Shore NY
8-09-2022 6:14pm

Stepping Out to a Rock Concert at the Jones Beach Boardwalk Bandshell on a Summer Night

SKYLARK’S FEATURED ARTICLE OF THE WEEK – STEPPING OUT TO A ROCK CONCERT AT THE JONES BEACH BOARDWALK BANDSHELL ON A SUMMER NIGHT

The couch looks pretty good most nights, and the bed looks even better, right? I know. Sometimes I feel this way, too. But it's good to step out over 60, and a rock concert is a lot of fun. Hearing some of your favorite songs can bring you back to happy times from your youth. When we're young, we can't get enough of socializing with our friends, and our energy seems boundless. As we age, our energy can diminish, and the couch and the bed can become our nightlife. But it doesn't have to be this way. We can feel young over 60. 

On a recent Saturday night, I went to see Misty Mountain. This new band has emerged on the scene as a rocking tribute band blasting the songs of Led Zeppelin across Long Island. They performed at the Jones Beach Boardwalk Bandshell to a capacity crowd. It was on my list of things to do this summer. The bandshell was closed for three years, so I thought what better thing to do on this hot, steamy summer night than hear some Zeppelin. The band's lead singer, Ed Terry, captured the essence of Robert Plant, and his singing chops were raw. The drummer, Shawn Murray, was absolutely fantastic as his drums were spot on with blasting Bonhamesque solo's. Guitarist, Elliot Negrin, landed Jimmy Page's licks as he played his heart out. Bass player, Al Levy, and Keyboardist, Stu Waters, held it all together. And let's not forget JT, the music tech, who made these grown men, who love Led Zeppelin, sound like the real deal. The crowd was mostly 60 and beyond, but we rocked like we were teenagers.

Jones Beach is a special place. It's huge! It was Robert Moses' first major public project. When Moses' group first surveyed Jones Island, it was swampy and only two feet above sea level; the island frequently became completely submerged during storms. To create the park, huge dredgers worked day and up to midnight to bring sand from the bay bottom, eventually bringing the island to 12 feet above sea level. Another problem that followed was the wind—the fine silver beach sand would blow horribly, making the workers miserable and making the use of the beach as a recreational facility unlikely. Moses sent landscape architects to other stable Long Island beaches, who reported that a beach grass whose roots grew sideways in search of water, held dunes in place, forming a barrier to the wind. In the summer of 1928, thousands of men worked on the beach planting the grass by hand. 

Built in the 1920s, many of the buildings and facilities at Jones Beach feature Art Deco architecture. In the center of a traffic circle that he planned as a terminus for the Wantagh State Parkway, Moses ordered the construction of an Italianate-style water tower to serve as a central feature of the park. And you thought there wasn't any Italian in this article. Two large bathhouses are also prominent features within the park. After rejecting a number of submissions by architects for the bathhouses, Moses selected the designs of the young and relatively inexperienced Herbert Magoon. Moses also picked out building materials - Ohio Sandstone and Barbizon brick - two of the most expensive materials available. The park opened to the public on August 4, 1929, along with the causeway that provided automobile access from the mainland of Long Island. Unusual for the time, no carnival-style amusements were allowed in the park area. Thank God. It's an amusement enough on its own.

The luxurious Jones Beach Boardwalk spans 3.9 miles along the Atlantic Ocean with the bandshell nestled in the middle of it. It's a gem that may have had its golden era, but it's the perfect place for a rock concert and rockers in their golden years. 

è una vita bellissima (it's a beautiful life in Italian)

Peace and Love,

Skylark
At 60 and Beyond, seeing a rock concert might just be one of the best things to do. Stay tuned. Santana’s next! Rock on!

SKYLARK'S PICK OF THE WEEK - JONES BEACH

As my article will attest, Jones Beach is worth visiting over and over again, no matter what age you are. It's not just a wonderful place in the summer, but all year round. A walk along the boardwalk takes you off your couch and out of your bed into the very best of the natural world. Read more at Jones Beach State Park (ny.gov)

SKYLARK'S SONG OF THE WEEK - SUMMERTIME

Summertime, and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good-lookin'
So hush little baby, don't you cry

One of these mornings, you're goin' to rise up singin'
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take the sky
But 'til that mornin', there's a-nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mommy standin' by

One of these mornings, you're goin' to rise up singin'
And you'll spread your wings and you'll take the sky
But 'til that mornin', there's a-nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mommy standin' by
1
I'm interested
I disagree with this
This is unverified
Spam
Offensive