Hippies In The Borough

So yesterday was a beach day. I really thought I could do a full day at the beach and stay for the free concert called "Hippiefest"- I'm sure that's the name Marty Markowitz gave to the show - (Thank the Universe for Term Limits!).

Now after a few (too many) hours in the sun, I made my way over to the bandshell, which is right next to the boardwalk - at Ocean Parkway straddling the border between Coney Island and Brighton Beach. The great thing about this venue is well it's at the beach- and on a day like yesterday the cool breezes coming off the ocean actually make it comfortable if not a bit chilly. I know I was cold, a welcome change for summer in The Borough.

The show, which had such notable acts as the Turtles (well Flo and Eddie), the guy who used to play with Moody Blues, Country Joe and Wings, Zombies, and Rascals. Not exactly what come to mind first when you think about the 60's Hippie Bands, but close enough.

All I had really wanted was to do, was to see Country Joe - minus the Fish. But after the first two acts and incessant chatter from those who purported to be former Hippies (read middle aged people in khaki's with horrid accents and nothing interesting to say) – my stomach growling and my face burnt I was really to say that I could miss Country Joe and not feel too bad about it After all I had sat through Melanie and I had heard the Zombies do “She’s not there" in rehearsal.

Oh did I mention that I was early- it got too cold, around 5:00, to stay on the beach – ocean breeze kicking in with force– so I moved over to the bandshell – what I didn’t know was that they had changed the time of the show from 7pm to WHENEVER MARKOWITZ stops talking. He went on for half an hour, mostly about money, the man has no tact. I don’t need to be reminded that when it’s free that the artists are not donating their time– oh and a supposedly free concert that is only free IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SIT DOWN. Charging $5 (and on some shows its going to be $10) to have a seat. Then they had the nerve to go around to collect money.

Then the half hour of the DJ Cousin Bruce (?) talking about his career and whatever. Dude, who cares, bring on the music. So the show didn’t start until after 8 – by that point the place was so crowded, my stomache ached from hunger and I was barely keeping my head up – when the a-hole behind me kicked the back of my chair and my head for the 5th time I couldn’t take it anymore.

So there were really no hippies (well none that had stayed Hippies, or even vaguely resembled them) many more were your run of the mill derelicts and strange locals from The Borough and children. I’ll stick to Celebrate Brooklyn and Prospect Park Bandshell.