A Sudden Storm Brings an Abrupt End to an Amazing B-52s Summer Beach Concert @ Governor’s Island
The B-52s Photo by: Leslie DJ
NY Waterway’s Water Taxi played B-52s tunes as it loaded passengers and ferried them onto Governor’s Island on perhaps one of the hottest summer day New York has seen all summer. It was the perfect set up; a summer concert at the beach on Governor’s Island, the stage was set up on the far center, in front of where one of the ferries usually docks, a foot or more away from the sandbox like area dubbed “the beach.”
B-52 fans eagerly await the band to take the stage
With the illuminated New York City skyline providing a nice backdrop The B-52s took the stage at approximately 9:00pm. Prior to the funky-foursome taking the stage a 64 year-old woman clapped and cheered from behind the barricades as she awaited the band’s arrival. The last time she saw them live was 29 years ago so she was eager to see what they’d be like this time around. The B-52s drew in a uniquely diverse crowd; people of all ages and different musical tastes were in attendance, one young woman sporting a Marilyn Manson t-shirt hooted and hollered from the front lines. A father and son team who had traveled all the way from Paris was also in attendance. Disembodied cries of “I Love You,” floated among the crowd as the B-52s took the stage. They kicked things off with “Pump” from their 2008 album “Funplex” the band’s first original album in sixteen years (since 1992’s Good Stuff). They performed hits like “Private Idaho,” “Give Me Back My Man” and “Strobe Light.” After thanking opening act, reggae group, Meta and the Cornerstones, Kate Pierson (vocalist) said, “If your name is Reba your name is in this song this next one is called “52 Girls.”
They’re perhaps one of the liveliest, colorful and most adored bands out there. Their dance moves (shimmies, Egyptian-like walking, the swim and others) were copied by the crowd. The entire audience seemed to know all the words to each of the songs.
B-52s dancing it up at Governor's Island Photo by: Leslie DJ
Not even strong winds that seemed to materialize out of nowhere and the occasional flashes of lightening seemed to put a damper on the crowd’s mood. Before the band could get through the core of their repertoire and perform their most beloved hit, “Love Shack” they were escorted offstage by stagehands who promised to have them back on as soon as the storm cleared.
Many scurried onto the ferry while others waited it out as the heavens opened up, and it began to pour. The DJ spun tunes and asked the crowd to stick it out that the storm would pass but with every passing minute the storm grew stronger putting an abrupt end to The B-52s Beach Concert.
