NEW YORK, NY—I don’t know how else to start this other than, holy shit, it was hot! But seriously, what could be better than one of the best rock bands around performing on a 3-hour cruise (insert Gilligan’s Island joke here) around Lady Liberty and the NYC Harbor. This band never ceases to amaze and entertain me. After selling out the first show—reportedly in a New York minute—they added a second full set and cruise back out on the only relief outdoors in the entire Eastern half of the nation.
Who knew at the time we would be in the throes of a 95-degree weeklong heat wave, but somehow these veterans of the trade soldiered on with the business at hand. We departed around 11:40 p.m. from the Jewel pier on 23rd and FDR and by 12:30 a.m. the band went to work. Drawing from a set list that drew heavily from two of my favorite records, the self-titled and The Elephant Riders, along with splashes and dashes of Pure Rock Fury, Slow Hole To China and From Beale Street To Oblivion to name a few more. We rocked around Manhattan leaving behind the heat of the city that never sleeps in favor of the cooling breezes of the East River and NY Bay. These guys should do this every summer. But they don’t, so it’s a special treasure when they do. The party boat was here, the band was kicking, and I had lots of beers (thanks, Oscar).
By the way, if you are ever contemplating such an event in the future, don’t miss the boat!
