For eight years, SummerStage has delivered high quality concerts to thousands of Red Hook residents for free. True to form, the 2015 lineup will include heavyweights like legendary rapper Scarface and homegrown Brooklyn talent like Troy Ave. For the first time however, the programming in Red Hook Park will also include dance, theater, film, and family fare.
“Red Hook is incredibly diverse, and unfortunately underserved in terms of cultural programming,” said SummerStage artistic director Erika Elliott. “We wanted to create a full multi-disciplinary lineup this year to reflect the neighborhood.
Now in its 30th year, SummerStage is hosting over 120 events in parks across the city, including Central Park in Manhattan, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, and Betsy Head Park in Brownsville, Brooklyn.
In Red Hook, all events will take place at the Red Hook Park ball fields near the corner of Clinton and Bay Street. Performances are completely free.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own food, water, and blankets, since no vending will be provided. On average, Red Hook SummerStage attracts up to 2,000 people a year, according to Elliott, so be prepared for a crowd — especially with this lineup:
Scarface will kick off the Red Hook Park performances with a concert on Tuesday, June 2 at 7 pm. Troy Ave will appear June 3 at 7, followed by Brooklyn’s future funk crew Phony Ppl.
The lineup will take a folk rock turn the following day, with Brooklyn band The Felice Brothers performing at 6:30, followed by the Montreal quartet The Barr Brothers.
Theater-lovers should attend the June 5 performance featuring Brooklyn’s Lemon Andersen, the Tony Award Winning producer of Def Poetry Jam. His new play ToasT debuted in April and was recently commissioned by The Public Theater and Sundance Institute. Brooklyn emcee J.Keys, and DJ Reborn — a multi-disciplinary artist who has opened for John Legend and The Roots — will follow Andersen’s act.
The KanKouran West African Dance Company will dazzle Red Hook Park on June 6 at 7 pm with high-energy African dance and drumming, followed by a master class taught by the troupe’s founder Assane Konte.
Family Day will take place Sunday, June 7 at 4 pm, beginning with the trailblazing Brooklyn teen metal band Unlocking the Truth. Next, the crowd will headbang along with teen girl rock bands out of Brooklyn’s Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls and the BLACK GIRLS ROCK! education program. The young, enterprising DJ Diamond Kuts will wrap up Family Day with her acclaimed hip hop and dance mixes.
At 7 pm, Brooklyn’s street dance league Battlefest will get the crowd pumped with an impromptu live performance. Last, SummerStage will host a film screening of Flex is Kings, a documentary about Battlefest’s awe-inspiring journey.
For SummerStage, the lineup is ambitious — and Red Hook couldn’t be more deserving.
“Out of all the newer locations of SummerStage, Red Hook has had the biggest impact,” said Elliott. “We are so excited to be doing more in the neighborhood.”
For more information and a full schedule of SummerStage events, head to www.cityparksfoundation.org.
Red Hook SummerStage Schedule
Lyricist Lounge featuring Scarface
June 2 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Troy Ave / Phony Ppl hosted by
Hot 97s Ebro, Laura, and Rosenberg
June 3 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Felice Brothers / The Barr Brothers
June 4 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Lemon Andersen / #LoveHustle featuring DJ Reborn & J. Keys
June 5 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
KanKouran West African Dance Company/Master Class: Assane Konte
June 6 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Unlocking the Truth / Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls / Black Girls Rock / DJ Diamond Kuts
June 7 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
all shows at the Red Hook ballfields where you can see the Grain Terminal
One Comment
Sounds pretty good but you can come a little better like having a old school concert, some of these people don’t know the line up that you have if are catering to the community or giving back to the community we would like to see some old school r and b what gives.