Hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach on a Ramones-themed NYC Ferry
Photo by © Danny Fields
You can “hitch a ride to Rockaway Beach” on a Ramones-themed ferry ride this weekend. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary punk band’s first performance at the East Village dive bar CBGB, Rhino Entertainment and NYC Ferry are offering three Ramones-themed ferry rides to the Rockaways. The limited rides include an exclusive “50 Years of Ramones” sticker, a Ramones digital takeover, free samples from Rockaway Soda, and a raffle for a special Ramones prize pack.
On Friday, August 16, the Ramones-themed ferry rides will depart from Wall Street/Pier 11 at 11:21 a.m. and 1:24 p.m., from Sunset Park/BAT at 11:37 a.m. and 1:40 p.m., and from Rockaway at 12:14 p.m. and 2:17 p.m.
On Saturday, August 17, the rides will leave from Wall Street/Pier 11 at 11:42 a.m., from Sunset Park/BAT at 12:01 p.m., and from Rockaway at 12:38 p.m.
All tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. One-way tickets cost $4.
Hailing from Forest Hills, Queens, the Ramones helped pioneer New York City’s underground punk movement, which many music historians say began on August 16, 1974 when they first took the stage at CBGB. They went up to play at the venue roughly 70 times.
The band, with Joey Ramone on lead vocals, Dee Dee Ramone on bass, Johnny Ramone on guitar, and Tommy Ramone on drums, was known for their distinct look: leather jackets, tattered skinny jeans, high-top Converse shoes, and a rebellious attitude.
Legs McNeil, the co-founder of “Punk” magazine, was there at the band’s first show. “They were all wearing these black leather jackets. And they counted off this song…and it was just this wall of noise. These guys were not hippies. This was something completely new,” McNeil said.
While CBGB closed in 2006 and is now a high-end clothing store, the band’s performance at the club is remembered as a pivotal moment in music history. The Ramones inspired generations of future bands, such as Nirvana, the Sex Pistols, and Green Day.
NYC Ferry has hosted special rides in the past, including a ferry takeover for Madonna’s “Celebration” tour, Hogwarts-branded rides in partnership with “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” on Broadway, and multiple Taylor Swift events including a listening party for the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” according to Gothamist.
Learn more about the exclusive ferry rides here.
RELATED:
