Pile In The Backseat And Head To NYC For Joey Ramone’s Bday Bash
Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not rip down to New York City for Joey Ramone’s Birthday Bash 2017 – an annual celebration of the skinny jeans, hey ho’s, and power chords of the late great head Ramone. Taking place on Joey’s actual birthday, May 19, the show is a joyous cacophony of NYC punk new and old in the name of happy memories and raising funds for charity. And with this year being the 40th anniversaries of both The Ramones’ Leave Home and Rocket To Russia, there are some special reunions planned to really amp up the party.
To mark the anniversaries, a veteran punk supergroup is assembling especially for the bash. The Love Triangle, made up of Joey’s brother Mickey Leigh and The Ramones drummer Richie and bassist CJ, is slated to perform some of the tracks from both albums. Plus another mish-mash band of stars including Richie, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, Ramones and Talking Heads producer Ed Stasium, and many more – including a rotating cast of iconic stand-in singers – will play through even more songs from The Ramones’ catalogue.
There will also be plenty of appearances from friends and colleagues that had participated in “Joey Ramone Presents…” events. Joey had run the showcases in an effort to build up unknown punk bands in downtown New York, and his mother and brother Mickey Leigh continue the tradition through Joey’s Birthday Bashes. The evening will also include a tribute to the recently passed David Peel, the NY proto-punk staple whose The Lower East Side band was a recurring guest at previous bashes.
It all goes down this coming Friday, May 19, at The Studio @ Webster Hall. Tickets are available now for $30 each, but if that seems a bit steep for a punk show keep in mind proceeds are going towards the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research. More information is supposed to be available at Joey’s website, but as it seems to be under construction at the moment you may want to check the official Facebook page too.
