Out Of The Garage And Into The Sun

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 14th, 2004 by Sal Lucci

Little Steven’s International Underground Garage Festival
Randall’s Island, New York – 8/14/04

Fans of Nuggets and Back from the Grave rejoice. Cavestomp! may have disappeared, but Steven Van Zandt (the E Street Band, The Sopranos) brings that real rock and roll sound to our speakers every week with his “Underground Garage” radio show (Q104.3, Sirius Satellite Radio). This past Saturday he threw the biggest, hippest party with the “International Underground Garage Festival.” Forty bands for $20, acts flying in from New Zealand, England and all across the US of A… a real cool time.

Festivities started around 11:00 AM, but I didn’t get there ‘til almost 4, thanks to my poor sense of direction. Not even out of the parking lot as the Electric Prunes played “I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night,” much to the dismay of my entourage. We did manage to catch the Creation, finding out then that most bands would only be playing two songs. “Making Time,” re-popularized recently in one of those Wes Anderson movies, cheered my friends up. Rain threatened all day, cutting short sets by the Raveonettes (I guess it was worth the flight from Denmark?) and the Pretty Things (who I wanted to see more of). The Romantics were good for three songs (including “What I Like About You,” but not “Tomboy”) and the Dictators burned through their set… loud and fun, inviting everyone to the Handsome One’s bar for the after party.

Full-set honors went to Bo Diddley (fuck yeah!), the New York Dolls (YES!), the Strokes (Julian Casablancas’ self-loathing pop star persona in full effect) and the motherfucking Stooges. I don’t know what was more frightening, Bo’s rap song or David Johansen, six-plus feet, all of 100 pounds, stalking the stage in a pink child’s shirt. The Dolls dedicated a medley of “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory/Lonely Planet Boy” to the late Johnny Thunders. Iggy was, well, Iggy. At one point he demanded the audience storm the stage, much to the dismay of security.

Between sets were guest MCs aplenty, namely Bruce Springsteen, Vincent Pastore and Ed “Kookie” Burns. Rock impresario/all around douche bag Kim Fowley was the main man, with Van Zandt (in pajamas) coming out every now and again.

Other highlights were Detroit’s Paybacks and the D4. Unfortunately I missed the Woggles, the Fleshtones, the Lyres, the Cynics and the Swinging Neckbreakers. Conspicuous by their absence were Question Mark and the Mysterians, who surely would have delighted all the stompers and stompettes.

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