Coney Island Spring Open + Noisefest 2011 / April 3 2011

After a long and lovely brunch at the very busy Brownstone pancake factory in Jersey City with friends/longtime couple Katrina and Eric, Katrina and I headed off together for a little show at the Coney Island USA HQ at Coney Island, Brooklyn.

After the long train ride out in lovely weather reading the Onion (a story about a guy emerging from a bender with his financial house in order, really? sweet) we got to the boardwalk, then wandered around...but no sign of the Jazz Funeral at Coney Island, unfortunately. Eventually we wandered into Coney Island USA, the headquarters/bar of the Non-profit promoting all things Coney:  http://www.coneyisland.com/

Although we missed the Jazz Funeral, we did get a beer and witness a UK based mime/performance artist/saw musician, the final act of Noisefest 2011. But, we did make our own good times, meeting and greeting folks, even discovering a jukebox, with everything from Chubby Checker to David Bowie, for a quarter a song! We 'did the twist' and made friends with fellow twister Amelia:

Then we met Jeanine, a Coney Island mermaid parade participant. She and her friend were explaining all the perks of marching in the parade (they spent time today walking with the Jazz Funeral for Coney Island, during which apparently a mermaid was carried around in a fake wooden coffin, eventually emerging to a stunned crowd on the boardwalk.) Then we talked to Dancing Man 504 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTb2ivQaDi0, for a video) a Second Line dancing pro/mentor, who has danced across the Brooklyn Bridge and, now, at the Coney Island jazz funeral event. He's spent time dancing with kids at a school in the suburbs outside of Paris at the Josephine Baker school, and hopes to go spend time dancing in Japan (for more info about what he does, check out his site: http://dancingman504.com/ )

After, we chatted with some folks that had been at the event, I met a New Orleans native and fan of Acid Bath familiar with Houma and Dax. Interesting to trade stories about scene music so far from home! Then Katrina and I wandered the boardwalk, walked out on the pier and felt the sand blow through our hair. We witnessed several hopeful fishermen catching a couple rounds of some fiesty looking fish. After some carefree time at the beach, it was time to head back past the Nathans (well...ok we went into Nathans. But escaped food-free...whew!) and on the train back into New York (and finally Jersey.)
Love Coney.
But...always nice to be back in Jersey City.

Photos/vid below: