This weekend, you can “hitchhike to Rockaway Beach” on a Ramones ferry. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary punk band’s first performance at East Village dive bar CBGB, Rhino Entertainment and NYC Ferry are offering three Ramones ferries to the Rockaways. The limited-edition trips include an exclusive “50 Years of Ramones” sticker, a digital takeover of the Ramones, free samples of Rockaway Soda, and a drawing for a special Ramones prize package.
On Friday, August 16, the Ramones ferries 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, trips will depart at 11:42 a.m. from Wall Street/Pier 11, at 12:01 p.m. from Sunset Park/BAT, and at 12:38 p.m. from Rockaway.
All tickets are subject to availability. Individual tickets are $4.
Hailing from Forest Hills, Queens, the Ramones were pioneers of New York’s underground punk movement, which many music historians believe began on August 16, 1974, when they first took the stage at CBGB. They played there around 70 times.
The band, featuring Joey Ramone as lead singer, Dee Dee Ramone on bass, Johnny Ramone on guitar and Tommy Ramone on drums, was known for their distinctive look: leather jackets, ripped skinny jeans, high-top Converse shoes and a rebellious attitude.
Legs McNeil, co-founder of Punk magazine, attended the band’s first gig. “They were all wearing these black leather jackets. And they were singing this song… and it was just this wall of noise. These guys weren’t hippies. This was something completely new,” McNeil said.
Although CBGB closed in 2006 and is now a luxury clothing store, the band’s performance at the club is considered a defining moment in music history. The Ramones inspired generations of future bands such as Nirvana, the Sex Pistols and Green Day.
According to Gothamist, 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 several Taylor Swift events, including a listening party for the release of “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).”
Find out more about the exclusive ferry trips here.
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