Joan Jett & the Blackhearts @ Coney Island

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
@ Coney Island
Brooklyn, NY - August 9, 2012

One year ago, Joan Jett rocked Coney Island at the annual Seaside Summer Concerts on a bittersweet day which saw the demise of the last multi-style rock radio station in New York. One year later, Joan is back, and so is that station, so today was a little more triumphant. Furthermore, the Blackhearts sounded faster, tougher, and louder this time around, so it was even more of a good time.

Last year I referred to the "Battle of Brooklyn" playing out in the crowd. It happened again this year, at least in the back of the crowd. Ramones t-shirts won the day amidst a crowd of working class stiffs, non-working class stiffs, loner old men, Russian equivalents of Ma & Pa Kettle, Pratt brats, and spoiled teens and twentysomethings high off their rocker going topless and having to be restrained and losing it on the tattle tales (her mother is a big investment banker you know, so how dare you!). Considering some of Joan's new songs were about the modern age: "TMI" and "Reality Mentality", there was an unfortunate sense of irony abounding. Though when she got "flash mobbed" during "TMI" with signs, the irony was made a little more charming.

If there is one lesson from this show it is this: There isn't a man, woman, or child alive that doesn't love "I Hate Myself for Loving You". More so than "I Love Rock n' Roll" which of course drove the crowd wild as well but not like this. There was more dancing, more singing, more moving among more people. Even the yarmulke-wearing Jewish teens loved it, singing it before they even walked into the show. Who knew? A shonde for the goyim perhaps but perhaps there is hope for rock n' roll after all.