Coney Island's Seaside Concerts Return for 2012 (Schedule)

It took a while for the schedule to appear, but the free Seaside Concert Series in Coney Island is back for 2012. Shows will be held next to the Brooklyn Cyclones' ballpark once again, and as always the series features a blend of classic rock, soul, and disco.

Squeeze and Joan Jett are two of the acts at the Seaside Concerts.

The concerts are held on Thursday nights (with a couple of exceptions as noted below), and begin at 7:30 p.m. The concert site is at West 21st Street and Surf Avenue (see directions here). See the Seaside Concert Series website for more details, and call the concert hotline at 718-222-0600. There are seven shows in this year's schedule, which is as follows:

Thurs., July 12th: Disco Night/Last Dance: A Tribute to Donna Summer. With Gloria Gaynor, The Village People, The Trammps, and Rose Royce

Fri., July 20th: Squeeze and The Romantics [UPDATE, July 20th: Tonight's show seems to still be a go, despite the wet weather. There's been no cancellation notice on the Seaside website or on the site of Coney Island Fun.]

Thurs., July 26th: Annual Latino Music by the Sea show: Oscar de Leon, Luis Enrique, and N'Klabe [UPDATE, July 26th: I haven't yet seen word that this show is cancelled, but I'm assuming that it will be due to the severe weather forecast for the NYC area. Many other outdoor concerts, films, etc. scheduled for the night have also been cancelled.]

Thurs., Aug. 2nd: Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx; Lou Gramm: The Voice of Foreigner; and Bobby Kimball: Original Lead Singer of Toto

Thurs., Aug. 9th: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Sat., Aug. 11th: The Jacksons

Thurs., Aug. 16th: Gladys Knight and The Commodores

Note: Although the concerts are free, those free seats are in the back section of the seating area. Paying $5 will get you a seat in the large front section. Also, I don't remember there being any concessions within the concert grounds. So if you're hungry, get something to eat before the show (Nathan's and other food options are just down the street).

Joan Jett, Heart, Guns 'N Roses, & Beastie Boys Among Rock Hall of Fame Nominees

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (seen here at Coney Island in July) are among the nominees for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Female rockers may finally get their due this year in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as Heart and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts are among the nominees. Also nominated are Guns 'N Roses, the Beastie Boys, The Cure, Freddie King, The Spinners, Donna Summer, Donovan, Eric B. & Rakim, Laura Nyro, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rufus with Chaka Khan, The Small Faces/The Faces, and War.

I've seen Joan Jett and Heart in the last year and a half (Jett just a few months ago) and they can still rock (pretty good considering that Jett just turned 53 a few days ago, and Ann & Nancy Wilson of Heart are a bit older than that). Jett and the Blackhearts haven't had a new album in a few years, but Heart released its first collection in more than half a decade, "Red Velvet Car,"last year.


Above: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts performing "Light of Day" (written by Bruce Springsteen). 

Besides Jett and Heart, I'm glad to see a couple of influential 1960s singer-songwriters (Donovan and Nyro) represented. Freddie King definitely makes sense, since so many rockers were influenced by King and other veteran bluesmen, but as usual some of the non-rock choices leave me scratching my head: Donna Summer? The Spinners? (See information on all the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees here.)

The inductees will be chosen in a few weeks, so we'll find out then who actually is getting into the hallowed rock hall in Cleveland.


Above: Heart performing "WTF" from their latest album, 2010's "Red Velvet Car."

In addition to Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, I think it's time to induct her former bandmates—the Runaways—as well as one of their key influences, Suzi Quatro.

Which of these nominees do you think deserve to get inducted? What artists or other figures would you like to see chosen?