Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Concerts coming to Forest Hills Tennis Stadium


From the NY Times:

After decades of languishing in obscurity and disrepair, one of the most famous sports and concert sites in New York will again reverberate with the sound of live music.

The Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in Queens, which opened in 1923 and has played host to Jimmy Connors and John Lennon, sits next to an expanse of grass and clay tennis courts at the West Side Tennis Club, the stadium’s owner. Club officials and a promoter have an agreement to hold 19 concerts over the next three years.

The stadium is still in shoddy condition, and after an accelerated renovation to make it ready, one concert is planned there this summer — an Aug. 28 show by Mumford & Sons — followed by six in each of the next three summers.

This summer’s concert will serve as something of a pilot, to convince residents of Forest Hills Gardens, the exclusive neighborhood of elegant Tudor homes around the stadium, that the concerts will not be a nuisance, said the club’s president, Roland Meier. Concerts have not been welcomed in the neighborhood in the past.

Mr. Meier said he hoped the concerts — which will begin as the club celebrates its 100th anniversary in Queens, and the stadium turns 90 — would finance the refurbishing of the stadium and lead to the return of tennis and other top events.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

So excited!

Anonymous said...

Good!
We need some loud acid rock music to wake up those insular Forest Hillbillies!

Anonymous said...

Most of the residents interviewed seem to like the idea of concerts for now. I can't wait to hear them howl once the concerts begin.

Joe Moretti said...

Typical Queens to allow something like this to deteriorate, while turning a blind eye to litter, illegal dumping, illegal conversions, illegal parking spaces, no enforcement of laws in regards to sanitation, etc.

Anonymous said...

A lot better than spending $4 million to plug a hole in the diving pool for a postage stamp stage with no amenities - like they do in Vallonia - but then you don't get it named after you.

Alen said...

Forest Hills Gardens will make a killing on booting the cars of all the people who park in the area.

small price to pay for a few hours of noise

BusyMomBeautyNY said...

This is a great idea, I hope it works out for the best.

Anonymous said...

With the LIRR and the 71/Forest Hills subway station nearby, how much do you want to bet that a ton of idiot concertgoers will STILL drive there expecting to find a parking spot in the already congested neighborhood. Wait till they circle blocks endlessly, and then start parking on sidewalks and grassy areas.

Anonymous said...

"Forest Hills Gardens will make a killing on booting the cars of all the people who park in the area.
small price to pay for a few hours of noise"

They only have so many boots!

But seriously, a few concerts a year isn't going to kill anyone - I may even rent out my driveway!

Joe said...

Mumford & Sons in Queens ?
Its TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE !! That band is hardcore hillbilly. Band like that bring in broke ass drugged up "Greatful-Deadhead" vagabond type crowd.
--What a stupid move.

Id book a Queens band like "KISS" the original lineup complete with the pyros & fireworks !! --all 4 guys would do it for Queens !!

Anonymous said...

Mumford and Sons (actually a really great band) won't freak out the people in Forest Hills Gardens like Kiss would, Joe. Start out with guys like them, then bring in the edgier types.

Anonymous said...

Mettalica and Kayne West duet to wake up Forest Hills!

The residents clearly are stupid if they don't object to the concerts.

Anonymous said...

That's nonsense . Those types of concerts can be held at Citi Field.

Anonymous said...

If the Forest Hills "elite" would have supported keeping the Aquacade...the noise would have been further away.

Now, FUCK 'EM ALL, big 'n small!

Anonymous said...

Excellent news, thank you!

Anonymous said...

It's a musty old venue.

What else are they playing there....
Archangello Corelli's, concerti grossi?

Anonymous said...

Michael Perlman must be doing a jig!

Anonymous said...

So glad I moved!

Anonymous said...

Now the residents of the gardens, who never supported the stadium, will get theirs!

Unknown said...

I have seen the Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel and The Dysfunctional Family Picnic 1 (FooFighters, Bush, Echo and The Bunnymen) at that "musty old venue". Its a classic NYC rock venue. Don't tell the residents.

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