The 20th Annual RockStock and Barrels event was one for the books. From surfing to skateboarding, vendors to volleyball, yoga to live bands having people break out their best dance moves on the boardwalk on a beautiful Saturday, June 20, it was an epic way to officially kick off summer.
RockStock and Barrels is hosted each year by Jimmy Dowd of St. James Clothing, Walker Hornung of Into the Whip Records and the Stathis family of Boarders. Twenty years later, it’s become a big summer tradition. “Overall, the 20th RockStock was a huge success,” Dowd said. “I think it was a massive turnout.”
“RockStock 20 was incredible. It was all amazing,” Hornung, who curated the music lineup said. “Thanks to this year’s bands and their wonderful original music: Samsara, Derecho (with me, B.M.W.A., and Eddy Joe as guests), Boulevard Bushmen, Jackson Heights, Soup (from Asbury Park), Eddie John, Terryl Lee, and Red Velvet Supreme. As always, the bands were original and left it all on the stage.”
In addition to the music, there was yoga provided by Ocean Bliss Yoga, a volleyball tournament held by Riis Park Volleyball as DJ Rob Pisani played music on the beach, a surf contest organized by Eastern Surfing Association, a skateboard trick contest in the skate park and plenty of vendors selling goods. Sponsors for the event included Red Bull, Ace Hardware and Saint James Iced Teas. The event continued with an after party at The Rockaway Hotel.
For the organizers, RockStock is a labor of love as setting up becomes a bigger challenge with the growth of the festival. At 3 p.m., a photo was taken from a nearby building showing just how massive it was, recreating an epic shot from RockStock 6. However, when it’s all said and done, the hard work pays off. “It seems like everybody was super excited. Walker really searched and found some really amazing young, talented bands that totally blew the doors away. It was just massive,” Dowd said. “Thank you to everyone that traveled from far and near to show their love and support to this unifying festival.”
Hornung added, “Thanks to our families for supporting us for 20 straight years, with the only reward being the happiness of the attendees. Thank God for the weather, and most of all, thank you all for showing up! Twenty years is a long time to do anything.”
For more info about RockStock, head to www.rockstocknyc.com
