Over the last few weeks, I had heard both of the end to "pool parties" on the waterfront, as well as a moratorium on liquor licenses. The messengers of this news were royally pissed, as the end of concerts meant less to do on Sundays, and less liquor licenses meant less trendy bars/restaurants. Here's the newest news from the Gothamist:
http://gothamist.com/2011/04/13/concerts_now_banned_on_williamsburg.php
I was not surprised to hear this news at all, though I have been reading the Facebook outrage throughout the day. I think the most important tidbit of information that I can pass along to those furious minions is this: CB1 is comprised primarily of local bar/restaurant and business owners, some of whom are on Berry, and most of who are extremely involved in the neighborhood politics. It is in their best interest to see lesser competition, no doubt. But why would they not want the influx of hungry concert-goers in their streets? Isn't that in their best interest?
The answer is absolutely not. With the exception of Brooklyn Bowl and few other bars and restaurants on the Berry side of Bedford Ave, they HATE these events. The "hungry concert-goers" are also drunk, stoned, high, or a ribald combination of all three. They scream through the streets on their way back to the train, then cause havoc for most of these business owners. As for the establishments on the other end of Bedford, these villainous throngs never reach their streets, except for the residents and die-hard boozers. No fun, trust me. As a decade bartender in the Burg, I neither applaud nor condemn this vote. I work Sunday nights, and they are most quiet after these events, so I would be a hypocrite if I sided with CB1. I benefit from the event shutdown(hopefully). However, I do side with the residents of Berry-side Williamsburg, who have a legitimate gripe. As these events are shit-shows, full of screaming teens and adults, mostly over-served and heat-stroke-addled, they have a right to their peaceful days and streets. Though Hipsterburg feels it has a right to go see shows and party in the streets...they don't. Williamsburg is a residential neighborhood, and that side of Bedford is full of families and life-long residents. The pool parties at the actual pool were fine because McCarren Park took the brunt of the noise and drunk people. The speakers were pointed at the park, not the houses across the street. Though a fan of outdoor revelry in summertime, I wouldn't want bands playing directly outside my window. Neither would most people.
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