Rock the Docks

One of the better arguments for suggesting the "second half" of the summer is better than the opening act gets re-visited tonight in Howard T. Brown Park starting at six as Rock the Docks returns.

Kicking off the new season is EasyBaby who in less than two years have become a pre-eminent club and festival fixture across Connecticut, Rhode island and Massachusetts and who burned down the Mystic Blues Festival less than two weeks ago with a set that thrilled their fans and impressed legions of new ears.

Quite frankly, Rock the Docks is tailor-made for local musicians like EasyBaby whose repertoire defies easy categorization and pigeon-holing and have a well-deserved reputation for playing hard to audiences that fall in love with them from the first note.

Rock the Docks itself, as if you needed a refresher, is the collective product of a private/public partnership of agencies and associations who, for lack of a more elegant explanation, got tired of hearing how no one ever came to downtown Norwich because there was nothing to do and set out to prove otherwise.

Rock the Docks is the Mother and Child Reunion answer to the chicken and egg question about feet in the street of Chelsea-and about all the shows last summer, the consensus seemed to be if you play loud enough and long enough people will dance. And come back for more.

We have some great places to eat and drink in downtown Norwich and Rock the Docks gives you a perfect reason to have a night out. With EasyBaby starting at six and the music going until eight, there's enough daylight left to have a sparkling beverage or conversation along with a light snack right there at Howard T. Brown Park.

When the show ends, if your thirst for a good time still needs slaking, there's about a dozen eateries within a five minute walk of the stage and whatever your appetite seeks from Asian through South American, Italian to pub grub, you'll find a plateful of good eating just about anywhere.

So make sure to mark your calendars and spit-shine your dancing shoes as Rock the Docks is an every Wednesday event for the next six weeks featuring the sounds of Eight to the Bar, Coyote River Band, Johnny and the East Coast Rockers, The Fat Cats and Melaena-something for everyone and all at no cost.

There's more than enough free municipal parking in easy walking distance so don't even think about offering that tired old excuse for not coming down to the water's edge and having yourself a time. After all, if you don't deserve it, who does? C'mon, Rock the Docks.
-bill kenny