Making a big splash

JellyNYC founders on persevering without the Pool

PROFILE. When renovation began on the long-abandoned McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg last year, it almost left music lovers high and dry.

For the past four years JellyNYC had been using the space, which hadn’t been used for swimming in years, for events they called Pool Parties, free concerts at the Park that reached across genres and drew thousands of spectators.

“We all cried onstage for the last Pool Party last year, because we knew it was a special place that nobody would be able to replicate,” says Sarah Hooper, one-half of Jelly. “We were just really hoping that by the time they decided they wanted to change the pool back into the pool, there would be an infrastructure created in Williamsburg for outdoor concerts.”

This year, the Pool Parties have moved to the Williamsburg Waterfront at the East River State Park. There’s no pool, but they’re keeping the name. The move marks added challenges for the Jelly team, which also includes Alex Kane, but they’re hoping it will help Williamsburg realize the need for a permanent outdoor venue.

“We’re proving to the powers that be that the concerts are still needed, and if they go away completely something’s really missing from Williamsburg for the summer,” says Hooper.

Hooper and Kane aren’t alone, and the lineup is definitely something to get enthusiastic about.
“I’m very pumped about the two bands who are playing with me,” says Gregg Gillis (aka Girl Talk), who performs August 23rd with Max Tundra and Wiz Khalifa, “I think it’s a great lineup.”  

Also among those appearing will be the Black Lips this Sunday, Deerhunter on August 2nd, and Grizzly Bear on August 30th.

“There’s a lot of people who would enjoy something like [the Pool Parties], but couldn’t afford going to a festival,” says Jas Shaw from Simian Mobile Disco (appearing on August 9th).
“When you go out to these things you see a much wider range of people, and I think that’s really good, that’s really healthy.”