Misfits to play in Nyack to raise funds for skate park

BY MICHAEL RICONDA

NYACK – Allies of the ongoing project to build a skate park at Nyack’s Memorial Park have some big help coming from none other than one of the foundational acts in punk rock.

The Misfits, an iconic punk band who helped establish the horror punk genre, will play the Nyack Center on May 31. The band will put on a family-friendly show at 2 p.m., which will cost $10 and feature performances by Mario the Magician and Mustache Cash Stash. A later, full show will begin at 7:30 p.m., cost $30 and feature performances by Regret the Hour, Heart of the Matter and Tournament.

Formed in Lodi, New Jersey in 1977 by Glenn Danzig, the Misfits pioneered a uniquely fast and heavy blend of aggressive hardcore punk and horror movie themes which eventually helped spawn the horror punk genre. The band broke up in 1984 but reunited without Danzig in 1995, sporting a new sound more reliant on heavy metal than their punk roots.

In spite of some lineup changes, the band has been relatively stable over the past few years, particularly since 2001 when guitarist Dez Cadena joined longtime bass player Jerry Only. Eric Arce, their current drummer, has been with the band since 2010.

The Nyack skatepark concept has a history that spans back about as long as the Misfits. Though calls for a park have been made since the 1970s, advocates first united under the banner of “Nyack Needs a Skatepark” in September 2010.

In March 2013, the group was able to successfully lobby the Nyack Village Board to adopt a resolution supporting the skatepark, making their longtime dream a reality. Since then, the village has appointed a Skatepark Committee to oversee the park’s design and construction, while fundraising has gone forward through Nyack Needs a Skatepark and the Nyack Park Conservancy.