Professional Tennis Returning to Forest Hills Stadium

Tennis is back at Forest Hills Stadium! Led by US Open Champion Andy Roddick and with Patrick McEnroe at the coaching helm, professional tennis returns to Forest Hills with Mylan World Team Tennis' newest franchise, the New York Empire. Go here for more information.

Drake & Lil Wayne Concert Tonight

If anyone takes any cool photos of tonight's show, please email them to edgeofthecity@gmail.com and I will post them to the blog.

August 9th at Forest Hills Stadium: Modest Mouse & Brand New

The next show in the Forest Hills Stadium Summer Concert series was announced this morning.

Performing on August 9th will be Modest Mouse & Brand New

Presale tix avail via Citi Private Pass starting Wed at 12PM via http://citiprivatepass.com

And starting Thursday at Noon at Ticketfly.com

Billboard's great article on the concert: Modest Mouse, Brand New to Play Rare Forest Hills Stadium Show

Modest Mouse

Brand New

Meeting About the Stadium Concerts

.... and God forbid anyone should tell the neighborhood blog. Whatevs, I'm telling all of you guys....

Forest Hills Stadium News

The DNAInfo website has an article today about plans for the Forest Hills Stadium, including that The New York Pops may play the Stadium  (I had heard back in December this was in discussion, so there must be something to it). But the article also says this has not been confirmed yet.

And I don't know what to make of the Idina Menzel part - why the West Side Tennis Club president would say she was going to perform and then it is being denied by her team...

Forest Hills Concert Organizers to Address Residents' Concerns at Meeting

Forest Hills Stadium Announces First Concert of 2014 Season

The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1

Zac Brown Band

Saturday, Jun 21, 2014

Doors: 5:00 pm / Show: 6:00 pm

Forest Hills Stadium

Forest Hills, NY

Stadium Grounds

I thought I'd post some pictures of the Tennis Stadium's grounds for those of you who didn't attend the concert. This is what they had going on outside of the stadium itself, such as food carts, etc. Those of you who have been following the news coverage know that the Stadium is now a work in progress. They plan many improvements, all of which they have not yet detailed.

Lining up for some food. This stand served things like fried chicken.

Was great to see Luke's Lobster's truck. Wish we had it here in FoHi all the time!

Their pizzas were extremely popular, and quite tasty if I do say so myself!

The view of the West Side Tennis Club Clubhouse from inside the Stadium.

My Favorite Concert Pic

There's been a ton of pics of last night's Mumford and Sons concert but I have to say, I think this one, shared by @charrie_t tonight on Twitter, has to be my absolute favorite so far!

Some More Mumford Pics

I'll be posting 'em throughout the day...

George caught some of the building excitement pre-show around Station Square and concert-goers arriving on the LIRR...

Some pics from Rego Parker (is that how you say it?) Lisa:

Elan sent in this really nice shot when things were just getting going...

And this shot from Manny really makes you feel the magnitude of the crowd. Funny how the photos somehow make the crowd seem even bigger than it really was. It was big, but this makes it look like an endless sea of people!

These great shots are courtesy of @harrydelpain who was in the third row...

Mumford Concert Pics

Just a few pics from the amazing concert tonight. I'll post more tomorrow, probably in the afternoon some time. Was a great night...

And some of the press coverage:

Wall St. Journal: Mumford & Sons perform at Forest Hills reopening

Belfast Telegraph: Mumford a smash hit at tennis venue

NY Times: Concert, Anyone? Music Returns to Queens Tennis Stadium

The Washington Post: Mumford & Sons perform 1st concert held in 20 years at historic Forest Hills stadium in NY

New Stadium Entrance

Thanks to Manny for sending in this cool pic he took tonight of the new Tennis Stadium entrance, all decked out for the concert Wednesday night...

Restaurants Preparing For Extra Visitors

The Mumford & Sons Concert Wednesday will probably bring the most visitors to our neighborhood since the last concert was held at our Stadium some 16 years ago. Yes, local politicians, see all those empty storefronts along Austin Street? You bear some of the responsibility for that for not pushing for our beautiful Stadium to be utilized for all of these 16 wasted years; years when struggling local businesses really could have used the help. Yes, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Seriously ashamed. And the same goes for local residents who wanted all events at the Stadium squelched. What could be better for your quality of life here in Forest Hills than having a vibrant local shopping district with awesome restaurants and upscale stores, instead of sad, empty storefronts?

As proof of what I'm saying, local businesses are already embracing the large volume of visitors expected to stroll down Austin Street this Wednesday evening both before and after the concert.

One of my favorite new restaurants, Banter, will be having live music of its own after the concert ends around 10 p.m., and Jack & Nellie’s plans to open a little earlier that day for the pre-show crowd. And those are just the ones I know about. If you know of others, comment about them below.

The concert's organizers have really been handling this just fantastically by the way. They understand how much money events like these at the Stadium can bring to our local businesses, a shopping area that could most definitely use a good shot in the arm. (Things have improved, but hey, we're still all recovering from the Depression, aren't we?) So in the letter accompanying tickets to Mumford, the organizers add: "We encourage you to visit local restaurants and shops before and after the show, and explore Forest Hills."

This is truly a great week to be a Forest Hills resident. I hope everyone enjoys what will truly be a memorable time for our thriving New York City neighborhood!

Today's Daily News Story About the Stadium

Tennis stadium, home to greats like Arthur Ashe, the Beatles and Bob Dylan, now will host Mumford & Sons
Forest Hills Tennis Stadium is on the backswing.
The long-closed venue, which brought acts including the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Barbra Streisand to Queens in the ’60s and ’70s, will host its first concert in 16 years when Mumford & Sons take the stage on Wednesday.
The once-legendary venue lay fallow for over a decade, leaving it a gnarled pit of spiraling weeds and chipped stones that promoter Mike Luba described as “a crumbling mess” when he visited six months ago. Yet he saw in it “a priceless jewel.”

More Reader Pics

Some more photos readers sent in...
Stephen sent in this photo of  last week's Jazz Thursday performance, "I attended tonight's Cheryl Pepsii Riley concert on 70th Road. It was a fantastic show with wall to wall attendance! Glad the weather held up."

And speaking of performances, another reader sent in this pic of the Tennis Stadium, all spruced up and just about ready for Mumford this Wednesday eve...

Stadium Preparations Continue

A reader sent in these new photos of the preparations continuing at the Stadium for the Mumford concert in two weeks. He adds:

"Tremendous progress on the Stadium renovation. It appears most of the rusty railings have been sanded and painted blue along with patch up of the cement columns. Also, the new entrance has been paved and a permanent gate."

Stadium Preparations

Noticed this work going on at the Tennis Stadium over the weekend. I figure they are readying a new entrance along Burns St. to minimize the traffic flow near the residential area for the Mumford concert on Aug. 28th. And lo and behold the old Box Office near the former entrance on 69th Ave. is now gone. This is just my speculation, if anyone can confirm, please let us know below...

New entrance on Burns?

Old entrance with Box Office gone.

The old Stadium Box office has been dismantled

Forest Hills Tennis Pro-Am on August 28

Join us at the Inaugural MW Foundation Tennis Pro-Am benefiting debra of America at the legendary 100-year-old West Side Tennis Club in New York City.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 28, 2013 from 8:30AM - 2PM
WHERE: West Side Tennis Club, 1 Tennis Place, Forest Hills, NY 11375
TO RSVP your spot on the courts, please click here

INCLUDES
• Playing with Mats Wilander, Former #1 Tennis Player in the World & International Tennis Hall of Fame Member
• Hitting with Former & Current Tennis Pros on 3 Court Surfaces
• Instructional Clinics, Competition Drills & Round-Robins
• Pro Meet-and-Greet
• Viewing a Professional Exhibition Match
• Continental Breakfast
• Barbecue Lunch with Beer, Wine & Cocktails

NOTABLE PAST PLAYERS INCLUDE

Leslie Allen | James Blake | Thomas Blake | Jim Courier | Honorable David Dinkins | Will Ferrell | David Graham | Cameron Lickle | John McEnroe | Patrick McEnroe | Yannick Noah | Karel Novácek | Jared Palmer | Mikael Pernfors | Christy Turlington

For more information, visit debra.org/benefits or email casey@debra.org

ABOUT THE MW FOUNDATION
SAVE IT. SEND IT. SHARE IT.
are the ideals that the MW Foundation stands for, not only while on a tennis court but for everyday life. The foundation’s main purpose is to help raise awareness for the rare genetic connective tissue disorder, Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) — The Worst Disease You’ve Never Heard Of.™ Mats’ 15 year old son, Erik, inherited a mild form of this genetic disease. Mats has been instrumental in helping debra of America raise awareness and funds for research and the supportive services and programs.

Mumford & Sons Concert Poster

... also reveals that opening for them will be The Vaccines and Bear's Den....

Mumford & Sons to Play Forest Hills August 28th !

I bet it's been a long time since most of the old-timers reading this blog have read a headline like that! But yes, apparently the folks at the West Side Tennis Club have been hard at work restoring the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium and The New York Times is reporting this morning:

At 90, a Queens Stadium Is Poised for a Comeback

"Club officials and a promoter have an agreement to hold 19 concerts over the next three years....
A new entrance will be created away from residential blocks, and there will be a curfew of about 10 p.m., Mr. Luba said, adding that for the August show all tickets would be general admission and would cost $70. He hopes to attract 16,500 people."

Mr. Luba, who scouts and prepares unconventional concert sites for the band, said he took the members of Mumford & Sons on a tour of the stadium, “and they just fell in love with it."

Now I just need to score me some tickets! Here's a link to info on how to get tickets:

US TOUR ANNOUNCEMENT: THE FULL ENGLISH TOUR & RESCHEDULED DATE