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Sep 13, 2013
The First Ever PRO WRESTLING FILM FESTIVAL!

Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages, ROCKS OFF is proud to bring to you you THE FIRST EVER PRO WRESTLING FILM FESTIVAL! 

 

Blood! Guts! Triumph! Heartbreak! Revenge! - These are all the cornerstones of professional wrestling, which remains the world's most unique sport. Populated with unique characters portrayed by even louder personalities and events behind the scenes that are often far more bizarre than what's been scripted for its devoted audience, pro wrestling is one hell of an ever-evolving, always changing, 
most excellent subculture.

Hot off its successful Rock N' Roll Film Festival this summer, Rocks Off, NYC's sweetest concert promoter, is proud to announce that it will explore, exploit and spotlight the world of professional wrestling with the Rocks Off Pro Wrestling Film Festival. The first festival of its type in the world, The Rocks Off Pro Wrestling Film Festival will take place from Thursday November 21st through Saturday November 23rd, 2013 in New York City at the historic Kraine Theater.

Much like rock n' roll, pro wrestling is a unique beast that cannot be tamed - loud, arrogant, in your face, and awe-inspiring in its athletics and its theatrics. Steeped with unique history and personalities, it's a slice of Americana that cannot be explained, it can only be explored and loved – and Rocks Off intends to do just that - celebrate professional wrestling in all its two-fisted, off the top rope, kill or be killed, bad-ass glory!

The Rocks Off Film Festival is the brainchild of Rocks Off guru Jake Szufnarowski and PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson, one of the top writers on the pro wrestling genre. "We are looking to showcase original, unique content that explores and celebrates all aspects of professional wrestling,” said Johnson, who is helping to curate the Festival.

"Pro Wrestling can be dramatic, fun, campy, serious, shocking and more - sometimes at once - and we intend for the festival to bring out those same types of emotions for the audience. We are looking to cultivate a fun, eclectic, unique atmosphere - like a great pro wrestling card would," added Johnson.

All of the festivities will be hosted by the voice of Juggalo Championship Wrestling, native New Yorker KG Kevin Gill. Gill, a featured voice actor in the new Saints Row IV video-game alongside WWE greats Roddy Piper and Rob Van Dam, will be involved in all aspects of the festival, including hosting special post-screening Q&As.

The triple threat of Szufnarowski, Johnson and Gill are teaming as curators of the festival. If you are a director or producer looking to solicit your film for inclusion in the Rocks Off Pro Wrestling Film Festival, email RocksOffProWrestling@gmail.com . Limited slots are still available but we are seeking complete films, documentaries, short films, animated films and more!

Film Festival programming will begin to be announced this Monday 9/16, but we can announce our opening night festivities will include a special reception, a collection of unique short films on professional wrestling and a special night of comedy starring Colt Cabana and friends, live in 3-D!
Complete programming and ticketing information to follow

Jun 25, 2013
Happy to Announce the FIRST ANNUAL ROCKS OFF FILM FESTIVAL!

It all starts on Friday the 12th of July, where Charles Bradley: Soul of America will be screening at 6:00PM. You can buy tickets and get more info on this touching documentary on a man who never gave up on his dreams and ended up making it from the projects to the pages of Rolling Stone here. Also screening that Friday night is East End Babylon - the violent story of the Cockney Rejects, the original punk band from the streets of 1970's east London. You can learn more and buy tickets here. 

THEN Saturday night starts at 6:00pm with an hour of short film madness known as the ¡Short Film Fiesta! The films being shown during this block include Nelson George's 'All Hail The Beat', Sean Dunne's 'Stray Dawg' and 'American Juggalo', and Mike Sloat's 'The Making of Dark Roots of Earth: Testament's 10th Studio Album'. We will then be screening Scarred but Smarter (life n times of drivin' n cryin') the fascinating, behind-the-scenes story of a band that has spent the last 28 years both creating great music and making questionable career moves, at 7:30pm Saturday night. For more info and to buy tickets, head over here.

Sunday night it all comes together with three feature length films back to back! Starting at 4:00pm with Fat Kid Rules The World, the story of a highschool dropout who comes to the aid of a chubby and suicidal high school kid by recruiting him as the drummer for his upstart punk band. Then at 6:00pm, we have Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet, the inspiring story of a guitar legend that refuses to give up on his dream despite the most incredible odds. And finally, to close out the film fest, we have Last Days Here, a documentary following the struggles and triumphs of cult metal legend Bobby Liebling from Pentagram.

In between films we are psyched to have a rock'n roll light show live-mixed on a keytar by psychedelic video artist, DJ, and music video director, B.A Miale. 

We couldn't be more stoked for the festival, and hope to see you in the theatre! For the full listings and more info, check out http://rocksoff.com/filmfest. 


May 28, 2013
The Wildhearts Are Coming - Ultra Rare NYC shows!!

Is Earth Vs The Wildhearts really 20 years old?  Does that mean we are all getting old?  Nah, not old.  Just older.  And wiser.  Which is why we are getting ready to party like it's 1993.  When we never gave hangovers a chance to grab hold - we just hit them with a caffeiene bomb.  They say you never forget your first - which is why the Wildhearts are going to play their debut IN ITS ENTIRETY.  And if we are all really loud and exra foot stompy we can probably get them to play an enciore as well - hell maybe it will even be some of the B-Sides from the singles that were released.  You can get tix and info for the Gramercy show here.  Rockin Rodney Speed will be DJing before and between sets for this historic night.

 

And in case you wanna hear some more later-era Wildhearts, it's a good thing they decided to stick around NYC and play a 2nd night as well, a greatest hits set from their entire 20 year career - that one will be at the Muisc Hall of Williamsburg on Saturday June 1st and more info is available here.  This will be the ONLY non Earth Vs Wildhearts show anywhere in the world in 2013!  Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers will be DJing this gig and melting your mind with killer tunes before and between sets!

 

And if that wasn't enough - Ginger has decided to debut his solo band - the Ginger Wildheart Band on this trip!!  They will be supporitng the Wildhearts at the Gramercy and The Music Hall as well as their FIRST USA HEADLINING SHOW EVER at the Mercury Lounge!  Tix and info here.

If you're unfamilair with the Wildhearts or the erstwhile frotman / simngwriter Ginger - here's something from our friends at Thrillist!

May 15, 2013
Get Your Rocks Off Podcast #13 with john Joseph of the Cro Mags!

The 13th installment of the Get Your Rocks Off Podcast with special guest John Joseph of the Cro Mags is up NOW!

 

Cro Mags Frontman.  Author.  Iron Man Triathlete.

 

That's a pretty gangsta hat trick.  Listen in as John Joseph and Rocks Off founder Jake Szufnarowski talk about their Lower East Side walking tours, John's upcoming One Man Show, why he and Harley will never step onstage again, and how a Positive Mental Attitude can overcome (almost) anything!!  Plus this week we debut the new Get Your Rocks Off Podcast theme song written and recorded by our good friend Chris Catalyst of the Eureka Machines!

 

You can download and / or stream the podcast throught he Rocks Off site by clikcing HERE

Or you can download and / or subscribe on iTunes by clicking HERE.

If you get it through iTunes we'd love it if you gavce the podcast a rating or a comment!

May 13, 2013
Rancid playing 2 nights at Terminal 5

Punk rock legends RANCID will be comign to NYC to blow up Terminal 5 for two nights along with The Transplants featuring Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Travis Barker of Blink 182.  Tickets for the FRriday night show sold out very quickly, but tickets for Thursday June 20th are atill available.  You can get those and more info by clicking HERE:

Mar 26, 2013
Get Your Rocks Off Podcast Episode 6 with Matt Caughthran of the Bronx / Mariachi El Bronx!

Episode 6 of the Get Your Rocks Off podcats is up.  Rocks Off honcho y jefe Jake sits with Matt Caughthran of perennial Concert Cruise favorites the Bronx / Mariachi El Bronx and they discuss how to make it in a band when you have no discernable talent, feeling like a ghost in your own city, and how "if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then baffle them with bullshit."  It's a great relaxed interview / conversation between these two titans of terror.  You can stream or download through the Rocks Off website HERE or through iTunes HERE.  As always you can subscribe through iTunes so new episodes download as they are published - and if you like them we encourage you to rate and review them on iTunes to spread the word.  Previous episodes feature Joe Queer of the Queers, Peter Shapiro (owner of the Brooklyn Bowl, the Wetlands and the Capital Theater in Port Chester, NY), Marc Brownstein of the Disco Biscuits and Conspirator, Eddie Eyeball of 2 Skinne Js, and Tomato from Sound of Urchin and Tomato's House of Rock.

Mar 19, 2013
Dropkick Murphys' singer kicks some Nazi Ass Onstage!

Dropkick Murphys bassist Ken Casey heads over to deliver justice to a Nazi-saluting skinhead

 

Last week when the Dropkick Murphys played Termianl 5 for two nights, things were going according to plan.  It was St Patty's Day week, the shows were packed, and people were getting drunk.  And rowdy.  Really rowdy.  As has become tradition the band invited the ladies to come onto the stage for their encore of "Kiss Me I'm Shitfaced"  50+ ladies made it past the barricade and onto the stage and danced the song away.  The band then kicked into "Skinhead on the MBTA" and a ton of dudes were getting past security and the stage ended up being packed tighter than the underside of a real man's kilt.  As the band kicked into T.N.T. by AC/DC some moron started seig heiling (the nazi salute) in time to the beat.

 

Dropkicks singer / bassist Ken Casey noticed this and ran right over to the guy, smashed him in the face, took off his bass and hit him with that and then jumped on him and all out chaos ensued.  We could only assume from our vantage point that said nazi got his ass kicked.  About 30 seconds later Ken emerged from the pileup with his shirt torn and made his way back to the front of the stage.  He strapped on his bass and said into the microphone "Nazis are NOT FUCKING WELCOME at a Dropkick Murphys show."

That's some straight up gangsta shit.  God bless you Ken Casey.  And God Bless America.

 

Here is some video of what happened:

Start around the 1:30 mark

Start around the 8:10 mark
Feb 22, 2013
Alabama Shakes Rocked The Boat - And We've Got Amazing Pictures to Prove It!

We kicked off our 13th Annual Rocks Off Concert Cruise Series a bit early this year - yes, we took a boat out in the middle of February - but this was a bit of a special occasion. And not just because it was Valentine's Day. Fresh off their appearance at the Grammy's and warming up for Saturday Night Live, the fantastic ALABAMA SHAKES blessed our vessel with a surprise and extremely intimate concert for 300 people. Playing on the floor in a semi-circle surrounded by an enraptured crowd, Alabama Shakes delivered a rockin' stompin' set that had the whole boat going bananas. 

Our very talented Deneka Peniston took some incredible photos of this special concert cruise, check them out below !

 

ALABAMA SHAKES CONCERT CRUISE PHOTOS

Feb 15, 2013
The Wildhearts vs New York York City for Two Nights!

Is Earth Vs The Wildhearts really 20 years old?  Does that mean we are all getting old?  Nah, not old.  Just older.  And wiser.  Which is why we are getting ready to party like it's 1993.  When we never gave hangovers a chance to grab hold - we just hit them with a caffeiene bomb.  They say you never forget your first - which is why the Wildhearts are going to play their debut IN ITS ENTIRETY.  And if we are all really loud and exra foot stompy we can probably get them to play an enciore as well - hell maybe it will even be some of the B-Sides from the singles that were released.

Friday May 31st "Earth Vs The Wildhearts" in its entirety @ The Gramercy Theater TIX AVAILABLE NOW

 

The Wildhearts are the best rock n roll band you've never heard of.  Unless you've heard of them, in which case they are already your favorite band.  Amirtite??  After a 3 year hiatus they regrouped and played a blistering sold out show at the Kentishtown Forum in London in December of 2012.  They were so enrgized from that performance that they decided to do a 4 show tour of the UK; so we twisted their arms, and hearts, with promises of bank notes and booze, to come to New York Fukken City!!!  They have recently welcomed "Random" Jon Poole back into the band to take over on bass duties, so we will be getting a "random" assortment of their greatest hits and finest moments from their 20+ year catalog this night at the Music Hall.  

Saturday June 1st "Wildhearts Greatest Hits Set" @ The Music Hall of Williamsburg TIX AVAILABLE NOW

 

Feb 13, 2013
ALABAMA SHAKES Concert Cruise - Kicking Off Our 13th Annual Concert Cruise Season in Style!

Rocks Off is proud to announce our 13th annual Concert Cruise season is kicking off in fine fashion with the almighty Alabama Shakes !!! We'll be taking the Shakes and about 250 lucky fans for a very special, intimate cruise on the Hudson River tomorrow night, Valentine's Day.