With June 21st falling on a Saturday, Governors Island welcomed “Punk Island” for Make Music New York, and musical block parties multiplied. Time Out New York magazine created a matchmaking website to help unattached musicians and locations hook up. Mayor Bloomberg held a press conference with Roberta Flack to launch the event. For the first time, MMNY concert listings became available on nyc.gov, and on the city’s 311 hotline. View the full program here.

Program Highlights Included:
over 70 punk bands playing throughout Governors Island (nicknamed “Punk Island” for the day) • a Lincoln Square block party, with performances by the NYC Opera, NY Philharmonic, Jazz at Lincoln Center, ASCAP, American Composers Orchestra, and American Opera Projects • Bronx middle school jazz bands in Central Park, joined by Roberta Flack • Grammy-winning trumpeter Roy Hargrove at a Jazz Gallery tribute to Miguel “Anga” Diaz • additional block parties organized by The Tank, After The Jump, Composers Collaborative, House of Yes, etc.

Press:
“A Fine Day for Music, No Matter Your Taste,” by Colin Moynihan and Ray Rivera, New York Times, June 22, 2008