In the 1970s and 1980s, February’s in Elmont, New York was located at 1325 Hempstead Turnpike. The venue occupied the same building that later housed the Celebs Sports Bar/Night Club, confirming its continuity as a nightlife space for decades. Locals and musicians alike remember February’s as a hub for hard rock, hardcore, metal, and alternative acts during an era when Long Island produced an abundance of club bands that bridged the suburban and New York City scenes.
Although archival records for February’s are limited, a handful of performances have been verified through concert databases and fan recollections. Notable shows include The Children’s Zoo (June 10, 1985), Falling Stairs (April 22, 1987), Cro-Mags and Crumbsuckers (May 27, 1985), The Hasbros (June 24, 1987), Nightfall (December 11, 1988), and Suffocation (July 30, 1990)—a lineup that mirrors the island’s musical evolution from melodic rock to heavier underground metal. A flyer for the Crumbsuckers show can be seen here:
Newsday has also cited February’s as the venue where Danger Danger first performed with its classic lineup, underscoring the club’s role as a launchpad for Long Island talent. A 2020 Paltrocast interview with Danger Danger guitarist Steve Brown can be seen here, while a Paltrocast interview with former Danger Danger guitarist Andy Timmons can be seen here.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on October 11, 2025.
Fireman’s Memorial Park -- sometimes also called Fireman's Memorial Field -- is a park within Hempstead in Nassau County. It has sometimes been described as being in Lynbrook.
This spot was the site of August 15, 1981 edition of WLIR FM 92.7 Party In The Park. Joan Jett was among the artists who performed at this concert and footage of her performance can be seen here and heard here. A commercial for the event starring Blue Oyster Cult's Eric Bloom can be seen here.
Per notes from a Joan Jett bootleg posting of the show: "The DJ and the stage announcer both say this is "Fireman's Memorial Park". There appears to be some confusion with this listed with a few different dates. I'm seeing this as Aug 8, 15 or 22 and/or Malibu May 1. This recording gets attributed to The Malibu, Lido Beach, NY May 1, 1981 FM from a liberated vinyl "Jett Lagg"."
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on November 25, 2025.
Freeport Municipal Stadium, also known as Freeport Stadium and Freeport Speedway, was a massive project when it was built. The site was to consist of a Rifle Range, a Baseball Field, Boxing Ring and a 1/5th-mile dirt oval speedway, with a Football field on the infield. It opened in 1931, reportedly with a capacity of 2,027, although attendance of auto-races has been stated to be as high as 10,000. This was briefly discussed in a Freeport Memorial Library oral history taped with former resident Gordon Elliot White.
The Brooklyn Dodgers football team reportedly used the stadium as the site for their midweek training. The Penn Red Caps, a semiprofessional baseball team, also played at the stadium. The Freeport Stadium ultimately closed in 1983 and its surroduning buildings were demolished in 1987. Caldor, a discount department store, opened on the site in 1992. BJ's replaced Caldor in 2002; BJ's currently stands at 100 Mill Road, Freeport, NY 11520.
Among the notable artists who performed on the site of the Freeport Stadium were Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown, Joe Cocker, Canned Heat, Melanie, The Outlaws, Orleans, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Tom Paxton, and Ten Years After. For Sly Stone and some of the other artists mentioned, their Freeport performance served as a warm-up for their appearance at the original Woodstock.
Poster for a music festival at the stadium:
Ticket stub from the same event:
James Brown concert advertisement:
Old box office photo:
Photo of a 1974 race at the stadium:
Sources:
http://www.speedwayandroadracehistory.com/freeport-stadium-ny.html
https://pocketsights.com/tours/place/Freeport-Municipal-Stadium-59749:6677
http://www.longislandhistoryproject.org/racing-the-island
https://1440wrok.com/the-history-of-the-freeport-raceway
https://autoracingrecords.com/tracks.php?lid=31128
https://www.setlist.fm/venue/freeport-municipal-stadium-freeport-ny-usa-6bd2fef6.html
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/li-life/long-island-history-qqiamf3i
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eeJQnV9deA&pp=ygUTZnJlZXBvcnQgc3RhZGl1bSBuedIHCQl-CQGHKiGM7w%3D%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylekmYSXYbc&pp=ygUTZnJlZXBvcnQgc3RhZGl1bSBueQ%3D%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOASQNeK_i0&pp=ygUTZnJlZXBvcnQgc3RhZGl1bSBueQ%3D%3D
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 13, 2025. Updated on June 23, 2025, July 1, 2025 and November 25, 2025.
Final Vinyl Records was reportedly located on Merrick Road near the intersection of Grand Avenue in Baldwin, Long Island. Though little information survives today about its operations or ownership, it holds a place in local music lore partly because of a documented in‑store appearance by The Ramones. According to a Facebook post, in October 1984 some members of The Ramones visited Final Vinyl, met with fans, and signed autographs. Other Facebook user comments referenced members of the band The Plasmastics hanging out at the store. You can view the post here.
While the Facebook post establishes that the band made a promotional appearance, there is no known evidence that Final Vinyl ever hosted live performances or concerts. No newspaper ads or concert listings from the period have yet been located that confirm on-site shows at the store. It may have functioned primarily as a retail and autograph setting, rather than a venue. Interestingly, Final Vinyl was located within miles of the Right Track Inn (where The Ramones were documented to have performed).
Visual of the 2025 Facebook posting referenced:
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on October 15, 2025.
