Arts & Entertainment
From the Archives: Roots of Battle of HS Bands at Palisades Amusement Park
A weekly look at historical images and their significance from the archives of the Fort Lee Film Commission and the Fort Lee Historical Society
On June 10 the Fort Lee Film Commission will host the annual Battle of the High School Bands inside the large gym / stage of the at 1355 Inwood Terrace. The program is free to the public and runs from 7-10PM.
This program is open to all high school bands from Bergen County. There is a winner-take-all top prize of $500.
Over the past decade we have enabled many area high school rock musicians to perform before the public, which is a rare opportunity in this day and age. Though it’s easy to throw your band’s videos up on YouTube or Facebook, to perform before a live audience on stage is a rare treat, and we are happy to provide these young musicians with this opportunity.
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Over the years, many venues where young rockers could perform have closed down.
One such venue was the legendary Palisades Amusement Park in Fort Lee / Cliffside Park. From 1898 through its closure in September 1971, this was an entertainment Mecca.
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The park most likely saw its peak in the 1960s. Certainly in the 30s and 40s swing bands and Big Bands were very popular at the park, but it was Rock & Roll that put the Palisades Amusement Park stage on the map.
All you have to do is view Palisades Amusement Park historian Vince Gargiulo’s documentary or book (both titled “Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories”) or visit his website to understand the popularity of Rock & Roll at the park in the 60s.
We all know Cousin Brucie, a.k.a. Bruce Morrow, who is still going strong, hosted many famous groups on that stage, as did Clay Cole, who passed away less than a year ago. Palisades Amusement Park even had its own Battle of the Bands.
Out of this history, our Fort Lee Film Commission modern-day Battle of the High School Bands was born.
We encourage all local High School Rock bands to contact us via our website or call 201-693-2763 to enter the competition.
A recent winning all-girl rock group from Fort Lee, The Pedal Pushers, will perform at the June 5 Fort Lee Arts & Music Fest on Main St.
As you can see in these photos, the past is prologue – we celebrate the history of Rock & Roll at Palisades Amusement Park by providing a venue for the youth of today to rock on.
Editor's Note: The author is Executive Director of the Fort Lee Film Commission.
