2013-07-01T18:46:00Z

The whole area of Piers 16 and 17 was packed. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Almost seven months to the day after Superstorm Sandy submerged South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan, The Village Voice held its free 4 Knots Festival at the port this weekend.

The music festival was a welcome sign in the area, which was hit hard by the storm. The piers and port were packed as thousands of people showed up for the festivities.

It's been a slow road to recovery, festival organizer Stephen Dima told Business Insider.

"On the night of the storm, the Seaport was under nearly seven feet of water — none of us have ever seen that," said Dima, who has been organizing events at the seaport for a decade. "The infrastructure in the area was destroyed. Everything that was on the ground had to be removed, gutted and/or rebuilt."

The festival contained a healthy mix of music, from the hip-hop stylings of Fat Tony to the harsher tones of White Lung. But the headliner and main draw was Kurt Vile and the Violators.

Vile, a former forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Company who recently released his latest album "Wakin On A Summer Daze" to major critical acclaim, is a fast-rising star. He and his band the Violators rocked the last set and made the day truly worthwhile.

On our way down to the waterfront we spotted this amazing cab.

On our way in we spotted this amazing cab. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

There were a lot of people, but also plenty of volunteers on crowd control.

The bike check was packed.

This was the third year the festival has been held at the iconic South Street Seaport.

The whole area around Piers 16 and 17 was filled with people.

Tech startups were eager to get in on the action. Foursquare was one.

Tech startups were eager to help sponsor the event. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Groupme was another.

Groupme got in on the sponsorship action. And of course there was a place for bikes. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

And despite Seamless' many ads against human interaction (at least when it comes to ordering food), they set up a booth to meet some of their users and give them discount cards for that next online order.

Seamless there too. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

If you could make it all the way to the back you got a great view of Brooklyn off pier 16.

Great view of Brooklyn from off pier 16 at 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

While many watched from the docks, the VIP section was on the old Peking, one of the last sailboats to work the shipping lanes.

While many watched from the docks the VIP section was on the old Peking, one of the last wooden sailboats to work the shipping lanes. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

One perk for VIPs was a complimentary bar.

They used the ship the Peking as a special vip boat with a complimentary bar at 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street sea port

There were great views from the deck of the ship.

People could watch from the boat. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

The festival had two stages for music. Here The Men prepare to play.

The festival had two stages for music. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Yes that is a scissor he is using. Rock 'n Roll.

Fan waited for hours in the sun to get first row for their favorite bands.

The Men played a solid set.

The Men played at 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Hard to go wrong with lap pedal guitar.

Many had come to see The Men rock out...the band not the actual men at the festival. 4 knots south street seaport dng 6954

The fans really go into it... although some were really not into their neighbors getting into it.

If you wanted drinks you had to go back in to a semi-closed off area.

Drinking was restricted to a semi-closed off area. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Or you could just get some Runa free samples.

Runa was another sponsor. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

The old ship and seaport belied the more modern city where it is docked.

The old ship belied the more modern city where it is docked. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

But here you can see as old meets new. The port and the city.

Here is the whole seri up of the festival 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Finally, it was time for the main event. The working class rocker still sets up his own equipment.

The working class rocker still sets up his own equipment. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

He makes final adjustments.

He makes the final adjustments. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

It was a hip, hipster crowd. Wooden glasses and all.

If you don't know who Kurt Vile is do yourself a favor and find out before all your friends do...because they will.

And it is time to get into it. If you don't know who Kurt Vile is do yourself a favor and find out before all your friends to...because they will. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

The rest of the Violators are also great. Here is Jesse Trbovich from the band on guitar.

The rest of the Violators are also great. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Vile used to work as a forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Company. When one old timer customer was picking up an order and heard Vile was a musician he said, "If he can play guitar as good as he drives that forklift...he's got a hit record."

kurt vile 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

The whole band rocked, including guitarist Rob Laakso.

The whole band rocked. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

And the open, outdoor environment was great for dogs.

Or snapping pics, even with a broken screen.

Pictures everywhere. Even with a broken screen. 4 knots music festival in nyc at the south street seaport

Want to check out another summer festival in NYC?

the main stage at the great googamooga 2013 prospect park brooklyn

PHOTOS: Brooklyn's Giant Food And Music Festival Was A Blast Until It Got Cancelled >

7 Months After It Was Decimated By Sandy, NYC's South Street Seaport Hosted A Major Music Festival [PHOTOS]

On our way down to the waterfront we spotted this amazing cab.

There were a lot of people, but also plenty of volunteers on crowd control.

The bike check was packed.

This was the third year the festival has been held at the iconic South Street Seaport.

The whole area around Piers 16 and 17 was filled with people.

Tech startups were eager to get in on the action. Foursquare was one.

Groupme was another.

And despite Seamless' many ads against human interaction (at least when it comes to ordering food), they set up a booth to meet some of their users and give them discount cards for that next online order.

If you could make it all the way to the back you got a great view of Brooklyn off pier 16.

While many watched from the docks, the VIP section was on the old Peking, one of the last sailboats to work the shipping lanes.

One perk for VIPs was a complimentary bar.

There were great views from the deck of the ship.

The festival had two stages for music. Here The Men prepare to play.

Yes that is a scissor he is using. Rock 'n Roll.

Fan waited for hours in the sun to get first row for their favorite bands.

The Men played a solid set.

Hard to go wrong with lap pedal guitar.

The fans really go into it... although some were really not into their neighbors getting into it.

If you wanted drinks you had to go back in to a semi-closed off area.

Or you could just get some Runa free samples.

The old ship and seaport belied the more modern city where it is docked.

But here you can see as old meets new. The port and the city.

Finally, it was time for the main event. The working class rocker still sets up his own equipment.

He makes final adjustments.

It was a hip, hipster crowd. Wooden glasses and all.

If you don't know who Kurt Vile is do yourself a favor and find out before all your friends do...because they will.

The rest of the Violators are also great. Here is Jesse Trbovich from the band on guitar.

Vile used to work as a forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Company. When one old timer customer was picking up an order and heard Vile was a musician he said, "If he can play guitar as good as he drives that forklift...he's got a hit record."

The whole band rocked, including guitarist Rob Laakso.

And the open, outdoor environment was great for dogs.

Or snapping pics, even with a broken screen.

Want to check out another summer festival in NYC?

PHOTOS: Brooklyn's Giant Food And Music Festival Was A Blast Until It Got Cancelled >

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7 Months After It Was Decimated By Sandy, NYC's South Street Seaport Hosted A Major Music Festival [PHOTOS]

On our way down to the waterfront we spotted this amazing cab.

There were a lot of people, but also plenty of volunteers on crowd control.

The bike check was packed.

This was the third year the festival has been held at the iconic South Street Seaport.

The whole area around Piers 16 and 17 was filled with people.

Tech startups were eager to get in on the action. Foursquare was one.

Groupme was another.

And despite Seamless' many ads against human interaction (at least when it comes to ordering food), they set up a booth to meet some of their users and give them discount cards for that next online order.

If you could make it all the way to the back you got a great view of Brooklyn off pier 16.

While many watched from the docks, the VIP section was on the old Peking, one of the last sailboats to work the shipping lanes.

One perk for VIPs was a complimentary bar.

There were great views from the deck of the ship.

The festival had two stages for music. Here The Men prepare to play.

Yes that is a scissor he is using. Rock 'n Roll.

Fan waited for hours in the sun to get first row for their favorite bands.

The Men played a solid set.

Hard to go wrong with lap pedal guitar.

The fans really go into it... although some were really not into their neighbors getting into it.

If you wanted drinks you had to go back in to a semi-closed off area.

Or you could just get some Runa free samples.

The old ship and seaport belied the more modern city where it is docked.

But here you can see as old meets new. The port and the city.

Finally, it was time for the main event. The working class rocker still sets up his own equipment.

He makes final adjustments.

It was a hip, hipster crowd. Wooden glasses and all.

If you don't know who Kurt Vile is do yourself a favor and find out before all your friends do...because they will.

The rest of the Violators are also great. Here is Jesse Trbovich from the band on guitar.

Vile used to work as a forklift operator at the Philadelphia Brewing Company. When one old timer customer was picking up an order and heard Vile was a musician he said, "If he can play guitar as good as he drives that forklift...he's got a hit record."

The whole band rocked, including guitarist Rob Laakso.

And the open, outdoor environment was great for dogs.

Or snapping pics, even with a broken screen.

Want to check out another summer festival in NYC?

PHOTOS: Brooklyn's Giant Food And Music Festival Was A Blast Until It Got Cancelled >

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