Joan Jett plays a free show tonight in Coney Island

By Alex Rush

The Beep loves rock ’n’ roll!

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, known for the 1982 single and jukebox favorite “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll,” will kick off Borough President Markowitz’s free summer concert series tonight.

Jett and her longtime band will bring their guitar-driven, hard rock songs to a new venue this year, as Markowitz begrudgingly changed venues this summer after a lawsuit over noise violations.

The concerts are now in the W. 21 Street lot that used to host the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which can hold more than 2,000 people.

The new location may be about a mile away from the original concert series site, but the spirit of the gigs remains the same.

“While the shows are in a slightly different location, tens of thousands of Brooklynites will still get the same high quality, free concerts,” said Markowitz.

The annual gigs will celebrate the golden oldies every Thursday night through Aug.18. Other classic acts include 1960s pop phenomenon The Monkees, doo-wop group The Spinners and Cheap Trick, famous for the hit record “I Want You to Want Me.

Seaside Summer Concert Series [W. 21 Street between Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk in Coney Island, (718) 222-0600], July 14 through Aug. 18 at 7:30 pm. Free. For info, visit, www.brooklynconcerts.com/seaside.html.