FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
1. HIGHWAY 9 RETURNS HOME TO THE STONE PONY
2. STONE PONY ENTERTAINMENT EXPANDS THE CLUB'S HORIZONS
3. DOMENIC SANTANA QUOTED IN ROLLING STONE COVER STORY
3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This Week at The Stone Pony: New Blood Revival (Friday), Highway 9 (Saturday), Warped Tour After-Show Party (Sunday).
New on The Stone Pony Calendar: John Eddie (August 30), Holidays in the Sun Festival (September 6-8), Quiet Riot (September 14), Luxx (September 20), An Evening With Keller Williams (September 21), Johnny Winter (September 27), Guided By Voices (October 12)
Former Stone Pony house band Highway 9 returns to The Stone Pony on Saturday, August 10th. The last few months have been a ride which has earned the band a rocking and enthusiastic homecoming by the club faithful, who may remember the band by their previous incarnation, Samhill. After signing a major label contract with Epic/Sony Music, Samhill was rechristened as Highway 9. Shortly thereafter, the band released a self-titled five-song EP, as a primer for what was to follow. In May 2002, the band's first major label LP, What In Samhill? (Epic), was released. Featuring fan favorites, "Sadly", "Yesterday Came Out All Wrong" and "Heroine", the album proved that the band was talented and clever enough to combine a great melody and solid harmony with a rock beat. The lyrics tell great stories and are ingenious enough to get the line "Sadly, our song is on the radio", with it's elegant double-meaning, smack in the middle of their first, radio-friendly, single. The band has been touring nationally, and has done a great job of taking on the role of a national rock act, looking to build a wide following, while still paying homage to the scene which helped create them and the world which shaped the themes of their music. But the local scene isn't quite ready to let them go just yet, as the band earned five Asbury Music Award nominations, including a nod for Top Roots Band, an award they took home last year. Long-time fans and those who want to see one of the brightest stars to come out of the scene should be sure to be on Ocean Avenue on Saturday, August 10th for the big homecoming. Drive down Route 35, or Highway 9, when coming to the club that evening, and you'll be connecting with the band before a single note flows through the speakers hanging from the Pony's ceiling. Opening for Highway 9 that evening with be Tall Ego and Casual Blue. Check out the Newsletter's Back Issues page for a fantastic two-part interview with Highway 9's guitarist and songwriter Gordon Brown in the November 13 and November 16, 2001 issues. For more information about Highway 9's touring schedule and other news about the band, check out their official web site, at www.highwaynine.com.
'The Rising' t-shirts on sale
The Stone Pony Store is now taking orders for the special t-shirt commemorating July 30, 2002, Asbury Park's big day in the national spotlight. The shirts are the same ones sold at the club during the marathon event before and after the appearance by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band on the Today show. Shop safely and securely for cool Pony goods including hats, jackets, sweatshirts, tank tops and more.
Visit http://bamart.com/stonepony for details, or go to www.stoneponyonline.com and click on the "Store" link.
Stone Pony Entertainment, the newest branch of the Pony family, will present its first events outside of Asbury Park on August 31 with This Island Earth in Long Island, and September 3, when Meat Loaf takes the stage of the State Theater in New Brunswick.
This Island Earth, a Skate and Surf Event, will take place at The Brookhaven Amphitheater at Bald Hill in Farmingville, New York. In addition to at least ten Long Island bands appearing on three stages, the event will feature skateboarding demonstrations, a food court and merchandise village. The event takes place, rain or shine, on Saturday, August 31, 2002. Gates open at noon. For further details, and information on how to order tickets, visit http://www.thisislandearthfest.com/.
The Meat Loaf and Friends Just Havin' Fun for the Summer Tour will be appearing at the State Theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey on Tuesday, September 3rd. Show time is 8 pm. The singer, best-known for his classic rock album, Bat Out of Hell (Sony), brings his over-the-top and theatrical style to New Jersey in the heart of downtown New Brunswick.
John D., Danny and the SPE crew are working on many more major events in the months to come. Visit the Stone Pony web site, at www.stoneponyonline.com for details about these special events.
Live from Asbury Park!
After some of our hot, hot shows caused a meltdown in our Ponycam computer, we have a brand new one and it is just aching to bring you some of the best music around live on the 'net. So check out our "Live" page and as often as the lawyers and the bean counters will let us, we'll bring you the action on the Ponycam!
Visit www.stoneponyonline.com and click on the "Live" link for details!
The August 22, 2002 Issue # 903 of "Rolling Stone" magazine features a covers story on Bruce Springsteen, focusing on the release of his new album, The Rising (Columbia). The article, "Bruce Springsteen's American Gospel", written by Mark Binelli, is based on an interview conducted at Springsteen's Monmouth County, New Jersey home, and touches on the story of the creation of this album, his first studio disc with the E Street Band since 1984, and the inspiration behind the songs and their lyrics. The article also features a brief synopsis of the recent history of Asbury Park and provides stories about the early days of the scene, when Bruce and his band mates, before they even knew each other, were attending the same shows at Asbury Park's Convention Hall ("I saw Jefferson Airplane here," Weinberg says. "Procul Harum." "I saw that show!" Springsteen exclaims happily. "I was there, too," Scialfa says.) Included in the article are several quotes from Domenic Santana, the owner of The Stone Pony, who revived the club three years ago as a precursor to the city's revitalization effort. The articles touches on the famous tale of how Santana came to purchase the club, and its past and current connection to the Boss. Said Santana of the club's frequent guest, "He is the Number One cheerleader and supporter of Asbury Park." The "Rolling Stone" article, available now, also features an album-by-album discography of Springsteen's career, and a history of his ten prior appearances on the magazine's cover. To top off the coverage, "The Rising" is called "the year's first (five star) album" and "a singular triumph" in a review of the disc in the issue's "Recordings" section.
Now at asburypark.net: Media turns attention to Asbury Park
The nation's highest-rated morning television broadcast live from Asbury Park last Tuesday. In addition to NBC's Today show, CNN and Fox News did live reports from the city. At least 10,000 visitors descended on Asbury Park over the course of last week.
Thursday Nights. Bounce Thursday: The Ultimate Dance Party with DJ Matrix and MC BJ, 20-oz. $1 drafts and $1 tube shots all night long, ladies free until 11, $5 with Monmouth University ID, 18 & up for everyone with two forms of ID, doors at 9:30.
