FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
1. SPEND THE JULY 4TH WEEKEND WITH THREE SPECIAL SHOWS
2. ROCKCHIX PRESENTS CABARET NIGHTS AT THE STONE PONY
3. LISA MARIE PRESLEY'S NATIONAL TOUR COMES TO ASBURY
4. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This Week at The Stone Pony: An Evening with Dean Friedman (Wednesday), Maceo Parker (Saturday)
New on the Pony Calendar: New Blood Revival (June 28), Fourth of July in Asbury Park with La Bamba's Big Band, John Eddie and the Bobby Bandiera Band (July 4), Pat McGee Band (July 5), Gary U.S. Bonds Annual Holiday Show (July 5), Holiday Express Feeds the Hungry (July 6), Cracker (July 9), The Les Claypool Frog Brigade (July 15), Joe D'Urso and Stone Caravan, Boccigalupe and the Bad Boys, Danny White (July 16), Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, Marah (July 19), Lisa Marie Presley (July 20), Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies (August 1)
It's been a little while since the last newsletter, so we're going to take an opportunity to catch everyone up on lots of great upcoming events at the club. If you take note of the list of new shows, you'll see many interesting names, some old club favorites, and some popular artists who are currently very much in the news.
Since the club reopened several years ago, holiday weekends have been notable for extremely popular and memorable events on the outdoor summer stage. This year's July 4th holiday will be highlighted by three "don't miss" shows to continue that tradition.
Kicking off on the fourth itself will be three of the club's most popular and well-loved acts. Starting off the evening will be the Bobby Bandiera Band, fronted by the long-time Asbury Juke and the shore scene's most beloved rock god. No one can really claim to be a Pony regular or a true fan of the club until you've seen Bandiera shred one hot solo after another, while singing with an amazing vocal range that soars from a dirty growl to an angelic ring. Bandiera's resume boats the ultimate scene credentials. In addition to his long-time service as Southside Johnny's on-stage foil, he has played with and backed-up Bruce Springsteen on his live tours, and supported Jon Bon Jovi on his "Destination Anywhere" tour. Plus, he was a member of the infamous Pony house band, Cats on a Smooth Surface, and has a killer wit that lucky fans will get to experience during his live show.
Who the Hell is John Eddie? At one time, JE might have cringed at that question. Now, it's the title of his hot new album, recently released by Lost Highway records. The line, which comes from one of his new songs, "Play Some Skynyrd", is just one of the tunes that have been rocking the Pony faithful for years. An adopted son of the Asbury Park scene, Eddie has been releasing great music throughout his roller-coaster career, and fans are hoping that this new attention being given to his music will help bring new fans into the fold, and perhaps make him famous enough to finally date Wynona Ryder. He's been doing a lot of touring around the country, so a return to the Pony is a special treat. So, grab yourselves a cocktail y'all, and be a part of his fantastic stage show. More about JE and the new album can be found on his website, www.johneddie.com.
Headlining on July 4th will be La Bamba's Big Band. A long-time favorite, La Bamba has found a whole new legion of fans for his regular gig as part of the Max Weinberg 7 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, where he not only contributes his stellar musical skills, but also participates in on-air skits. For the real Asbury Park experience, seeing La Bamba flanked by a huge horn section dancing and moving around the stage is as good as it gets. From time to time, the band makes their way through the crowd, offering the crowd a close-up look at the greatest horn players in a scene known for lots of great ones. Get there early, get up in front and get ready to sleep really good when you get home. More on the band and other La Bamba projects can be found on his website, at www.labambaandthehubcaps.com.
The weekend continues on the 5th with two more great shows. In the afternoon, the Miller Lite Concert Series presents the Pat McGee Band at the Stone Pony lot in an afternoon show which includes Bugg, Snoozebox and Under New Ownership. That same evening, inside the Pony, it's rock and roll, rock and roll, when Gary "U.S." Bonds bring his Annual Holiday Show the shores of Asbury Park. McGee and Bonds may not share an audience, but they are both known for working the crowd well and getting them to dance and move along with groove-infected music. McGee's website can be found at www.patmcgeeband.com, and Gary U.S. Bond's is located at www.garyusbonds.com.
Now at AsburyPark.net:
Panel pleased with changes in northshore beach
project:
New plans for six condominium buildings on the site of the
old Monterey Hotel have received the blessing of the city's Technical Review
Committee, which reviews proposed designs for waterfront redevelopment
projects.
One of the recent regular additions to the Stone Pony calendar has been Cabaret Nights, held most Wednesday evenings. On these nights, the Pony is set up "cabaret style", meaning that tables and chairs are arranged on the central dance floor for first-come, first-served seating. This presents a rare opportunity to lounge at the club, have some drinks and hear great music. Plus, you can take the time to look around at the photos and other artifacts from the area's history around the club, and be home in time to get some sleep before you have to get up for work the next morning.
Cabaret Nights are hosted by RockChix Productions, Jane Haas and Terry Little. Haas is a talented photographer whose work has been displayed at past events. The stunningly beautiful and talented Little hosts the evenings, and usually provides the headlining entertainment with her own recently-constituted band, which has killer chops and a great stage presence, featuring Josh Davidson on guitar, Jay Walker on bass and Junior Padilla on drums. In addition to Terry Little and company, there are generally four other acts who perform original music under the classic Stone Pony logo as well as an open mic jam to close it out.
Part of what makes the evenings special is that, in addition to the music, other forms of art are welcomed to participate. Past shows have featured photographers, artists and fashion designers, as well as spoken word.
RockChix are currently booking bands to play at these events for July and August. If you are an original band who can draw at least 30 people on a Wednesday night, the following shows are currently being put together: July 23, July 30, August 6, August 13, August 20 and August 27. Send an e-mail to Jane Hass at jane@rockchix.org for details or more information.
The Wednesday, July 23rd gig will be a big Surf & Sirens show featuring female-fronted bands, a bikini show and contest, and a surfboard designer. Mark your calendar now to be a part of the summer fun. Who knows, maybe by the end of July, it'll actually stop raining!
More details about RockChix and their Cabaret Nights at The Stone Pony can be found on their website, www.rockchix.org.
AFI, 3EB, Joan Jett photos online
Photos from the recent sold-out AFI and Third Eye Blind shows
at the Pony are on line now, along with shots from the sensational show with
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts plus many more.
Check out the
photo gallery now!
Lots of musicians have played on the Stone Pony stage over the years, but there have been far fewer celebrities who have done their thing under the bright lights of Ocean Avenue. On Sunday, July 20, Lisa Marie Presley, yes, THAT Lisa Marie Presley, will play the Pony stage in support of her debut album, To Whom It May Concern (Capitol Records). While there aren't too many media stories about Presley that can talk about her music without first rehashing her infamous past or royal father, she has been working hard at developing a musical career of her own and seeks to be accepted as a talent in her own right. Despite the media attention which has surround her, literally from the day she was born, Presley has stated that this album is the first time she is revealing her true self to the public. The songs on the album were written and rewritten over several years, and it's been a long and difficult road for her to get to this point. Her album started off on the right track, #5 on the Billboard album charts with 140,000 copies sold in its first week. Since the club doesn't quite hold that many people, it's a good bet that the place will packed. Her nationwide tour, including many dates with Chris Issak, has been supported with a media blitz, including appearances on MTV and VH1, CNN and late-night television, as well as tons of print and online media. With all of this attention, seeing her perform her music in an intimate setting is a unique opportunity that shouldn't be missed. Should her career take off, it may be a long time, if ever, before she returns to rock clubs and similar settings. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster and musictoday.com, and will be sure to move quickly. Lisa Marie Presley's official website can be found at www.lisamariepresley.com.
Thursday Nights: Ladies Night
The best mix of house, trance,
progressive and vocal. 18 to enter, 21 to drink (ID mandatory). Drink
specials. Doors open at 9:30 pm. DJ Prime and B.G. are on the wheels of
steel ... Dress to impress - our promoters are tough on the door ... Come
see for yourself what all the hype is about. It's on every Thursday
only at The Stone Pony!
