FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
1. PETER SCHERER HOSTS THE STONE PONY'S FIRST OPEN MIC NIGHT
2. GARY U.S. BONDS RELEASING NEW STUDIO ALBUM "BACK IN 20"
3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This Week at The Stone Pony: The Stills (Friday), Red Lyte District (Saturday), Someday Never (Sunday), Premiere: Open Mic Night (Monday)
New on the Stone Pony Calendar: The Von Bondies (May 21), Jaski CD Release Party (May 22), John Monnecka (May 28), Rickie Lee Jones (June 18), Robert Randolph and the Family Band (July 2), Little Steven's Underground Garage Battle of the Bands Search (July 9-11), John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band (July 23), Robert Earl Keen (September 3).
THE STONE PONY'S FIRST OPEN MIC NIGHT DEBUTS MONDAY NIGHT, MAY 17
The latest addition to the Stone Pony's calendar begins this Monday evening, May 17, when Peter Scherer and The Stone Pony host the Stone Pony Open Mic Night. This special event will take place each Monday, and all acoustic and electric solo artists and bands are invited to sign up and perform on the legendary Stone Pony stage. Sign-up starts at 8:30 pm, and will soon be available online at the club's website. Your host for the evenings will be Peter Scherer, who is well-known to the club's fans as the front man for former house band Highway 9 (formerly Samhill). The Newsletter interviewed Scherer about his expectations for these unique events, and how the area's musicians can take advantage of this opportunity to stand under the lights in front of the famous black and white Pony logo.
The Stone Pony: Start off with the concept behind the Stone Pony Open Mic nights. How did the idea originate and how did you become involved as the host for the evenings? How long has the planning for the shows been in the works?
Peter Scherer: I did a few shows over at the Saint years back where Scott Stamper and I would book 25 different performers and everyone would play one song. It was like an open mic but we knew who was coming to play. This open mic night is for everyone to come and play; now it's everyone's turn to play here at the Pony. The Saint would have 30-some musicians and it gave us a night to all get together and listen to each other. I had recently noticed some of the open mics around and wanted to go. I thought about how great an open mic at the Pony would be and put it in motion. Now we have the best stage around to play, a club that is inviting all to come and get together and a club night to get together with new music, new friends and an old friend, The Stone Pony.
The Stone Pony: How many bands do you expect to have performing every evening and how long will each performer be given on stage? What do musicians need to do if they want to play one night and would you encourage someone who’s never played before an audience before to come by and take a chance?
PS: The music on stage starts at nine and can go 'till 2 a.m. Odds are some nights will but that isn't what I'm expecting from the start, but you just never know, you can play a few songs. Sign up starts at 8:30 each Monday, or online at www.stoneponyonline.com. You can reach me through calling the club if you need encouragement, but I will tell you the same thing here: come and play the Pony. The first calls I got were musicians who haven't played here and I promised them they will never forget it.
The Stone Pony: It looks as if the Pony has done a great job of getting a number of sponsors on board to provide prizes for the participants. Can you give us a rundown of some of the prizes that you expect to be awarded? If anyone is interested in being a sponsor or providing prizes, is it still possible for them to do so?
PS: You're right, the Pony is one of those places [where] we all want to be. I have presented the night to all different sponsors and everyone has wanted to be a part of supporting a night like this at the Pony. The sponsors are giving a musician or band a prize for giving a special performance. Most of the prizes are gift certificates and everyone who performs will receive a discount card to Music Makers music shop. I do so much appreciate all the prizes we have to hand out and if you would like to support the open mic in this way you can reach me through calling the Pony.
The Stone Pony: Want to give some props to Music Makers from Wall, New Jersey, who will be providing the backline for the shows? Is there anyone else involved with putting the shows together or lending their support who you would like to acknowledge?
PS: Thanks Roy at Music Makers! Roy is donating the backline to the Pony so bands can just bring their guitars and drum sticks and rock! The backline will also enable musicians to jam with each other. I will be making an effort to put musicians together.
The Stone Pony staff are my co-hosts. Caroline and everyone here will make all those that come welcome and at home and have really made this all possible. Thank you, Danny at Max Cruise, Michelle at paponettidesign.com, Pete Walton, and all our sponsors.
The Stone Pony: Another cool part of the Open Mic Nights is that there will be guest djs from local radio stations taking part. Have you found local radio, and media in general, supportive of what you’re doing, and have they been helpful in getting the word out and working to bring people by on Monday nights to perform or just catch the show?
PS: Radio and rock and roll at the Pony sounds like a perfect match. I have spoken to some of the best radio stations around inviting their djs to come down to the Pony and play music. It will definitely be a cool part of the night. I have heard from some of my favorites and it will be great to have them here at the Pony.
We are just starting to promote the open mic on radio, in print, on the web. It will take a few weeks into it before the word gets out from musicians that come down and play and it's really not as easy as you might think to find ways of getting the word out, so I want to take this opportunity here to invite everyone to The Stone Pony's first open mic on Mondays.
The Stone Pony: What would you say is the value of an open mic experience to someone looking to develop a career in music? How should musicians who sign-up and perform use the evening to benefit their career and what would you recommended that they do with the time that they’re not on stage?
PS: If you're a musician from New Jersey, you've dreamed of playing Madison Square Garden, Giant Stadium ... oh, and The Stone Pony, so get your ass down here and stop dreaming! The best way to benefit your career as a musician is to be one, even on Mondays, sharing your music with everyone. The open mic gives you that, and those who prepare a set or promote their appearance will get even more back from the support of the audience, their peers, and develop the craft of playing live in one of the best live clubs ever.
The Stone Pony: What is the potential for a band to develop other opportunities from the Open Mic Nights? I know the first show hasn’t even taken place yet, but do you anticipate that bookers, industry types or anyone else in the industry might start to attended these shows looking out for new talent? Are there any plans for the bookers at the Pony to consider new bands who do well on Mondays for other slots as opening or supporting acts?
PS: This stage has seen many artists premiering new music since it was built. Some have gone on to play stages the world over. Anything is possible. The press release that went out said the stage is now open to the future of rock and roll at the Stone Pony's first open mic. Like I said, anything is possible. The club now has Jersey Wednesdays, bands and performers can talk to the club about booking gigs, and I'm sure there will be music industry types in attendance.
The Stone Pony: Fans might know you as the lead singer for Highway 9, and a long-time member of the local music scene. Have there been other open mics in the area that you’re using as an inspiration for the shows at the Pony, and is there anything different that you’re looking to do that you feel will make these shows unique?
PS: The band HWY 9 has been touring or recording or doing local gigs for years, so I haven't played the open mics around all that much. I know there are hundreds of open mics throughout the state and now there's the Pony's open mic, which I can imagine will be unique and different from all the rest.
The Stone Pony: Speaking of Highway 9, want to take an opportunity to fill fans in on where things stand with the band these days? You’ve performed a couple of shows locally; are there plans for a more regular touring schedule or hitting the road anytime soon? Where do recording plans stand now and do you expect that a new album will be released any time this year?
PS: It seems HWY 9 always have something in the works: gigs, recording. Over the past year, we have been working in new songs, trying different types of instrumentation [and] a new producer. [We] spent several months in Nashville and we are just following the rhythm of how we work together. Hopefully, that rhythm will carry us to finishing a new album.
The Stone Pony: What are your personal expectations for the premiere of Open Mic Night at The Stone Pony on Monday, May 17? What would you like the buzz to be about the event the next day and what are some of the long-term expectations you hope the series will achieve?
PS: I am very proud to be presenting the open mic at the Stone Pony. It is a really great opportunity for so much great raw talent to be heard, for all of us to have a night to make the stage come alive in a spontaneous way with many different performers and jamming with each other. I'm looking forward to that singer/songwriter playing the song they just finished and hearing bands come down and just rock the place!
I would like musicians to know they have a stage to play every week, every Monday, and hope that it keeps the Stone Pony a place that can change everything with a song.
For more information, please visit: http://www.stoneponyonline.com/openmic.html.
Now at AsburyPark.net:
Parts of Palace saved: More
than 125 items were extracted from the historic Palace Amusements complex
for preservation in anticipation of the building's demolition.
M.C. Records has announced a June 1st release date for Back In 20, the first new studio album from singer Gary U.S. Bonds in 20 years. Back In 20 features special guest appearances from such friends as Southside Johnny, Dickey Betts, Phoebe Snow and Bruce Springsteen, who helped re-launch Gary’s career in the ‘80s by writing and producing such hits for him as “This Little Girl Is Mine,” “Out of Work” and “Daddy’s Come Home”.
Back In 20 continues Gary’s legacy as one of the premier “party singers” of all time, but also adds a definite element of the blues, which has been a main ingredient in his repertoire for many years. The album was recorded primarily in Gary’s New York home studio and includes his regular touring band, The Roadhouse Rockers, on all tracks. Bruce Springsteen plays guitar and adds backing vocals on “Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks,” which also showcases Southside Johnny on harmonica. Johnny also sings co-lead vocal and plays harp on the blues classic, “Fannie Mae” and adds his harp to the song “Take Me Back.” Legendary former Allman Brothers Band guitarist Dickey Betts lends his talents to two tracks: “She Just Wants to Dance” and “Bitch/Dumb Ass,” which also features a blistering duet by Bonds and Phoebe Snow. Other cover tunes on the new CD include Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember,” Keb Mo’s “She Just Wants to Dance” and “Every Time I Roll the Dice,” a song that’s been previously recorded by Delbert McClinton. The rest of the songs are originals, written primarily by Gary, his musical director Mark Leimbach, and his daughter, Laurie “Li’l Mama” Anderson, who also co-produced the album.
Bonds will be holding the New Jersey CD release party for Back In 20 at the Stone Pony on Sunday, May 30, when he returns to the Pony stage that night, following the performance by Nils Lofgren on the Budweiser Summer Stage. Also performing that day are Exit 105 and Vini Lopez.
Gary U.S. Bonds is one of a few artists to transcend the decades by having hit singles in both the ‘60s and ‘80s, including nine Top 40 hits, topped by his signature party songs, “New Orleans” and “Quarter to Three” (which Gary co-wrote) in the early 1960s. Some of his early additional hits included “Dear Lady Twist” and two songs Gary wrote, “School is Out” and “School Is In.” A chance meeting with Bruce Springsteen and Steven Van Zandt, who had grown up on Bonds’ music, started a friendship that continues to this day and resulted in a musical collaboration on Gary’s Dedication and On The Line records in the 1980s, with Springsteen and Van Zandt both writing songs and producing the albums.
More information about Gary U.S. Bonds and his new album, Back In 20, can be found on his official website, www.garyusbonds.com.
Thursdays at the Stone Pony: Ladies Night
The hottest Thursday night continues with Ladies Night
at The Stone Pony. Music by DJ Prime spinning the best in house, hip
hop, reggae and trance, 18 to enter, 21 to drink, ID a must! Doors
open at 9:30 pm, dress to impress! 25 cent Budweiser drafts 'till 11
pm, $1 drafts after 11, $2 shot specials all night. Comes see for
yourself why Thursday nights are the hottest with Ladies Night at the Pony!
