Asbury Park Music & Film Festival Announces Star-Studded Lineup
Oscar Winners Cameron Crowe, Peter Farrelly & Brother Bobby Join City’s Own Danny Clinch, Legendary David Crosby, Jakob Dylan, & Cat Power As Featured Artists During April 25 to 28 Event
From Oscar winners to legendary and burgeoning artists, the April 25 to 28 return of the Asbury Park Music & Film Festival [APMFF], promises to raise the entertainment bar.
The annual event is a fundraising initiative aimed at serving the underserved children in Asbury Park, one of the most challenged youth communities in the nation. In its four years, APMFF has provided music education, instruments, and social connection opportunities. Funds raised support The Hope Academy program, The Hip Hop Institute and The Asbury Park Summer Recreation Music Camp.
This year, the festival opens with recording artists Jakob Dylan, Cat Power, and Jade of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros performing songs by The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and The Mamas and Papas after the 7 pm screening of Echo In The Canyon on April 25 at The Paramount Theatre, organizers said.
Echo In The Canyon explores the echo of inspiration and how The Byrds, The Beach Boys, Buffalo Springfield, and The Mamas and the Papas birthed the Laurel Canyon music scene from 1965-1967. The film, directed by Andrew Slater and executive produced by Jakob Dylan, features appearances by Tom Petty, Brian Wilson, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Michelle Phillips, Jackson Browne, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Lou Adler, Norah Jones, Beck, Regina Spektor, and Cat Power. It also features personal details behind the recordings of the the genre’s iconic songs.
Saturday events culminate with two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, David Crosby
During Crosby’s six-decade career, the native Californian has created songs that have resonated as indelible cultural touchstones for more than three generations; not only as a solo artist but as a founding member of The Byrds in the mid-60’s, Crosby, Stills, Nash [recipients of the Grammy for best new artist in 1969], and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, organizers said in a written statement. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009, Crosby has served as a social conscience, not only eloquently writing about societal issues on such songs as ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ and ‘Wooden Ships,’ but continuously donates concert proceeds to like-minded causes.
Academy Award-winning Crowe, a renowned director, producer, screenwriter, journalist, author and actor, is best known for his films Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Say Anything, Singles, Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous. Before moving into film industry, Crowe served as an editor at Rolling Stone magazine.
Saturday also features The Po Boy Jam, headlined by Danny Clinch’s Tangiers Blues Band at The Stone Pony. A festival staple, the Tangiers Blues Band is known for bringing a diverse group of musicians together for raucous blues-based performances. In the past year, they have played with Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Jack Johnson, Brandi Carlile, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. The Mercury Brothers and Sunshine Spazz, two burgeoning Asbury Park music scene bands will open the show.
Sunday will feature a career retrospective with the Farrelly brothers – Peter and Bobby. The evening will include an in-depth discussion moderated by Deadline Hollywood’s Mike Fleming, audience Q&A and a few special guests. The pair have created some of the most revered comedic films in the past 25 years, including Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin, Me, Myself & Irene, Shallow Hal, There’s Something About Mary, and The Three Stooges. Peter Farrelly won an Oscar and Golden Globe for the comedy-drama Green Book.
Dylan Archives IV, presented by the Bob Dylan Center, also takes on Sunday at The House of Independents. This presentation of rare Dylan footage has been a festival highlight for the past three years.
Other not to be missed offerings include The Gary US Bonds Unusually Big Birthday Bash, featuring Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers on Friday, April 26. Hot Water Music celebrates their 25th anniversary at the House of Independents by playing No Division and Caution in their entirety, Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Special guests include Iron Chic and Crime In Stereo. There’s also Jake Miller, Logan Henderson and Just Seconds Apart Friday show at the House of Independents. On Sunday, Rock and Roll Playhouse brings The Music of Bruce Springsteen For Kids to The Stone Pony stage, while Jazz Is Phish runs at The Wonder Bar.
For more information, visit apmff.org/tickets.
[Photo courtesy of the APMFF]
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