Asbury businesses look to reap Bamboozle benefits
A run-down of the live bands and DJs that will abound all over town
The folks at LiveNation aren’t the only ones hosting live music shows this weekend.
All over Asbury, bars and restaurants are holding their own special events to coincide with the massive Bamboozle festival this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Bamboozle’s organizers at LiveNation have said 20,000 to 40,000 people could come to town each day, although the festival’s maximum capacity is 60,000.
Bamboozle has a no-reentry policy, so many bars are waiting until 10 or 11 p.m. to hold their own events in hopes of catching some overflow as festival-goers leave town.
The Press Room, with its A Wink and a Nod mini-festival, is one such business.
Tim Donnelly, creative director at the venue on Bangs Avenue, said the Press Room’s main goal is “to embrace and give a stage to all the great local talent.”
“Besides the Bouncing Souls and the Gaslight Anthem, who are national, international acts that come from our neighborhood, there isn’t anybody else [local] on the bill,” Donnelly said. “So we found that this was a way to give a band like Brick + Mortar, who live on Banges Avenue, the chance to play on Bangs Avenue during this time.”
Organizers are hoping to turn people from out-of-town on to local bands through A Wink and a Nod, too.
“We’re excited to provide that platform,” he said.
The festivities are starting at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 p.m. on Sunday. On Friday, Brick + Mortar, The Bennys and Jack Deezl will perform.
On Saturday, the Tangiers Band [pictured above in a previous Press Room performance], featuring rock photographer Danny Clinch, will perform, as well as Little Jimmy, a 13-year-old from Point Pleasant who is “a prodigy,” Donnelly said. “He plays blues rock and he’s simply amazing. He stops everybody in their tracks.”
On Sunday, the Press Room boasts its longest lineup of the weekend, with Joe Michelini of River City Extension; Wreaths; Taylor Allen; Ba Babes and Big Wilson River, all following the venue’s standard Sunday Afternoon Jam, which starts at 2 p.m.
Elsewhere in town, other venues will be providing similar entertainment during and after Bamboozle.
IVAN & ANDY’S
The Cookman Avenue steakhouse is renting Kennedy Park through the weekend and hosting 30 jazz and rock bands over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Their event will have a family cookout feel to it, with hot dogs and the restaurant’s famous burgers on offer at a discount for $5. The park will also boast “a giant beer garden,” Ivan & Andy’s owner Ivan Geldzahler said.
“It’s going to be a little Woodstock again,” Geldzahler said. “A whole day of peace, love, good music and a good time.”
Admission is free but attendees must be 21 or older.
PORTA
Porta’s new Abbot Room in the north of the Kingsley Avenue building will have its grand opening on Friday at 6 p.m., with DJ ZA performing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Abbot Room will again open at 6 p.m. on Saturday with DJ ZA featuring DJ Adam J from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will also be an after-party in the Abbot Room with Killbrand, Trace Cyrus and SMHP on Satruday night starting at 10 p.m.
Porta proper will be open all weekend serving a special Bamboozle Weekend menu from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday through Sunday.
On Thursday night, original house DJ Atom Worth will play at Porta from 9 p.m. to close. DJ Cory Minto will play Porta on Friday night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. and DJ Atom Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
ASBURY LANES
Asbury Lanes is holding a kickoff music showcase party, El Zoo Bamb, on Thursday night with doors opening at 8 p.m. There will be a $12 cover charge and a $10 charge for unlimited bowling. Showgoers must be 18 to attend and 21 to have drinks in the lounge. The Gay Blades, The Amboys, New York Rivals and Elevator Art will perform starting at 9 p.m.
The Fourth Avenue bowling alley will be open early all weekend with food, drinks and, of course, bowling. On Friday and Sunday, doors will open at noon with no cover charge. Bowling will be $5 per person, per hour, and all ages are invited to come and play until midnight. On Saturday, the Lanes open even earlier at 11 a.m.
WATERMARK
The boardwalk lounge is holding after parties with DJ Danga on Friday and DJ Values Saturday. Both will start at 10 p.m. and admission is free. Attendees must be 25 or older to enter.
LANGOSTA LOUNGE
On Saturday and Sunday, the boardwalk restaurant will hold the pre-opening for its new Mexican beer bar in the storefront one door north of Langosta. On Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., the Hang Ten surf band will perform there.
At Langosta, live bands will entertain diners and drinkers starting at 10:30 p.m. each night. Bam Jam will perform on Thursday; Accidental Seabirds will play on Friday; The Black Jesuses will take the stage on Saturday; and Mad Feather Group will play Sunday night. Also on Sunday, Billy Hector will play during brunch.
BRICKWALL & THE ANNEX
Cookman Avenue’s Brickwall Tavern will keep its kitchen open late on Friday and Saturday, until 1 a.m. instead of the usual midnight closing time. The bar will be open until 2 a.m. as usual. On Friday, DJ Skills will play from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturday, DJ Jon will perform from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Annex, DJ Mike Merrell and DJ Ryan will perform on Friday and Saturday, respectively, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Photo by Griffin Lotz
