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Asbury Park musicians will take center stage during a new 10-week music series launching this week inside Newark airport.

Asbury Park Music Foundation [APMF] has teamed up with Tito’s Handmade Vodka in presenting this live music showcase, being held at the rebranded CBGB Lab inside Terminal C Newark Airport location.

“We want passionate music fans from throughout the US and the world to enjoy a taste of what Asbury Park musicians have to offer,” said Jim Lenskold, President of the Asbury Park Music Foundation.

The Foundation’s mission is bring music education to underserved youth and to help the local music scene thrive.

Over 20 up-and-coming Asbury Park based artists will perform on select Thursday and Friday evenings, as well as Saturday mornings. The series kicks off Thursday with Accidental Seabirds [below right], and is followed by a Friday night performance by Drew the Recluse [at right] & Miles NxBxDy and Chris Brown’s Thursday July 19 show.

“At Tito’s, our mission is to turn spirits into love and goodness,” Tito’s  Director of Philanthropic Programs Zack Flores said in a written statement. “[APMF] shares our vision of supporting local communities and we’re grateful to be able to partner on The Mockingbird Summer Series to support emerging musicians.”

For every Tito’s cocktail purchased during the 10-week series, Tito’s will donate donate $1 [up to $20,000] to the Asbury Park Music Foundation. Special Asbury Park merchandise will be available for purchase at CBGB’s.

“The CBGBs stage in the Newark Airport is a great opportunity to introduce a new audience to Asbury Park’s diverse original music,” Lenskold said. “We hope to encourage travelers and locals to experience the live music playing every night of the year in one of our 20+ great venues.”

Lenskold said Asbury Park has been a music destination for over a century, serving as a tour stop between New York, Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

The 60s featured visits by the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Who, followed by the music scene of the 70s and 80s which spawned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and Bon Jovi, he said. Although the city fell into a deep decline throughout the 80s and 90s, the live music never stopped. The recent economic turnaround has put Asbury Park back on the map as one of the East Coast’s most thriving live music scenes. Legendary venues like the Stone Pony and the Saint feature national touring acts while new venues such as the Danny Clinch Transparent Gallery offer local artists a place to play and jam.

“This series will add to the national attention and further boost the music scene in Asbury Park,” Lenskold said. “We are thankful to Tito’s for spotlighting our current musicians while also contributing to the next generation of musicians through their donation supporting music education for underserved youth.”

The full concert series schedule, complete with bios, music samples and a Spotify playlist, will be available Thursday via AsburyParkMusicLives.org/Titos.

Confirmed artists also include Emily Grove, Bobby Mahoney, The Apy Brothers, Rachel Ana Dobken, Eryn, Poca, LEEDS, Pamela Flores, The Burns, Mackenzie Brown, and Natalie Newbold. The concert series will run through Sept 15 at the CBGB Lab, located in the Newark Airport, Terminal C at 3 Brewster Rd.

For more about Tito’s, visit titosvodka.com and for more about the APMF, visit asburyparkmusiclives.org and facebook.com/asburyparkmusiclives. 

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