Live Nation announces Asbury Park summer concert lineup

This morning (May 12), concert promoter Live Nation announced its slate of shows coming to Asbury Park this summer, and it looks like at least an act or two for just about everyone should be playing the waterfront in the coming months.

For folks wanting to rock out to the sounds of local artists, Monmouth County songstress Nicole Atkins will be kicking off the summer with a show with former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty at the Stone Pony on May 22, Jody Joseph will be playing tribute to Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks on May 30 at the Paramount Theatre and north Jersey stalwarts the Smithereens will be rocking the Stone Pony on June 27.

A pair of last July's biggest Stone Pony events will be repeated, with local legends Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes making their annual trip to the historic venue on July 2 and Buffalo-bred jam band moe. staking their claim on Independence Day weekend with shows on July 3 and 4. (For our photo gallery of moe.'s July 5, 2008 performance at the Stone Pony, click here.)

If you like your music a little, well, out there, then Asbury Park's got you in mind this summer, too. Experimental Pennsylvania-bred rockers Ween will be taking the Stone Pony's Summerstage by storm on July 18 and Zappa Plays Zappa -- a tribute act dedicated to the work of late composer and musician Frank Zappa fronted by his oldest son, Dweezil -- will serve as support for Dream Theater on August 7 at Convention Hall.

 And, if spending the summer at the Shore has filled you with some inexplicable urge to check out a cover band or two, have no fear -- a few tribute acts will be swinging through Asbury Park as well. Along with Zappa Plays Zappa, the city will also host Tool surrogates Schism at the Wonder Bar on June 28, famed Sublime tribute act Badfish at the Stone Pony on July 25 and Hammer of the Gods, an ensemble billed as "the Led Zeppelin Experience" at the Paramount Theatre on August 14.

For my money, one of the biggest, most fitting and sure to be talked about shows rolling through town has to be the one going down at the Stone Pony on Aug. 9: the Pretenders, Cat Power and Juliette and the Licks.

The Pretenders -- the band behind classic hits such as "Brass in Pocket" -- are as good as ever, Cat Power proved herself to be moving, powerful and refreshing when I caught her at Bonnaroo last year and the Licks, which are fronted by Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis, are one of the more acceptable actor-turned-musician excursions in recent years, and their live show should be interesting, to say the least. 

Here's Live Nation's summer slate for Asbury Park so far, with more shows to be announced:

May 22: Nicole Atkins and Mike Doughty at the Stone Pony
May 24: The Toadies, the Willowz and the Black Clouds at the Stone Pony
May 29: Gregory Isaacs and Live Wyya Band at the Stone Pony
May 30: One Legend, One Diva, One Woman: Jody Joseph - A Theatrical Tribute to Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks at the Paramount Theatre
June 6: New Riders of the Purple Sage at the Stone Pony
June 19: Mishka and Zaki Ibrahim at the Stone Pony
June 20: Peaches at the Stone Pony
June 26: Schism at the Wonder Bar
June 27: The Smithereens at the Stone Pony
July 2: Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at the Stone Pony Summerstage
July 3 and 4: moe. at the Stone Pony Summerstage
July 10: State Radio at the Stone Pony Summerstage
July 11: Over the Rainbow at the Stone Pony
July 12: Staind with Shinedown, Chevelle, Halestorm and Lo-Pro at Convention Hall
July 18: Ween at the Stone Pony Summerstage
July 24: Donovon Frankenreiter and Gary Jules at the Stone Pony Summerstage
July 25: Badfish, a tribute to Sublime at the Stone Pony Summerstage
Aug. 7: Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa at Convention Hall
Aug. 8: John Cafferty at the Stone Pony
Aug. 9: The Pretenders with Cat Power and Juliette and the Licks at the Stone Pony Summerstage
Aug. 14: Steve Kimock Crazy Engine at the Stone Pony
Aug. 14: Hammer of the Gods, the Led Zeppelin Experience at the Paramount Theatre
Aug. 30: Peter Frampton at the Stone Pony Summerstage
Sept. 19: Stryper at the Stone Pony