The B-Side

Richard Barone stays 'Cool'

Alex Biese — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:34:49 GMT

How do you celebrate the landmark anniversary of a classic live album? You put on a show.

Richard Barone, leader of ‘80s Hoboken pop-rockers the Bongos, commemorated the 25^th anniversary of his solo debut "Cool Blue Halo" with a show May 4 at New York City's City Winery.

The venue may have been different ("Cool Blue Halo" was recorded live at the Bottom Line), but all of the album's original musicians were on hand, as was the same lighting technician, according to a report by website Critical Mob.

Fortunately for anyone who couldn't make it out to City Winery, the performance was recoded for a CD/DVD set that's scheduled to be released in the fall.

And as for "Cool Blue Halo" itself? 25 years later, the album sounds like it could be the most exciting new release of this week, or in 25 years' time. Its timelessness is due to a few factors, firstly the sound: there's nothing 1987 about it. It's sharp, tuneful, organic chamber rock, rooted firmly in acoustic guitar and cello. When the sound is this pure, it will never sound dated.

Of course, Barone's songwriting helps, too. Songs such as "Tangled in Your Web" and "Love is a Wind That Screams" are lovely, ornate and poetic, but not without bite, as if Donovan rocked just a little bit more.

Oh, and Nirvana fans should take note: David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" is covered here, in an arrangement similar enough to that found on Kurt Cobain and company's "Unplugged in New York" seven years later that it wouldn't be much of a stretch to think that Cobain gave "Cool Blue Halo" a listen once or twice.

Jimmy Fallon taps Jersey talent for new LP

Alex Biese — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:13:19 GMT

"Saturday Night Live" cast member turned talk show host Jimmy Fallon is dropping his second album, "Blow Your Pants Off," on June 12, and he's tapped some of Jersey's finest to take part in the very silly proceedings, as reported by Rolling Stone.

Montclair's Stephen Colbert shows up for a cover of Rebecca Black's viral "hit" "Friday," Freehold's favorite son Bruce Springsteen joins Fallon's "Neil Young" for a take on Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" and Middletown native Brian Williams joins the host for a run though the popular "Slow Jam the News" segment of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."

And, of course, the house band on "Late Night" is hip-hop crew the Roots, whose home base of Philadelphia is right in our back yard, and the Roots will be hitting Asbury Park this fall as part of the line-up for the I'll Be Your Mirror festival presented by All Tomorrow's Parties.

Other guests expected to make appearances on "Blow Your Pants Off" include Paul McCartney, Eddie Vedder, Justin Timberlake, Eddie Vedder and Dave Matthews.

Review: 'Eastbound and Down' soundtrack

Alex Biese — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:25:21 GMT

Kenny Powers has killer taste in music.

According to the liner notes of the "Eastbound and Down" soundtrack, set for release Tuesday (April 24) on Fat Possum Records, each track on the genre-smashing two-disc set was hand-picked by Powers, the show's protagonist played by series star Danny McBride.

Written by Powers' sidekick Stevie Janowski, the liner notes inform us that "This is the music that Kenny Powers rocks out to when he's getting ready in the morning. This is the music Kenny Powers listens to in the late hours, when the night terrors come and we are all children again."

As fans of the HBO comedy would surely agree, "Eastbound and Down" has some of the best song selections on television, with many of the highlights on display here: Powers, McBride and the series were into the Black Keys long before the band's members were Rolling Stone cover boys, and their "Your Touch" acts as a perfect bridge between the deep, old blues of Freddie King and R.L. Burnside and classic FM radio rock by the likes of the Animals and Ram Jam.

There's plenty of room for proto-punk (the Stooges and MC5), a bit of hip-hop courtesy Too $hort and Lil Whyte and some pop country by Kenny Rogers and Lee Hazlewood. The mélange of genres may seem a bit all over the place, but in the context of the series and the album, it works. Powers is a complex and deeply conflicted character, and the album's unpredictable nature fits the needs of the protagonist and the show perfectly.

While this is the rare soundtrack album that is good enough to appeal to listeners unfamiliar with the original series, non-viewers should be warned: the two discs are peppered with dialogue clips from the show, some of which contain potential spoilers.

My only complaint as a longtime fan of the series: there's been so much great music used over the show's three seasons, it's a shame some of it, such as the Felice Brothers' folk anthem "Frankie's Gun," didn't make it onto this set. Hopefully a volume two isn't too far off.

Amy Ray's 'Lung of Love'

Alex Biese — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:40:39 GMT

"I've got a little Joe Strummer in my DNA," Amy Ray sings about midway through her new LP, "Lung of Love."

While some would be surprised to see the Indigo Girl drawing a comparison between herself and the Clash leader, the line makes sense in the context of the this very, very good album, where Ray shows the same boundless musical curiosity that Strummer exhibited, particularly in his post-Clash work with the Mescaleros.

Ray, who will be hitting the Saint on Main Street in Asbury Park Friday night, has made something special with "Lung of Love," released Feb. 28 on her own Daemon Records imprint.

My knowledge of Ray's full-time band basically ends with their ubiquitous radio hit "Closer to Fine," so I'm not the right person to say how big of a departure this album is from her Indigo Girls work, but it's a solid record regardless.

Most importantly, Ray always keeps the proceedings exciting for the listener: 10 solid songs that clock in at a hair over half an hour, with plenty of stylistic variety and skill to spare: there's the crunchy power pop of "Glow," the heartbreak balladry of "I Didn't," the aforementioned Clash grooves of "Little Revolution" and the mandolin-fueled bluegrass of "The Rock is My Foundation."

But the stylistic switch-ups never feel gimmicky: Ray sounds like she's giving each of these tunes her all, and is using the opportunity of this solo album to show how deep her skills as a singer, songwriter and musician really run.

Ray and her band, with special guest Kaia Wilson, will be at the Saint, 601 Main St., Asbury Park, on Friday, April 20. Doors are at 8 p.m., tickets are $15.

Here comes TromaDance!

Alex Biese — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:18:41 GMT

The weekend horror and independent film fans wait all year for is almost upon us: the TromaDance Film Festival, now in its 13^th year, returns to Asbury Park May 4 and 5, and now we're starting to get a clearer picture of what's in store for viewers over this wholly unique weekend.

The short films program, announced last week, boasts some must-see selections, including John Goras' "Chirpy," described by Oscar nominee and 2011 Tromadance attendee Bill Plympton as "one of the sickest animated films ever made."

One of TromaDance's great powers is its unpredictable, nearly indescribable strangeness; for better or worse, you know you're getting two days of films that need to be seen to be believed. Go down the list of shorts set to screen at the Asbury Lanes and there's bound to be something that demands your attention, whether it's "Can't Dance" ("A tender and comic love story about a man, his dead wife and the next door neighbor") "Flush With Fear" ("A young woman reads an incantation on a bathroom stall and unleashes an ancient evil") or "Tequila" ("A film about love, death and telephones").

We're also now beginning to learn who some of the members of the always-informative independent film panel will be: among the confirmed participants are TromaDance founder and Troma Entertainment president Lloyd Kaufman, longtime "Fangoria" editor Tony Timpone and Troma veteran James Gunn, writer of "Tromeo and Juliet" (1996) and "Dawn of the Dead" (2004) and director of "Slither" (2006) and "Super" (2010).

TromaDance will be held at the Asbury Lanes, 209 Fourth Ave., and all screenings will be free. This year's festival was partially funded through a campaign on Kickstarter that raised over $5,000, with backers receiving everything from posters to DVDs to lunch with Kaufman.

Epic 'Marley' paints a life in full

Alex Biese — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:51:28 GMT

"My life (is) not important to me. ... My life is only important if me can help other people." - Bob Marley

Bob Marley is so many things to so many around the world: musician, activist, revolutionary, husband, father, icon, man. In its impact, if not its length, his life was as big as they come.

Marley's life almost seems too big, too important for the movies, which only makes Kevin Macdonald's new film "Marley" even more of a towering achievement: it is nothing less than the definitive cinematic telling of Bob Marley's story.

Band-mates, family members, fellow reggae travelers such as Jimmy Cliff and Lee "Scratch" Perry and more turn up before Macdonald's lens to contribute their pieces of the Marley story, and their testimonies combined with archival footage and recordings create an informational treasure trove sure to impress even the most die-hard fans.

While everyone and their mother owns a copy of "Legend," the 1984 Marley compilation album that has sold more than 10 million copies and counting, this film features a staggering amount of music for fans to dive into, from a rare gospel-tinged demo of "No Woman, No Cry" with former Wailer Peter Tosh on piano to a near-messianic performance of "Jammin'" at the 1978 One Love Peace Concert that finds Marley as a man possessed, at one with his music and his audience. If for nothing else, these recordings and clips of performance footage alone would make the film a must-see.

Following the reggae icon from his humble beginnings as an outcast mixed-race child in rural Jamaica to his final cancer-stricken days before his 1981 death, "Marley" paints a life in full over its two-and-a-half hour running time, giving viewers a priceless glimpse at the very Earthly life of the man behind the legend.

Macdonald isn't engaging in shallow hero worship here: his warts-and-all portrayal touches on Marley's shortcomings as a husband and father. Marley's former boss, Island Records head Chris Blackwell, says that if the sinegr had visited the doctor for regular check-ups, the cancer that eventually killed him may have been caught before it reached a terminal stage.

Nearly every person on the planet knows Marley's music. The true power of Macdonald's epic and unflinching film is how it lets audiences inside the life of Marley the man.

"Marley," a Magnolia Pictures release directed by Kevin Macdonald. Rated PG-13, 145 minutes. Released theatrically and on VOD on Friday, April 20. http://www.bobmarleymovie.com

'Eastbound and Down' soundtrack set for release

Alex Biese — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:28:45 GMT

Finally, one of the best shows on television is getting an appropriately awesome soundtrack.

“Eastbound and Down,” the acclaimed HBO comedy starring Danny McBride and now in its third season, will deliver what is being accurately hailed in a recent press release as “the ultimate mix tape of the new millennium” on April 24 with the “Eastbound and Down Soundtrack” on Fat Possum Records.

This epic two-disc collection is set to be packed with plenty of old and new classics, from the raging blues of Freddie King’s “Going Down” which acts as the show’s theme song to “Your Touch” by the Black Keys, and along the way you get everything from grungy proto punk (the Stooges’ “Down on the Street,” “Miss X” by MC5) to jukebox-ready classic rock (“Sky Pilot” by the Animals, “Black Betty” by Ram Jam), and so, so much more, plus choice dialogue selections from the show’s legendary anti-hero, Kenny Powers.

So mark your calendars, fans of Kenny Powers and all things rock: April 24 can’t come soon enough.

Metallica bringing Orion Music + More to A.C.

Alex Biese — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:02:11 GMT

Attention metal-heads: you'd better get ready to take a ride on the Atlantic City Expressway. Cali hard rock legends Metallica announced today that they will be hosting the first annual Orion Music + More festival June 23 and 24 at Bader Field in Atlantic City.

"We've had the idea of doing our own lifestyle festival with lots of diverse music and fun and games for years," Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said in a news release. "Finally this year all the practical ducks lined up in a row, and we are beyond psyched to bring Orion to our fans, friends and the curious. After the most incredible of weeks ever in December 2011 celebrating our 30th anniversary at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, bringing the spirit of that week, the looseness of that week, the possibilities of that week, the fan interactive elements of that week, and the (fill in your own blank here) of that week to a festival setting is so exciting we can hardly contain ourselves."

Orion Music + More promises to feature multiple music stages and "a lifestyle element that reflects each of Metallica's band members' many personality interests."

James, Lars, Kirk and Robert will headline both nights of Orion, playing 1991's self-titled album (also known as "The Black Album") one night and 1984's thrash masterpiece "Ride the Lightning" on the other. According to the press release, Orion will be the only time the band plays these albums in North America in 2012.

The admirably eclectic album of Orion will feature over 20 acts, including Jersey natives the Gaslight Anthem and Titus Andronicus, as well as southern roots rock kings Lucero and psychedelic rock legend Roky Erickson. Also on the bill are: Arctic Monkeys, Avenged Sevenfold, Modest Mouse, Cage The Elephant, Fucked Up, Best Coast, Hot Snakes, Gary Clark Jr., the Black Angels, the Sword, Liturgy and more to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Metallica Met Club fan club pre-sale starts tomorrow and tickets will go on-sale to the public on Saturday at 10 a.m. for $150 for a two-day pass including all fees.Visit www.orionmusicandmore.com to buy tickets and for more information.

NJ artists salute Bob Dylan

Alex Biese — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:36:20 GMT

The songs of rock n' roll's poet laureate are being put to splendid use with "Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International."

Set for release on Tuesday, Jan. 24, the four-disc collection in support of the grassroots activist organization contains 76 Dylan songs recorded by over 80 artists, and a special 31-track two-disc version will be available at Starbucks starting that same day. The collection features some of music's biggest and brightest talents, including more than a few New Jersey-connected acts.

The late Johnny Cash, formerly of Asbury Park, kicks off the set with an appropriately-twangy take on Dylan's 1964 classic "One Too Many Mornings," featuring appearances by Dylan himself and up-and-coming bluegrass rockers the Avett Brothers.

Elsewhere, south Jersey native Patti Smith turns in a rootsy and rollicking rendition of 1967's "Drifter's Escape," while punk rock outfit the Gaslight Anthem, which cut its teeth in New Brunswick, comes up aces with a soulful and high-energy reading of 1978's "Changing of the Guard," a song Smith herself has covered in the past.

North Jersey emo crew My Chemical Romance delivers a raucous, Sex Pistols-sounding take on Dylan's 1965 epic "Desolation Row," and guitarist Nils Lofgren of the E Street Band teams up with legendary singer Paul Rodgers for a lovely run through the 1975 obscurity "Abandoned Love."

With a roster of artists ranging from 92-year-old folk icon Pete Seeger, who contributes a heartwarming performance of 1974's "Forever Young," to 19-year-old teen pop starlet Miley Cyrus, who tries her hand at 1975's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go," "Chimes of Freedom" is a towering achievement. For more information on the collection, visit http://music.amnestyusa.org/.

Alex Biese: 732-643-4059; abiese@njpressmedia.com; http://www.twitter.com/ABieseAPP

Yellow Dubmarine sails to Asbury Park

Alex Biese — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:02:44 GMT

I have a Beatles-loving comrade who some years ago explained to me why he had no use for the work of the Fab Four on CD or MP3: "I have it all stored in my head already, every note," he told me. I assume this is true for a lot of us out there -- if you want to hear, say, "She Loves You," most music fans have it in their brains, ready to play at a moment's notice.

This deep universal knowledge of the work of John, Paul, George and Ringo is both a blessing and a curse. The songs for the most part and brilliant compositions and recordings that we have all memorized by the time we leave our teens. But this makes works that present Beatles music in some new light so enticing, because they can help us hear this great music like new all over again.

The "Love" album from a few years back accomplished this beautifully, as did Booker T. & The MG's 1970 "Abbey Road" cover album, "McLemore Avenue." Now, with this year's "Abbey Dub," it's time to welcome D.C. area band Yellow Dubmarine into that fold.

On the surface, it might be easy to write off "Abbey Dub" as a novelty - Like "McLemore Avenue," it's an album-length cover of the Beatles' 1969 "Abbey Road," the last album the band ever recorded, but instead of moving the songs to the sound to Stax, "Abbey Dub" injects the songs of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr with an old-school reggae groove - but in the end, it works beautifully.

"Something" becomes a lovely and transporting mostly instrumental piece, "Oh! Darling" takes on a ska-like bounce and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" becomes a slinky, horn-fueled rage. In short, these are 17 songs you probably know by heart, but odds are you've never heard them like this.

Yellow Dubmarine brings their Liverpool-by-way-of-Kingston sound to Asbury Park on Friday, Dec. 2. With chilly temperatures moving in at the Shore, their sunny, good-time grooves may be just what music lovers need. Also performing are Loose Fit, Slick Mick and thr Dirty Dales, From the Ground and Beef. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $10.

For more on Yellow Dubmarine, visit their official website.

Echo Movement plays on

Alex Biese — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:39:16 GMT

Believe it or not, one of the most promising bands in raggae hails from our very own less-than-tropical climes: Asbury Park-based crew Echo Movement saw its new album, "Music Played On," hit number four on the iTunes in its opening week.

"Music Played On" proves that this is a good-time band with some serious skills: kicking off with the forward-thinking groove of "Ganja," the album features audio wizardry, stellar guitar work and a strong sense of songcraft.

According to press notes a pair of the album's tracks -- "One Shot" and "Binaural Sunrise" -- employ "the first know use of binaural beats in contemporary music. A slight variance in frequencies produces a perceived modulation that is actually a cognitive process and can only be experienced through stereo headphones."

Guitarist Dan Gugger shows solid chops throughought, particularly in the closing measures of "One Shot" with a solo that blends reggae and jam band styles in a smokey haze and "Red Sunday" is an Indian-influenced gem that sounds like the best single 311 never recorded.

Consisting of eight hot cuts, "Music Played On" gives listeners a nice buzz without wearing out its welcome and holds plenty of promise for the future.

Echo Movement will play the Stone Pony on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park with Roots of Creation, Sensa Motion Band (SMB), Bansai Bills and Loose Fit on Saturday, Nov. 19. Doors are at 7 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. For more information, visit http://www.stoneponyonline.com/schedule.html.

Jo Wymer shows her 'Scars'

Alex Biese — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:22:07 GMT

After years of making her way in the local music scene, Freehold-based blues rocker Jo Wymer is finally releasing her debut CD, "Living With Scars," and it was more than worth the wait.

An album awash in struggle, lust, love, loss and joy, "Living With Scars" is a rock-solid set that solidifies Wymer's place as an undeniable artistic force in our area.

She will be celebrating the album's release on Saturday, June 25, with a show at the Wonder Bar on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and tickets, including the CD, are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

From the hot rocker "Can't Live Without Your Kiss" to the smoky jazz of "Come On Baby" and the sultry sounds of "Real Man" and "Dirty Secrets," "Living With Scars" is a complex and ultimately empowering effort that Wymer should be proud of.

Wymer may advise listeners to keep their distance on the slinky rocking track "Stay Away From Me," but for folks who like their rock on the bluesy side, this album may prove irresistible.

Last November, Wymer earned the distinction of being the first female winner of the Top Blues Band award at the Asbury Music Awards.

"It's really hard for women to break into blues, so I'm excited," Wymer said at the awards ceremony, where she won her first Asbury Music Award. Something tells me there will be plenty more accolades in this performer's future.

For more information on Wymer, visit her official website.

All hail Brute Force

Alex Biese — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:32:05 GMT

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Brute Force.

A north Jersey native born under the name of Stephen Friedland, Brute Force is something of a cult icon in the psych rock world thanks to his decidedly-NSFW single for the Beatles' Apple Records, "King of Fuh," and his 1967 debut LP for Columbia Records, "I, Brute Force - Confections of Love," recently re-released by Bar/None Records.

Combining psychadelia, classic American song-craft and anarchic comic irreverence in a style that should immediately resonate with fans of Harry Nilsson, "I, Brute Force" left me with two thoughts when it was over: "What the hell was that?" and then, "Whatever it was, I think I need to listen to that again."

Not everything works on "I, Brute Force" - some of this is just too weird, like the jaunty little piano ditty "To Sit on a Sandwich" - but even when he falters Bruce Force still gets points for unrestrained conviction, unhinged creativity and a disarmingly adept sense of melody.

In keeping with the whole off-kilter tone of "I, Brute Force," the album's two best songs are relegated to bonus track status: the laid-back "Hello Moscow" and the quite lovely "King of Fuh," which surely would have been a mainstream smash if not for its cheekily obscene lyrics.

As the album turns quickly from a warped riff on "Bye, Bye Birdie"-style musical theater ("The Sad World of Mothers and Fathers") to a bombastic interpretation of Donovan-esque baroque pop ("No Olympian Height") and several destinations beyond, a listener could think they were being driven on a whirlwind tour of musical styles by a particularly talented madman - and they might be right.

Folks wanting to experience Brute Force in person in his home state will have two chances this summer: he will perform Friday, June 10, at the Record Collector in Bordentown and on July 10 at Maxwell's in Hoboken.

For more information on Brute Force, visit his official website.

Review: 'Ride Rise Roar'

Alex Biese — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:34:04 GMT

David Byrne's 2008 to 2009 "Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno" tour was, quite simply, one of the finest live shows I've ever seen.

In reviewing the tour's November 2008 stop at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank for this blog, I described the show as "an intricately planned song-cycle which highlighted the singer's numerous collaborations with producer Brian Eno using a top-notch band, several singers and a trio of backup interpretive dancers. ... The choreography, mixed with the simple but powerful lighting design and the fact that everyone on stage was dressed head to toe in white, lead to moments which were so good they became overwhelming."

I was so knocked out by the Red Bank show that I traveled to catch the tour two more times: at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn.

So, it should come as little surprise that when I learned there would be a documentary chronicling the tour, I was excited. On May 31 that film, "Ride Rise Roar" hits DVD and Blu-ray.

For anyone who was lucky enough to catch the tour live and in person, I have some great news: this film looks and sounds terrific. Directed by David Hillman Curtis, the documentary beautifully captures many of the show-stopping numbers from the tour, including a number of classics Byrne crafted with Eno and the Talking Heads ("Air," "Heaven," "I Zimbra") as well as stellar cuts from Byrne and Eno's 2008's masterful "Everything That Happens Will Happen Today" LP.

However, if you didn't see the tour for yourself, this DVD won't adequately replicate the experience of being there. As opposed to the classic Jonathan Demme-directed Talking Heads concert film "Stop Making Sense" (1984), which served as a straightforward presentation of a Talking Heads show and let the music do the talking, Curtis breaks up the performance numbers with interviews with Byrne, his band, the dancers, Eno and the behind the scenes crew. While informative, this technique prevents the viewer from experiencing the flow of the live experience.

The "Songs of David Byrne and Brian Eno" tour was an artistic triumph - a show that was more theater than rock concert, but a visceral and exciting experience all the same. And while I'm grateful that "Ride Rise Roar" exists as a document of the work that went into the tour and preserves some of the show's most captivating moments, the film's construction also makes it feel like a bit of a missed opportunity.

Memories of Tromadance 2011

Alex Biese — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:24:10 GMT

As any self-respecting horror fan should know, the Toxic Avenger is a native of New Jersey. So it should come as no surprise that Troma Entertainment, the studio behind the 1984 cult classic "The Toxic Avenger,'' has found a home in the Garden State for its annual celebration of underground art and cinema, the Tromadance Film Festival.

After 10 years in Park City, Utah - also the home of the Sundance Film Festival - Tromadance headed east to Asbury Park last year, and it returned to where the city meets the sea this past weekend (April 22 and 23).

While last year's Tromadance was an undisputed success (read more about it here), in many ways this year's festival raised the bar even higher.

The festivities kicked off on Friday night with a live Q&A on stage at the ShowRoom on Cookman Avenue between myself, Oscar-nominated animator Bill Plympton and Lloyd Kaufman, president of Troma Entertainment and the founder of the Tromadance Film Festival. We talked about Tromadance's origins, how the internet provides support for independent filmmakers are the new books Kaufman and Plympton have coming out (Plympton recently released "Independently Animated," while Kaufman's "Sell Your Own Damn Movie" hits shelves this summer.)

Check out Metromix Jersey Shore's Q&A with Plympton as well as our article on Kaufman and Tromadance.

Following the Q&A were a pair of feature films and, like every other screening at Tromadance, both the films were free. First up was the gory and campy "All About Evil," which featured a revelatory lead performance by '90s actress Natasha Lyonne ("American Pie," "Slums of Beverly Hills.")

Next up was the film that had everyone talking all weekend long: "The Taint." A unique and virtually indescribable movie-viewing experience, "The Taint" is a gory, crude and deceptively smart examination of misogyny in horror films that has elements reminiscent of "Napoleon Dynamite," David Lynch and classic Troma.

Tromadance was the perfect proving ground for this film, and the audience went wild for it: the filmmakers, who were in attendance, sold out of all "The Taint" merchandise - shirts, DVDs, posters - except for a couple of copies of the film on VHS.

The fun continued Friday night with a packed house at the opening night party held at the Brickwall Tavern and Dining Room on Cookman Avenue. The party was presented by one of the festival's sponsors, Brooklyn Brewery. (Metromix Jersey Shore was also a sponsor of the event.)

Starting at noon on Saturday, I took in more than 30 frequently excellent short films in genres ranging from animation ("Birdboy," "Devil Town," "Return of Ghost Tank") to surreal comedy ("Domestic Disturbing," "Mommy's Boy," "Brutal Relax") to impressive horror ("36th Underground").

Plympton also screened a trio of shorts: "The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger," "Guard Dog Global Jam!" and "Flying House," a stunning in-progress restoration of a 1921 short by early animation great Winsor McCay that received its world premiere at Tromadance.

Later on Saturday, Plympton took part in an informative and entertaining panel discussion moderated by Kaufman that also featured Fangoria magazine managing editor Michael Gingold, animator John Goras and Kaufman's wife, New York State Film Commissioner Pat Kaufman.

Saturday's block of films wrapped up with the east coast premiere of the unsettling and accomplished home invasion film "Kidnapped," directed by Miguel Angel Vivas. Last year's closing feature was "The Human Centipede" and, in its own way, "Kidnapped" is as disturbing as that controversial medial horror film.

Presented in approximately six extended tracking shots and employing a brilliant use of split-screen, "Kidnapped" derives its horror from a grounded sense of realism and its unflinching depiction of violence. While I wouldn't go so far as to call it an enjoyable film, it is certainly an effective one that will make a big impact on viewers.

In an interview prior to this year's festival, Kaufman discussed the variety of films that typically screen at Tromadance: "This is totally art-driven and totally eclectic. There are G-rated movies to movies that are pretty raunchy." The films at this year's Tromadance came from around the globe, spanned all genres and had one thing in common: they were independent to the core and perfect for this festival.

Following the films, Tromadance attendees flocked to the Asbury Lanes on Fourth Avenue to view the lovely and talented performers in the Peek-A-Boo Revue burlesque troupe and then rocked out to the official Tromadance after-party featuring Psychocharger.

A mecca of independent music and bowling in Asbury Park, the Lanes was the perfect spot to once again close out Tromadance. According to the festival's program, the event will return to Asbury Park in 2012, and its return can't come soon enough: over two years, Tromadance has become the definitive film festival at the Jersey Shore.

Dave Matthews brings Caravan to A.C.

Alex Biese — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:20:29 GMT

First All Tomorrow's Parties announced that it would be coming to Asbury Park, and now south Jersey has its own summer festival to brag about: Dave Matthews Band revealed today on its website that the first Dave Matthews Band Caravan will take place June 24 to 26 at Bader Field in Atlantic City.

Along with jam band turned pop-rock hitmakers DMB, the Atlantic City shows will also include the Flaming Lips, David Gray, Ray LaMontagne, O.A.R., Damian Marley, Amos Lee, Warren Haynes Band, Guster, Alberta Cross, Budos Band, north Jersey-raised jam band From Good Homes and more, according to Billboard.

The shows will also feature special solo performances by Dave Matthews Band members Carter Beauford and Stefan Lessard, as well as a Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds acoustic set.

Three-day tickets, VIP Packages, hotel rooms and premiere travel packages will be available first to members of the Warehouse, the official Dave Matthews Band fan association, beginning Monday, March 14, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available for Citi card holders on March 21 and will go on sale to the general public on March 25.

For ticketing and travel information and more, visit the Dave Matthews Band Caravan official website.

And to find out more about some of the acts performing as part of the Caravan, check out Metromix Jersey Shore's interviews with Todd Sheaffer of From Good Homes, Petter Ericson Stakee of Alberta Cross and Warren Haynes.

Crosby and Nash heading to NJ

Alex Biese — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:01:08 GMT

A legendary musical duo will be coming to New Jersey for a trio of shows this spring.

It was recently announced that David Crosby and Graham Nash will be bringing their tour through the Garden State for performances on May 5 at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, May 13 at the Music Box in the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa in Atlantic City and May 16 at the Community Theatre at the Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown.

Tickets for all three dates go on sale Friday (Feb. 18), according to the duo's website, http://www.crosbynash.com.

According to a news release from concert promoter LiveNation, the tour will combine acoustic and plugged-in performances featuring a backing band that includes James Raymond on keyboards, Dean Parks on guitar, Kevin McCormick on bass and Steve DiStanislao on drums.

The pair also announced that they are launching their own label, Blue Castle Records, with the first-ever digital and vinyl release on March 22 of the live album "Another Stoney Evening,'' which was recorded in 1971 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles and can be pre-ordered through their website.

Crosby and Nash have each been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - as parts of Crosby, Stills and Nash and as members of the Byrds and the Hollies, respectively.

Review: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings at the Basie

Alex Biese — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:03:41 GMT

The flurries were falling and the temperature was frigid outside, but on stage at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank one of the hottest bands in the land, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, delivered a master-class in old school funk and soul on Saturday night.

Bringing what Dap-Kings guitarist and master of ceremonies Binky Griptite referred to early in the evening as "the Daptone Super-Duper Soul Revue" to the Basie stage, Jones and her band presided over a show that presented some of the finest acts on Daptone Records to the Red Bank crowd.

After a typically tight and impressive instrumental work-out by the Dap-Kings and solo spots for the band's two background-singing Dapettes, the supremely talented Starr Duncan and Saundra Williams, the show kicked into high gear when opener Charles Bradley took the stage.

Backed by a funky combo featuring members of both the Dap-Kings and the Menahan Street Band, Bradley worked to earn the audience's affection, bringing weathered and soulful vocals and plenty of fancy footwork to the stage while pouring decades of life experience into every note he sang.

Bradley is currently on the road in support of his debut LP, the recently-released "No Time for Dreaming," and on Saturday night he delivered many of that album's stand-out cuts, including "The World (Is Going Up in Flames)" and "Heartaches and Pain," as well as a jaw-dropping soulful cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" that had to be heard to be believed.

Following Bradley's knock-out set, it was time for Jones and the Dap-Kings to hold court. As someone who has now seen Jones and her band five times in four different states, I can testify that they never cease to surprise or amaze me with their live show.

While plenty of energetic Dap-Kings classics - such as "100 Days, 100 Nights," "Got to Be the Way It Is" and "When I Come Home" - found their way into the set on Saturday night, what struck me about the Red Bank performance was the way the band, which came up through the club circuit and regularly wins new fans at festivals, has subtly tweaked its show for the large, seated theaters it currently finds itself in, such as the Basie.

That meant plenty of crowd-pleasing mid-tempo numbers and slow jams from the band's stellar new album, "I Learned the Hard Way," were on display, "Window Shopping," "The Game Gets Old" and "Mama Don't Like My Man" among them. Jones also engaged in more between-song storytelling than I've typically seen from her in the past, such as the impassioned talk that preceded the evening's strongest number, a roof-raising run through the gospel number "Answer Me" from the band's 2007 "100 Days, 100 Nights" LP.

When I interviewed Dap-Kings bassist and Daptone Records co-founder Gabriel Roth in advance of the band's Red Bank show, I asked him how the transition to large seated venues has been for the band, and he had this to say: "we've played so many festivals and theaters and stuff over the last few years (that) it's definitely not intimidating, and it's not awkward or anything, it just takes a little extra effort to try to get out there and connect."

As one who was in the crowd on Saturday night, I can tell you that the band's "extra effort" has paid off in a big way, and I'm sure they'll continue to get out there and connect with fans of soul, funk and R&B for years to come.

All Tomorrow's Parties coming to Asbury Park

Alex Biese — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 17:13:16 GMT

This fall, Asbury Park will play host to musical history.

Presented by All Tomorrow's Parties, which has been promoting festivals and concerts throughout the world for the last 10 years, I'll Be Your Mirror will be held in the historic Monmouth County destination from Friday, Sept. 30 to Sunday, Oct. 2, and will feature landmark performances by Portishead and Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel.

Portishead, an English trip-hop group that has been around for two decades, will curate Saturday and Sunday's events and headline its first east coast shows since 1998, according to a press release.

Any attendees who purchase limited three-day passes will be able to see a Friday night set by Mangum at the Paramount Theatre, which will mark his first large public show of Neutral Milk Hotel songs in over a decade. As part of Neutral Milk Hotel, Mangum released two LPs, including the beloved indie rock classic "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea'' (1998) before the group disbanded.

Limited three-day passes, the only way to see Mangum's Friday night set and which include the choice of being guaranteed to see Portishead on Saturday or Sunday, are $249. Friday day passes, which do not include the Mangum show, are $60. Day passes for Saturday and Sunday are $99 each.

Mangum will also play a separate solo headlining show on Monday, Oct. 3 at the Paramount, and tickets for that are $35. Tickets go on sale 9 a.m. Friday via the All Tomorrow's Parties website.

Along with the Paramount Theatre, other venues expected to host I'll Be Your Mirror events include Convention Hall, the Asbury Lanes and the Berkeley Hotel.

According to the festival's website, the weekend will include a musical lineup of over 30 acts, as well as a Friday comedy stage and a cinema run by Criterion.

TromaDance returning to Asbury Park

Alex Biese — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:33:06 GMT

If you're a local fan of independent art, this very well may be the coolest news you've read in quite a while: TromaDance is coming back to Asbury Park.

It was recently announced that the 12th annual TromaDance Film Festival will be coming to town on April 22 and 23. After 10 years in Park City, Utah - the town which also plays host to the Sundance Film Festival - TromaDance moved to Asbury Park last year.

Discussing TromaDance in an interview last year, Troma Entertainment president and TromaDance founder Lloyd Kaufman said the move to the Garden State made perfect sense for the studio that gave the world "The Toxic Avenger,'' the 1984 cult classic film co-written and co-directed by Kaufman.

"New Jersey has always figured prominently in the movies I've written and directed,'' Kaufman said. "As you know, Tromaville, N.J., is the center of all the scripts that I've written, and the Toxic Avenger is from New Jersey."

According to a news release, the 2011 TromaDance Film Festival will return to the ShowRoom, the independent arthouse cinema located on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, and will wrap up with a closing party at the Asbury Lanes on Fourth Avenue.

The festival, which has a strict policy of no entry fee for submitting films and free admission to all screenings, also recently extended the deadline for accepting submissions - TromaDance will now accept entries postmarked before Feb. 18.

Among the highlights of last year's TromaDance were the east coast premiere screening of the much-hyped shocker "The Human Centipede," the New Jersey premiere of Kaufman's "Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead'' complete with a post-film Q&A with Kaufman, and the killer after-party at the Lanes, which featured Philadelphia-based alt-rock band the Extraordinaires, the lovely ladies of Bump 'n' Grindhouse: B-Movie Burlesque and more.

For a sample of last year's TromaDance Film Festival, check out our photo gallery from throughout the weekend. And for more on TromaDance, visit the festival's official website.

The Bouncing Souls reschedule 'Home for the Holidays'

Alex Biese — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:57:00 GMT

The Bouncing Souls are coming home to Asbury Park, proving that while you can snow them out, you can't hold them down.

The band's fourth annual Home for the Holidays celebration - a run of four shows which bring the Jersey punk kings and plenty of their friends to the legendary Stone Pony - was supposed to be held in late December, but the epic Boxing Day blizzard forced the shows to be put on hold.

However, the winter weather didn't stop the band from treating its local fans to a special compensation performance: on Dec. 28, the band played a surprise free show at the Asbury Lanes on Fourth Avenue for fans who lived within walking distance of the club.

The Lanes show was an awe-inspiring, freewheeling and career-spanning event, drawing on tracks from the band's debut album, 1994's "The Good, the Bad and the Argyle,'' including "Old School'' and "Some Kind of Wonderful'' all the way to "Badass'' from the 2010 album "Ghosts on the Boardwalk'' and plenty from in between. For those lucky enough to have been there, it was a show that will not easily be topped or forgotten any time soon.

And now that the city has had ample time to dig itself out from under the snow, the rescheduled Home for the Holidays shows will be held Wednesday, Feb. 9, through Feb. 12 at the Stone Pony.

Opening acts for the shows include Anti-Flag, Full Speed Ahead and the Great Explainer on Feb. 9, Strike Anywhere, the Menzingers and Dirty Tactics on Feb. 10, Polar Bear Club, Lemuria and Top Soil on Feb. 11 and the Loved Ones, Chris Wollard and the Ship Thieves and Landmines on Feb. 12.

Discussing how Frenchtown-based folk-punk trio Top Soil got involved with the shows, drummer Rich Cahill said, "I've known (Souls bassist) Bryan Kienlen for quite some now and he started tattooing at the shop that I used to own, called Immortal Ink (in Flemington), and we'd just been hanging out and he saw us play this local little show and he had asked if we'd be into it and I was like, 'Hell yeah, man.'

"I'm really excited about this. I've always been a huge fan of the Bouncing Souls, I used to see them at City Gardens (in Trenton) back in the early '90s and it's really cool, it's like come full circle.''

For more information on the shows, visit the official website of the Stone Pony, http://www.stoneponyonline.com, or the band's official website, http://bouncingsouls.com.

Bon Jovi to rock Starland Ballroom

Alex Biese — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:29:26 GMT

Jon Bon Jovi is coming back to Sayreville, and it's for a good cause.

The Bon Jovi frontman, who was recently nominated alongside his band for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will be performing at Sayreville's Starland Ballroom on Jan. 27, 2011. Tickets for Jon Bon Jovi and Friends, priced at $250, go on sale tomorrow (Dec. 9).

According to a news release, net proceeds from the performance will benefit the Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank. On its website, the Parker Family Health Center describes itself as "a volunteer-based, free health care facility where Monmouth County residents without medical insurance or the ability to pay can be cared for with the same level of dignity and confidentiality afforded in the private sector."

Sales for the Starland show will be limited to two tickets per person and tickets will not be mailed in advance; patrons will need to show proper ID and the purchasing credit card on the night of the show and proceed immediately into the venue.

Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Thursday exclusively through Starlandballroom.com and Ticketmaster.com. Tickets will not be available at the box office or any retail ticketing locations.

Bon Jovi, formerly of Sayreville and later of Middletown, has a history of rocking in support of the Parker Family Health Center: in December of 2008, the "Livin' on a Prayer" icon performed at the Hope Concert IV, a benefit concert also featuring performances by Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny Lyon, the Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon and Nicole Atkins. To take a look back at that epic night, be sure to check out Metromix Jersey Shore's photo gallery from the Hope Concert IV.

Review: Lenny Lashley unveils his 'Gang of One'

Alex Biese — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 17:26:26 GMT

The punks are going country. From Hot Water Music's Chuck Ragan to Avail's Tim Barry, it seems that punk rock front-men across the nation have turned to their acoustic sides, usually to sterling results.

The latest member of this movement appears to be Lenny Lashley, formerly of Boston-based punk and ska band Darkbuster. With the help of some serious Garden State state talent, Lashley's new 7-inch vinyl release, "Lenny Lashley's Gang of One,'' has the sound of an instant underground classic that leaves the listener ready for more.

Sounding like equal doses of Wreckless Eric and Johnny Cash, the release's centerpiece is the slow-burning strummer "Viva Rock-N-Roll," in which Lashley directs listeners to "live life like a movie and do what you like, because we'll soon be six feet down," and it's hard to argue with that rock and roll philosophy.

Engineered, mixed and produced by Pete Steinkopf of Jersey punk legends the Bouncing Souls at Little Eden in Asbury Park and released by Asbury Park-based HoldFast Records, the record features Lashley backed by Steinkopf on guitar, keyboards and accordion, as well as Souls bassist Bryan Kienlen and Mighty Mighty Bosstones drummer Joe Sirois. The crew's high-energy roots shine through on the folk-rocking cut "J.F.K.," which sounds like it was cut from the same cloth as the Souls' "Airport Security."

If there's one fault to be found with "Gang of One," it's just that the 7-inch release is over so quickly. Fortunately the record - which is currently on sale at HoldFast Clothing and Records on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park - comes with a download code for digital versions of the record's three tracks as well as a fourth bonus song, the ballad "Hotter Than July."

In a video promoting his latest release, Lashley says he, Steinkopf and Sirois have recorded additional material for an upcoming full-length release which should be ready in January. "Gang of One" is a great introduction to a project I'd love to hear a lot more from in the future.

Lashley will be celebrating the record's release with a show on Saturday (Nov. 20) at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park which will feature performances by Inspecter 7 and TV Tramps. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $10 in advance, $12 the day of the show.

For on Lenny Lashley's Gang of One, visit the project's official MySpace page.

Asbury Music Awards nominees announced

Alex Biese — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:26:57 GMT

Nominees for the 18th Annual Asbury Music Awards were announced yesterday (Oct. 27). The awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 at the legendary Stone Pony, located on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park.

Along with over 30 categories of awards, the event on Nov. 13 will be hosted by Rockin' Robyn Lane of "The Rat," WRAT 95.9 FM and will feature live performances by acts including Quincy Mumford and the Reason Why, Scott Liss and the Sixty-Six, Eryn Shewell featuring Outside the Box and more.

Read on for a complete listing of the nominees as reported by the Asbury Music Awards, and for more information be sure to visit the Asbury Music Awards page on Faceboo k.

Top Young Band (Under 21)

Fish Tank Mafia
Lemon Juice
Hollander
The Ocean Heirs
To Kill A Coward
Maderia
Burn The Movement
These Sightless Eyes
Rival
Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why

Top Male Acoustic Act

Keith Kenny
Tony Tedesco
George Wirth
Gerald Edward
Doug Mikula
Mike Cicalese
Joe Miller
Taylor Allen
Carl Chesna
Mike Cuntala

Top Jam Band

Turtle Soup
Lemon Juice
Karmic Juggernaut
Mike Montrey Band
Wakah Chan
Midnight Sun
Devil's Holiday
Loose Fit
Atmosferics
Sunny Daze

Top Male Vocalist

Anthony Walker - Anthony Walker & The Medicine Chest
Michael Depko - Last Days of Empire
Lou Montesano - Status Green
Chris Harris - Like Trains & Taxis
Jeff Cafone - Outside The Box
Alex Brumel - Alex & Janel
Scott Liss - Scott Liss & The Sixty-Six
Anthony D'Amato (Asbury Park) - The Emancipation Proclamation
Captain James Peacock - Captain James & The Pain
Joe Michelini - River City Extension

Top Blues Band

Jo Wymer & The Itty Bitty Band
Eryn Shewell Band
The Afterbangs
Jim Hayes & The Buddha Brains
Poppa John Bug
Juke Joint Johnny
Nine Below Zero
Gary Cavico
The Usual Suspects

Top Female Acoustic Act

Amanda Duncan
Joanna Burns
Kelly Carvin
Laura Warshauer
Emily Grove
Sheli Aarden
Cara Salimando
Anjelia & The Boy
Cat Cosentino
Laura Monzo

Top Radio/Internet Station to Support Live Music

Thepenguinrocks.com
Blowupradio.com
WRAT 95.9 "The Rat"
90.5 "The Night"
"Brookdale Public Radio"
"The X" 88.9 "Modern Rock
w/An Edge" "Monmouth University"
88.7 WRSU "Rutgers University"
Shore Alternative.Com
105. 7 "The Hawk"

Top Avant Garde Act

The Magnificent Disaster
Chemtrail
Calamity Menagerie
Mothguts
Park Ape
The Sex Zombies
Colie Brice & The New Age Blues Experience
Lunar Ensemble
Joe Harvard's Long Weekend
Out Like Lambs

Top Indie Rock Band

No Wine For Kittens
Scott Liss & The Sixty-Six
Verity In Stereo
Mad Feather Group
Brick And Mortar
Walking With Caveman
The Obvious
Birthwalker
Gimme Drugs
Static Radio
Montagna & The Mouth To Mouth

Top Female Vocalist

Janel Elizabeth - Alex & Janel
Eryn Shewell - Eryn Shewell Band
Joanna Burns
Jo Wymer - Jo Wymer & The Itty Bitty Band
Angie Sugrim - The Obvious
Jerzy Jung - Jerzy Jung
Cara Salimando
Laura Warshauer
Tara Elliott - Tara Elliott & The Red Velvets
Kim Pulsive - The F Bombers

Top Heavy Rock Act

End Of An Era
Sekond Skyn
Last Days Of Empire
Last[Red]Ember
Dethroning The Tyrant
Filter Effect
Toothgrinder
Ghost In Black And White
Panic Switch
New Theory

Top Punk/Ska Band

Lost In Society
Sex Zombies
The Waffle Stompers
Hrny Worms
The F Bombers
TV Tramps
Black Wine
Blackbirds
The Great Explainer
Tara Elliott & The Red Velvets

Top Groove Band

Turtle Soup
Echo Movement
Fatback
Xol Azul Band
Universal Tribe
Flight's Kool
Dub Proof
Underground Logic
The Jack Moves
The Solid Few

Poet Laureate

Tony Panzica
Mark Baird
Chad Anderson
Nicole Homer
Donald Arrington
John "Lunar" Richey
Katharine Polenberg
Chris Rockwell
Josh Ballard
Alex Savastano

Top Multi-Intrumentalist/Other Instruments

Ken Sorensen - Stringbean & The Stalkers
Joe Harvard - Joe Harvard Band
Tanya Peterson - Eryn Shewell Band
Mark Nettlingham - Turtle Soup
Hayden Wright - Mike Montrey Band
Matt Lott - Colie Brice & The New Age Blues Experience
Nick Cucci - River City Extension
John Hopper - Fatback
Steven "Squigs" Minutillo - The Jack/Newton Crosby

Top Live Performance

Status Green
Turtle Soup
Outside The Box
End Of An Era
River City Extension
The Obvious
Brick & Mortar
Only Living Boy
Gimme Drugs
Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why

Top Americana

Michael Patrick & The Suburban Hillbillies
The Barnstormers
Arlan Feiles & The Lone Howdys
Anthony Walker & The Medicine Chest
Joe Harvard Band
The Sunday Blues
Rob Dye Band
River City Extension
Anthony D'Amato (Princeton)
Bob Polding Band

Top Rock Band

The Amboys
The Red Desert
The Black Clouds
Geena & Dragster
Chemtrail
Black Vinyl Radio
Only Living Boy
The Black Jesuses
Outside The Box
Scarlet Carson

Top Pop Band

Status Green
Like Trains and Taxis
Alex & Janel
Jerzy Jung
The Riverwinds
Under New Ownership
Against The Tide
Matt Wade
Anthony Walker & The Medicine Chest
Brian Bisbee Band

Top Local Release

Eryn Shewell "4th & Broadway"
The Amboys "Everything Between The Moon And The Sun"
Scott Liss And The Sixty-Six "The Blackpool Letters"
George Wirth "The Last Good Kiss"
Laura Monzo "Manic"
Status Green "Cheap Sunglasses"
Jerzy Jung "Hello Desire"
Tommy Strazza "The Model Citizen LP"
Lost In Society "Eastern Empire"
Anthony D'Amato (Princeton) "Down Wires"

Top Keyboard Player

Ben Feld - Turtle Soup
Chris Harris - Like Trains and Taxis
Jerzy Jung - Jerzy Jung
Mark Masefield - Outside The Box
Joanna Burns - Joanna Burns
Kurt Thum - The Domino Effect
Cara Salimando - Cara Salimando
Mike Black - Mike Black
Karlee Bloomfield - Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why
Paul Kates - Dub Proof

Top Bassist

Russell Tolas - Status Green
Gianni Scalise - Scott Liss & The Sixty-Six
Brian Gearty - Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why
J.Maggio - Chemtrail
Mike McDermott - Turtle Soup
Justin Bornemann - No Wine For Kittens
Owen Susman - Like Trains & Taxis
Brett Bamberger - Biclops
Brandon Asraf - Brick & Mortar
Nick "Turtle" Paolise - Dub Proof

Top Drummer

Mike Montalto - Status Green
Chris Lukens - Chemtrail
Francis Valentino - Outside The Box
Brett Smith - Capt. James & The Pain
Mike Del Priore - Like Trains & Taxis
Connor Effenberger - The Amboys
Tommy Spano - Sekond Skyn
Wills Weller - Toothgrinder
John Tacon - Brick & Mortar
Hector Bonora - Lost In Society

Top Guitarist

Dan Ridenour - Chemtrail
Tommy Strazza - Anthony Walker & The Medicine Chest
Jeff "Mudd" Mahajan - Turtle Soup
Keith Kenny - Keith Kenny
Pat Rue - Eryn Shewell Band
Joe Harvard - Joe Harvard Band
James McCaffrey - Karmic Juggernaut
Doug Mikula - The Domino Effect
Keith McCarthy - The Sunday Blues
Colie Brice - Colie Brice & The New Age Blues Experience

Top Radio Personality to Support Live Music

Steve Hook (95.9 The Rat)
Lazlo (blowupradio.com/thepenguinrocks.com)
Robyn Lane (95.9 The Rat)
Keith Roth (95.9 The Rat)
Jared Midgen (88.7 WRSU-FM)
Gary Wein (thepenguinrocks.com)
Michele McBride (90.5 The Night)
Mike Merrell (Hawk 2.0 105.7)
Billy O'Brien (Hawk 2.0 105.7)
Pete Lepore (The Punkyard 105.7)

Song of the Year

"Dust" - Cara Salimando
"Suddenly Saturday" - Outside The Box
"Don't You See" - Eryn Shewell
"Not My Day" - Lost In Society
"Emily Part 1" - No Wine For Kittens
"Raise The Roof" - Raise The Roof/Inspired (For Mary's Place By The Sea)
"Hard To Get By" - Matt Wade
"Skeleton Key" - Anthony D'Amato (Princeton)
"I Should Begin" - Scott Liss & The Sixty-Six
"Too Far (On A Broken Heart)" - The Amboys

Top Journalist in Support of Live Music

Stephen Bove (Metromix.com/Jersey Shore)
Chris Jordan (Home News Tribune)
Tris McCall (Star Ledger)
Alex Biese (Metromix.com/Jersey Shore)
Jim Testa (Jersey Beat/The Star Ledger)
Richard Skelly (U.S. 1/Asbury Park Press)
John Pfeiffer (Aquarian Weekly/ECR)
Gary Wien (NewJerseyStage.com)
Danny Wreck (Danny Says!)
Jason Thomson (triCityNews)
Mike Black (TheAquarian/Freelance Photographer)
Dave Christopher (The Coaster/Photographer)

Top News Publication in Support of Live Music

Aquarian Weekly/East Coast Rocker
Asbury Park Press
The Home News
Jersey Beat
The Islander
triCityNews
The Coaster
Currents Magazine

Top Website in Support of Live Original Music

Jerseyshore.metromix.com
Blowupradio.com
Jerseybeat.com
Shorealternative.com
Theaquarianweekly.com
TheJerseyShorepodcast.com
Thenjunderground.com
Eatsleepbreathmusic.com
Thejerseyshorerag.com
Bandsonabudget.com
NewJerseyStage.com

Best Thing to Happen in 2009/2010

* Second Life Bikes Finds A New Home And Helps Move More Locals To Go Green To Local Shows
* Paramount Sessions Spotlights Local Music Community at Paramount Theatre and on the Boardwalk
* Jersey Shore Roller Girls: Roller Derby Rocking Convention Hall With Live Music
* River City Extension Goes On National Tour
* Furthur Comes to Convention Hall Feat. Members of The Grateful Dead For Two Shows In December 09
* Russo Music Asbury Park opens up on Cookman Ave. in the Basement of Holdfast
* Support Live Music In Asbury Park - A Facebook Site All About Live Music, Shows and News
* Chico's House Of Jazz Opens On Lake Ave. Asbury Park
* Revision Theater Brings "Tommy" To The Carousel House On The Boardwalk
* The City Government of Asbury Park Created A New Slogan For Our City and Live Music Scene "Asbury Park, Where Music Lives"
* April Smith's songs licensed to Weeds (Showtime), Californication (Showtime), Colgate commercial and the NFL

Top Local Club DJ

DJ Prestige
DJ Atom Worth
DJ Rob None
DJ Jim Curran
Negril Sound System
DJ Lenny Lounge
DJ Jack Reina
DJ Sly Foxx
DJ Petey Green
DJ Riff Raff
DJ Dehydrated Pirate

Beyond Asbury Top Record/EP/Single Release

Keith Monnachio - "The Long Evening"
Frankenstein 3000 - "America's Hit Remakers"
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - "Pills & Ammo"
The Blackberry Blues Band - "The Blackberry Blues Band"
April Smith & The Great Picture Show - "Songs For A Sinking Ship"
Allie Moss - "Passerby"
Predator Dub Assassins - "Full Qualified"
The Bouncing Souls - "Ghosts On The Boardwalk"
The Gaslight Anthem - "American Slang"
Charlotte Sometimes - "Sideways" (EP)
Last Perfect Thing - "Fifty Meds" (Single)

The O>Matics go 'on parade'

Alex Biese — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:58:00 GMT

For as long as I have been involved in the central Jersey music scene, there have been the O>Matics. Over a solid decade, the Clifton-based trio has been the most consistently satisfying nerd-friendly party rock band around, and it's continuing its winning streak with the band's fifth full-length album, "The O>Matics on Parade."

Available today (Sept. 14) through iTunes, Amazon, MySpace, Shockhound and other online retailers, the album contains plenty of grin-inducing gems that are sure to please both newcomers and longtime O>Matics fans alike.

Many may view the O>Matics as primarily a live act - and given their incredibly crowd-pleasing live shows that's no faint praise - but I'm here to tell you that much of their in-performance energy, humor and exuberance carries over to the studio recordings on the band's latest album. However, some of the album's best songs, in particular the disc-opening "Horns" and the self-explanatory "Conga Inferno," make for fine album cuts but feel like primers for seeing these numbers come to life in a live setting.

One thing "The O>Matics on Parade" makes clear from the start is that this band, while lighthearted, has serious musical range: from the rocking ode to Milltown titled, simply enough, "Milltown," to the musical theater leanings of "Peachy Keen" to the distortion-heavy power-pop and orchestral flourishes of "Distance Inbetween," the O>Matics keep listeners guessing throughout most of their latest LP, with surprising and satisfying results.

But for my money, the must-hear track on "The O>Matics on Parade" is the new wave-influenced "Blanket of Snow." Produced and engineered, along with "Horns," by former Ataris member Paul Carabello, "Blanket of Snow" is an instantly catchy, keyboard-fueled rocker with plenty of heart that sounds like early Elvis Costello performing at a carnival - which is a very good thing.

The band will be doing a live webcast at 8 p.m. tomorrow night (Sept. 15) on its website to promote "The O>Matics on Parade" and will be performing 9 p.m. Friday (Sept. 17) at the Loop Lounge in Passaic, Sept. 24 at the Hasbrouck Heights VFW and on Sept. 25 at the Freehold VFW. For more information on these and other upcoming gigs, be sure to visit the "Shows-O-Matic" section of the band's website.