What's Going On: 11/20, 11/21, 11/22 & 11/23, 2014

This is a big freaking deal at CoolDad Music HQ.

That Mockingjay Looks So Warm

Big weekend gets started tonight. The Mockingjay: Part 1 midnight showing actually takes place at 8pm on Thursday to accommodate the early bedtimes of tweens. We've got some big names in the area tonight. Later in the weekend, both cooldaughters have swim meets; but you're tired of hearing me complain about that. Onward.

Sick Of It All are back at Asbury Lanes on Thursday. The Battery Electric, We're Ghosts Now, and Chris LeCompte play what promises to be a "cozy" Asbury Park Yacht Club for free. The Clef hosts an early evening show at Village Coffee in Wall with Weird and Wonderful Words, Eric Ayotte, Gadabout Film Festival, and Dish Ross.

I mentioned big names. Ryan Adams comes to The Count Basie on Thursday night. Mary Chapin Carpenter and Tift Merritt are at Monmouth University's Pollak Theater. Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens continues his "Confessions of a Rock Star" residency for free at Langosta, this time with The Accelerators.

On Friday, Smalltalk bring their Modern Rock at The Jersey Shore to APYC with Dead Overhead. Corrina, Corrina are closing in on Thanksgiving break and supporting ASTPAI and The Great Explainer at The Brighton Bar. The Creeptones play Langosta for free with Deaf Rhino. There's a Last Waltz tribute at The Pollak featuring a host of local luminaries like Glen Burtnik, Southside Johnny, Sal Boyd, Frank Lombardi, and Emily Grove. The Saint hosts a benefit for the beloved Jacko featuring Dogliftleg, Stag Party, TV Tramps, Real Cops, and The Escape. Jake Clemons is at The Pony. Village Coffee's got another show with Toy Cars, Unraveled, I Tried To Run Away When I Was 6, and Admissible Arsonist. Dark City brings another installment of Asbury Unplugged to The Wonder Bar.

APYC keeps bringing it on Saturday with Accidental Seabirds and The Moonbees. Teenage Halloween, The Great Depression, Eric Funn, Basement Beers, and Boys In Crop Tops are at The Meatlocker in Montclair. Passafire play their first night at The Saint. Dark City is at it again with The Vansaders, Modern Chemistry, Garden State Line, and Sons of Origin at Wonder Bar.

Sunday's kind of quiet leading into the big holiday week, but Passafire are back for a second night at The Saint.

Looks like the polar vortex may loosen its grip on us a bit by Sunday as temps creep up ever so slightly. Whatever the temperature, dress appropriately; and I'll see you out there.

Oh, and please send warm thoughts to my sister-in-law and her family who are dealing with the lake effect storm of the century up in Orchard Park, NY.

THURSDAY (11/20)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Sick Of It All / Negative Approach / Born Annoying, 7pm, $17 adv, $19 door (ALL AGES)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): The Battery Electric / We're Ghosts Now / Chris LeCompte, 8:30pm, FREE

Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank): Ryan Adams, 8pm, $35-69.50

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): OC45 (Boston) / 9:18 / The Lawless Few / No RiSK / Corey Clark, 9pm

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Pat DiNizio's Confessions of a Rock Star w/ The Accelerators, 8pm, FREE

Pollak Theater (West Long Branch): Mary Chapin Carpenter / Tift Merritt, 8pm, $40-52

The Saint (Asbury): Lakehouse Music Academy Adult Rock Class Takeover, 6:30pm, FREE

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Kip Moore, 6pm, 39.50 adv, 40.50 door (ALL AGES)

Village Coffee (Wall): Weird and Wonderful Words / Eric Ayotte / Gadabout Film Festival / Dish Ross, 4:30pm, $6

FRIDAY (11/21)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Smalltalk / Dead Overhead, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): ASTPAI (fr. Austria) / The Great Explainer / Corrina, Corrina, 7pm, $10 (ALL AGES)

Clash Bar (Clifton): Test Band / Road Machine / Another Distraction

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Cook Thugless / Doing Better / Crash The Bear / Friends In Distraction / The House of Thieves / Thirty Silver / Ashes to Oranges, 8pm

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Deaf Rhino / The Creeptones, 9pm, FREE

Pollak Theater (West Long Branch): One Last Waltz w/ Glen Burtnik, Sal Boyd, Bob Burger, Arne Wendt as The Band ft. Southside Johnny / Bobby Bandiera / Stringbean / Frank Lombardi / Emily Grove / more, 7pm, $22-32

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Billy Hector, 9pm, $12 

The Saint (Asbury): Jacko Benefit: Dogliftleg / Stag Party / TV Tramps / Real Cops / The Escape, 8pm, $12

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Almost Queen a Tribute to Queen, 7pm, $15 adv, $18 door (ALL AGES)

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Jake Clemons, 7pm, $18.50 adv, $20 door (ALL AGES)

Village Coffee (Wall): Toy Cars / Unraveler / I Tried To Run Away When I Was 6 / Admissible Arsonist, 5:30pm, $5

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Asbury Unplugged: Nick Cucci / Jeff Plate / Chris Brown / Jamie Coppa / Doug Zambon / Tony Tedesco / more, 7pm, $5

SATURDAY (11/22)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Bettina May's Pinup Class, 11:30am-5:30pm

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Burlesque Night featuring: Bettina May's Art Opening and Burlesque Show, 8pm, $12 adv, $15 door (18+)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Accidental Seabirds / The Moonbees, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Don Jamieson of VH1's "THAT METAL SHOW," 5:30pm, $13 (ALL AGES)

Clash Bar (Clifton): Crime Scene / Deafinitive / Before The End / Silence Equals Death / Knuckle Up

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): The Scandals / sydbarret / Pour the Pirate Sherry / d'arcy / Kill Wealthy Dowager, 9pm

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Dark City Strings, 10pm, FREE

The Meatlocker (Montclair): Teenage Halloween / The Great Depression / Eric Funn / Basement Beers / Boys In Crop Tops, 7:30pm, donation requested

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Tweed and The Sugardaddies / The Razorbacks, 9:30pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Passafire / TUGG / Eastbourne, 7:30pm, $15

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Colossal Street Jam, 7pm, $10 adv, $12 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): The Vansaders / Modern Chemistry / Garden State Line / Sons of Origin, 7:30pm, $10

SUNDAY (11/23)

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Green Jellÿ / Hammer Fight / Park Ape / Ancora / Dreadful Recognition, 6pm, $12 (ALL AGES)

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): After The Reign, 1pm, FREE

The Saint (Asbury): Passafire / Tugg / Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why, 6:30pm, $15

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Emmure, 7pm, $18 adv, $20 door (ALL AGES)