What's Going On: 7/10, 7/11, 7/12 & 7/13, 2014

Katy Perry plays Pru. There are two shows from Corrina, Corrina. Coffin Daggers play the AP Surf Music Festival. Rick Barry joins many others for Asbury Unplugged.

Baby, You're a Firework!

The cooldaughters have been waiting for this weekend. Katy Perry brings her Prismatic World Tour to Newark, and I'll be taking 4 under-12's to Saturday's show. This will be the biggest, most expensive production I've seen since Taylor Swift last year. I prefer Katy Perry, so this should be OK. I'm sure the girls will love it, which makes it worthwhile.

That means, though, I'll be missing some local stuff this weekend, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Thursday night has a couple of great options. Asbury Lanes has got Pentimento kicking off their tour with Have Mercy and Gates. Local support comes from Corrina, Corrina who will be playing their last show with bassist Mike O'Connor, so get there early. Sound Waves ~~is doing something as yet unannounced as far as I can tell~~ has Emily Grove, Sensory Hoverload, and Tony Tedesco for free at APYC.

UPDATE: I'll bet you thought I forgot about Thursday's Songwriters On The Beach in Belmar. Well... ...I did. But just for a little while.

Friday sees the free CD release show from Chris Brown at The Anchor's Bend on the north side of Convention Hall. I reviewed Brown's latest, Anchor, earlier this week. Also playing that party are EdTang & The Chops, Hightime For Lowlifes, Matthew Charles, and Brown's backing band Last Night's Disasters. Over at The Wonder Bar, Dark City presents the second installment of Asbury Unplugged with Ron Santee, Rick Barry, Colton Kayser, Frank Lombardi, and more. Asbury Lanes has Old Man Markley, The Scandals, Honah Lee, and The Raritan. Corrina, Corrina is at it again at Clash Bar in Clifton. Katy Perry does her first night in Newark.

Saturday brings the long-awaited Asbury Park Surf Music Festival featuring The Brigantines, Coffin Daggers, Plato Zorba, and many more to Asbury Lanes. There will also be vendors and classic cars. Things start at noon, so I'll try to catch some of the action before heading up to Newark. Devi is at The Lamp Post in Jersey City with Aminal and Autumn City.

Sunday is surprisingly loaded. There's the second installment of Lakehouse Presents with Modern Chemistry, Bad Heat, and flora. doing some free acousticness starting at 2pm. Asbury Lanes has the Panic State Records 5th Anniversary Party. The staff at The Saint is in for a long day as there are three shows on the bill starting with a 1pm, all-ages matinee with Rachel Miller. At 6:30 the "Three Hour Tour" with Jim Boggia, Pete Donnelly, and more moves in there. And Deal Casino continue their free Saint summer residency at 9:45 with full-band help from Modern Chemistry.

Plenty to do locally. If you'd like to head up to Newark for "Firework," "California Gurls," "Roar," "Dark Horse," and the rest, take my advice. The shows don't appear to be sold out, so if you don't have tickets yet; check the old StubHub day of show for a deal. If you're there on Saturday give me a buzz and a I'll buy you a soda.

THURSDAY (7/10)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Pentimento / Have Mercy / Gates / Sleepers Lie / Corrina, Corrina, 6:30pm, $12 (ALL AGES)