What's Going On: 7/17, 7/18, 7/19, & 7/20, 2014

The Bouncing Souls are "Home for the Summer." Smalltalk play Asbury Lanes. Free shows from The Battery Electric and Ruby The Hatchet.

What's Not?

The summer is in full swing and it is a weekend of tough, tough choices. My plan for #7DaysOfShows fell through almost immediately as weather and a general lethargy conspired to shift other obligations around on the calendar, but I think it's possible to squeeze in seven days' worth of shows this weekend alone.

You've got to start making some tough calls on Thursday night as Sound Waves have a great free singer / songwriter themed show at APYC with Cranston Dean, Colton Kayser, Jason Bennett, and Matt Charrette. There's another free option for you in Belmar as 90.5's Songwriters on the Beach has got Revelations and The Shady Street Show Band. The Saint -- making their own bid for a week's worth of shows this weekend -- has the first of their EIGHT weekend shows with reggae from Inner Visions, Dub Proof, and Negril Sound. Michael Franti hits The Stone Pony Summer Stage.

Things get EXTREMELY tough on Friday. Plow United come to Asbury Lanes with help from Great Apes, Ma Jolie, Dead Precedents, and current CDM obsession Smalltalk. The Battery Electric play for free at APYC with Philly's On Top. Tesco Vee's Meatmen hit The Brighton. The Saint has two shows. 311 are on The Stone Pony Summer Stage. And everyone's favorite secret DIY venue has a line-up of epic proportions for the Loser Year record release that includes Brick Mower, Corrina Corrina, Night Birds instrumental offshoot Killer Waves, and more.

Breathe...

Saturday. The Bouncing Souls are "Home for the Summer," celebrating their 25th anniversary on The Stone Pony Summer Stage with support from The Menzingers and the fantastic Ted Leo. The after party happens at Asbury Lanes and features Lost In Society for $5. Ruby The Hatchet play APYC for free. Champagne Black, Acid, and Vextion are at The Brighton. The Saint has, count 'em, three shows.

Finally, Sunday is usually a day for taking it easy. This week, though, Lakehouse Music Academy continue their free series of afternoon, acoustic punk with Goddamnit, Condition Oakland, and Feudalism. You can learn how to cook Italian with Chef Pasquale at The Brighton. The Saint takes it easy with just two shows: An early Woody Guthrie tribute to benefit Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital featuring Thomas Wesley Stern, Brandon Harvey and The Vagabond Soles, Ron Santee, and more along with Deal Casino's weekly free show later that night.

There can't possibly be anything else, right? Well, if there is, shoot me a note and I'll post it up.

THURSDAY (7/17)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Sound Waves Presents Cranston Dean / Colton Kayser / Jason Bennett / Matt Charette, 9pm, FREE

Belmar (Ocean Ave., Between 5th & 6th): Songwriters On The Beach: Revelations / The Shady Street Show Band, 7pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): The PBJ's / Tommy Strazza / Amanda Duncan / Elliot and The Ghost, 7:30pm, $6 (18+)

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Everything Ever / Secret Mountain / 23 Missed Calls / Osaka, 9pm, $YouWannaKnowYouGottaGo

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Boardwalk Jazz w/ PJ Rasmussen Ensemble, 7pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Rayburn Anthony, 6pm, $15

The Saint (Asbury): Inner Visions / Dub Proof / Negril Sound, 8pm, $15

The Stone Pony Summer Stage (Asbury): Michael Franti & Spearhead, 5pm, $40.50 adv, $46 door  (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Joe Fletcher / Andrew Combs / Ron Gallo, 7pm, $10 adv (+fees)

FRIDAY (7/18)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Plow United / Smalltalk / Ma Jolie / Great Apes / Dead Precedents, 7pm, $12 adv, $15 door (ALL AGES)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): The Battery Electric / On Top, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): The Meatmen / Shat / Mental Abuse / Executors, 6:30pm, $12

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Reborn Divided / Pwned / Scars of Envy / Apostrophes / Cheese Puff Death Krunch, 8pm, $10

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Brother Grand, 10pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Twice as Good, 9:30pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Tony Lucca / Tyler Hilton / Anna Rose, 6pm, $12 adv, $15 door

The Saint (Asbury): Lo Faber & Aaron Maxwell / Paul & Lizzy Kates / John Bevo / Bamm Hollow, 10pm, $10 adv, $12 door

The Stone Pony Summer Stage (Asbury): 311 / Passafire, 5pm, $45 adv, $50 door, (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Turnpike Troubadours, 7pm, $15 adv, $17 door (+fees)

Wonder Loft (Asbury): Loser Year (Album Release) / Crazy & The Brains / Brick Mower / Corrina, Corrina / Cousin Brian / Space Time Revisited / Killer Waves / Darkwing, 7pm, $8 (ALL AGES)

SATURDAY (7/19)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Home for the Summer After Party: Lost In Society / Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, 10pm, $5 (ALL AGES)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Ruby The Hatchet, 10pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Champagne Black / Acid / Vextion, 8pm, $7 (18+)

Clash Bar (Clifon): Angelface/Headcase / The Cartwheelers / All New Episode / The Best Lies / Frogg Party, 9pm, $8

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Ghost House / Forever Losing Sleep / The Mosers / Hot Fang / No Machine, 9pm, $BeatsMe

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Microfossils / Bone & Marrow, 10pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Rock Fest, 2pm, $12 (Kids 12/u, FREE)

The Saint (Asbury): Alexis Keegan / Lucy Wood, 2pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Willy Porter / Wood Madison / Mike Kuhl, 6pm, $15

The Saint (Asbury): Down North / Desiree Spinks & Jimmy Farkas, 10pm, $10

The Stone Pony Summer Stage (Asbury): The Bouncing Souls / The Menzingers / Ted Leo, 5pm, $32 adv, $37 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Soul Cruisers, 9:30, $12

SUNDAY (7/20)

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Orsara Recipes: Lunch w/ Chef Pasquale, $35-60, 1:30pm

Lakehouse Music Academy (Asbury): Goddamnit / Feudalism / Condition Oakland., 2pm, FREE (Acoustic)

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Country Comfort ft. After the Reign, 1pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Glamazons (Burlesque), 8pm, $15

The Saint (Asbury): Bound for Greystone II: AP's Tribute to Woody Guthrie w/ Thomas Wesley Stern / Mike Moran / Devils in the Sawdust / Ayla Lou / Ron Santee, 4pm, $8

The Saint (Asbury): Deal Casino / Creeptones, 9:45pm, FREE

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Deltron 3030 / Event 2 Tour / Kid Koala, 7pm, $22 adv, $25 door