What's Going On: 7/3, 7/4, 7/5 & 7/6, 2014

Is It The 4th?

It soon will be.

Independence Day 2014. I remember the days of heading to Marine Park -- first with my family, then with friends or just on my bike -- to see the fireworks every year. I never was a huge fan of the big crowds and difficult parking associated with 4th of July fireworks, but CoolMom and the cooldaughters love fireworks. CoolMom and I have had a few nice, laid back fireworks experiences over the years: Sea Bright in, maybe, 1993 for one of our first dates; Astoria, Oregon during a road trip in grad school; The roof of my in-laws' house in Santa Fe, New Mexico before we got married; Plymouth, Massachusetts from a sailboat that we were helping to move from Connecticut to Maine when CoolMom was still pregnant with CoolDaughter #1. I'm sure we'll see some -- Arthur permitting -- this year, too.

There were a few years there, I think, when Southside Johnny did his annual July 4th shows at The Garden State Arts Center. Pretty sure I saw a few of those from the lawn. Tonight (Thursday) he brings that whole thing to The Stone Pony Summer Stage with  Southside Johnny's show has been rescheduled for August 2nd. Eddie and The... ...I mean, John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band will play the inside stage at The Stone Pony.

Also on Thursday, Sound Waves has four bands for free at Asbury Park Yacht Club including The Shady Street Show Band who just released a patriotic song / video to aid in your celebrations. Bern & The Brights are at Jersey City's Lamp Post with Plasstiq Passion. Désir Decir are holding a record release party at Lot 13 in Bayonne. Dark City Strings play The Saint.

Friday's kind of quiet, leaving you plenty of time for beer, bbq, and blowin' shit up. There are a few shows, though. Birthwater play for free at APYC, and you've got Oceanfest all day in Long Branch.

Things pick up again on Saturday. Miss TK & The Revenge play a dance party at Asbury Lanes. Thomas Wesley Stern and Accidental Seabirds hit APYC for a free show. Dark City is putting on their "Independence Day Bash" at The Wonder Bar with gods, Wreaths, The Munsens, and Amy Malkoff & The Moonshines.

Crosby, Stills, and Nash are at Monmouth University's MAC on Sunday, and Deal Casino play for free again at The Saint. Lakehouse Music Academy kick off their "Lakehouse Presents" series with a free, acoustic show featuring Mikey Erg, Corporate Hearts, and Connor Byrne outside at 2pm.

Have a great weekend. Be safe. All that. Arthur may wash out a day or two of outdoor activities; but there's plenty to do inside, and Saturday looks like a beauty.

Starting the listings this week with fireworks options. Check with the towns for cancelations, reschedulings.

Peace.

FIREWORKS

7/3
Keansburg, Union Beach

7/4
Asbury Park, Freehold, Keansburg, Long Branch, West Long Branch

7/5
Atlantic Highlands, Bradley Beach, Hazlet, Manasquan, Ocean

THURSDAY (7/3)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Sound Waves Presents: Joe West / Beachfire / Shady Street Show Band / Political Party Crashers, 9pm, FREE

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): 4th of July Pre-Party: Centerfield / A Need For A Reason / The Rooftop / The Holophonics / The Best Of The Worst / The Black Sox Scandal, 7pm, $10

Lamp Post (Jersey City): Bern & The Brights / Plasstiq Passion, 10pm, FREE

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

Lot 13 Long Bar (Bayonne): Désir Decir (EP Release) / Awkward Girls / Black Wail, 10pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): The Creepshow / The Turnbucklers, 9pm, $15 adv, $20 door

The Saint (Asbury): Dark City Strings / Cold Weather Company / Alexander Kariotis, 7:30pm, $10

The Stone Pony Summer Stage (Asbury): Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band, 5pm, $34 adv, $39 door (ALL AGES)

The Stone Pony (Asbury): John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band / Jody Joseph / Bob Polding, 5pm, $20 donation for Asbury Park Toy Drive (ALL AGES)

FRIDAY (7/4)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Birthwater & Friends, 10pm, FREE

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): The Fastback Band, 10pm, FREE

Long Branch Promenade (Long Branch): Oceanfest 2014, 10am-10pm

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): 4th of July Music Festival: Vengeance / Jersey Drive / Lost Cause / more, 1pm-Close, $YouWannaKnowYouGottaGo

SATURDAY (7/5)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Miss TK & The Revenge / Seaside Caves / DJs, 8pm, $8 (18+)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Thomas Wesley Stern / Accidental Seabirds, 10pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Acoustic Night: Lucy Wood / Broken Angels Duo / The Porchistas Duo / more, 6pm, $10 adv, $12 door (ALL AGES)

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): DJ Sly Foxx, 10pm, FREE

Paul's Tavern (Lake Como): EdTang & The Chops / Lindsay Perry / Blisstique, 8pm, FREE

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Trash Mavericks / Triple Addiction, 9:30pm, $10

The Saint (Asbury): Goodbye Tiger / Tour De Force / Civic, 7:30pm, $10

The Stone Pony (Asbury): John Eddie, 7pm, $18 adv, $20 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): Dark City Entertainment Presents: gods / Wreaths / The Munsens / Amy Malkoff & The Moonshines, 7:30pm, $10

SUNDAY (7/6)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Murphy's Law / Born Annoying / Huge / Real Cops / Krust, 4pm, $15 (ALL AGES)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): SPIN YOUR OWN Sunset Party, 5pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Red Stagnation Record Release, 2pm, $10, (ALL AGES)

Lakehouse Music Academy (Asbury): Mikey Erg / Corporate Hearts / Connor Byrne, 2pm, FREE (Acoustic)

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Country Comfort, 1pm, FREE

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Danisa Fagan & Dr. Rojo, 7pm, FREE

Monmouth University (West Long Branch): An Evening w/ Crosby, Stills, and Nash, 6:30pm, $51-$104

Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse (Dunellen): Sunday Surf: The Brigantines / The Outlips / The Sharkskins, 7pm, $15

The Saint (Asbury): Deal Casino / Colton Kayser / Sam Sims, 8pm, FREE

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Tash Even & Kyle, 2pm, $10 adv, $12 door (ALL AGES)