What's Going On: 3/19, 3/20, 3/21 & 3/22, 2015

Deal Casino represent Asbury Park on Friday at The Stone Pony when "Scenes Collide" between AP and New Brunswick.

SPRING!

I know. I know. It's supposed to snow on the first day of spring. 1-3 inches. But it's still spring, meaning our long winter nightmare is over. Let Winter have his last day. He's as good as dead, and I'm gonna be dancing on his grave.

Anyway, let's see what's happening on the first freaking weekend of spring.

On Thursday, New Brunswick's Banana Stand hosts Everything Ever, Perspective A Lovely Hand To Hold, Trash Lord, and Semiotics. Ronin have their first-ever headlining slot at The Brighton with Leeds, Ascending From Ashes, High Octane, and Ryan Flannery. Hurricane Season hit Court Tavern with Hounds, Sunrot, and Dutchguts. Blithedale Romance are at The PussyPad in NB with Morus Alba, Evasive Backflip, and Professor Caveman. Grey Goes black play Roxy & Dukes for free.

The re-scheduled Aidan's Garage 1-year anniversary show happens on Friday and features Corrina, Corrina, Taking Meds, Makeshift Shelters, and Teenage Halloween. The Ribeye Brothers come out of winter hibernation for a free show at APYC with The Long Defeats. The Clydes headline The Brighton with Blisstique, Ashes To Rain, and Tinmouth. Fifth Harmony play a sold out Basie. Radiator Hospital venture to New Brunswick's In The West with Nice Try, Quarterbacks, and Pebbles. Chris Rockwell hits Langosta. Karmic Juggernaut, The Shady Street Show Band, and Matt Wade play The Saint. ~~Weird And Wonderful Words celebrate their record release at Pemberton's Poop Deck with The Best Of The Worst, The Gray Company, and more~~. A Will Away play GameChanger World. ~~Our buds in Paper Streets play New Brunswick's Glitterbox with Losergroove, Fiscal Cliff, Owen Thomas Quigley, and The Band Formerly Known As Osaka.~~

Also on Friday, Dark City Entertainment and The Court Tavern host an Asbury Park vs New Brunswick night at The Stone Pony. Deal Casino, Monterey, Amy Malkoff, and Plato Zorba take the Asbury side. NGHTCRWLRS, City Limits, Feeny, and The Black Sox Scandal wave New Brunswick's flag. Do they have a flag? Who knows?

Saturday brings NateFest to GameChanger World in Howell. It's a two-day fundraiser for Ensign's Nate Gluck, recently diagnosed with stomach cancer. The shows feature a ton of punk / hardcore bands like Sick Of It All, Kill Your Idols, None More Black, Old Wounds, and Ensign and are sold out. You can still donate if you'd like to help out, and you can also attend the after-party at Asbury Lanes featuring Spinal Ramones, The Curse, Worthless United, and The Scandals.

Also on Saturday, NJ post-hardcore greats Aviso' Hara reunite for a show at Court Tavern that also features Eastern Anchors, Wreaths, Zero For Conduct, and Stuyvesant. Mint 400 Records hold their showcase at NYC's Parkside Lounge with Sink Tapes, Tri-State, The Maravines, and more. It's the first-ever show for Quantum Peruvian at Montclair's Meatlocker. Helping them celebrate will be Basement Beers, Sean Ritz, Spenny Da Kid, Cephalapods And Their Allies, and Dem Feelz. The Battery Electric journey up to Jersey City's Moonlight Mile Recording Studio for a show with their friends in Black Wail and Life Eaters. The Saint has two shows: Toby Lightman early and Press, For Our Lifetime, Centennials, and The Enemy Is You late.

NateFest continues on Sunday at GameChanger World. The Black Sox Scandal headline The Brighton. Musicians On A Mission host a "Beach Music"-themed open mic and food drive at Belmar Arts Council. Comedian Kurt Braunohler is at The Saint.

Keep your chin up. The snow's not gonna stick. Soon we can play catch in my backyard.

THURSDAY (3/19)

The Banana Stand (New Brunswick): Everything Ever / Perspective, A Lovely Hand To Hold / Trash Lord / Semiotics, 7pm, $5

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Ronin / Leeds / Ascending From Ashes / High Octane / Ryan Flannery, 7pm, $10 adv, $12 door (18+)