Photos from a Big Weekend of Record Releases and Surf Music: Deal Casino, Hey Anna, dollys, Smalltalk, Dentist, Black Flamingos, Night Birds, MORE

Husband and wife Vincent Minervino of The Brigantines and Magdalena O'Connell organized the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival.

Nika, Run Koko, and The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival

A couple of weekends ago, I stopped into Asbury Lanes during one of their Eat, Drink, Bowl, Hang Friday nights. "Where have you been? It's been weeks."

It had been a little while since I'd been at Asbury Lanes. CoolMom's been doing a lot of traveling. I spent some time in Brooklyn for Northside Festival. The cooldaughters have their evening swim meets. I just haven't been getting out there like I usually do. I made up for lost time this weekend, though.

Friday saw record releases from both Deal Casino and Hey Anna. Deal Casino held their party for Nika at Asbury Lanes with Smalltalk, dollys, and Deaf Rhino. They absolutely packed out the place and pulled out all the stops with extra lights, smoke, and their usual all-out show. Hey Anna went a little more low-key, but no less impressive, at the Run Koko release with a late set at The Saint.

On Saturday, Asbury Lanes hosted the second annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival. I spent from 1pm until about 1am enjoying the music, taking pictures, hanging out with friends, and -- yeah -- trying a couple of the tiki drinks. I was blown away by traditional surf bands like Blue Wave Theory and The Sharkskins. As always, our friends in The Brigantines, Black Flamingos, and Dentist were fantastic. Things got harder and darker as the day closed with great sets from Night Birds and The Coffin Daggers. Special shout out to Disco Mike, who danced non-stop, all day long to just about every band that played.

Click through on the links below for pictures from both days.

NOTE: Thanks to some slow service at the North Eats food truck pavilion, I missed one band at the festival. Sadly, that band was one of our favorites, Plato Zorba. I came back inside the Lanes and Ryan Gregg was just dismantling his keyboard. Damn. I hear there was a mummy and everything. They are a fantastic avant-garde surf band, and I urge you to check out their album Pageant of the Transmundane. Also, here are some pics from their release show a while back.

Friday, 7/10/15

Asbury Lanes
Deaf Rhino