Monday, July 6, 2015

The Second Annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival, This Saturday, July 11th at Asbury Lanes

The Brigantines at the winter warm-up for the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival back in January. Catch them at this year's summer festival this Saturday at Asbury Lanes.

Summer Surf

"We just wanted to have a party that we would want to go to." That's what Magdalena O'Connell, co-founder of the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival, told me over beer, burgers, and wursts at the Asbury Park Festhalle and Biergarten. The first year of the festival, she and her then-fiancé, Vincent Minervino of The Brigantines and Black Flamingos, fantasized about heading to Livorno, Italy for the Surfer Joe Summer Festival as their honeymoon. After considering the costs and logistics of the trip, the pair decided that it might be easier (Easier? Really?) to put together a festival of their own in Asbury Park. O'Connell and Minervino booked the date at the retro-cool Asbury Lanes, and the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival was born.

Last year's fest drew hundreds of surf music fans to the daylong party that, in addition to some of the East Coast's best surf bands, featured classic cars, vendors, and specialty drinks. This year's party is shaping up to be bigger on all fronts.

There are the bands. With sounds ranging from the classic surf of Boston's The Fathoms to the more aggressive sounds of bands like NYC's Coffin Daggers and NJ's Night Birds in their instrumental incarnation to the surf-tinged pop of locals Glycerine Queens and Dentist, there should be something for both hardcore surf fans and those just looking for a summer dance party. Favorites like Black Flamingos, Plato Zorba, The Brigantines, The Sharkskins, and Los Pocos Locos, along with many others will be returning this year.

Minervino told me, "People can be more critical of rock music -- 'I like this. I don't like that.' -- but surf music just makes everyone have a good time. You can go up front and dance, or you can sit and have a conversation at the bar."

There are the cars. This year, Tuckerton's Dead Rodz Revival will be organizing the show of pre-1978 hot rods. Cars will be on display outside of Asbury Lanes, and owners can email the club to reserve their spot.

There are the drinks. Born as they were planning their wedding, the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival receives as much attention from Vincent and Magdalena as their own big event did. The pair told me that they and the bartenders at Asbury Lanes are meticulously planning and testing specialty cocktails to serve in the tiki bar they're creating for the event.

There are the vendors. Big Slick Pomade Co., Little Dickman Records, ACDWSH, Groovy Graveyard, Dead Rodz, Bettie's Bombshells, Jetty, Southern Tier Brewing, Vintage Variety Shop, Central Jersey Rolller Vixens, Garden State Beard & Mustache Society, and more will have tables at the event.

Put all of that together with all-day surf movies and guest DJ sets from the bands, and you've got a great summer party.

"The thing I remember most about last year is all the dancing," said O'Connell.

So come to Asbury Lanes this Saturday, July 11th at noon. Enjoy a specialty cocktail, say a Tillie Sunburn. Ogle some classic cars or browse some of the unique offerings from the on-site vendors. And bring your dancing shoes. The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival is a party anybody would love to attend.

The Second Annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival takes place on July 11th at Asbury Lanes starting at 12 noon. Advance tickets for this ALL AGES event are available here.

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