What's Going On: 7/9, 7/10, 7/11 & 7/12, 2015

YJY, Hey Anna, and Deal Casino all have release shows this weekend.

Goodbye, Court Tavern... ...For Now?

My workload was ever so slightly lighter this week, as we received news of the sudden closure of New Brunswick's Court Tavern. As a Jersey Shore boy, I didn't spend too much time there; but I have been there for several excellent shows. The place also served as kind of a home away from home for many of our friends in and around New Brunswick. All summer shows have been canceled, and the future of the iconic club remains uncertain. It was just a tough, tough, tough week for the New Brunswick scene for several reasons. I think they have it in them, though, to bounce back. There are still plenty of shows happening in Hub City this week and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the great times.

On Thursday night, closer to home, WBJB kicks off their free Songwriters on the Beach series when they bring Ari Hest and Colton Kayser to Belmar's 5th Avenue Beach. Electric Six are back at Asbury Lanes. The Rezillos play Wonder Bar. Joe Michelini of River City Extension does the intimate solo thing at Langosta.

A couple of our friends are in the big city on Thursday. Hey Anna play Brooklyn's Baby's All Right for their Run Koko record release with Sticky Fingers and Such Hounds. YJY are at Cake Shop with The Regrets, Tribal Days, and New Brunswick's Ghost Camp. In the city of New Brunswick, Scarlet Pub hosts Disposable, Mike Oregano, The Rooftop, and Popp Over America. Starland has Say Anything, Modern Baseball, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Hard Girls.

Deal Casino celebrate the release of Nika on Friday at Asbury Lanes with help from Smalltalk, dollys, and Deaf Rhino. Hey Anna do Run Koko Part 2 as a late show at The Saint after The Stu Hamm Band play early. Tumulty's in Bruns has Professor Caveman, Foxanne, Maeby Funk, and Sad Lips. Cake play the Summer Stage.

Lots of daytime stuff happening on Saturday. Gnomefest takes place at the American Legion Auxiliary Unit in Leonardo. That's got Noiseheads, Jewel Eye, GPP, and more. Asbury Park sees its first annual Promenade of Mermaids along the boardwalk. The Clydes play a matinee at Brighton Bar with The B-Sides. The CoolDad Music co-sponsored Asbury Park Surf Music Festival returns to Asbury Lanes. The no longer free 4Knots Festival moves to Manhattan's Pier 84 and features Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks, Super Furry Animals, Screaming Females, and more.

Saturday evening sees The Dictators NYC back at Brighton Bar. YJY play their own record release show at New Brunswick's In The West with Glazer, Spill, Pity Party, and NGHTCRWLRS. Tall Days, Fiscal Cliff, and The Cheap Moves hit Maxwell's Tavern. Slightly Stoopid and Dirty Heads play a sold out Summer Stage.

On Sunday, lots of New Brunswick bands come together for the Blueberry Lawnching Festival 3. That one has ROMP, Bobby Mahoney and The Seventh Son, Cold Weather Company, and more. Asbury Lanes hosts a benefit for the Monmouth County SPCA. The Black Clouds head up to Brooklyn's Bell House to play with Mudhoney and Pissed Jeans.

Get out there and make some memories for yourself. Raise a glass to The Court Tavern.

On another note, if you're depressed or if you even suspect that someone you know may be, please ask for help. There are so many wonderful things in this world. You're one of them, as a matter of fact. Please don't deprive yourself or anyone else of the opportunity to experience them all.

THURSDAY (7/9)

5th Ave. Beach (Belmar): Ari Hest / Colton Kayser, 7pm, FREE

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Electric Six / Cosmica, 8pm, $12 adv, $15 door (ALL AGES)

Baby's All Right (Brooklyn): Sticky Fingers / Such Hounds / Hey Anna, 8pm, $10-12

The Beach Bar (Asbury): Disco 2000: DJ Magic Juan Electro / Indie / Shoegaze, 8pm

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): The Hive Mind / Chevy Lopez / Go Man Go / Fun While You Wait, 7pm, $7 (18+)

Cake Shop (NYC): The Regrets / Tribal Days / YJY / Ghost Camp, 8pm, $8

The Kremlin (New Brunswick): Abi Reimold / Walking Distance / Brown Rainbow / Specimen 47, 7:30pm, $5

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Joe Michelini, 9pm, FREE

Scarlet Pub (New Brunswick): Disposable / Mike Oregano / The Rooftop / Popp Over America, 8:45pm, $5

Starland Ballroom (Sayreville): Say Anything / Modern Baseball / Cymbals Eat Guitars / Hard Girls, 7pm, $21 adv, $25 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): The Rezillos / The Disconnects / Von Mons, 7pm, $18.50 adv, $22 door

FRIDAY (7/10)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Deal Casino / Smalltalk / dollys / Deaf Rhino, 7pm, $12 adv, $15 door (ALL AGES)

The Bomb Shelter (New Brunswick): Arrows In Her / Casper Elgin / Morus Alba / Handwriting / Self and Other, 7:30pm, $5

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Stillphase / Mind Riot / Jenevieve & The Submissives / Castle, 7:30pm, $8 (18+)

Clash Bar (Clifton): The Heavy Johnsons / Lieder / John The Gun

The Dopeness (Jersey City): Gyre / Bangladeafy / Dead Empires / Body Farm Robbery, 7:30pm, $10

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Swift Technique / Remember Jones, 10pm, FREE

Paul's Tavern (Belmar): Red Eye Flight / Circuitry / Blisstique / Whitebridge, $7 adv, $10 door (men), $8 door (women)

The Rail House (Rahway): Doing Better / Four Our Lifetime / The Enemy Is You / Giant Flying Turtles, 9pm, $3

Roxy & Dukes (Dunellen): Monster Rat / The Accelerators / DogLiftLeg / Ingrid and the Defectors, 9pm, $15