What's Going On: 10/1, 10/2, 10/3 & 10/4

The first picture posted to CoolDad Music from Asbury Lanes. King Khan and The Shrines, 7/24/12. Some iPhone shot.

Farewell, Asbury Lanes... ...For Now

I've said this before, but I cannot stress enough how important Asbury Lanes has been to CoolDad Music and to me personally. With just about 16000 photos sitting in the CoolDad Music Flickr account, around 5000 of them -- 30% -- are from Asbury Lanes. No other venue comes close. It's also the only place in Asbury Park where certain types of bands can headline and not have to play down on a bill with some larger band. But, more than the photos and the music, Asbury Lanes has been the place where I truly found myself and my calling. There is no CoolDad Music if there is no Asbury Lanes, plain and simple. So try to get over there this weekend for some tots, a toast, some hugs, maybe a tear or two; but let's keep a stiff upper lip and hope for the best.

You can head to Asbury Lanes on Thursday for a low key evening of Eat, Drink, Dance, Bowl, Hang with friends and the beautiful staff at Asbury Lanes. It looks like Pat DiNizio is returning to Langosta on Thursday for some free rockstar confessions. Chemtrail and Frogbelly & Symphony are at The Saint.

It's still party time at Asbury Lanes on Friday night with another chance to soak it all in and scarf some tots. Blonde Ambition are at APYC. The Vibrators hit Brighton Bar. Dentist scoot down to Philly for a show at The Hard Rock Cafe with Team Goldie. Quincy Mumford is at Langosta Lounge. New Brunswick's Paradise: Lost hosts Jeffery Lewis and Los Bolts, Dead Milkmen's Joe Jack Talcum, Professor Caveman, Teenage Halloween, and Friends In Distraction. The Gray Company and J-Music Ensemble are at St. Mew's in Bruns. Talking Heads tribute act, Start Making Sense, are at The Pony.

On Saturday night, Asbury Lanes have a party for the new roof they'll be getting with Lost In Society, Sammy Kay, The Holy Mess, and some very special guests you DO NOT want to miss. The Stuntcocks celebrate their 20th anniversary at Court Tavern with Aviso' Hara (indie rock gods), Zero For Conduct, Skeeter, and Coach n Commando. gods play their last local headlining show of the year with Savants at APYC. All-metal Bee Gees tribute band, Tragedy, headline The Pony.

~~Also on Saturday, back from the dead is the NJ Zombie Walk on the boards. Let's hope the weather cooperates to make the resurrected event as big of a success as it's been in the past.~~

On Sunday, you can head over to Asbury Lanes for an all-day Sunday Service. You'll have the chance to tell your own Asbury Lanes story on film as part of a documentary that's being made about the venue. Maybe your voices will reach the powers that be, and they'll realize that Asbury Lanes is more than just a building, more than just music; and they'll keep that all in mind during their "careful refresh" of the place.

Also on Sunday, our friends at Little Dickman Records bring our friends and Carousel alumni, BOYTOY, back to the area for a show at Brighton Bar with The Off White and Darkwing. YJY will be playing close by at Grindhouse along with The Battery Electric, Cid, Lunch Ladies, and Friends In Distratction. The Grindhouse show will be Lunch Ladies' second show ever as they play earlier in the day at The Saint. Joining them for the all-ages matinee will be Tommy & The Kooks, Soundbuddy, and Art of Edgar. In the evening, The Saint has The Ballroom Thieves and The Overgrowns.

Try to stay dry this weekend. I feel like there will be moments on Saturday night when my eyes won't be that dry. Those special guests coming to Asbury Lanes on Saturday really know how to tug at your heartstrings. The combination of the vibe and the music may just be too much for me to keep it together. But they'll be, mostly, tears of joy and gratitude for the happiest place on earth.

THURSDAY (10/1)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Eat, Drink, Dance, Bowl, Hang, 8pm

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Sumptin' Good ft. Zach Westfall / Matt Wade / Kevin Grossman, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): BeItTheMeans / Jauncey / Melting Watches, 7pm, $7 (18+)

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Heavy Flow / Ghost Camp / The Afraid Brigade / Pioneer The Eel / Dembe Cherries, 7:30pm, $8

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Pat DiNizio, 8pm, FREE

The Saint (Asbury): Chemtrail / Frogbelly and Symphony / Downstream, 7:30pm, $8

FRIDAY (10/2)

Asbury Lanes (Asbury): Friday Night Party at The Lanes, 8pm

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): Blonde Ambition, 9pm, FREE

The BoMA (New Brunswick): Fiscal Cliff / LKFFCT / Rewind The Crisis / Coupe DeVille, 7:30pm

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): The Vibrators / The Bomb Shelter Dropouts / Lost Cause / Jon Caspi (solo) / Who Killed Bambi, 8pm, $10 (18+)

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Zombie Party: Semiotics / P-Funk North / The Rooftop / Fun While You Wait, 8pm, $10

Hard Rock Cafe (Philadelphi): Team Goldie / Dentist / Danger Club, 8pm, $10

In The West (New Brunswick): Youth Expire / Lung Monks / Harmoos / Gnards, 7pm, $5

Langosta Lounge (Asbury): Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why, 9:30pm, FREE

Millhill Basement (Trenton): The Cryptkeeper 5 / Black Pharaoh / Mirrors & Wires, 9pm, $5

Paradise: Lost (New Brunswick): Jeffrey Lewis and Los Bolts / Joe Jack Talcum / Professor Caveman / Teenage Halloween / Friends In Distraction, 6:30pm, $7-10

St. Mew's (New Brunswick): The Gray Company / J-Music Ensemble, 7pm, $5

The Saint (Asbury): Tash Even & Kyle / Back To The Womb, 7:30pm

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Start Making Sense (Talking Heads Tribute) / HmfO (Hall & Oates Tribute), 7:30pm, $17 adv, $20 door (ALL AGES)

The Wonder Bar (Asbury): The Easy Outs / The Growling Hounds, 7pm, $5