What's Going On: 2/18, 2/19, 2/20 & 2/21, 2016

Laura Stevenson is up in Stanhope on Thursday for a solo acoustic show.

Springing?

MLB spring training has started in Florida and Arizona. The snow is mostly gone around here, and it's starting to feel a little warmer. I'm not trying to get ahead of myself, but maybe that groundhog was right about an early spring. Don't be surprised if winter throws one or two more punches before going out, but this weekend seems pretty mild and packed with shows.

Things get started on Thursday night when Des & The Swagmatics play the free Funk & Soul Thursday night at Red Bank's Downtown. Sister Ancestor play The Saint. Aaron Carter is at The Pony. Our friends at Speak Into My Good Eye hold a free acoustic showcase at Supercollider in Brooklyn featuring Brett Saxon, Julian Fulton, S. Holden Jaffe, Bounders, and Josh Evensen. Stanhope House hosts Laura Stevenson, Roger Harvey, Toy Cars, and Girl Hands for a show that just feels like it would have been a sure bet for Asbury Lanes if she were still open.

On Friday night, Sammy Kay, Toy Cars, and the very hard-working Modern Chemistry play for free at APYC. Accidental Seabirds are next door at Langosta with Ginger Wolf, Puppy Grease, and J Gilman. Black Flamingos head up to Lucky 13 in Brooklyn to help their friends Coffin Daggers with their record release. The Brixton Riot play Roxy & Duke's with Bigg Butt, The One2s, and Dutch Boys. Teenage Halloween join Use Big Words, Basement Beers, and Jean Pool at Montclair's Meatlocker. Flyermile, Bounders, Stained Glass, and Bone & Marrow come to Wonder Bar. New Brunswick's St. Mew's hosts Big Huge, Thee Creeps, Yawn Mower, and Phulton. The Dictators NYC are back in the area at House of Independents with our buds in The Battery Electric.

Fresh off of the release of her excellent Wriggling, Abi Reimold comes to APYC for a show that also features those lovelies in Dentist and the dashing dudes of Yawn Mower on Saturday. It's a big night at the Asbury mini mall of food and beverages as Daniel James & The Loveless play Langosta with Lowlight. Hot Blood journey all the way to Valley Stream, Lon Gisland to play with their buds in Gangway! New Brunswick's J House hosts Atlas Bloom, Goodbye Tiger, Those Manic Seas, and The World's Afterparty. Kacey Musgraves is at Starland. Turtle Soup play The Pony.

On Sunday, The Bunks hold their EP release party at Teaneck's Mexicali live with The Vaughns, Flammable Animals, and Jimmy Meier. Dawg Whistle, featuring Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez, play an early one at The Saint.

Go check out a show or two this weekend, and make sure you remember where you put your baseball glove.

THURSDAY (2/18)

Asbury Park Yacht Club (Asbury): DJ Tyler, 9pm, FREE

The Brighton Bar (Long Branch): Awake At Last / Roulette / Abandon The Tides, 6pm, $8 (18+)

Court Tavern (New Brunswick): Meansweller / Know Your Enemy / Synergi / Alcove / Rocket Silence, 7:30pm, $8

Downtown (Red Bank): Des & The Swagmatics, 8pm, FREE

Inkwell Coffee House (Long Branch): Music Night at The Inkwell, 9pm

The Saint (Asbury): Sister Ancestor, 7:30pm, $5

Stanhope House (Stanhope): Laura Stevenson / Roger Harvey / Toy Cars / Girl Hands, 6pm, $10

The Stone Pony (Asbury): Aaron Carter, 7pm, $15 adv, $20 door (ALL AGES)

Supercollider (Brooklyn): SIMGE Acoustic Showcase: Brett Saxon / Julian Fulton / S. Holden Jaffe / Bounders / Josh Evensen, 8pm, FREE