New Video from YJY. Playing Wonder Bar for Happy Mondays TONIGHT, 1/25, with Deaf Rhino and Doug Zambon

"Amelia"

Last week, our good friends in Hightstown's YJY premiered the excellent video for Couch Surfin' USA track "Amelia" with our other good friends at Speak Into My Good Eye. Directed by Dean Luis Chuqui and edited by YJY's own Ricky Lorenzo with added VHS footage from bandmate Steve Sachs, "Amelia" features Steve Sachs taking exceptionally good care of a 1974 Volkswagen Beetle.

Over in the SIMGE write-up, YJY drummer Dave Sachs mentions experimental filmmaker Kenneth Anger as inspiration. It would appear that Anger's "Kustom Kar Kommandos" was the most direct inspiration for the clip, but the split screen shots, the fiery color palette of "Amelia," and that Steve Sachsian je ne sais quoi are all YJY-specific touches.

Check out the video for "Amelia" below and then snowshoe it on over to Wonder Bar this evening where the guys play a free show as part of a solid bill that also includes Deaf Rhino and the always lovely Doug Zambon of The Vansaders.

WRAT's Jersey Rock Bands on the Boardwalk Starts Tomorrow, 5/21

Those Mockingbirds won the Jersey Rock Band Search and kick off Jersey Rock Bands on the Beach this week with Francis Lombardi.

Francis Lombardi and Those Mockingbirds

95.9 WRAT have announced a short series of outdoor acoustic shows they're calling Jersey Rock Bands on the Beach. The series takes place just a stone's throw away from CoolDad Music HQ at Long Branch's Pier Village. Jersey Rock's own tireless supporter of local music, Nikki Black, hosts. The station promises "goodies and prizes" along with the FREE live music.

The first installment happens this Thursday, May 21st, at 6pm as Asbury troubadour, Francis Lombardi, and Jersey Rock Band Search winners, Those Mockingbirds, deliver acoustic sets on what's shaping up to be a cool and rain-free night on the Long Branch boards.

Doug Zambon and Emily Grove perform on May 28th, and June 4th sees performances from Bobby Mahoney and Back and Forth's Matty Carlock.

If you're looking to check out some free local music, these are a few dates definitely worth adding to your calendar.

Pics of Overlake, I Have Been Floated, JoeP of Deal Casino, and Doug Zambon at Happy Mondays, 2/28/15

Overlake

Shoegaze and Surprise Guests

Jersey City's Overlake, one of the bands that graciously played the Little Dickman Records / CoolDad Music holiday benefit at the end of last year, were back in Asbury Park last night to kick off the latest edition of Happy Mondays. I'm a sucker for shoegaze, and Overlake are making some of my favorite sounds right now. They even do their own take on an mbv-like "holocaust section," filling the venue with a few minutes of sustained noise. So awesome.

Also on the bill were I Have Been Floated, who turned in a set of psychedelic jams, and The Drive Home. The Drive Home, unfortunately, had to cancel; but Deal Casino's Joe Parella stepped up to do a short fill-in acoustic slot ahead of his own band's free video release show tonight at The Stone Pony. After Parella, talented songwriter, Vansaders frontman, and Happy Mondays regular Doug Zambon treated the remaining crowd to a few of his own songs.

Photo Geek Talk Warning.
I'm a pretty absent-minded person, and I'm pretty sure it isn't age related. I took a few shots at a very dark Brooklyn venue on Saturday; and, last night, I forgot to set my camera's ISO back to a more reasonable level. I did the whole show at 6400, which is totally unnecessary for the stage at Wonder Bar. It gave me a chance, though, to see how my mirrorless camera performs at such a high setting; and, while it isn't ideal, I think it did a pretty good job.

You can see some highlights here and the rest of the photos at Flickr to judge for yourself.

H4TH2014, Night 1

Emily Bornemann joined Smalltalk at the H4TH2014 After Party at Asbury Lanes.

Interesting Evening

CoolDaughter #1's bud has a Boxing Day birthday. That can't be the greatest day to have a birthday; but I give her parents credit for managing to make yesterday special. CD1 spent the day with her, and then the rest of us headed over to their house for early drinks and pizza.

"When's your next show?" someone asked me.

"In about 2 and a half hours," I said.

"You're nuts," someone else advised me.

I was a little tired, but it's a big weekend in Asbury Park, and my OCD won't let me miss anything. We said our goodbyes and headed home. I made my way down to the Wonder Bar for Asbury Unplugged, figuring that I'd spend the evening there until it was time for the Home for the Holidays after-party at Asbury Lanes. I'd slept on getting any Souls' tickets, you see; so I was thinking that I was pretty much SOL for any shows. Sad.

Colton Kayser

Doug Zambon

Chris Brown had just finished his set by the time I got to The Wonder Bar, and Doug Zambon had just started. Colton Kayser and Jay Monday followed that with a pair of great sets. Then, a Boxing Day miracle happened. Chris (Santa) Brown told me he had an extra +1 for the show at The Pony and that I could have it!

We got inside The Stone Pony just as BANE finished their set, and we ran into Scotch and Bouncing Souls SuperFan Timmy LaRock just inside the door. Tim was pumped for The Souls who came out and did a full pre-2000 set. It didn't necessarily cover all of his favorites, but he was on track for a good night.

The crowd was absolutely nuts, random circle pits forming like little whirlpools throughout the audience. It was pretty hairy.

I fought my way over to the other end of the venue and managed to get up to the side of the stage. Gentleman Jim Norton was there. We said our hellos. He asked about the LaRocks and disappeared into the crowd. A few songs later, he was back, this time with little Tim in tow. We hoisted him over the barricade into the VIP area and people cleared a path for him. He got to watch the rest of the main set with his hands on the stage.

"Jim! Jim! I've never been this close before!" He was beaming, and so was everyone who saw him.

Really cool.

He'd had enough by the time the encores were starting, so we reconvened with his dad.

When the show was over, the LaRocks and I walked to the parking lot. They went to their car, Timmy looking forward to some Gatorade and waking up to work on his new Lego sets; and I headed to The Lanes.

Dark Blue

Philly's Dark Blue went on at around 12, I guess. They played in, basically, absolute darkness. I couldn't see them, but I liked what I heard -- late 80s, dark, post-punky.

I stuck around to check out Smalltalk. Emily Bornemann of Dentist was filling in for Tara Jones, who's on a short maternity leave. They sounded great. Emily did a fantastic job on vocals and jimmy-jangling the tambourine. They finished up at around 2.

Smalltalk

It ended up being a fantastic night: Friends and family at home, friends at all the shows, the look on young Tim's face. I can't wait for tonight. I'm not sure what it will bring (still no Souls' tix), but CoolMom and I have a sitter. Whatever happens (late Cayetana set at The Lanes, definitely), we'll do it together and have a blast.

More Happy Monday Photo Highlights: Doug Zambon, The Mischief Kids, Acid, 7/14/14

...As Promised

Here are some photo highlights from the other bands on last night's Happy Mondays bill. Doug Zambon of The Vansaders performed a few songs to get things started. The Mischief Kids did a rowdy set of hardcore hip hop. And Long Branch's Acid impressed with their garage / glam / punk. I mean really impressed as far as I'm concerned.

Anyway, here are some shots of all three bands. More at Flickr, blah, blah...