Jeff Raspe's Locals Live at Langosta Lounge: 3/20/14 Edition

Dentist, The Gallerist, Levee Drivers

90.5 The Night DJ Jeff Raspe has long been a champion of local music. Lately, Jeff's been putting together some excellent free shows on Thursday nights at Langosta Lounge featuring some of our favorite local bands. Last night, we got an expanded definition of "local" as Philadelphia's The Gallerist and Levee Drivers joined Dentist on the bill.

The clash of two such disparate cultures, Philly being a whopping 75 miles away from Asbury Park, resulted in an eclectic mix of rock genres with The Gallerist's folky take, Levee Drivers' country-influenced approach, and Dentist's surf-tinged style.

Things continue next Thursday, the 27th, with We're Ghosts Now and Colton Kayser.

Here are a few pics from last night.

River City Extension's Joe Michelini Played Langosta Lounge, 3/8/14

Songs and (a few dark) Images

Joe Michelini played a solo, acoustic set on Saturday night at Langosta Lounge. I'm pretty sure that circumstances have been such that I've been able to catch just about every River City Extension / Joe Michelini local set over the last couple of years. I decided to keep my streak alive and see how far I could push the new camera in the darkness of Langosta Lounge.

Michelini played an hourlong set that included several selections from River City Extension's first two albums, previews of songs written since the band's last album, and a cover of a song that Michelini has called the best song he's ever heard. Familiar songs like "Ballad of Oregon" and "If You Need Me Back in Brooklyn" sound almost brand new when delivered simply on acoustic guitar, Michelini providing all of the vocals. As River City Extension evolves as a band -- both sonically and personnel-wise -- in the run-up to third LP, Deliverance, the new songs show a continued attention and dedication to the craft of writing a song. And Michelini once again paid homage to an excellent song, covering Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos' "A Journalist Falls in Love with Deathrow Inmate #16."

Here are a few pics from the set. Turns out Langosta Lounge without a flash is a tough go -- at least for someone with my level of experience.

A Saturday Night in Asbury Park: Frank Lombardi (Berkeley Bar), Black Jesuses (Langosta Lounge)

Free Is Always Good

Asbury Park has some excellent music venues: The Stone Pony, The Wonder Bar, The Saint, Asbury Lanes. On any night of the week, at least one of those spots is likely to have something worth seeing. I think it's time that we add The Berkeley Bar and Langosta Lounge to that list.

It's true that neither place is primarily a music venue. There's the occasional post-wedding or post-bar/bat mitzvah crowd to weave through at The Berkeley. There are the late-night diners who weren't expecting a rock show at Langosta Lounge. Neither space has the sophisticated sound capabilities of the other, more famous, establishments. But both The Berkeley Bar and Langosta Lounge feature a selection of top, local acts almost every Friday and Saturday night of the year. For free.

This past Saturday, I noticed that Black Jesuses would be playing a 10pm show at Langosta. I headed out after the kids went to bed to catch their set. As it turned out, the set was going to happen closer to 11. Rather than wait it out at the bar, I walked the few blocks over to The Berkeley and caught Frank Lombardi's solo acoustic set there.

I saw Lombardi in the spring, opening for Nicole Atkins, at what may have been the inaugural post-Sandy performance at Langosta Lounge, so I was happy to find that he was opening the evening at The Berkeley on Saturday. He had several supporters in the audience and impressed with a set that included an excellent cover of The Shins' "New Slang."



Following Lombardi's performance, I walked back to Langosta Lounge. Black Jesuses -- a duo made up of Parlor Mob members David James Rosen on guitar and Sam Bey on drums -- eventually came on at around at 11:30. The band focus on a raw, almost pure blues, sound. Their set includes covers of Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil" and Reverend Gary Davis's "Death Don't Have No Mercy" along with originals like "Rotten Schemin' Dirty and Mean," "Roll Call Blues," and "Tidbit."

I forgot the SD card for my camera; so after a few shots of Frank Lombardi, I had no more room in my memory. Luckily, I do have some shots of Black Jesuses from their set as openers for The Black Lips on November 3rd.



Don't forget to add Langosta Lounge and The Berkeley bar to your list of places to check out when planning your weekend live music activities. I usually go here to find out what they've got scheduled.

Harper's Fellow Cover The King

"Can't Help Falling in Love"

Jersey Shore folk-rockers Harper's Fellow released an in-studio performance video earlier this week for their cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love." The clip features Cortney Metzler and Eric Castellazzo delivering an intimate, acoustic version of the Blue Hawaii classic.

Harper's Fellow, who have already been announced as openers on River City Extension's 4th annual "Simple Gifts" Thanksgiving Eve (11/27) show at The Stone Pony, will be playing tonight at Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park. Music there usually starts around 10.

Watch Pizza Bones Cover Why?

"Bitter Thoughts"

Earlier this week, I told you about all the fun times going on at Langosta Lounge last Friday night when Thanks joined forces with Cranston Dean and some friends (Ike Gutierrez, Connor Healey, and Chelsea Gohd) as Pizza Bones for a series of jazzy covers. Well, one of those covers was Why?'s "Bitter Thoughts."

I shot the performance with my handy point and shoot at the busy, noisy Langosta Lounge. I present it here in all of its shaky, DIY glory for your viewing pleasure.

Thanks + Cranston Dean + Friends = Pizza Bones

Friday Night Super Jam at Langosta

After the fantastic Laura Stevenson show finished up over at Asbury Lanes on Friday night, I made my way over to Langosta Lounge to see if I could catch some of the Thanks / Cranston Dean double bill. I arrived just as Thanks were getting ready for their set. John Muccino and Mike Costaney have returned to live performing following a busy period of touring and recording with their regular band, River City Extension.

After finishing their set with the excellent title track from their EP, The Age of Missing Information, Thanks had several friends -- including Cranston Dean -- join them on the large Langosta stage. Muccino dubbed the band Pizza Bones (one of CoolDog's favorite foods), and they turned in a set of jazzed up cover songs by Why?, Nirvana, and Frank Sinatra along with a medley of 1990s R&B hits. The whole thing was a lot of fun, and I eagerly await the return of Pizza Bones.

I managed a few photos in the dark and intimate -- and dark -- Langosta Lounge.

Nicole Atkins Helped Re-Open Langosta Lounge

Summer Is Coming

The Jet Star has finally been removed from the ocean, and Seaside Heights says they'll have their boardwalk ready in time for the summer. The Asbury Park boardwalk officially re-opens today.

As kind of a mini kickoff to everything, I headed out to the re-opened Langosta Lounge last night to catch a Nicole Atkins solo set. The place looks great now. It's got a new, much larger stage; and I wouldn't be surprised to see some big performances in there this summer. Nicole Atkins was great as usual, stunning everyone with some material from her just-recorded upcoming LP and an unbelievable rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying." She even told me she remembered signing the top to CoolDaughter #1's takeout food at Langosta Lounge a few years ago.

You've got two more chances to catch Nicole Atkins in Asbury Park this weekend. She'll be appearing at the Stone Pony tonight with Dead On Live, and tomorrow she's doing a DJ set at the Watermark.

Later today, starting at 6pm, Speak Into My Good Eye will be presenting a free showcase at Jimbo's in Seaside Heights as part of the Jersey Shore Festival. There are some great bands on that bill, and you should check it out if you can.

Next week, things kick off in earnest when the Gaslight Anthem opens the Stone Pony Summer Stage with a two-night stand on Saturday and Sunday.

This is all fantastic news; but for many towns in the area, the effects of Superstorm Sandy are still felt daily. Shark River Hills, the hometown of Nicole Atkins, will be holding a concert on June 1st to benefit the Recovery Along the River Fund which aims to aid residents still recovering from the storm. Atkins will be performing, along with Steve Forbert and many others. Last night, Atkins promised that the event would feature plenty of sausage sandwiches.