The Second Annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival, This Saturday, July 11th at Asbury Lanes

The Brigantines at the winter warm-up for the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival back in January. Catch them at this year's summer festival this Saturday at Asbury Lanes.

Summer Surf

"We just wanted to have a party that we would want to go to." That's what Magdalena O'Connell, co-founder of the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival, told me over beer, burgers, and wursts at the Asbury Park Festhalle and Biergarten. The first year of the festival, she and her then-fiancé, Vincent Minervino of The Brigantines and Black Flamingos, fantasized about heading to Livorno, Italy for the Surfer Joe Summer Festival as their honeymoon. After considering the costs and logistics of the trip, the pair decided that it might be easier (Easier? Really?) to put together a festival of their own in Asbury Park. O'Connell and Minervino booked the date at the retro-cool Asbury Lanes, and the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival was born.

Last year's fest drew hundreds of surf music fans to the daylong party that, in addition to some of the East Coast's best surf bands, featured classic cars, vendors, and specialty drinks. This year's party is shaping up to be bigger on all fronts.

There are the bands. With sounds ranging from the classic surf of Boston's The Fathoms to the more aggressive sounds of bands like NYC's Coffin Daggers and NJ's Night Birds in their instrumental incarnation to the surf-tinged pop of locals Glycerine Queens and Dentist, there should be something for both hardcore surf fans and those just looking for a summer dance party. Favorites like Black Flamingos, Plato Zorba, The Brigantines, The Sharkskins, and Los Pocos Locos, along with many others will be returning this year.

Minervino told me, "People can be more critical of rock music -- 'I like this. I don't like that.' -- but surf music just makes everyone have a good time. You can go up front and dance, or you can sit and have a conversation at the bar."

There are the cars. This year, Tuckerton's Dead Rodz Revival will be organizing the show of pre-1978 hot rods. Cars will be on display outside of Asbury Lanes, and owners can email the club to reserve their spot.

There are the drinks. Born as they were planning their wedding, the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival receives as much attention from Vincent and Magdalena as their own big event did. The pair told me that they and the bartenders at Asbury Lanes are meticulously planning and testing specialty cocktails to serve in the tiki bar they're creating for the event.

There are the vendors. Big Slick Pomade Co., Little Dickman Records, ACDWSH, Groovy Graveyard, Dead Rodz, Bettie's Bombshells, Jetty, Southern Tier Brewing, Vintage Variety Shop, Central Jersey Rolller Vixens, Garden State Beard & Mustache Society, and more will have tables at the event.

Put all of that together with all-day surf movies and guest DJ sets from the bands, and you've got a great summer party.

"The thing I remember most about last year is all the dancing," said O'Connell.

So come to Asbury Lanes this Saturday, July 11th at noon. Enjoy a specialty cocktail, say a Tillie Sunburn. Ogle some classic cars or browse some of the unique offerings from the on-site vendors. And bring your dancing shoes. The Asbury Park Surf Music Festival is a party anybody would love to attend.

The Second Annual Asbury Park Surf Music Festival takes place on July 11th at Asbury Lanes starting at 12 noon. Advance tickets for this ALL AGES event are available here.

Asbury Park Surf Music Festival's Winter Beach Bash at The Wonder Bar, 1/23/15 (PHOTOS)

We got to watch a bullfight at the Winter Beach Bash.

Black Flamingos, Los Pocos Locos, The Brigantines, Plato Zorba

"We're gonna play one more song, then we're gonna have a bullfight," said Steve Clar / Dirty Sanchez of Los Pocos Locos.

Then there was a bullfight.

Such was the atmosphere at last night's Winter Beach Bash at The Wonder Bar. It was a party for those of us who don't necessarily go away for ski weekends but, instead, pine for the hazy lazy days of summer. It was also a showcase of the deep -- and deepening -- well of talent in our local surf rock community.

In addition to Los Pocos Locos, the crowd got sets from Black Flamingos, The Brigantines, and Plato Zorba. Guitarist Robert Butkowski amazed with both Black Flamingos and Plato Zorba, the Flamingos delivering their traditional surf sounds while Plato Zorba gave things a weird and trippy twist. Los Pocos Locos gave us originals, surf-style covers, and the drama of the corrida. The Brigantines got the crowd dancing by the end of their set.

The snow fell throughout the night, and it was a cold and soggy trip home. The party inside The Wonder Bar, though, was a welcome dose of warmth. Check out photo highlights below. The rest of the pictures are in the galleries.

Plato Zorba Released Pageant of the Transmundane at Asbury Lanes, 12/13/14

Little Lesley and The Bloodshots and Los Pocos Locos Also Played

I don't want you to think that, in all the excitement over the Little Dickman Records / CoolDad Music holiday benefit, I forgot about the great show put on by Plato Zorba to celebrate the release of Pageant of the Transmundane at Asbury Lanes on Saturday night. Oh no. I was there for what would be my third of four consecutive events this past weekend -- not counting the swim meets at Rutgers (Friday) and Seton Hall (Saturday) -- and I'm happy I made it.

I got inside just as Los Pocos Locos took the stage. The Long Branch trio reeled off originals, surf standards, and some not so standard surf arrangements of other familiar songs. At one point, guitarist, Dirty Sanchez (Steve Clar) made his way around the whole venue picking away at his wireless Strat.

Little Lesley and The Bloodshots kept up the retro feel with a set of rowdy rockabilly. Little Lesley has a big voice and plays a stand-up bass that's at least a foot taller than she is. I'd seen photos of the band, and I waited impatiently for the moment when Lesley would scale her instrument while playing. It came about halfway through the set and was really cool. The band played through -- and eventually overcame -- some sound problems, finishing strong with Lesley placing her bass on the floor in front of the stage and playing it among the crowd.

Plato Zorba closed out the evening with a set than ran past midnight. Guitarist Robert Butkowski -- who wowed us all on Sunday afternoon with is other project, Black Flamingos -- mesmerized everyone with his surf / jazz virtuosity. The rest of the band -- Ryan Gregg (keys), John Fortunato (drums), Joey Garofalo (bass) -- more than kept up, adding their own flourishes to the overall sound.

There were lots of friends in the house and a few joined the band onstage for some non-instrumental covers. The Battery Electric's Ron Santee took the mic for "Have Love Will Travel," and Hot Blood's Mat Kiley -- along with the entire front row -- did vocal duties on The Misfits' "Halloween."

I had lots to do on Sunday, so maybe I should've gotten to bed a little earlier. I'd be kicking myself if I missed this one, though. Here are some pics to show you what I mean. The rest are at Flickr.