Here's Plato Zorba's Stuff

Security Breach at the Beach

This past fall, Asbury Park cinematic, surf noir band, Plato Zorba, released the four-song Security Breach at the Beach to digital outlets. On May 26th, the band will celebrate the physical release of the EP -- as well as the unofficial start of summer -- at Wonder Bar. They'll be joining Igor & Red Elvises and The Brigantines for a Summer Kickoff Party.

Security Breach at the Beach combines guitar-centric surf and spy rock with a healthy dose of horns and keys. It opens with an instrumental cover of John Barry's "Beat Girl." The song's dark mystery and retro vibe are a good set up for the rest of the EP. The danceable "Lunch Battle" melds Robbie Butkowski's surfy guitar with some jazz-inspired organ from Ryan Gregg and sax from Chris Fitzgerald to show why Plato Zorba have a lot more going on than your run-of-the-mill surf band. Things even get kind of lounge-y on the title track. It's the background music at the kind of lounge where people are wearing dark sunglasses even with all the lights turned low.

Security Breach at the Beach is available now via Hi-Tide Recordings from wherever you like to get your digital music fix. Physical copies will be on sale at Wonder Bar for the Hi-Tide Recordings Summer Kickoff on Saturday, May 26th.

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.

Photo Highlights of Scenes Collide AP / NB Showcase at The Stone Pony, 3/20/15

I finally got to see Amy Malkoff and The Moonshines do their own thing as a full band.

This Had to Be the Last of It

I was obsessively checking my email for the announcement from the school that the evening's performance of Shrek The Musical Jr. would be canceled. I scanned my Facebook feed expecting to see word that the show at The Stone Pony would be postponed. As the snow / slush piled up, though, both shook their metaphorical fists in the air and said, "It's spring damnit! Screw the snow! Let's do this!" And they did it.

The middle schoolers at Markham Place acquitted themselves quite well during the abridged version of the Broadway musical version of the Disney / Pixar animated feature. I sat grinning like a fool every time CoolDaughter #1 and the rest of the ensemble players made their way onto the stage. CoolDaughter #2 cracked up throughout.

We got out of there a little after 9; and, after cleaning off the car and dropping everyone at home, I headed to The Stone Pony. I arrived just as Plato Zorba's set had gotten underway. Unfortunately, I'd missed Feeny, Monterey, and City Limits. Next time guys. Plato Zorba played as a trio since keyboardist Ryan Gregg was over at The Saint playing with his other project, The Shady Street Show Band. It's pretty easy to get lost in the cinematic, surfy virtuosity of the band; and the crowd seemed to eat it up.

The Black Sox Scandal, representing New Brunswick, were next and did a set of fast-paced pop punk. Even when they said they were slowing things down, things didn't slow down that much, which was fine. They'll be at The Brighton on Sunday, March 22nd.

I finally got to see Amy Malkoff and The Moonshines as a full band doing their own songs. I'd seen Amy solo before, and I saw the band's great set as Black Sabbath on Halloween; but I'm pretty sure this was my first time catching them doing their own thing. I definitely saw why they were able to pull off such a good Black Sabbath set as their own sound is loud, pure rock. It's highlighted by Eric Rudic's guitar and, of course, Malkoff's vocals.

Attendance at last night's event was, understandably, a little off; but people magically appeared for The Moonshines' set. The crowd swelled even more for Deal Casino who again whipped their fans into a frenzy. A couple of guys jumped on stage to scream the chorus to "BANG BANG BANG," and I'm telling you. This Deal Casino pants thing is becoming an actual thing.

Anyway.

North Jersey quartet NGHTCRWLRS, also representing New Brunswick, closed things out. The band and the remaining crowd were all a little punchy after a long night and some harrowing drives, but NGHTCRWLRS turned in a good set featuring songs from their just-released, self-titled LP. I posted a video of part of their performance a little earlier today.

It felt good giving winter the finger one (hopefully) final time last night. Here are some photo highlights. The rest of the pics are in the Flickr galleries, and you can totally click here to see them all.

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, Pageant of the Transmundane, 2014

Album Review

I'm not an expert on surf music or jazz. I do love the jangle of single-coil pickups, though; and I am a firm believer in the fact that reverb makes everything better.

Given that, Plato Zorba's Pageant of the Transmundane is amazing ear-candy for me. One of the things that can plague surf music, I think, is a lack of originality. One listen through the Hazlet quartet's debut LP, though, reveals that Plato Zorba are not only technically accomplished musicians, but creative composers and improvisers.

A carnival barker promising "the most haunting ordeal of your lives" provides the intro to opener "In The Shallows." From there, guitarist Robert Butkowski takes you on a trip that's different than anything you've probably experienced before. Whether it's the loungey flourishes and embellishments provided by Ryan Gregg's keyboard work or the little section in "Livorno Sea Creature" where Butkowski trades the glassy, surfy cleans for a little bit of distortion, this isn't the usual surf rock.

Some of the pieces, like "Martini Meltdown" aren't even quite surf rock. Yeah, there's the reverb and the vibrato; but there's something jazzier and darker going on. Titles like "Octopus Boy" and "Alucard" contribute to the bizarre and freakish atmosphere promised at the beginning, the former going out on a kind of a spooky carnival march and the latter having a regal feel appropriate to the "Prince of Vampires."  On single "Santiago," it's almost like Butkowski's guitar is singing to you.

Pageant of the Transmundane isn't a rough-edged surf record filled with covers of revered surf standards. Instead, it's a weird and wonderfully original "haunting ordeal."

I've heard most of these songs performed live, and the experience is mind-blowing. The record does a good job of capturing that feeling. You don't have to rely on the recording, though. Tomorrow night you can catch Plato Zorba when they perform at the Asbury Park Surf Music Festival's Winter Beach Bash at The Wonder Bar along with Black Flamingos, Los Pocos Locos, and The Brigantines.

You can pick up a copy of the CD -- which is out now -- there, I'm sure.

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.

Weekend Doin's

Lots to Do

Let's see. I've got to go to a dance recital for both cooldaughters in Asbury Park on Saturday morning. Then CoolDaughter #1 and I head to... ...Rutgers, I think, for the first long course swim meet of the season.

What's that? You don't care as much about what I'll be doing as what there may be for you to do?

Well, if I had the time tomorrow I'd head over to Marine Park in Red Bank for Riverfest. I'd love to catch Harper's Fellow when they perform at 2pm, but that's unlikely. That doesn't mean you can't check them out, though.

The band are currently running an IndieGoGo campaign to put out their debut album, Thanks for Tonight. Once you've heard them play, you may like to head over to their campaign and give them some support. Just in case, like me, you're booked, you can check out the acoustic version of "Cadillac" that the band put out a little while ago.



Then, tomorrow evening, Little Dickman recording artists The Battery Electric will be throwing a release party for their debut, Weaving Spiders, at Asbury's Berkeley Bar. Surf-rockers Plato Zorba are also on the bill, and rumor has it that DJ Mehalicka will be controlling the music between sets.



In case you're interested, I just may try to make it to that one.