Girlpool Played Asbury Lanes with Hatchie and Teenage Halloween, 4/27/19

Girlpool by Rose Lamela

Change Is Unavoidable

Words and Pictures by Rose Lamela

Asbury Lanes has a special place in my heart for different reasons. Many of us went there when it was an old bowling alley with a stage right smack in the middle of the lanes. I remember going there to see a band (I have no idea who) and thinking, "What a cool place! A bowling alley that has remained untouched since the 60s with live music."

There was this one time during one of Asbury Lanes' renovations or closures where I drank free beer at the bar with a few friends. We knew the guy who cleaned the beer lines and thought we were super cool and connected. It was dark and gloomy; and I remember thinking, "I hope they get this place back up and running."

Many of us feel conflicted about the changes in our old neighborhoods or stomping grounds. I am a very nostalgic individual, so the conflict always resides. As for Asbury, the new changes are hard to swallow sometimes, but I'm slowly embracing going there to see bands that I love. Change is unavoidable and I am always trying to not be so fixed in my ways. I try to be open to new possibilities that come into some of our cities as the generations come to pass.

Girlpool brought me to the Lanes on Saturday for the first time since its last update. I have heard various accounts of the new look and sound, but I was ready to walk in and develop my own feelings about it and try to do it with an open mind. Girlpool was a great introduction to the new, happening venue.

I pulled up, took a deep breath, claimed my ticket and went in. At first, I could not remember what it looked like before; and I could not make out what changed. It was a completely different venue. It has a pretty hip look to it, and the stage is pretty roomy. It was hard to absorb that the stage was not sitting in the middle of the lanes. The place itself was polished and brand new. The American flag made up of bowling balls was a sweet touch. The makeshift brick walls might have been an attempt to to preserve some of the original edginess, but it was very consistent with the new facade. 

Ok, back to the actual show. Teenage Halloween started the set off with they describe as "flaming queer pop." Their sound definitely has a hint of angst that gives their songs a punk flavor, which I can always appreciate. They put on a good show much like my past experiences of seeing them. I do find some of their lyrics endearing and relatable.

Teenage Halloween

Teenage Halloween

Teenage Halloween

Teenage Halloween

Hatchie was a group I actually never heard before entering the lanes Saturday. I am also learning specific genres like "Dream Pop" which Hatchie labels themselves as. It's very reminiscent of 80s "New Wave" with the synths in the backdrop. The song "Stay with Me" stuck out the most to me as the melody literally stayed with me. I know. That's kind of corny, but it's true. I swear!!

Hatchie

Hatchie

Hatchie

Hatchie

Girlpool took on the Lanes as the main act and gave us plenty of love and funny banter as singer Cleo Tucker commented on the peculiarity of hearing people bowling while performing. They played a few tunes that I became familiar with before the show like "Cut Your Bangs" and "Hire." I was happy I got really into their music a few days before the show as it gave me a better appreciation for their live performance.

Girlpool

Girlpool

Girlpool

Girlpool

Girlpool

Girlpool

Girlpool

All in all, I was impressed with the renovations to Asbury Lanes. The lighting is great for photography. There's a photo pit, and the sound was pretty good. The combination of bowling ball crashes and rock music was reminiscent of the good ol' days, and the ambiance still consisted of the Jersey Shore feel to me. These might all be biased interpretations coming from a photographer and from someone who is showing some grays underneath the beanie. Maybe younger me would not have approved. Change is unavoidable, and I think I am OK with this one for now.

High Waisted Played Brighton Bar with Teenage Halloween, Lunch Ladies, and Trans Charger Metropolis, 7/14/16

High Waisted

Party in the Back

Back in April, I wrote about my then obsession with High Waisted's On Ludlow. That really hasn't subsided. The album has been one of my goto records for late-night drives back from Asbury Park or Brooklyn, and it is just solid solid from front to back. I caught the second half of one of High Waisted's sets at South By Southwest; but, since then, the stars have never aligned so that I could see them again. On Thursday night, they finished up their recent tour at Long Branch's Brighton Bar and were even better than I could have expected.

It was an eclectic bill featuring the GBV-inspired rock and power pop of Trans Charger Metropolis, the shoegaze / dream pop of Lunch Ladies, and the heartfelt pop punk of Teenage Halloween in addition to the headliners. All of the openers turned in fine sets, Trans Charger Metropolis not showing any of the rust of an extended layoff and the two younger bands playing to an enthusiastic crowd of friends.

Trans Charger Metropolis

Lunch Ladies

Teenage Halloween

High Waisted played almost all of the songs from On Ludlow, including surf instrumentals "Shanghai Spy" and "Kitchen Safari." At the end of "Hey Hey," Emily from Dentist turned to me shaking her head and just said, "That is a great song." Singer Jessica Louise Dye made all of her demanding vocal parts seem easy -- even after a 3-week tour of singing night after night -- and she and guitarist Stephan Nielsen squeezed some of the most amazing tones out of their rigs. They closed with an aggressive cover of classic "Miserlou" that was just amazingly fantastic.

High Waisted

Pics of all the sets are in the Flickr galleries and on the Facebook page. High Waisted return home to New York tonight with a show at Knitting Factory Brooklyn that also features Total Slacker and Lionlimb.

Teenage Halloween Releasing First EP. Celebration This Saturday, 12/19, at Red Bank Rehearsal.

It Was Weird, But It Worked

Luke Henderiks and his Teenage Halloween project have been tireless in their support of the DIY scene both locally and further afield. Somewhere between booking shows multiple days per week and playing and touring during just about every free moment, Luke and Teenage Halloween found the time to record four songs. Those songs constitute It Was Weird, But It Worked and are set for an online release today at an as yet undisclosed time.

With a lineup that morphs and grows from just Mr. Henderiks to upwards of ten -- with Alex Ball, Brandon Hakim, Aidan Gamorosso, Liam Donnelly, Joseph Kane, Kacey Shackleton, Ryan Syracuse, Matthew Howell, Luke Krajczewski, and probably more -- Teenage Halloween has been a labor of love and a power pop / folk punk collective that welcomes players of everything from guitar to banjo to trumpet to clarinet. It's not uncommon to see Luke putting out the call for some player of some instrument that you wouldn't normally associate with punk.

Teenage Halloween will celebrate the release of It Was Weird, But It Worked with a show this Saturday at Red Bank Rehearsal Studios, the site of some of promoter Luke Henderiks's most massive achievements. Joining Teenage Halloween on the bill will be Corrina, Corrina, Have A Good Season, Mikey Erg, Casual, and Brook Pridemore. These are all acts that have made the journey by playing shows with Teenage Halloween as they've made their way; and the show promises to be be an emotional affair. Doors open at 6pm, and $10-12 gets you inside.

You can RSVP here.

Give Teenage Halloween a like on Facebook so you'll know just as soon as It Was Weird, But It Worked is available.

Michelle Rose: Pat The Bunny Played The Empire w/ Mikey Erg, Brook Pridemore, Teenage Halloween, Those Corn People, Toy Cars, and Eric Funn, 3/14/15 (PHOTOS)

Guest Review

Michelle Rose has contributed photos to the site before. Here, she brings us not only photos from a great New Brunswick basement show, but also her first-ever CoolDad Music review. Take it away Michelle, and thanks.

Pat The Bunny at The Empire in New Brunswick
by Michelle Rose

I spent this past Saturday in a dark New Brunswick basement packed with close to three hundred kids to see everyone’s favorite folk-punk anarchist Pat "The Bunny" Schneeweis (AZ). Pat is currently on tour with anti-folk musician Brook Pridemore (NY). Supporting them at this show were Mikey Erg, Teenage Halloween, Those Corn People, Toy Cars, and Eric Funn (PA). Brook Pridemore and Luke Henderiks of Teenage Halloween booked this killer folk-punk fueled show.

The night started the way it would end: a performance from just a man and his guitar. There were about thirty people in the basement when  Eric Funn began his set. Eric’s music is a perfect balance of catchy acoustic tunes and witty lyrics. The crowd sang along to his songs and made ape noises when needed. Eric Funn has been one of my favorite acoustic acts for a while now. The stories he tells through simple lyrics just never get old.

Toy Cars were one of the two full-band acts to play that night. Matt DeBenedetti’s vocals and acoustic guitar pair great with the rest of the band. Their mix of folk and ambient instrumentals give Toy Cars a unique sound. The boys from Belmar always have a smile on their faces and put on a great show. This band is a must see in the local music scene.

Next up were everyone’s favorite corn people, Those Corn People. The acoustic tunes of Mike Brock and Eriks Grinvalds come together to create a fantastic folk duo. Although their lyrics may be goofy, Those Corn People’s use of words tells a story. The boys in Those Corn People are by far one of the best acoustic acts currently in New Jersey.

They may be young, but the guys of Teenage Halloween certainly know how to rock the crowd. Their songs about teenage angst, troubled love, and growing up are high energy and can get anyone to move. The band was joined by their good friend Brandon Hakim who played saxophone. I was surprised by how many kids in the crowd knew every word to every song and screamed them right back into the band members' faces. The band ended their set with an awesome cover of “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. The guys in Teenage Halloween have already achieved a lot over the past year, and it doesn’t seem like they will be slowing down anytime soon.

Brook Pridemore’s songs about death rays and the Cupcake Empire are extremely catchy and fun to sing along to. After five albums, the Brooklyn artist still keeps true to his roots and does it all for the love of the music. I had the privilege of speaking with Brook after the show. He is one of the most down to earth artists I have ever met. To end his set, Brook invited his good friend and New Jersey native Mikey Erg. The two covered “Can't Hardly Wait” by The Replacements with Mikey Erg on drums.

After his song with Brook Pridemore, Mikey Erg of The Ergs! played a solo set. Once again, Mikey Erg played another killer set. The basement was packed when Erg began. The crowd sang along to all of his songs. The combination of just his voice and an electric guitar is simple yet stunning. Mikey Erg is by far one of the most talented musicians to ever come out of New Jersey. He is a friendly guy who is very passionate about his music. Each song is filled with Erg’s heart and soul.

This was my second time seeing Pat The Bunny, and I was still blown away by his talent. Pat is a very humble and down to earth person who puts all of his emotions into his music. Many of the fans I talked to that night started listening to Pat back when he was in his first band Johnny Hobo and the Freight Trains. Since then, Pat has been in Wingnut Dishwashers Union and Ramshackle Glory. His first solo album The Volatile Utopian Real Estate Market is a recreation of classic favorites from over the years. Back in December, Pat released his second solo album Probably Nothing, Possibly Everything which has a more mature vibe to it. Most of the album consists of Pat reflecting on his younger self. For many, Pat’s songs about addiction, human emotion, politics, and the justice system,have become a punk anthems for the truth.

By the time Pat started his set, there were around three hundred kids crammed into the small New Brunswick basement. Pat played the perfect mixture of both old and new music. He may be an acoustic act, but Pat’s punk style quickly got the crowd pumped up. Everyone jumped around while screaming the lyrics to all of the songs Pat played. Alex Farber was lucky enough to be chosen from the crowd to sing “Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of Your Fist” on stage with Pat. The set ended perfectly with one of Pat’s newer songs “I’m Going Home." Pat is without a doubt one of the most appreciative musicians I have seen. He is truly grateful for all of his fans who have lead to his success.

All photos by Michelle Rose NJ.

Photo Highlights of Robot Death Kites, Grand Mariner, The Uncommonly Good, Jewel Eye at The Brighton Bar, 9/24/14

Robot Death Kites

New Year's Eve

The Brighton Bar rang in 5775 with a 5-band bill of Teenage Halloween, Jewel Eye, The Uncommonly Good, Grand Mariner, and Robot Death Kites. I got there a little late; so I, unfortunately, missed the set by Teenage Halloween. There's another chance to catch Luke, though, this weekend on the beach in Asbury.

I did see the rest of the bands. Jewel Eye delivered some heavy rock. The Uncommonly Good brought some crazy, youthful energy to their hardcore set. They had the crowd going nuts while one of their relatives recorded the entire proceeding to video. Grand Mariner combined surf, pop, and punk into a mix that recalled early Wavves. Robot Death Kites almost defied description, employing masks, dresses, and props in a way that had a couple of people at the Brighton mentioning the legendary Shock Mommies.

Here are a few pics. You can see the rest if you click on the "Galleries" tab.

Show Preview: Robot Death Kites, Grand Mariner, The Uncommonly Good, Jewel Eye, Teenage Halloween at Brighton Bar, TONIGHT, 9/24

Happy New Year

When I first started doing the weekly listings around here, I figured that it would be a nice, useful, informative post that I could put together and queue up weeks ahead of time. Well, anyone who knows me can tell you that I was kidding myself on the "weeks ahead of time" part. Today, though, I decided to get out a little in front of things. As I scanned this week's happenings, I remembered that I wanted to point out tonight's Brighton Bar show. As luck (or, maybe, careful planning) would have it, there's no school tomorrow because of Rosh Hashanah; so you can head out to celebrate the new year with some fine, fine music.

It's a diverse bill headed by Brooklyn noise rockers and general Yuppie Nightmare, Robot Death Kites. Howell surf punk / pop trio Grand Mariner join fellow New Jerseyites The Uncommonly Good (Shrewsbury hardcore), Jewel Eye (rock), and Teenage Halloween (latest project of the industrious and always busy Luke Henderiks) to round out the bill. It's the latest in the monthly Greggy's Den series of all ages shows, and it promises to be an excellent way to ring in 5775.











Doors for tonight's all ages show open at 7pm. It's 10 bucks.

L'shanah Tovah.