Tiny Giant Summer Bummer, Asbury Lanes PHOTOS

A Great Day for New Jersey Music

The Tiny Giant Summer Bummer made a stop at Asbury Lanes on Saturday, June 22nd, bringing with it over 20 bands and solo acts. From the acoustic indie rock of Mike Baglivi to the post-hardcore of Cicada Radio to the story of Meet Pause told through song to a -- as I heard one audience member describe it -- joyful set by The Everymen, the Tiny Giant Artist Collective showcased some of the most original acts in New Jersey Music.

I got there as the show started at 2pm and caught the last-ever set by Kids with Guns. I took a dinner break and made it through the set by Those Mockingbirds before reluctantly giving in to the fact that I had to drive the family up to Maine at 6AM. Apologies to all of those bands that I missed.

You should head over to the Tiny Giant Artist Collective's Facebook page and check out all of the member bands. You're bound to find something you'll love.

Special recognition should go out to The Everymen's Mike V. and Asbury Lanes for putting together such an immense undertaking. Everything ran like clockwork.

Here are some photos of the acts I managed to catch.

Tiny Giant Summer Bummer

This Weekend, June 22nd at Asbury Lanes

After a long day of business meetings Tuesday in Irving, TX, I went back to my room, put on my New Jersey Hardcore T-shirt, and headed over to the local Tex-Mex establishment for a beverage or two. As I watched the basketball game at the bar, a couple of people said they liked my shirt. They asked me if I was from New Jersey, and we had a nice chat. People everywhere seem to feel a connection with New Jersey and its music.

If you're just about anywhere in New Jersey come this weekend, you'll have an opportunity to get a taste of some of that music that everyone loves so much. The Tiny Giant Artist Collective will be holding their Summer Bummer festival at several iconic venues.

Nemo snowed out Tiny Giant's first attempt back in February. This time, the main event at Asbury Lanes starts at 2pm on Saturday and goes all night. Acts on the bill include The Everymen, Stephen Chopek, Janet LaBelle, Secret Country, Cicada Radio, Lionel Pryor, Those Mockingbirds, Cinema Cinema, and on and on.

You say it sounds great, but you've already got tickets to see Social Distortion at The Stone Pony? Don't worry. Anyone who's in Asbury Park for the Social Distortion Summer Stage performance can use their ticket to gain free admission to Asbury Lanes after the show.

Tiny Giant is also holding smaller scale showcases at New Brunswick's Court Tavern on Friday and both Jersey City's Lamp Post and Hoboken's Maxwell's on Sunday. You can check out the Facebook event to RSVP and to see all of the details.

Even with crowding, hurricanes, nor'easters, whatever, those of us who live in New Jersey are pretty lucky. Great people. Great beaches. Great music. Think about heading out this weekend to celebrate all of that. Do it for your friends down in Texas.

Stephen Chopek LP, Solo Tour

See Through

If you've ever seen The Everymen play live (and, if you haven't, you've got a chance to fix that tomorrow), then you've probably marveled at the energy and force that Jersey City's Stephen Chopek is able to generate from his wiry frame behind the drum kit. It turns out that, in addition to being a ferocious drummer, Chopek is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.

His solo LP, See Through, features a dozen tracks of short, upbeat, lofi rock. Each song is just Chopek and his overdriven electric guitar, which gives the collection the feel of early Billy Bragg without the overt leftist politics or British accent. Even in the pared down format, Chopek's energy comes through, especially on tracks like "This Old Town" and "Walk First."

Chopek will be touring for See Through this summer, starting at the Bowery Electric Map Room on June 5th. On June 22nd, he'll be appearing as part of the Tiny Giant Summer Bummer at Asbury Lanes, performing a solo set and then manning the drums for The Everymen.

You can grab See Through as a free download and check out the rest of the tour dates over at Chopek's Bandcamp page.

Janet LaBelle Releases New Single

"Wide Awake Dreaming"

She currently calls Brooklyn home, but Janet LaBelle is a product of the New Jersey pop punk scene. As a solo artist she's so far specialized in retro, surf, or girl group-inspired pop. On "Wide Awake Dreaming," LaBelle goes for a slightly different sound from the same era.

Piano and strings give the song a kind of early 1960's ballad feel, and had me thinking of a (much) more stripped down version of something like Wilco's "Reservations" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

LaBelle and many, many others from the Tiny Giant Artists Collective will be appearing at Asbury Lanes on June 22nd for the Summer Bummer, which is the rescheduled version of the canceled-by-Nemo Winter Beach Ball.

Tiny Giant: Janet LaBelle

Appearing with The Everymen, Those Mockingbirds, Others at Tiny Giant Winter Beach Ball

Janet LaBelle, a product of New Jersey's pop punk scene, branched out into some sounds inspired by the 1960's -- from rock to noir to bossa nova -- on her 2011 Blossom and Blue EP.  She maintains the DIY, analog ethic, though, of her pop punk past while looking for new sounds to accompany her more mature lyrics.

She'll be part of the Tiny Giant Artist Collective's Winter Beach Ball this weekend at Asbury Lanes along with, among many others, Those Mockingbirds and The Everymen.

Just one more reason to head to Asbury Park this weekend.  And Asbury Lanes has actual bowling, too -- with balls instead of people.

Check out two non-EP tracks, featuring a solo LaBelle on ukulele, and I'll see you at The Lanes.

Titus Andronicus x 3 + The Everymen

NJ Invades BK

Tomorrow night I head to Brooklyn Bowl to see Glen Rock's Titus Andronicus for the third time in less than twelve months.  I briefly hesitated when the show was announced, it being a weeknight and a swim practice night and all.  But then The Everymen announced that they're opening, and I just couldn't pass.

The Everymen's New Jersey Hardcore is just a great rock and roll record; and after missing out on a couple of opportunities to see the Tuckerton band live, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's pairing.

Don't worry, though, if you feel like Brooklyn is too much of a haul on a weeknight.  You won't get to experience Titus Andronicus, but you can catch The Everymen at Asbury Lanes on February 9th as part of the Tiny Giant Artist Collective's Winter Beach Ball along with about a million other bands.